The Pakistani military issued a sharply worded statement today warning the US not to conduct covert actions in the future and ordering a reduction of US military personnel inside the country.
The statement, which was released by the Pakistani military’s Inter-Services Public Relations branch, is attributed to comments made by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, the Chief of Army Staff, during a meeting with the corps commanders. The meeting was held just four days after the US launched a covert raid that killed Osama bin Laden inside a fortified safe house in the city of Abbottabad.
“COAS [Chief of Army Staff] made it very clear that any similar action, violating the sovereignty of Pakistan, will warrant a review on the level of military / intelligence cooperation with the United States,” the statement said.
“The Corps Commanders were informed about the decision to reduce the strength of US military personnel in Pakistan to the minimum essential,” it continued.
In early April, after the controversial Raymond Davis affair, Pakistan is reported to have asked the US to dramatically reduce US military, CIA and contractor personnel, according to The New York Times. Davis, a CIA contractor who is thought to have been observing terrorist networks in Pakistan, shot and killed two Pakistanis in late January. He was held for nearly two months despite having diplomatic immunity.
In today’s statement Kayani admitted to “shortcomings in developing intelligence on the presence of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan,” but claimed that the military’s Inter-Services Intelligence directorate (ISI) is responsible for killing or capturing more than 100 top al Qaeda leaders and that it provided “initial information” that led to the bin Laden raid.
“However, in the case of Osama Bin Laden, while the CIA developed intelligence based on initial information provided by ISI, it did not share further development of intelligence on the case with ISI, contrary to the existing practice between the two services,” the statement said.
Kayani also warned that its “strategic assets,” or its nuclear weapons, would be heavily defended. Pakistan continues to produced nuclear weapons, and is estimated to have more than 100 serviceable warheads.
“As regards the possibility of similar hostile action against our strategic assets, the Forum reaffirmed that, unlike an undefended civilian compound, our strategic assets are well protected and an elaborate defensive mechanism is in place,” the statement said.
Kayani further warned that India should not to attempt a similar raid on Pakistani territory, and “that any misadventure of this kind will be responded to very strongly. There should be no doubt about it.”
Kayani’s warning to the US comes as relations between the two countries are at an all-time low. Top US officials believe Pakistan was complicit in sheltering bin Laden. Two days ago, CIA Director Leon Panetta said that Pakistan could not be trusted with information about the planned raid to kill bin Laden.
“[I]t was decided that any effort to work with the Pakistanis could jeopardize the mission,” Panetta told TIME. “They might alert the targets.”
30 Comments
From the article:
“Kayani also warned that its “strategic assets,” or its nuclear weapons, would be heavily defended.”
That is an interesting statement. My first thought is that they know that people are thinking we could pull off similar successful raids on their nukes, and we probably can no matter what he says.
My second thought is that the comment leads me to believe that Abbotabad might be one of the places where the nukes are and they know we could have just turned left and taken them as well.
You would think they would be more diligent in protecting a nuke “area” so we could not have done the raid in an area like that but his comment is so strange that it seems he is making the connection. Is it possible they did hide Bin Laden in a nuke area that was strategically more protected for nukes and HVT’s?
What? There was nothing said about foreign aid? “Look America, if you keep this up, we will no longer accept the billions of dollars in aid you give us. Furthermore, we will no longer bother you with
allowing us to export textiles to your country. Lastly, we will stop charging exorbitant prices for allowing you to truck essential goods from our port to Afghanistan. OK, now you understand, Uncle Sam?”
What a bunch of two faced prats.
Every time another Pakistani official of any kind criticizes our anti-terror effort or offers that they’re serious about fighting AQ or the Taliban, ask yourself one question:
In the last 10 years, how many, if any, terrorists have been brought to any Pakistani court for prosecution?
Only Pakistan can do this
As long as you give aid and comfort to those who would kill Americans, dear Pakistan, we will damn well do whatever we deem necessary to kill these mongrels wherever they exist within your borders.
It’s very simple: Work with us, or work with them. There is no “in between.” You’ve been playing both ends against the middle for far too long. Pick a lane.
