Democratic Pakistan Bans BBC World News Over "Secret Pakistan" Documentary

Image via WikipediaAccording  to BBC News, Pakistani cable television operators have begun blocking the BBC's international news TV channel, BBC World News. This move was apparently due to a critical documentary broadcast entitled Secret Pakistan. Excerpts:

The BBC said it was deeply concerned by the move, and called for its channel to be speedily reinstated.

"We condemn any action that threatens our editorial independence and prevents audiences from accessing our impartial international news service," a BBC spokesperson said.

"We would urge that BBC World News and other international news services are reinstated as soon as possible."

The two-part BBC documentary questioned the country's commitment to tackling Taliban militancy.
[...]
The decision to block BBC World News and other international news channels comes after a media uproar in Pakistan over a Nato air strike that killed 24 Pakistani troops near the Afghan border at the weekend.

The All Pakistan Cable Operators Association announced on Tuesday that all foreign news channels airing "anti-Pakistan" content would be barred from Wednesday.

The operators called on the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) "to revoke the landing rights of foreign channels" if they are found to be "propagating" information harmful to the country.
[...]
Correspondents say it is not possible to see BBC World News in most Pakistani cities, with the ban expected to be extended to rural areas by Wednesday.

Cable Operators Association spokesman Khalid Arain said that no foreign anti-Pakistan channel would "ever" be broadcast in the country.

"We want to send them a strong message to stop this. If they don't stop this, then it is our right to stop them," he said.

Correspondents say the Pakistani government is likely to have put pressure on the operators to impose the ban.

Active link added above.  Read in full here.

The two-part documentary is, of course, now available on YouTube for everyone to see and unless pulled by BBC for copyright issues, available to anyone with access to the web. 

Secret Pakistan : Documentary by BBC Part 1
(Double Cross) | Length: 59:03
http://youtu.be/qSinK-dVrig

from BBC: In May this year, US Special Forces shot and killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. Publicly Pakistan is one of America's closest allies - yet every step of the operation was kept secret from it.

Filmed largely in Pakistan and Afghanistan, this two-part documentary series explores how a supposed ally stands accused by top CIA officers and Western diplomats of causing the deaths of thousands of coalition soldiers in Afghanistan. It is a charge denied by Pakistan's military establishment, but the documentary makers meet serving Taliban commanders who describe the support they get from Pakistan in terms of weapons, training and a place to hide.

This first episode investigates signs of duplicity that emerged after 9/11 and disturbing intelligence reports after Britain's forces entered Helmand in 2006.

Secret Pakistan : Documentary by BBC Part 2
(Backlash) | Length: 58:59
http://youtu.be/G5-lSSC9dSE

from BBC: The second film in this timely and enthralling two-part documentary series reveals how Britain and America discovered compelling evidence that Pakistan was secretly helping the Taliban and concluded they had been double-crossed.

It tells the story of how under President Obama the US has waged a secret war against Pakistan. Taliban commanders tell the film makers that to this day Pakistan shelters and arms them, and helps them kill Western troops - indeed one recently captured suicide bomber alleges he was trained by Pakistani intelligence.

Chillingly, the film also reveals that, based on some evidence, Pakistani intelligence stands accused of sabotaging possible peace talks. Pakistan denies these charges, but relations between Pakistan and America now verge on hostility.

Since it is inevitable that some clips of this documentary will bleed into prime time news, I suspect that a host of foreign channels will also be banned for "propagating information harmful to the country."

Perhaps, the cable operators would like to use the following programming filler - a music video, titled "Zindagi Hai Yahan."  This has been created to showcase the treasures of the beautiful valley of Swat and promote it as a premium tourist destination in Pakistan, with assistance from USAID and the people of the United States of America:

Read more on Tourism Takes On Taliban (IPS) and USAID Support to Tourism in Swat. 

Related articles

• BBC World News blocked in Pakistan (guardian.co.uk)
• Pakistani Cable Blocks BBC Over Critical Documentary (huffingtonpost.com)
• Pakistan withdraws from Afghanistan peace conference (telegraph.co.uk)
• Threat to foreign TV channels issued (nation.com.pk)
• Pakistani Cable TV Blocks BBC Over Documentary (abcnews.go.com)

Mumbai: Three Blasts Kill 21, ConGen Mumbai Goes on Partial Reduction of Visa Operations

The US Consulate General in Mumbai released the following warden message yesterday after the three bombings in the city.  Reports indicate that the three explosions killed 21 individuals and wounded 141. The victims had been taken to 11 city hospitals, many of them in a serious condition. Although no Americans were reportedly killed in the attack, I expect that ConGen Mumbai's staff is fanning across the city's hospitals to confirm that we do not have citizens injured in the attack requiring assistance.

Indian authorities have confirmed that on July 13, 2011, at approximately 7:10 pm, three explosions were detonated in southern and central Mumbai.  The blasts are reported to have occurred at the Opera House district and Jhaveri Bazar in southern Mumbai, and at Dadar West in central Mumbai.  At this time, there is no reason to suspect that U.S. citizens were the target of the attacks, and there are no reports of U.S. citizens killed or injured as a result of these attacks.

Our security posture remains vigilant.  The U.S. Mission in India again reminds U.S. citizens to exercise prudence and continue to take active, personal responsibility for their security.  We suggest that U.S. citizens monitor news reports and follow the instructions of Indian authorities.  

Read the whole thing here.

The Consulate General has also posted a notice online that its visa operation will be "partially reduced." suspended until further notice.

The Embassy will continue to process the visa applications of anyone who was interviewed prior to the suspension of visa services. 

Applicants who need to travel to the United States before resumption of full visa services in Damascus are welcome to apply for a nonimmigrant visa at any U.S. Embassy or consulate outside Syria which provides visa services.

