by Fareed Zakaria, CNN
Many of you have been asking through my Facebook and Twitter accounts something that Anderson Cooper asked me as well on AC360: How is it possible that the U.S. conducted a raid, which went on for some 38 minutes, very close to a military college, without the Pakistani military responding? The implication here is that surely the Pakistanis knew about the raid but didn't want to admit it. Here are my thoughts:
My gut is that the U.S. did not tell the Pakistanis. Here's why: In 1998, when Bill Clinton wanted to fire missiles on bin Laden, the missiles hit empty tents. The 9/11 Commission report tells you why those tents were empty. It was because the Pakistani military had tipped of a group that tipped off bin Laden. The U.S. government has long experience that tells them do not tell the Pakistanis if you want this to stay quiet.
It's possible the answer to the puzzle that many of you have raised, which is real, is that as the operation began, the U.S. told the Pakistani military, “There's something going on in Abbottabad. Don't worry. We're on top of that.”
The Pakistani military is in a dilemma more broadly. It has to explain either that it's highly duplicitous or highly incompetent. Either they're covering for bin Laden, or they're so incompetent they didn’t know.
When we talk about the Pakistani military, it's probably not General Kayani and General Pasha, the heads of the military and ISI, that know anything. But there's a logistical supply chain that allowed bin Laden to survive and thrive and build this huge compound. Elements of the Pakistani military are involved in that, and I think the higher-ups probably have a kind of don't ask, don't tell policy.
Osama bin Laden was living in a particularly weird place because it has no telephone lines into it but it's eight times larger than every other house in the area.
So, as Anderson and many of you have asked, does something need to change in America’s relationship with Pakistan?
This is the biggest strategic dilemma we face because the United States tried to excommunicate Pakistan in the 1990s for a bunch of different reasons. The result was the military got more radical; it got more isolated and it went into the arms of the jihadists.
Now, the U.S. trying to hug Pakistan and the embrace this isn't working perfectly either.
Probably the better strategy is maintaining some contact with them.
But the ultimate test is: Does Pakistan want to become a modern society? Because all this dealings with militant groups, all this attempt to gain strategic depth in Afghanistan, it's meaningless. What they should be trying to do is raise the living standards of Pakistanis. Next door, India is growing almost 10 percent a year.
Those are my thoughts. Please send me your thoughts and questions through Facebook and Twitter and I’ll answer them throughout the week here on the Global Public Square.
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Why have Pakistanis decided to minimize U.S. Military? I don't understand the logic behind that decision.
You don't get the point, the Pakistanis haven't "decided to minimize U.S. Military"! Both the U.S. and Pakistan have overstreched their relations in the recent years. Now this raid in Abbottabad was the last straw that broke the camel's back. The Pakistanis are pissed off that the Americans violated their country's soverignty and took to the streets, demanding the Americans to go home. Yet the ruling elite, the ISI and the military, they want the Americans to stay on board, because of the billions they get from the U.S. for fighting terrorism.
Fareed thought, if the living standard were improved for the Pakistanis, the country would be a more stable one. According to statistics, only half of the country's population can read and write, 20% of it governs the rest of the country economically and politically. Cronyism and corruption are part of their culture. Under these circumstances, nobody really cares, what the others do or what happens around him, if it doesn't bring him advantages.
In respect to the raid, I am sure the guys in the military academy in the area were taken by surprise as the hustle and bustle went on in the compound. If they were ignorant of Bin Laden's existence there and didn't know anything about the action, they had reasons to be perplexed and confused. They must have tried to reach the top shots in Islamabad for information and advice. By the time they rounded up these people, the raid was over. It was possible that the top shots were ignorant of Bin Laden's dwelling and only certain elements within the military and intelligence knew about him.
the illiteracy and poverty is a muslim problem. Hate everyone who will or tries to help you, keep your women uneducated and bring up your children holding AK-47's and shouting yankee go home and we just might. and we will take our food, vaccines builders and other "bats and balls " with us
Seems like no one got the point that the US had no choice but to rush into announcing Bin Laden's death and all the mixed-up information that followed. One of the helicopters had crashed, and had to be left behind. The US would have had to make a serious explanation about what it was doing there. If that chopper had not crashed, the US government would have probably released the news about the raid and all that followed in a more measured and controlled manner.