In other words, step up, or step the hell off and let honorable people lead.
These guys are in full scale damage control mode. I wonder if they went on the offensive to deflect the blame from themselves and to avoid uncomfortable questions being asked of the ISI chief, Lt Gen Pasha, or of Chief of Army Staff Kayani, himself a former ISI director under Gen Musharraf. Unfortunately these are not public events so we probably won’t ever know for sure what was said by whom. When will the other generals have enough and call for these two, who are both running on unprecedented extensions, to step down and let others take over? It’s a sure sign a regime is in desire crisis when individuals aren’t fired after embarrassing failures like the Bin Laden raid. The Pakistan security forces were completely owned Sunday night.
The current state of affairs in US foreign policy reminds me of the Sub-Prime financial crisis. Some were bailed out to the tune of tens of billions of taxpayer dollars, because they were “too big to fail” – and yet when obligations were requested of them, they began screaming that they would never give up their handsome bonuses.
Likewise, Pakistan, a failing state where less than 2% of its people pay taxes, is being kept afloat largely by billions from suffering US taxpayers, yet it loudly balks at abandoning precious ties with those who are killing US soldiers.
Pakistan boasts of its contributions to the War on Terror, the way overpaid bankers boast of their contribution to the economy. In both cases, politicians rush to approve billions in aid, leaving the reluctant taxpayers on the hook, while promising that things will get better in the future.
It was due to these wretched excesses of the Sub-Prime scandal that a voter revolt literally changed the landscape of the US Congress. But that’s because those dismayed voters were also taxpayers.
In the case of the current Sub-Prime foreign policy crisis, those who have been left on the hook from the constant appeasement and coddling of Pakistan are military families who’ve lost irreplaceable loved ones, and even whole other nations which are having to endure Pakistani-sponsored terrorism, such as Afghanistan and India. It’s possible that they may stage their own revolt of sorts, each casting their vote in their own respective ways. Military enlistment from traditional sources may suffer as part of the legacy of having been made to fight a war with one arm tied behind their backs. Leaders like Karzai have long been demanding the US get out, because they feel the US won’t do anything to save them from Pakistan. India recently turned down the US bid for the largest jet fighter contract in its history, because it didn’t have confidence that the US would continue supplies of parts, etc, in the event of a war with Pakistan.
It was after the sinking of the Cheonan by a similarly belligerent rogue, that the South Korean leadership finally took its gloves off and began staging live fire exercises near the border. Suddenly the North Korean shrillness was taken aback and silenced.
The US cannot allow its entire strategic freedom of action to be controlled by a lone irredentist failing state bent on duplicity and pan-regional revolution. Allowing this only undermines US credibility, and makes defense of its national security interests much harder.
I don’t know who I distrust the most.Pakistan, the media or the Obama administration.Lying liars,all.
If we could carve out a logistical supply route – road, or train – through Baluchistan, along the Iranian border to Gwadar we could tell Pakistan to sit down and shut up. The Baluci hate their guts anyway. Not much of a sales job needed there.
The only card Pak has is logistics. If they want to go to war with NATO and the US over that, fine. The next week we’ll be free to do whatever we want. Time we call their bluff. They aren’t gong to war, especially a nuclear war, over a few low-rent terrorists anyway. We’re just being stupid.
Americans need Pakistan because of their link to China and Saudi Arabia. But see how Mullah Nazir was used to eliminate Chinese terrorists but not terrorists who kill Americans or Indians. Americans were long lulled into thinking that as long they foul mouth Israel and America and kill Indians it is OK.Those guys are all same who finances,trains and feeds them and finally give orders whom to kill.
Pakistan should read UN Resolution 1373.
A state
Oh really Gen. Kayani.
This is when we call the bluff. “OK general K, we’re outa here. So is our aid to you. Good luck!”
Just remember, we can do it again any time.
I wrote this long comment to 9.26 regarding stupidity,
but got it wiped out – no e-mail submitted by,by!
Anyway, you should have take away there nukes starting
on 10/11.