Secretary Clinton's Statement:

"We condemn these despicable acts of violence designed to provoke fear and division. Those who perpetrated them must know they cannot succeed. The Indian people have suffered from acts of terrorism before, and we have seen them respond with courage and resilience. We are continuing to monitor the situation, including the safety and security of American citizens. Our hearts are with the victims and their families, and we have reached out to the Indian Government to express our condolence and offer support.

I will be traveling to India next week as planned. I believe it is more important than ever that we stand with India, deepen our partnership, and reaffirm our commitment to the shared struggle against terrorism."

President Obama's Statement

"I strongly condemn the outrageous attacks in Mumbai, and my thoughts and prayers are with the wounded and those who have lost loved ones. The U.S. government continues to monitor the situation, including the safety and security of our citizens. India is a close friend and partner of the United States. The American people will stand with the Indian people in times of trial, and we will offer support to India’s efforts to bring the perpetrators of these terrible crimes to justice. During my trip to Mumbai, I saw firsthand the strength and resilience of the Indian people, and I have no doubt that India will overcome these deplorable terrorist attacks."

Related articles

• Mumbai Bomb Blasts Kill More Than 20 (abcnews.go.com)
• Mumbai attacks won't stop Clinton trip to India (sfgate.com)
• Terror blasts rock Mumbai (heraldsun.com.au)
• Mumbai hit by wave of bombs - 17 die (sfgate.com)
• Officials Blame 'Terrorists' for Deadly Mumbai Blasts (waronterrornews.typepad.com)

 

 

 

Flying the Unfriendly Skies: Up Next - Screening for Body Implants?

NBC broke the news that the U.S. government has told overseas airlines that fly into the country that foreign terrorists have discussed the possibility of surgically implanting explosive devices into air travelers. Just so you won't get scared out of your wits, NBC adds:

"There is no indication of a plot at the moment, according to an official familiar with the intelligence. Instead, terrorists are considering how devices or components could be implanted in passengers flying into the U.S. from abroad."

Right after the underpants bomber's failed attempt, I wondered how long before breast implants make it to the official warning lingo.

On March 2010, DHS/CBP issued a female suicide bomber threat assessment. Via Public Intelligence:

"Al-Qa’ida, reportedly, is considering using breast implants as a means to conceal explosives, which would be detonated by a liquid filled syringe that would replicate diabetics injecting insulin. Diabetic supplies (insulin and syringes) are not prohibited items on airliners."

But the latest report is not even talking about just breast implants. Do you have any idea how many kinds of body implants are out there?

According to bodyimplants.com, implants for medical or functional reasons are implant surgery (pec implants, calf implants, deltoid implants, bicep/tricep implants) that include surgical reconstruction of affected areas due to vehicular mishaps, injuries or congenital issues. Body implants for aesthetic reasons include buttock implants, cosmetic hip implants, and breast implant procedures which are "largely driven by individual wants and expectations."

But those are not the only implants done out there.  The Wikipedia list also includes the following that all sounds painful:

• Collarbone piercing
• Deep chest piercing
• Eyeball implant
• Genital beading and genital ribs
• Forehead Horn implants
• Magnetic implants
• 3D implant
• Transdermal implant

These procedures are apparently not easy nor are they performed by all cosmetic surgeons; they also are not cheap. Note that Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's parcel bomb plot aka: 'Operation Hemorrhage' reportedly only cost $4,200 -- about how much a fancy coffee machine cost in US dollars.  Body implants on the other hand such as breast implants can cost anywhere from $5,000-$8,000; butt implants from $7,500-$9,000; tummy tuck from $7,500-$10,000, not sure how much is a tummy bump, can't plant a bomb in a flat stomach, right?

One of the talking heads on teevee said that surgical implantation is hard and that AQ has yet to perfect this.  Of course. Even if this is all talk, if this catches on and TSA reacts with another layer of screening and folks get scared out of their wits, then even the scaredy talk has done its part in advancing the goals of the terrorists; if not casualties then widespread fear.  On the other hand, given that there was an unsuccessful anal cavity bomber in 2009, this cannot be underestimated. The bad guys out there may be willing to die of tetanus or on the practice table of a rogue cosmetic/implant surgeon in the name of their cause. With enough practice, they may even deliver an eyeball implant that shoots death rays one of these days or a super EMP burst from an eyeball that can knock out the plane's electronic systems.

But not to lose sleep or anything, Danger Room reports on the next stage of job creation in the airport security industry:

"Already, airport security companies cackling at the chance to develop new detection tech for surgically implanted bombs. An Indiana company claims to have developed an imagery machine that can find “explosive materials, narcotics, and low-density plastics hidden inside or outside of the human body,” according to its CEO, by analyzing X-rays scattered or refracted from the body’s soft tissue."

Every scaredy news is a business opportunity.

Related articles

• U.S. government warns airlines about human bomb implants (theglobeandmail.com)
• Surgically implanted bombs possible, but unlikely (cbsnews.com)
• U.S. warns airlines that terrorists pursuing 'body bombs' (ctv.ca)
• Everyone P-P-Panic! The Joker al-Qaida is Sewing Bombs Into People! (wired.com)
• Testicle Implants: Are They Right for You? (everydayhealth.com)
• TSA Airport Scanners Wouldn't Catch an Implant Bomber (propublica.org)

 

 

 

Pakistani-Canadian Tahawwur Hussain Rana Guilty in Terrorism Conspiracy

Chicago Businessman Tahawwur Hussain Rana Guilty of Providing Material Support to Terror Group and Supporting Role in Denmark Terrorism Conspiracy

Via the U.S. Attorney’s Office | Northern District of Illinois
June 09, 2011     

CHICAGO—A Pakistani native who operated a Chicago-based immigration business was convicted today of participating in conspiracy involving a terrorism plot against a Danish newspaper and providing material support to a terrorist organization based in Pakistan. The defendant, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, was found guilty by a federal jury that deliberated two days following a trial that began May 16 in U.S. District Court. The jury acquitted Rana of conspiracy to provide material support to the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, that killed more than 160 people, including six Americans.