Shame on you, Fareed Z, for allowing Michael Hayden to hold court on your show, pontificating as if he has somehow been in the loop regarding the Bin Laden raid. You neglected to point out that his information could ONLY be pure speculation, since he is no longer getting briefings from the CIA! He and his ilk have been out of power for almost three years, and to let him claim credit for things he really knows no more than anyone else does and recast history to justify his torture tactics was despicable. This man belongs in the Hague, not preaching on CNN.
You are obviously very misinformed and clueless about the CIA and how it operates. Fareed understands that there is cooperation among administrations when it comes to matters of national security. Fareed knows and respects the work the CIA has done over the past ten years that led to finding Osama Bin Laden. The story here is about the perseverance and cooperation of the CIA under two different administrations and the effective use of advanced interrogation techniques. Fareed's interview with MIchael Hayden provides insight into the commitment and dedication of the CIA and the difficulty and complexity of their work. As the former head of the CIA Mr. Hayden is entitiled to render his opinion on events that led to the killing of Osama Bin Laden. And just what Ms. Johnson are your qualifications to criticize and rebuke him?
correct. except both CNN and the viewing audience are in error for listening to anything Fareed Zakaria has to say about just about anything.
How do we know Pakistan or its military had no idea the mission was taking place? Because Osama Bin Laden was there, that's how. Had they known, he wouldn't have been.
Did they know he was hiding there? Has a cat got a tail? Can a big wheel roll?
Pajistan is not our friend. Pakistan is not some cool, Muslim example of sensibility and civilized living. We give billions to bribe them to claim to be our buddy. Its time we stop.
Same goes for reading Fareed's status quo propaganda to keep the billions rolling in. ALL foreign aide to anyplace should be placed under a two year moratorium for review, until we get our own finances together, and the nations receiving taxpayer monies demonstrate where the money has been going and what we as taxpayers have gotten for our dollars. No automatic restart; simply a case by case, line by line review, BEFORE we deduct from Social Security or Medicare or Medicaid. Why isn't this aid a GOP agenda in the ruch to cut spending? First things first, Fareed...
If I were running a military academy, I would make sure who or what my neighbors are especially in a place like Pakistan where suicide bombers exist. These military cadets are the cream of the crop and from them will come out the leaders of the country. They deserve the best protection. It's impossible for me to imagine that this degree of neglect is allowed to happen.
Please don't believe all Fared Zakria says. He normally doesn’t have good things to say about Pakistan and Middle East.
In 1998, there was no cooperation between the US and ISI and Pakistan was under Pressler amendment meaning no military aid/arms sales because of its nuclear program. In fact, 50 0r so F 16's Pakistan had paid for were getting rotten in some warehouse somewhere on the US bases because of the arms embargo. Therefore, there is no way of ISI tipping Osama and his accomplices. The Pakistanis had no clue about missile attack. Also, the missiles fired hit a terrorist training camp of Osama and empty tents as Zakaria claims and several people (basically terrorists in training) were killed and injured in the attack.
Lastly, the camp was actually established by the CIA to train 'mujhadeen' who later turned their guns on the US and its interests and became terrorists. This was a results of hastily US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Facts should always be distinguished from fiction.
SamZ, if you remember correctly, at the time that the US ordered the missle strikes on Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, India and Pakistan had been in an ever escalating a nuclear arms race, testing nuclear weapons as close to each other's borders as possible. Just because there was an arms embargo does not mean that all diplomatic ties were severed. We did not want Pakistan to mistakenly believe that India was attacking them. We informed both Pakistan of the missle strike to avoid causing a nuclear war. Unfortunatly, elements of Pakistan's inteliigence service leaked the news to bin Laden. This does not necessarily mean that Pakistan's leadership was hiding bin Laden, but someone who had access to the information was sympathetic to his cause. Pakistan was the staging and training area for the Mujahadin insurgency against the Soviets, and some of those personal ties remain in place even today.
SamZ,
Correct. Pakistan first creates these terrorists and then asks for billions in aid, or else it will create even more terrorists. It then proceeds to kill some terrorists that have started to threaten its own existence, while giving active protection to those that threathen Afghanistan, the West, India etc. I say they are pretty good at conning the rest of the world. No doubt they are finally reaping the results of the hatred that they have sown over the decades.