You should never haven helped them to get them.
You should not have sanctioned there nuke work.
You should have fixed your differences with Iran when
there was a window.
Anything but supporting the Paks.
Osama is nothing compared to a possibly blow out in
Punjab and a Paki revolution.
Then, when media. army and politics goes safalist,
then, you might have to invade the whole country.
Remember that they are sitting on “the brothers atomic bomb”!
We have to remember that the term “Pakistan” isn’t really shorthand for “Pakistan, the country” in the way that, say, “India” or “France” is. Instead, it refers to “Pakistan, the failed state that houses a fractious collection of factions.”
Certain of these factions are our allies, others are avowed enemies. Some tribal in outlook, some religious. Sometimes it’s economic motors like bribery that make the wheels turn.
Parts of the government establishment seem to be secular and pro-development in outlook, thus inclined to friendship with the West. Unfortunately, politicians and civil servants seem to wield little power — unless they have an Army pedigree, and demonstrate continued loyalty to a military faction.
“Legitimate” orientations in the ISI and the wider Army seem to range from pro-Western (anti-India & pro-US aid) to pro-jihad (anti-India & pro-US aid). One of the challenges is figuring out the actual loyalties of actors like Kayani, Pasha, and Musharraf. And then, how effective they are at promoting those interests (and how heavily Swiss account balances weigh in their thinking).
We should approach this situation with realistic definitions of terms like “friend” and “ally”. Alas, it’s easier to be clear about our enemies.
The other commenters have got this all wrong. This statement and Pakistan’s general response are incredibly mild under these circumstances. Pakistan has to object for the benefit of the militant Islamic segment of its own people, but this response is so minimal, even to the point of being apologetic about their own intelligence failures, that it must be read as strongly supportinve of the US action, and pledging continued support for US actions in Pakistan.
JT, Pakistan, which readers here may have noticed, i’ve been referring to with good reason as pAQistan, hasn’t noticed it doesn’t have a leg to stand-on. If it goes on with the old pattern, which i believe they will and appear to be, the other leg is also going to be cut or blown off. They seem to have a death wish, but thats fine, in the end it may well suit everybody.
Turning to resolutions, thanks for highlighting that. As for paqistan reading it, well you know as well as i that they are illiterate, save some verses they have memorized which makes them, worse than benignly illiterate, dangerous.
The Taliban gave up location of bin laden to cia in end game negotiations
PAKISTANIS ARE LIVING IN CUCKOO LAND AND KAYANI IS THEIR LEADER.
Here’s a MUST READ article on a current poll of ‘educated’ Pakistanis. Lets not shudder to hear what the uneducated ones think. Although, to be fair, i have heard it from theIndians that the more educated the Pakis are, the more dangerous.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joel-faulkner-rogers/pakistan-poll-66-say-the-_b_858585.html
One highlight from the YouGov article:
“YouGov is still in the process of growing its polling access to be fully nationally representative of Pakistan. Suffice it say, results so far suggest that majority opinion in Pakistan is walking a complex third way between the narratives of both White House policymakers and militant leaders.”
IMHO, such a “complex” third-way-walk can only be achieved when you don’t have a leg to stand on. So Pakistan, “You’d better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone, for the times they are a changin’.”
Mr T says “My second thought is that the comment leads me to believe that Abbotabad might be one of the places where the nukes are and they know we could have just turned left and taken them as well.”
The Pakistani nuke storage base is at PAF Base Mushaf in Sargodha that’s 230km from Abbotabad: we know where they store the bits.
http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/pakistan/facility/sargodha.htm
Abbotobad is about 250km from Jalalabad in Afghanistan. It’s about 450km from Afghanistan (Kabul, Jalalabad) to Sargodha. Twice as far but perhaps do-able.
Kayani made the comment to cover over the complete lack of detection of the raid (until they made enough noise to be detected on the ground) so close to the PMA (even if it was on a civilian house). That’s got to worry them. If the US can (and is willing to) appear out of the dark without warning that has to have him shaken.