Rana, 50, a Canadian citizen, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to the terrorism plot in Denmark and one count of providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, Lashkar e Tayyiba (Lashkar.) He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on the two counts combined and remains in federal custody without bond. U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber ordered the defense to file post-trial motions by Aug. 15. No sentencing date was set.

“The message should be clear to all those who help terrorists — we will bring to justice all those who seek to facilitate violence,” said Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

“Today’s verdict demonstrates our commitment to hold accountable not only terrorist operatives, but also those who facilitate their activities. As established at trial, Tahawwur Rana provided valuable cover and support to David Headley, knowing that Headley and others were plotting terror attacks overseas,” said Todd Hinnen, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “We will not rest in our efforts to identify and bring to justice those who provide support to terrorists.”

“The effort to combat terrorism and bring justice to the victims is a global effort, requiring the cooperation and collaboration of many countries and many people. We are grateful for our role and that of the Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force in bringing some measure of justice,” said Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Rana is the second defendant to be convicted among a total of eight co-defendants who have been indicted in this case since late 2009. Co-defendant David Coleman Headley, 50, pleaded guilty in March 2010 to all 12 counts against him, including aiding and abetting the murders of the six American victims. Headley, who is also facing a maximum sentence of life in prison, has cooperated with the Government since he was arrested in October 2009, and testified as a Government witness at Rana’s trial.

The six remaining defendants are all believed to be in Pakistan.

Headley testified that he attended training camps in Pakistan operated by Lashkar, a designated foreign terrorist organization, on five separate occasions between 2002 and 2005. In late 2005, Headley received instructions from members of Lashkar to travel to India to conduct surveillance, which he did five times leading up to the Mumbai attacks three years later that killed more than 160 people and wounded hundreds more.

In the early summer of 2006, Headley and two Lashkar members discussed opening an immigration office in Mumbai as a cover for his surveillance activities. Headley testified that he traveled to Chicago and advised Rana, his long-time friend since the time they attended high school together in Pakistan, of his assignment to scout potential targets in India. Headley obtained approval from Rana, who owned First World Immigration Services in Chicago and elsewhere, to open a First World office in Mumbai as cover for his activities. Rana directed an individual associated with First World to prepare documents supporting Headley’s cover story of opening a First World office in Mumbai, and advised Headley how to obtain a visa for travel to India, according to Headley’s testimony, as well as emails and other documents that corroborated his account.

Starting Nov. 26, 2008, and continuing through Nov. 28, 2008, 10 attackers trained by Lashkar carried out multiple assaults with firearms, grenades and improvised explosive devices against multiple targets in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal and Oberoi hotels, the Leopold Café, the Chabad House and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus train station, each of which Headley had scouted in advance. The six Americans killed during the three-day siege were Ben Zion Chroman, Gavriel Holtzberg, Sandeep Jeswani, Alan Scherr, his daughter Naomi Scherr, and Aryeh Leibish Teitelbaum.

Regarding the Denmark terror plot, Headley admitted that in early November 2008, he met with a Lashkar member in Karachi, Pakistan, and was instructed to conduct surveillance of the Copenhagen and Aarhus offices of the Danish newspaper Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten in preparation for an attack in retaliation for the newspaper’s publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed.

In late 2008 and early 2009, after reviewing with Rana how he had performed surveillance of the targets attacked in Mumbai, Headley testified that he advised Rana of the planned attack on the Danish newspaper and his intended travel to Denmark to conduct surveillance of its facilities. Headley obtained Rana’s approval and assistance to identify himself as a representative of First World and gain access to the newspaper’s offices by falsely expressing interest in placing advertising for First World in the newspaper. Before departing Chicago, Headley and Rana caused business cards to be made that identified Headley as a representative of the Immigration Law Center, the business name of First World, according to the evidence at trial.

The government’s evidence also included transcripts of recorded conversations, including those in September 2009, when Headley and Rana spoke about reports that co-defendant Ilyas Kashmiri, an alleged Pakistani terrorist leader, had been killed in a drone attack and the implications of his possible death for the plan to attack the newspaper. In other conversations, Rana told Headley that the attackers involved in the Mumbai attacks should receive Pakistan’s highest posthumous military honors. In the late summer of 2009, Rana and Headley agreed that funds that had been provided to Rana could be used to fund Headley’s work in Denmark, and the trial evidence showed that Rana, pretended to be Headley in sending an email to the Danish newspaper .

Active links added above. Read in full here.

Related articles

• Jury convict Canadian in plotting attack against a Danish newspaper (thestar.com)
• Rana convicted of aiding Lashkar (hindu.com)
• Chicago Businessman Convicted of Terrorism but Not Mumbai Attacks (waronterrornews.typepad.com)
• Jury may have doubted key Mumbai attacks witness (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

1998 US Embassy Bombing Suspect Fazul Abdullah Mohammed Killed in Somalia

Fazul Abdullah Mohammed was indicted in the Southern District of New York, for his alleged involvement in the bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya, on August 7, 1998.

The Rewards For Justice Program of the Department of State has offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading directly to the apprehension or conviction of Fazul Abdullah Mohammed.

Today, BBC reports that Fazul Abdullah Mohammed was killed at a police checkpoint in Mogadishu.

Mr Mohammed and a fellow militant were shot dead by Somali Transitional Federal Government forces at a checkpoint in Mogadishu, Somali security officials told AFP and Reuters.

"Our forces fired on two men who refused to stop at a roadblock. They tried to defend themselves when they were surrounded by our men," TFG commander Abdikarim Yusuf told AFP.