As Fareed has rightly pointed out "next door India is growing at 10 percent, while Pakistan is descending into its own s**ithole. We should stop wasting our taxpayers money on countries whose job is to produce terrorists that threaten world peace.
Mark Keller,
I am sorry to see such short-term American memory from you, and what you remember is selective. You write "Pakistan created these terrorists,,," Really? REALLY?! So US had NOTHING to do with creating the jihadist movement in Afghanistan to defeat USSR? Why is it only Pakistan? Where did Pakistan get the impetus and the funding to train these jihadists? Aliens from Mars?
If you don't believe what an "ignorant" "biased" Pakistani is saying, you might want to refer to a recent admission by your very own Hillary Clinton to this effect.
Cheers.
Pakistan is not in any real way, a Democracy. Pakistanis have decided nothing. People in the military and ISI are manipulating things for their own greedy ends.
"My gut is that the U.S. did not tell the Pakistanis" The military has already explicity said, many, many times over, that they indeed did not tell the US didn't tell the Pakistanis before hand of the raid. The correct question is, given that the Bin Laden compound was right smack dab in the middle of essentially Pakistans equivalent of West Point, how could they not have know. The answer is either complete incompetence or complicity. Complicity seems the more logical choice to me given their history.
Pakistan's President or PM do not have full control on ISI and Military. They are more dependent on them because there needed support for India bashing. This politicians are deriving political strength from creating fear of India all the time as there enemy. Repeating this lies about India as there main enemy all the time, people of Pakistan also believe that India is enemy country. In reality India never attacked Pakistan and all past wars with Pakistan were in defence of India. Because of all above mentioned facts President or PM of Pakistan are knowingly or unknowingly covering up ISI and Military coloborating with terrorist group secretly. On other side they need financial aid and high tech military aid from USA and they have to cover up wrong doing of ISI by all lies to get such aid. Now it becomes habit to lie because USA tolerated many of there lies in the past knowingly. Hiding Bin Laden and other terrorist, hiding most wanted criminal by Interpol Daud Ibrahim, allowing terrorist training camps, fanatic muslims hold on goverment and on people of Pakistan, idicates that USA will have more problem from Pakistan than terrorist or taliban group. Time will come when USA will be attacking Pakistan as most dangerous country on earth with atomic capability and threatening India and USA with dire consequences. USA must stop all aid to Pakistan till they clean up there lies and act honestly.
Mr. Zakaria, I always appreciate your insightful analysis of the events in the Middle East. It is always enlightening. I think the last paragraph in this article distills all the distracting realities into the greatest solution:
"Because all this dealings with militant groups, all this attempt to gain strategic depth in Afghanistan, it's meaningless. What they should be trying to do is raise the living standards of Pakistanis. Next door, India is growing almost 10 percent a year."
I only wish more people could see so clearly!
Zakaria has an answer for EVERYTHING !! WOW !!.
Let us spend our money here in the U.S. educating our families the worth of staying together.
LET US NOT WASTE BANDWIDTH ON CRAP ARTICLES LIKE THIS THAT HINT AT PROVOCATIVE LANGUAGE AND APPARENT CONTRARIAN VIEW THAT ZAKARIA SEEMS TO PROJECT TO ELEVATE HIMSELF MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/pakistan-being-treated-as-hired-gun-imran-khan-to-ndtv/198969
Instead of spening billions on Pakistan's military let's spend that money on the development of Pakistan's women, it's small businesses and its secular educational institutions? That'd be a start.
How about spending those billions on our "Boys" and Girls at home in America and our public schools... It's my tax dollars so why should we waist our money on people who: A. Really don't care about us, B. Don't respect themselves or they're own people, and C. Allow terrorist to live near their military academies and retirement communities 30 miles from their capital.
It is idiotic to poor money on a gov't or situation that is corrupt in it's nature and foundation.
Actually the conspiracy theory is that a deal has been worked out between Zardari and US and Pakistan has given up Osama.
Chew that ZAkaria.
I wonder why almost all terror plots have a Pakistani connection..
Since when pseudo experts like Manji, who's not even a Muslim to begin with, bcomes expert on Islam. She's an Ismaili, they're not Muslims. Red their history. To quote her on Islam is tantamount to quoting a Hindu on cow sacrifice and meat eating.
