Senior American officials say President Obama is considering widening covert attacks the US was conducting in the tribal areas of Pakistan close to the border with Afghanistan.

The attacks by CIA operated drones are meant to target alleged Taliban positions.

Dr. Lawrence Korb from the Center for American Progress says these attacks are meant to protect American forces in Afghanistan because Taliban and al-Qaeda have been using Pakistan territories to regroup and then return to Afghanistan and launch attacks against Americans.

At the same time Dr Korb assures this move by the Obama administration will not increase a strain in relations between Washington and Islamabad.

“The Pakistanis will probably protest publicly, but I think they recognize that those brutes could be a threat to them and until they can get their military together and get the country stabilised they do not really mind what the US is doing.”