"We took their ID documents, one of which was a foreign passport," he said, adding that medicine, mobile phones and laptops were also found.

Somali sources told AFP that Mr Mohammed was carrying some $40,000 in cash and a South African passport bearing the name "Daniel Robinson".

Later, an official at Somalia's National Security Agency told AFP that DNA tests it had "confirmed by DNA tests carried out with our partners that it definitely was Fazul Abdullah".

Halima Aden, a senior Somali national security officer, also confirmed that Mr Mohammed was killed at a checkpoint this week, and that he had a South African passport.
[...]
[O]ne unnamed official told the BBC: "There's strong reason to believe he's dead. He was killed at a police checkpoint in Mogadishu."

One source told AFP that the incident took place at about 0200 on Wednesday (2300 GMT on Tuesday) in the Afgooye corridor, a 20km-long strip of land north-west of Mogadishu.

Global Post also reports Abdullah and another man reportedly refused to stop at a roadblock, and Somali forces then fired on them. Somali forces then seized from the men a fake South African passport, medicine, mobile phones and a laptop.
[...]
BBC reports that the two bodies were collected by the Somali National Security Agency and given to U.S. authorities for DNA testing.

Secretary Clinton is the first US official to confirm his death and released the following statement:

"Harun Fazul's death is a significant blow to Al Qaeda, its extremist allies, and its operations in East Africa. It is a just end for a terrorist who brought so much death and pain to so many innocents in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, and elsewhere - Tanzanians, Kenyans, Somalis, others in the region, and our own embassy personnel."

Related articles

• Fazul Abdullah Mohammed - Embassy bomb plotter killed (politico.com)
• US Embassy blasts mastermind killed (mirror.co.uk)
• 1998 U.S. Embassy bomber reportedly killed (salon.com)
• John Brennan: Fazul Abdullah Mohammed Death A Setback For Al Qaeda (huffingtonpost.com)
• You: Al-Qaida bomber Fazul Abdullah Mohammed killed (guardian.co.uk)
• Al-Qaeda's east Africa chief 'killed in Somalia' (alternet.org)

US Consulate General Peshawar: IED Targets Two Consulate Vehicles

Just a few days after a Saudi diplomat was killed by two men riding a motorcycle in Karachi, Pakistan, Al Jazeera is reporting that two US Consulate vehicles were attacked today in Peshawar.

At least one person has been killed and 10 others wounded after an attack on two US consulate vehicles in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar.

Pakistani police said a roadside bomb struck two vehicles carrying foreigners on Friday, killing a Pakistani passer-by.

The US embassy later confirmed that two of its consulate vehicles had been targeted, and that one of them was badly damaged.

"Two vehicles of the US consulate were on their way to the consulate when they were attacked," US embassy spokesman Alberto Rodriguez said.

"One vehicle was damaged. There is no death among our personnel and there are no serious injuries," he added.

"Only one car was hit. In that car there were US citizen diplomats and a Pakistani driver."

Ijaz Khan, a police superintendent, told the Reuters news agency that two American security guards were slightly wounded, and were being treated at a US medical facility.

Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from the capital, Islamabad, said, "Because the vehicle was bomb proof, none of the people in the vehicle was killed."

Liaqat Ali, Peshawar police chief, said a local man riding on a motorbike was killed in the blast, which took place on a main road in the city.

Read Pakistan blast strikes US consulate convoy here.

A brief AFP video of the bombing aftermath is below:

The US Embassy is Islamabad has issued the following statement:

Terrorist Attack on U.S. Consulate Personnel in Peshawar | May 20, 2011

Islamabad- This morning, a vehicle belonging to the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar was hit by an improvised explosive device. The explosion damaged the vehicle, but no U.S. personnel were seriously injured. According to media reports, at least one person was killed and bystanders were injured.

We appreciate the support of Pakistani authorities, who responded immediately and are investigating the incident.

Our thoughts are with all those injured by this heinous attack.

The United States is committed to working with Pakistan in our joint effort to combat terrorism and to bring to justice those behind this attack.

We note that the Saudi diplomat who was killed a few days ago was reported in the news media as a security officer of the Saudi Consulate in Karachi and was killed on his way to work.  He was attacked by two men on a motorcycle. Sounds Ray-Davish enough? Except that the dead diplomat, apparently did not have a gun. If he had one, and shot first, he might still be alive today. Of course, he could have ended in a circus, too, but better that than dead. 

I'm not advocating that our diplomats run around with guns but aren't they like -- sitting targets over there? Their protection is supposedly the responsibility of the host country, but this is Pakistan! And we're still talking about a civilian surge?

A note on the official vehicles - thank heavens they were armored to the teeth! And I hope no one is thinking of self-drive in POVs in Pakistan right now as a morale issue. 

Related articles

• Roadside bomb hits US consulate vehicle, 2 killed 10 injured (nation.com.pk)
• Pakistan: militants attack US consulate staff (telegraph.co.uk)
• Pakistan Taliban claim responsibility for attack on U.S. convoy (thestar.com)
• Peshawar blast targets foreigners (bbc.co.uk)

Pakistan puts temporary hold on media visas, gags "illegal" broadcasts from Abbottabad

Image via WikipediaThe Guardian reported the name of the CIA station chief in Islamabad based on local TV stations who named the specific official in Pakistan. We have stripped the name from the extract below for obvious reasons.

If true that the CIA chief had been outed by the ISI, that's going to make a bad situation, exceptionally worse.  And gagging the media, of course, will make the embarrassing Bin Laden news go away. True dat.

Via the Guardian:

The Pakistani government has introduced curbs on international media in the garrison town where Osama bin Laden was killed, ordering television stations to cease broadcasting and some reporters to leave town.