Sayem: I think most observers believe Ismailism is a branch of Shia Islam
NO WAY ISMAILI IS PART OF THE SHIA SECT. PLEASE KNOW YOUR FACTS. Educate yourself
Fareed has a point listen to it. India and Pakistan , same people, yet two differentpaths. One to an economic Giant and another to a Failed State.
Pakistan is rather a 3rd world country despite the efforts toward modernization. And they probably didn't know about the hideout.
The pak army is not one of those rag tag third world armiy...an highly structured and strictly heirarchial....hence the argument is specious that gps within pak army hid or gave logistical support while the leadership looked away...its an old joke played by pak army even in 1947, 1965 & kargil wars with India. There had to be a bigger getaway plans of SEALS & its inconceivable that pak army was not in loop...possibly as the pak generals were promised a quid pro quo role in kabul, the media fallout now has not been seen thru
Right.
I think america should help pakistan in raising the standard of life if they are really sincere to pakistan , otherwise these millitants can penetrate into india and destabilize its political and economic system as already there are insurgencies in many states of india ....
That's what you get when you try to "think" without the proper equipment.
ISI has supported terrorism in India (Mumbai attacks, attacks on congress, many, many attacks in Kashmir), Afghanistan (blowing up Indian embassy, supporting Taliban, supporting Haquanni network, sheltering Mulllah Omar et al). The most duplicitous "ally" ever.
India is not some innocent country. They are causing a lot of problems in Pakistan and lately in the Balochistan province
India has no need to cause problems in Pakistan or Balochistan. There are problems there already. And since only muslim insurgents exist there, I dont see any reason for a hindu majority country to induce violence there, since any hindus that were left there after partition have already fled that country for dear life unlike in India, where muslims have thrived and prospered, becoming presidents and chief ministers and business men. SO pakistan has every need to support muslim insurgency in India, but India has not hindu insurgency to support in Pakistan. So your claim falls flat as mere propaganda.
Isn't the answer to the immediate question that the SEAL team was flying choppers modified to suppress sound, probably painted as Pakistani choppers with their transponder codes, and the raid took place across town from an officer's academy, not an army base?
It would not suprise me to learn that Osama's compound was built with US tax dollars. We should free up at least the majority of that annual expense and pump it into our own economy. If Pakistan is truly our ally, why have they not returned all of the wreckage of the downed helicopter? Instead we now have to worry about that technology–the metals, paint composition, and other partially destroyed remains–ending up in the hands of other countries such as China. Actions speak louder than words, and Pakistan has a lot of explaining to do in both words and actions.
Well said Citizen! We are not dealing with little children trying to figure out how to run a country. These are adults and if they say they are on our side then act like it instead of grand standing with denial overtones. Return our stuff, fess up that you dropped the ball and clean up your house.
I can´t agree with a crucial point, that the top Military élite, ISI did not know about Bin Laden hiding. With such powerful and VERTICAL structure nobody in the nearby academy nor in the logistical supply chain would risk his neck hiding vital information to the top bosses, not to forget that huge cospicuous compound in a military area for all intent and purposes. How many in the political top echelons knew could be more difficult to pinpoint. Those people cooperated with the terrorists for ideological and clumsy religious zealotry.
All the same, these top accomplices has to bear the brunt of such grave misdeeds! There must be different types of pressure depending on different moments. To hide terrorist #1 is something very grave indeed!
Almost 50% of the paks are uneducated and this tells a lot on a country like this. No wander the level of killings and barbaric acts under the guise of religion. The americans should build an education legacy for them.
I am a Pakistani and it would be nice if things get better in Pakistan. The biggest problem with Pakistan is its location. There is just way too much outside influence. Corrupt politicians don't help either
I think Pakistan will develop once the ISI is got rid off (this is a vestigial remnant of the cold war and the people who head ISI also think with that mindset), and develop friendly relations with India, their neighbour. Pakistanis have this fear that has been encouraged and developed in their minds by their governments (useful during elections unlike in India where anti-PAK fears do not work in elections), and by the military for obvious power grabbing reasons. India has never attacked pakistan (only defended Kashmir upon the request of its maharaja), but only defended so far. India has no intentions to attack any country whatsoever, since that will be too costly for its economy and its development. Pakistan will do good to become friends with India, settle their silly border disputes and encourage increased trade and commerce.