SANMAN i think that was an excellent post and an interesting and supportive comparison.
you opened my eyes to the similarities.
AMAC, thanks for your summary of Pak. Very interesing and agreeable angle.
contributions like yours is what brings me back here
thanks
i think a perspective is missing here. Did 9/11 show US inteligence & goverment’s incapability? or was that an evidence of ‘certain elements of CIA’ being involved?
I belive 9/11 occured due to an information failure & so can be bin laden’s death in pakistan.
Also, in short Pakistan needs to get rid of TWO elements, i.e, Taliban & the US….. both foreign elements to Pakistan EQUALLY damaging to Pakistan & who have NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER in PAKISTAN & its common man, who is the worst victim of this “WAR on TERROR” which has ONLY TWO elements & beneficaries includin the US & Taliban. pakistan is a mere battlefield in this mouse & cat game of these two.
So, US & Taliban! LEAVE US ALONE. Please do us a a favour. STOP PAMPERING US with ur treats.
P.S: ever thought about, just for example sake in the current scenario: Libya’s kadafi’s army is being destroyed by NATO. Great. But then finally kadafi will be replaced by whoever. that whoever will start building his army, (not working for his people) & who will sell him weapons & all new gadgets for his army?????????????Its all money game. Us’s way to pull itself out from a messy recession. So, all fair on their part as it is all for ‘National security (read economic well being)
AND I KNOW, ITS MAINLY PAKISTAN’S OWN POLICIES ALLOWING ALL THIS TO HAPPEN TO IT, but just asking for a favour from such an old & well wishing friend.
“sovereignty of Pakistan”
What a joke. Osama Bin Laden and other HVT islamic goons have been hiding in Pakistan for years; yet, the fractured establishment says we violated their sovereignty with that raid?
How many times have the Pakistanis stated their sovereignty has been violated after being suicide-bombed by muslim terror networks and Taliban elements?
We should police call their financial aid and drop crates of MREs instead.. Might as well feed them like the uncaged animals they are..
Seeing that Osama was living in a military canton suburb right next to their Sandhurst one could infer that Osama was a partner or part of the ISI.
If he was tight with the ISI then one could infer that the ISI was a willing partner or perhaps let a contract to Osama to carry out the 911 attack on the United States. (A implies B implies C…)
Therefore, one can infer the 911 attacks were an attack on the United States by the ISI directly implying by Pakistan.
Therefore … one can deduce that 911 was not an attack by a non-state entity buy rather an attack by the Nation of Pakistan!
That opens up a whole new can of worms and solutions.
Sarah,
Also, in short Pakistan needs to get rid of TWO elements, i.e, Taliban & the US….. both foreign elements to Pakistan EQUALLY damaging to Pakistan & who have NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER in PAKISTAN & its common man, who is the worst victim of this “WAR on TERROR” which has ONLY TWO elements & beneficaries includin the US & Taliban. pakistan is a mere battlefield in this mouse & cat game of these two.
The U.S. has been begging & pleading for Musharraf and now Kayani to eliminate the Taliban from Pakistan and the response is Strategic Depth in Afghanistan. Until the leadership (Kayani or his replacement) chooses a different course, Pakistan will remain on its current path.
———————————————————-
So, US & Taliban! LEAVE US ALONE.
The U.S. will gladly leave once the Taliban leave. Why Pakistanis are unable to comprehend that is a mystery to me.
———————————————————–
Please do us a a favour. STOP PAMPERING US with ur treats.
Start paying taxes so the treats won’t be so tempting and Pakistan can fund its spending rather than going around with the Begging Bowl as it currently does.
———————————————————–
AND I KNOW, ITS MAINLY PAKISTAN’S OWN POLICIES ALLOWING ALL THIS TO HAPPEN TO IT, but just asking for a favour from such an old & well wishing friend.