On Saturday night the television regulator, Pemra, ordered nine international channels, including the BBC, CNN and Fox, to stop "illegal" broadcasts from Abbottabad, where Bin Laden's house has been the subject of intense media coverage

It suggested the channels could not broadcast from Abbottabad or anywhere in Pakistan without obtaining a licence, a previously unknown requirement. Simultaneously, government officials contacted several British, Australian and American journalists, instructing them to leave Abbottabad because their visas did not permit them to stay.

The government also took measures to stop more journalists entering Pakistan. At diplomatic missions in London and New Delhi, Pakistani officials said there was a temporary hold on media visas.

The measures appeared to be part of a concerted government effort to stem a tide of critical media coverage over thorny questions about how Bin Laden lived for up to six years in a garrison town that is home to three regiments, a military academy and thousands of soldiers.
[..]
Until now most western criticism has been directed at Pakistan's military and intelligence agencies. Some US officials have insinuated that the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) helped to harbour Bin Laden.

Now the ISI is hitting back with judicious media leaks. In a move bound to infuriate the US, on Friday several Pakistani television stations named the CIA station chief in Islamabad as [REDACTED]; the stations said he had been given a verbal roasting by the ISI chief, General Shuja Pasha.

The naming is sensitive because the previous CIA chief in Islamabad quit his position over security worries last December after being named in a court case and the national media. Some US officials blamed the ISI for the leak.

Active links added above. Read in full here.

Related articles

• Bin Laden must have had help - US (guardian.co.uk)
• Bin Laden: Pakistan instructs global media to stop 'illegal broadcasts' (guardian.co.uk)
• Pakistan Names CIA Chief (themoderatevoice.com)
• Pakistani Military Claims Ignorance on Osama bin Laden (time.com)
• Pakistan's Military Tries to Explain Itself (time.com)

Barack Hussein Obama: A Promise Kept and Mission Accomplished Without the Cheesy Banner

John McCain asked in 2008 during his victory speech in the Wisconsin primary: “Will we risk the confused leadership of an inexperienced candidate who once suggested invading our ally, Pakistan?”

Ally may not be quite the right word although we kept convincing ourselves that is the necessary word. It turned out our country did risk it and hey, look what happened.  

PolitiFact has now posted the full text of the question and answer from the Oct. 7, 2008 debate in Nashville, Tenn., which was moderated by Tom Brokaw. The video of the debate is here via hulu.

Excerpts:

TOM BROKAW: Next question for Senator Obama. It comes from the F Section, and it’s from Katie Hamm. Katie?

KATIE HAMM: Should the United States respect Pakistani sovereignty and not pursue al Qaeda terrorists who maintain bases there, or should we ignore their borders and pursue our enemies, like we did in Cambodia during the Vietnam War?

SEN. OBAMA: Well, Katie, it’s a terrific question.

And we have a difficult situation in Pakistan. I believe that part of the reason we have a difficult situation is because we made a bad judgment going into Iraq in the first place when we hadn’t finished the job of hunting down bin Laden and crushing al Qaeda.

So what happened was we got distracted, we diverted resources, and ultimately bin Laden escaped, set up base camps in the mountains of Pakistan in the northwest provinces there.
[...]
And if we have Osama bin Laden in our sights and the Pakistani government is unable or unwilling to take them out, then I think that we have to act, and we will take them out.

We will kill bin Laden. We will crush al Qaeda. That has to be our biggest national security priority.

He walked that talk and without the cheesy banner, too. Perhaps our "ally" simply thought he was politicking, eh?  This actually turned us briefly into a bard of sorts. A wordy exercise below fresh (then updated) from the oven --     

That's my president, Barack; don't care that he's black 

Or that his middle name is Hussein for that's not a sin

He's as American as McCain born in the Panama Canal Zone

And while the guy with a fox on his head had to eat

His socks over the long form whatchamacallit,

Barack Hussein Obama marched into the history books

As the man who got Bin Laden in old Paranoidistan

Go thank President A,B,C,D ...but not O for the catch but

We all know who ordered the "kill team" and he--

Did not have a mission accomplished banner

Draped like an empty swagger behind him 

And the sour guy with the fox on his hair

Is now remembered best as the magnificent

Seth Meyers' punchline with a tacky hairline.  

Related articles

• Politifact Rates Bin Laden's Death As A Campaign Promise 'Kept' (huffingtonpost.com)
• Flashback: Candidate Obama Promises To Go Into Pakistan And Kill Osama Bin Laden (alan.com)
• Zardari defends Pakistan's stance toward terror (cnn.com)
• First Thoughts: A game-changer (firstread.msnbc.msn.com)
• Obama Was Right About Going Into Pakistan After Bin Laden (usnews.com)
• Obama Proves Critics Wrong, Keeps Bin Laden Campaign Promise (crooksandliars.com)

In Pakistan, Bin Laden Questions and the Emperors' Clothes

Image via WikipediaCyril Almeida writes about the emperors’ clothes in Pakistan in light of the embarrassing Bin Laden affair. Excerpts below from dawn.com:

Nobody has come out and said it openly yet. It’s too early, the story still unfolding. Ask the question in private, though, and with hand on heart, no one will say anything but, yes, they knew he was there.

Some do try and clutch at straws. Maybe they didn’t know. Maybe they’re so daft they didn’t really take this whole business of pursuing Al Qaeda seriously. Maybe they just didn’t think it was their problem.

But those voices, unconvinced by their own words, quickly trail off … They knew. They knew he was there.

It’s too frightening to make sense of. The world’s most-wanted terrorist. A man who triggered the longest war in American history. The terrorist mastermind the world’s only superpower has moved heaven and earth to track down. A decade of hunting. Hundreds of billions of dollars spent. The blood of countless Americans and others spilled.

And when he was finally found, he was found wrapped in the bosom of the Pakistani security establishment.