I think there is no doubt that Pakistani army and ISI sheltered Osama for so many years. The reason is religious extremism and financial gains they get by keeping the terror alive. If Osama had died immediately after 9/11 the threat of terror would have been over and Pakistan wouldn't have received billions of dollars and arms to fight so called war on terror.
Pakistan military elites got immensely rich after 9/11 because of the flow US money and arms they received for free. They knew fully well that if Osama dies, they can't get the amount of money they were getting and US will loose all the interest in Pakistan like it did after Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan.
So it is quite obvious why they sheltered Osama !!! Anyone who denies that is either naive or foolish.
Why couldn't all the girls of Afghanistan be like her:
The war would be over much sooner if they could be.
hahahahaha........what a joke.............
SOMALIA + NUCLEAR WEAPONS = PAKISTAN and
PAKISTAN IS SAFE FOR NONE , NOT EVEN OSAMA
PAKISTAN = TERRORISTAN = TALIBANISTAN = RADICALISTAN = LIEISTAN = AIDISTAN = JIHADISTAN = DISCRIMINNISTAN
Pakistan is an international migraine as told aptly by Madeline Albright(Former US Secretary of State) .Today the world faces threat from Pakistan and India says we have been facing this for decades.Pakistani innuendos against India stem from extremism, hate and an offshoot is terror inflicted by Jamat Ud Dawa, Laskar e Tayyaba and Hizbul Mujahideen on India.Satanic Intelligence service, the ISI ,which virtually runs Pakistan.ISI and Pakistaniarmy are a pain in the neck to the world.They have has supported the Taliban for years to fight the Soviets.It now covertly supports the Afghan Taliban to harm the Afgani people(who are my brothers and Muslims )
To radicalized Pakistanis,I can say this.Not only has your insidious Army perpetrated human crimes in Indian Kashmir by training militants and attacking innocent Kashmiri Pandits(Hindus) and Kashmiri Indian Muslims,but also discriminated against your own people by not allocating funds in yearly budgets for Balochistan and break away East Pakistan.Your country had imposed Urdu as the only official language in East Pakistan contemptuously ignoring the feelings of the Bengali section.Did not the Bengali Genocide in East Pakistan happen with the acquiescence of the Pakistani Army.Did not fanatics like Aurangazeb impose jaziya on Hindus?Did he not forcefully build mosques in Hindu holy sites to sow the seeds of conflict?.Is not Jinnah the epitomy of greed for power by going to the extent of Dividing India and insisting on partition with religion as basis .If Religion was the basis for partition or to claim Kashmir my hideous friend, let me tell you that Hindu sacred texts mention Kashmir as one the holy places where Hindu gods reside in the himalayan mountains.Indian ancient history and culture revolves around Kashmir I know verses in Sanskrit that mention them.
It is known that a Kashmiri Muslim's culture has some distinct Hindu flavor as many were proselytized from Hinduism as Islam entered India.We know, that an Indian Muslim is far better off in India than Muslims in your country and he is as patriotic to India like any other Hindu or Sikh
Pakistan is the HUB of terror in the world today and world must fight back and respond like it did in Serbia /Yugoslavia or like it did in Kuwait when Saddam attacked or like Libya where where NATO is fighting Gaddhafi.
I have got my facts right, Pakistanis better know that your country does not treat minority Hindu's and Sikhs well.The only way to deal with Pakistan is to liquidate it.Secularism is the key to ending religious extremism.Afghan intelligence head had also spoken the truth about Pakistan
OpinionIndia
As Bin Laden was caught living in the sublime quarters near the Pakistani military,we can infer he was being served chicken curry by the Pakistani Generals as a guest for 5 years and we understand the following conclusions about the Pakistani state.
The Present:
Satire can be vivdly drawn from the fact that it has created a professional satanic intelligence service,army that hold the state to ransom and has a facade of democracy as veil .It has managed to be labeled as the 'international migraine'.It has succeeded in fermenting hate and laments against India and mastered the art of counterfeit Indian currency.Above all it seems to flaunt the identity of being a global hub of terror.It blackmails stakeholders in return for cooperation in terror fight against aid, has exacerbated the Afghan conflict by poking a noxious anti-India strategic angle to the problem.
