Taliban admit drones are a problem for them

Guardian:

The Taliban have admitted that US drone attacks have disrupted their operations in Afghanistan but insist it will be only for the short term.

Under Barack Obama, the US has stepped up the use of unmanned aircraft to target Taliban leaders and foreign fighters sheltering in neighbouring Pakistan, particularly in the border region of North Waziristan and South Waziristan.

"In the short term, yes, you can say it has caused us some difficulties because of the martyrdoms and realignment of our ranks," a Taliban spokesman, Muhammed Umer, told the BBC. "But our command and control system is very strong and well established, so we won't be affected for long," he said, adding that anger at drone attacks was drumming up new recruits. "Instead we get new courage, becoming more powerful with the flow of new blood."

Analysts say the increase in drone attacks has forced a change in the pattern of militant behaviour in the tribal area, with Taliban and foreign fighters more careful about gathering in large groups and tending to move on from locations more quickly.

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A recent attack in Pakistan killed 14 Taliban, although there were apparently no high value targets. I think the decapitation does effect the Taliban command and control and weakens their leadership. We are also getting better at finding leaders and capturing them. This should lead to more intelligence information. The drone strikes rarely give you that.