Based on what Kayani is saying and the sentiments of the majority on Pro Pakistan web sites, Pakistan still would rather remain an outcast with much of the rest of the world. Good luck with that philosophy because your country will need quite a bit of luck for many many decades
Pakistan should have gotten a Clue in 1998 that bin Laden and the Taliban were trouble after the Embassy bombings in Africa. The rigidity in thinking is costing Pakistan dearly. If it was Kaffirs continuing to lead Pakistan down this rocky path, then I could muster some sympathy for the majority Muslim population. Sadly, the Kaffirs are under tremendous pressure – prosecution in Pakistan and aren’t even close to the levers of power.
Until Kayani (or whomever is in charge) and the majority of the population in Pakistan show some humility, your pleas for sympathy and help from the Kaffirs are likely going to be wasted.
Germany and Japan both faced struggles and major hits to their Honor & Dignity by losing WW II. They moved forward and are now doing well.
Perhaps Pakistan needs to lose completely so they can start over and build a new future as Japan and Germany did.
Sarah, only the people of Pakistan can help themselves. As long as the generals are getting rich of of American aid by keeping their double game going and the naive people of Pakistan keep thinking it is everyone else’s fault, why would they stop? Unless they finally see that they will soon be a country no longer.
Thanks Bard, you hit most of the points I was going to make.
Sarah, thousands were killed in the Egyptian revolution, and nearing that in Syria, where are the Pakistanis demanding justice and a functional government? It appears they are cowering like frightened children, hiding under their beds perhaps?
Get off your whining butts and demand a functional government. If it wasn’t for your ability to endlessly blackmail the US for the spotty and pathetic support you give us in the war against people who have attacked US soil, you’d be in worse shape than Afghanistan.
We should just do as we please in the Tribal Regions, for the reasons stated clearly above, and put Pakistan on notice that we know where their tiny stock of maybe-work nuclear weapons are and if they even blink, we’re going to take them out.
As for who wins in Libya, if democracy wins it’s likely they’ll be with us in Afghanistan facing down the terrorists you whiners are too gutless to destroy.
So far, Pakistanis have gotten exactly the government they deserve.
I think Pakistan is a nation coming apart at the seams. Of course elements of the ISI/Army knew OBL was in Abbotabad. People seem not to take very seriously what Pakistan’s entire reason for existence is; a place of safety for Muslims. Acting against OBL would be seen by many within Pakistan (at all societal levels) as a fundamental betrayal. Already, Islamabad’s allowence of drone strikes has severly weakened the government’s legitimacy. This is also the reason Pakistan feels it must assist the Taliban. Its not really a choice. Failure to do so could well be a final nail in the coffin for Pakistani national unity… especially in already restive Baluchistan.
I think the Obama White House needs to think carefully before it asks Pakistan qustions that could lead to catestrophic answers they would be forced to act on. (and how would India react?) Nuclear armed Pakistan may collapse in the next decade anyway… which will pose an enormus security challenge that will make Afghanistan look like child’s play. We need to focus on what our interests in S.Asia are.
a question for the group, I d be very interested to hear the opinions/views of those with an interest in intelligence matters, and in particular the CIA/ISI relationship. We are all– and for good reason– taking it as a given that the Pakistani government, or some portion of the ISI, had to know where bin Laden and his wives were all these years. At the same time, the press in the take down’s wake is saying that the CIA managed to rent out a nearby house and conduct surveillance on the Osama residence for “several months”, according to the NYT. Is it remotely plausible that CIA cut outs could rent a house in Abbotabad and conduct surveillance for “several months” WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISI? I m really struggling with this one. In other words, they OF COURSE knew where Osama was all this time…but had absolutely NO IDEA the Agency was conducting surveillance on his house…
Really? Really?? Is it possible the public Pakistani wailing about this “violation of sovereignity” is just a giant head fake in which the USG is a willing partner…
thoughts anyone?
Now that some time has passed, the overt diplomatic posturing that occurred immediately after the raid is toning down to allow some cooperation between Pakistan and the U.S.
Washington Post: CIA to search bin Laden compound
I’m surprised the Pakistanis allowed the examination to happen so quickly. I would have expected them to drag out final approval just to make a political point.
MSNBC: CIA team searches bin Laden compound