The one memo you don’t want your name on is the one the CIA prepares to begin the process that ends with a drone blowing your body to bits. A drone attack in Pakistan on Friday killed nine alleged militants and the L.A. Times reported today that CIA analysts are now compiling a case against a man who was born in New Mexico.

That man is Muslim cleric Anwar al Awlaki who is currently based in Yemen. He has been linked to both the Fort Hood massacre and the failed Christmas Day airline plot.

Most of the drone assaults are currently being targeted at individuals in the North Waziristan province of Pakistan. The recent suicide bombing of a CIA outpost near the North Waziristan border was thought to be in retaliation for these attacks.

The Jerusalem Post carried an AFP report tonight that more than 40 suspects were arrested today in Jordan regarding that incident which caused the deaths of eight CIA agents and the Jordanian handler of the double agent who triggered the explosion.

Pakistani television was reporting today that Taliban leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, had been killed in a drone attack. However, a Taliban spokesman contacted Reuters by phone tonight and asserted that the story was a “total lie.”

In other Middle East news, the Obama administration announced yesterday that it is installing antimissile systems in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. General Petraeus said the actions were the result of fear over Iranian intentions in the region.

Meanwhile, the military/industrial complex, which last week arranged significant arms deals with India and Pakistan, has now entered into a $6 billion sale of arms to Taiwan. As in the case of the previous deals, the sale includes F-16 fighter planes.

Not surprisingly, this has resulted in a number of retaliatory measures announced yesterday by China, including an unusual threat of sanctions on U.S. arms contractors. The Chinese leaders were described as being “infuriated.” This follows on the heels of Google’s accusation that China was behind a series of computer attacks and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s criticisms of China’s Internet censorship.

Last week, the Department of Defense released the obituaries of six military personnel killed in Afghanistan ranging in age from 19 to 28. Four additional deaths on Thursday and Friday brought the January toll to 29. Total U.S. deaths in Afghanistan now amount to 976, according to the website icasualties.org.

The DOD also released the obituary of one 24-year-old soldier killed in combat in Iraq. The above website reports that total U.S. deaths there now stand at 4,375.

Dave McGill