Away from the bleatings of the ghairat brigade — the paranoid schizophrenics marching this country into the abyss — the shock is profound. Grim questions are etched on anxious faces, but so is fear of the answers.

Proud men and women, people who love and serve their country, have cried as they connect yet another dot in the horrifying trajectory this country is on. If we didn’t know, we are a failed state; if we did know, we are a rogue state. But does anybody really believe they didn’t know?

Read the whole thing here.

In related news, Al Qaeda apparently has vowed to take revenge over the death of OBL. And that is news why? They have vowed to attack the US and US interests prior to OBL's death, now that he is dead, they vowed to attack us also.  Can't catch a break with these guys carrying lots of vows. They'll attack the United States if they have the opportunity even if their sole reason was breaking a freakin' dirty finger nail!     

Related articles

• Al Qaeda Vows Revenge For Osama Bin Laden's Death (huffingtonpost.com)
• What Did Pakistan's Government Know? (outsidethebeltway.com)
• Dented image (bbc.co.uk)
• Pakistan: A Terrorist State (newsweek.com)
• Al-Qaeda After Osama bin Laden: Can the 'Brand' Survive? (globalspin.blogs.time.com)
• Pakistan Army Warns U.S.: No More Raids (time.com)

 

 

 

Osama Bin Laden's Death: The Views From Pakistan

Image by Omer Wazir via Flickr

If you've been following the coverage of Bin Laden's raid, you might want to check out Jack Shafer's 'How to Read the Bin Laden Coverage' at Slate. 
And from overseas, I have collected the following reactions mostly from Pakistani newspapers and a couple from CBS and NYT:

The Nation| American Troops Kill Osama

Osama bin Laden was killed in an early Monday morning operation carried out by 35 US Marines. About 200 Pakistan Army men provided ground support, top level official sources told The Nation. During the operation, four helicopters of the Pakistan Army hovered over the fortress-like hideout of al-Qaeda chief at Thanda Choh, a relatively isolated area of Abbottabad’s otherwise posh locality Bilal Town that is barely a kilometre away from the Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul. After completing aerial assessments, the four Pakistan Army helicopters were replaced by two US helicopters, ten minutes later. Initially, the US military personnel opened fire at the outer wall of Osama’s hideout, which was retaliated by the house inmates with heavy gunfire. After almost twenty minutes of cross-firing, the US forces directly targeted the house with sophisticated bombs, eventually killing Osama, his eight bodyguards, seven close aides and an unspecified number of family members including a young son, children and two wives.
[...]
Meanwhile, Sahir Elahi, an eyewitness who lives a few yards from the place where the operation took place, doubted if any helicopter had crashed. “We were the first to reach the spot – by that time the security forces had not cordoned off the area. The wreckage of any helicopter was nowhere to be seen. I think it was a bomb that was dropped by the US forces,” he said.  “It was like Dooms Day, we heard heavy explosions that shook us. It was followed by heavy gunfire and similar explosions; we couldn’t sleep till dawn,” he added.

The Dawn | The Truth Will Out by Kamran Shafi

[W]e are being told to believe that no one in Pakistan, not the Hazara police, not the IB, not the ISI, not MI, had the slightest idea just who lived in that absurd house located not far from the Pakistan Military Academy where officer cadets, the future leaders of the Pakistan Army, are trained. (Incidentally, where, not a week ago, the COAS asserted that the army had broken the back of the terrorists!) Indeed, one should have thought that a cantonment with not only this academy but three regimental centres which train recruits and turn them into soldiers should have been a most sensitive station. I can only say if they didn’t know, why didn’t they know? The truth will out one day.
[...]
We should be aware that Osama being run to ground in Abbottabad will heighten American suspicions of us, regardless of what we might say. We should also take very serious note of what American leaders are saying about us. While some people might be right in characterising congressman Dana Rohrabacher’s saying we have been playing the Americans for suckers as the view of just one conservative, we must recall Secretary Clinton saying: “I’m not saying that they’re at the highest levels, but I believe that somewhere in this government are people who know where Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda is, where Mullah Omar and the leadership of the Afghan Taliban is, and we expect more cooperation to help us bring to justice, capture or kill those who attacked us on 9/11.”

Truth will out, only this time it will bring great peril to us if we don’t shape up.

The Daily Times | Editorial

Pakistan has found itself in quite the embarrassing situation. Osama bin Laden was found in a military town just a mile or so away from the Kakul Military Academy. How he was able to hide there without any action on our part is going to be a hard sell to the Americans. So far, we have been milking the same excuse: joint intelligence and a willingness on our part in counter-terror operations led to this victory. Scratching beneath the surface may reveal other truths entirely. Whilst we have been allies of the US, we have been very trying partners, picking and choosing the militants we wanted to root out and the ones we wanted to protect. No doubt, in the coming days, Pakistan’s exact role in the war on terror and Osama’s death will become clearer. It is hoped we will not be on the receiving end of a negative fallout with the Americans, who are in this war for the long haul.

The News International | Editorial

Bin Laden, and it appears that at least two other persons including a woman, were killed in what the US says was a gun-fight, as helicopters swooped towards the palatial house where he, his guards and some family members apparently lived. This estate stood not in some remote, mountain valley but in a peaceful Abbotabad suburb, only kilometres away from the Kakul Military Academy. The failure of Pakistan to detect the presence of the world’s most wanted man here is shocking – though there is still a lack of clarity as to what role, if any, our security and intelligence apparatus played in the whole affair. It is hard to believe that foreign aircraft could have flown so deep into our territory undetected and unanticipated.
[...]
For Islamabad, the whole business is something of an embarrassment. Despite years of fervent denial, Bin Laden has been found on Pakistani soil. And now that the brazen US action in Abbotabad has happened, there may be other attempts to go after key militant figures in different urban centres. The thought is not a comforting one, considered in light of its implications for national sovereignty. Security has been stepped up at US consular buildings and in all cities. There have been reports of sporadic protests – but it is not known if these will expand. A lot may depend on how the operation and Pakistan’s role in it are perceived.

Pakistan Today | Hundreds join first rally to honour Osama

QUETTA -  Hundreds took to the streets of Quetta on Monday to pay homage to Osama Bin Laden, chanting death to America and setting fire to a US flag, witnesses and organisers said. Angry participants belonging to a religious party in Quetta, were led by federal lawmaker Maulawi Asmatullah. They also torched a US flag before dispersing peacefully.

It was the first rally in Pakistan after the United States announced that Bin Laden had been killed in an overnight commando mission in Pakistan. Organisers said between 1,000 and 1,200 people attended the rally, but witnesses put the figure closer to 800. “Bin Laden was the hero of the Muslim world and after his martyrdom he has won the title of great mujahed (Muslim fighter),” Asmatullah said.

The Washington Post | Pakistan did its part by President Asif Ali Zardari

Some in the U.S. press have suggested that Pakistan lacked vitality in its pursuit of terrorism, or worse yet that we were disingenuous and actually protected the terrorists we claimed to be pursuing. Such baseless speculation may make exciting cable news, but it doesn’t reflect fact. Pakistan had as much reason to despise al-Qaeda as any nation. The war on terrorism is as much Pakistan’s war as as it is America’s. And though it may have started with bin Laden, the forces of modernity and moderation remain under serious threat.
[...]
Only hours after bin Laden’s death, the Taliban reacted by blaming the government of Pakistan and calling for retribution against its leaders, and specifically against me as the nation’s president. We will not be intimidated. Pakistan has never been and never will be the hotbed of fanaticism that is often described by the media.

Those 200 men -- it must have been quite a battle! It's a good thing top level official sources went unnamed or that would have been some crow to eat with a dash of salt.  

The NYT quotes a retired Pakistani general today, also unnamed, btw: “It’s a double embarrassment,” said a retired general.

“They didn’t know Bin Laden was there, or knew and didn’t act. And then the Americans came, got him, and went.”

Well, it seems to me that there are two-three choices for the Pakistani Government at this time, and all of them bad from their side of the window. 1) Admit that they did not know Bin Laden was living inside their country for years, which would make us all think their intel service is incompetent at best, a joke at worst. (Frankly, I don't know which is the least complimentary moniker in the gambling table, incompetent or double-face dealer?); 2) Conduct an investigation on OBL's Pakistani protectors, which could result on investigators being targeted by Bin Laden's groupies and more Pakistanis killed by ultra-extremists groups within the country. 3) Just do a Musharraf, the louder, the better, too:

“American troops coming across the border and taking action in one of our towns, that is Abbottabad, is not acceptable to the people of Pakistan. It is a violation of our sovereignty.”

In a CBS interview with Mr. Musharraf, Lara Logan asked the former President of Pakistan:

"Do you know of any other terrorist leaders wanted by the U.S. that are sheltering in your country?" Musharraf responded, "Well, there may be more. Yes, there may be. Yes."

So since we are apparently fighting the same enemies, they could hunt the rest of the folks in the most wanted list, before the Americans go get them, right? 

In the same interview, Mr. Musharraf was also asked: "It's just very hard to believe that Osama bin Laden could have spent all this time in Pakistan, living right under your noses and nobody would have known about it?"

Musharraf: "Why you continuously saying that? I think instead of wasting time on this issue, let us agree to disagree on this point. I don't agree."

NYT has an update on this today:  The Pakistani government lashed out at the American raid that killed Osama bin Laden, saying Tuesday that the United States had made “an unauthorized unilateral action” that would be not be tolerated in the future. Using tough language, a statement by the Foreign Office said “such an event shall not serve as a future precedent for any state, including the United States.”
     

But ... but it's not like Candidate Obama did not give out fair and clear warning in 2007. 
 

Related articles

• Osama Bin Laden's hideout (theworld.org)
• Osama bin Laden dead: killed yards from Pakistan's 'Sandhurst' (telegraph.co.uk)
• Osama bin Laden death: David Cameron insists it is in Britain's national interest to continue to cooperate with Pakistan in the fight against terrorism (mirror.co.uk)
• Pakistan Criticizes U.S. Raid on bin Laden (online.wsj.com)
• US reveals Bin Laden leak fears (bbc.co.uk)
• "Pakistan Newspaper's Alernate Reality of Osama Bin Laden Raid" and related posts (talkleft.com)

In Afghanistan, 140,000 soldiers for 100 al-Qaeda fighters - who did the bad math on this one?

Image via WikipediaJim Lacey, a professor of strategic studies at the Marine Corps War College and author of The First Clash writes about national building in Afghanistan and our rather strange mathematical calculation in the fight against aQ there:

While I was in Kandahar, General Petraeus announced that the Coalition faced about a hundred al-Qaeda fighters. Did anyone do the math? There are over 140,000 Coalition soldiers in Afghanistan, or 1,400 for every al-Qaeda fighter. As it costs about a million dollars a year to deploy and support every soldier, that adds up to $140 billion, or close to $1.5 billion a year for each al-Qaeda fighter.

In other words, we spend more each year hunting down a single al-Qaeda fighter, hiding in some barren cave, then the entire annual GDP of the poorest 20 nations on earth.

In what universe do we find strategists to whom this makes sense?

Ouch! Read the whole thing here.

On April 10, Mail Online reported that U.S. Army General David Petraeus said there was still an al Qaeda presence in the war-torn country, but it was greatly diminished.  He told reporters at the Coalition's HQ in Kabul: 'There is no question that al Qaeda has had a presence in Afghanistan and continues to have a presence - generally assessed at less than 100 or so.'


And in the aftermath of Bin Laden's death, President Karzai said:

"Once again I call on NATO to say that the war on terror is not in Afghanistan. Osama was not in Afghanistan: they found him in Pakistan," Mr. Karzai said. "The war on terror is not in Afghan villages, the war on terror is not in the houses of innocent Afghans, the war on terror is not in the bombardment and killing of Afghan children and women, but in the safe havens of terrorism outside Afghanistan."

Okay then. Let's be honest, does anybody really think that we can remake Afghanistan into our own image?  We have poured money into that sandy pit which has swallowed the lives of the young sons and daughters of this country and our allies, as well. Let us now allow Mr. Karzai to do his nation-building, and make his own success and mistakes. Because while we hang around over there, the imperfections of its union as a nation, will always have a fall guy named the United States of America.             

Related articles

• Bin Laden's Death Hastens Afghan Calls for U.S. Exit (online.wsj.com)
• Al-Qaeda 'Afghan number two dead' (bbc.co.uk)
• Al Qaeda's 'number two' in Afghanistan is killed after four-year manhunt (dailymail.co.uk)
• Al Qaeda is becoming less of a presence in Afghanistan, says allied commander Petraeus (dailymail.co.uk)
• Al-Qaeda Returns to Afghanistan (newser.com)

Get Bin Laden: The White House Situation Room 05.01.2011

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, along with members of the national security team, receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House, May 1, 2011. Seated, from left, are: Brigadier General Marshall B. “Brad” Webb, Assistant Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command; Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough; Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Standing, from left, are: Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; National Security Advisor Tom Donilon; Chief of Staff Bill Daley; Tony Binken, National Security Advisor to the Vice President; Audrey Tomason Director for Counterterrorism; John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. Please note: a classified document seen in this photograph has been obscured. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR
Photos from  The White House/Flickr

Related articles

• Here's Who Was Watching The Bin Laden Raid In The White House Situation Room (businessinsider.com)
• White House Releases 'Situation Room' Images From Bin Laden Raid [PICS] (mashable.com)
• Firing on Osama - Bin Laden used women as shield (politico.com)
• 'Inconceivable' bin Laden had no Pakistani support, says Brennan (thehill.com)

State Dept Issues Worldwide Travel Alert After Bin Laden's Death, US Posts in Pakistan Close Until Further Notice

The State Dept issued a new Worldwide Travel Alert dated May 01, 2011 in the aftermath of Bil Bin Laden's death:

The U.S. Department of State alerts U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad to the enhanced potential for anti-American violence given recent counter-terrorism activity in Pakistan. Given the uncertainty and volatility of the current situation, U.S. citizens in areas where recent events could cause anti-American violence are strongly urged to limit their travel outside of their homes and hotels and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations. U.S. citizens should stay current with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times. This Travel Alert expires August 1, 2011.

U.S. Embassy operations in affected areas will continue to the extent possible under the constraints of any evolving security situation. U.S. government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. These facilities may temporarily close or periodically suspend public services to assess their security posture. In those instances, U.S. Embassies and Consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens abroad are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Read in full here.

On April 30, the US Embassy in Kabul restricted staff movements due to threats from extremists to increase attacks throughout Afghanistan at the beginning of May to mark the start of the fighting season.  The Embassy has curtailed the movements and activities of its personnel for April 30 and May 1, 2011. Yesterday, the US Embassy has extended a curtailment of travel for its employees throughout Afghanistan until 6:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 4.  Ambassador Eikenberry also released an official statement.

In Pakistan, the US Embassy in Islamabad issued a warden message alerting US citizens of possible violence and announcing the closure of all diplomatic and consular posts in the country until further notice:

This Warden Notice is to alert U.S. citizens of the possibility of violent protests and demonstrations in major cities of Pakistan, specifically near U.S. Consulates General in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, and the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad.  Spontaneous protests in reaction to the recent events, could erupt at any time at locations perceived as Western, including restaurants and areas where foreigners are known to congregate and may turn violent.  The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad and the U.S. Consulates General in Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar will be closed on Monday, May 02, 2011, except for emergency American Citizens Services.   The Embassy will issue an updated Warden Message when the Embassy and Consulates General reopen for routine business.

The U.S. Department of State alerts U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad to the enhanced potential for anti-American violence following recent counter-terrorism activity in Pakistan.  Given the uncertainty and volatility of the current situation, U.S. citizens in areas where recent events could cause anti-American violence are strongly urged to limit their travel outside of their homes and hotels and avoid mass gatherings and demonstrations.  U.S. citizens should stay current with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times.

In Kenya, outgoing US Ambassador Ranneberger said that justice has finally been served through the killing of Bin Laden by U.S. forces.  In addition to recalling the horrific attack of 9/11, he also remembers the deaths of so many Kenyans and Americans in the attack on the U.S. Embassy in 1998 by al Qaeda.

"Those victims and their families and loved ones have now received a measure of justice. I well recall the sombre commemoration I hosted for the 10th anniversary of the 1998 bombing. Thus, for me personally – and of course more importantly for the Kenyan people – the killing of Bin Laden provides a sense of closure," he said.

The US embassies in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt and Indonesia republished the new Worldwide Travel Alert but carry no other special warden message.

Related articles

• U.S. Boosts Embassy Security, Watches for Bin Laden Strikes (businessweek.com)
• Hillary Clinton: Osama Bin Laden Death Doesn't End War On Terror (VIDEO) (huffingtonpost.com)
• U.S. boosts security at embassies around the world (chron.com)
• Osama bin Laden killed in Pakistan: US braces for fury of Arab world (dailymail.co.uk)
• U.S. warns of possible bin Laden backlash (cbsnews.com)
• Worldwide alert - U.S. warns Americans abroad (politico.com)