The Future:
From the Baloch unrest to the holocaust of Bengali citizens in the bereaved East Pakistan, the break away state has shown no respect for its people.The Pakistani ambassador to Bangladesh said "Let Bygones be Bygones" wanting to bury the Bengali holocaust in 1971 war chronicles.Such a blemished history with cycles of coups and political upheavals sets stage for the break up.A monumental time when Balochistan gains independence from a state that discriminates on resources and rights to governance.A time when the so called 'Azad Kashmir' realizes that 'azad' is a misnomer for a future of a career in terror camps than one with opportunity and hope in the Indian Union.
I wonder why almost all terror plots have a Pakistani connection.
All terrorists in the Mumbai attack were PAKISTANI proving that Pakistan threatens the world with terrorism
Pakistan is the hotbed of terrorism in this world.
Terror camps in Pakistan target India and the West.Safe havens in Pakistan's north west provinces target the US troops and Afghan forces.The Jihadi groups in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir train and send militants to fight India,lest we forget the Mumbai attacks.
Unless the US and other countries fighting the war on terror realize that dealing with Pakistan harshly is the only way to solve the Afghan conflict and defeating Al Qaeda,the scourge of terror will perpetually prosper.
What has Pakistan achieved after 61 years,since partition of India?Why separate land for subcontinent's muslims? What is the prognosis here..WHY IS US PLACATING Pakistan?Why should the international community put up with this country..for the fear of its nuclear weapons that it sold to north Korea?
Is the US/international community braindead to squander 10 billion dollars to 'AID' Pakistan and gets channelized against India?
US should have the spunk to tell Pakistan : ENOUGH is ENOUGH.I am not going overboard when I quote analysts telling about a swift operation by India and Israel to hijack Pakistan's nuclear weapons.This has obvious grave risks,but as if we are not threatened by this sickening state day after day by militant and ISI plots.Once successful,even if a war breaks out,this state can be subdued and divided like Balkan states:
1.BALOCHISTAN
2.PAKISTAN OCCUPIED KASSMIR – Merged with India
3.Ethnic Punjabi Pakistani areas – into a small state administered by the UN for 100 years
4.NWFT occupied by US to hound and flush the militants
Riddance from a State which has become a nemesis for a peaceful democratic ,equalitarian world
OpinionIndia, as an American I agree with you 100%. By supporting terrorism against India, the US, Afghanistan, proliferating nuclear weapons, aiding & abetting Osama Bin Laden, the Mumbai terrorists, & other misdeeds Pakistan has shown it can't be trusted as a nation-especially one with nukes. The US & India should Pakistan's nukes, capture the Mumbai terrorists to be tried in India, capture every ISI/Military personnel that helped Al Quaida & the Taliban and dismantle the country. It is the source of all problems in the region.
If the rational to credit OBL's killing to President Bush policy then how it is rational to credit President Obama for economic failure. One thing is clear that the blue party should hold head high whenever there is a talk about national security debate comes..the simple answer for futile questions from right should be "we got him period"
On GPS this morning Sakaria opened with " the assination" of Bin Laden. Get your facts straight and stop using inflammatory words. Bin laden was killed while resisting arrest for mass murder. He was a criminal leader and should never be given the respect of a recognized and legitimate leader.
Fareed, only thing I see so far is that you, CNN, etc. somemisterious reason haven't asked the deep, profound, historical question:why is this happening, because serendipity is that the Islam, sudenly, desided to hate Americans? Or is it that whrere ever Americna interests are about(OIL, military strategy?), there is problems, mainly UN 1948 issue over Palestina-Israel State? Come on, there too many things that no body can only blame the existance of 'terrorism' to OBL and gang. Is also our former 'partner' of WW2, the USSR,, which made such tremendous booboo against a noble cause -Taliban- to Afhanistan, yet tha question still sistematically ignored by all of you. What's going on?
Thabk you.
Mr. Fareed Zakaria Pakistan will never become a modern society, never ever. end of topic. No one can assist Pakistan each and every family financially to change their attitude and way of thinking. Pakistan is like Mexico. From top to bottom, from leaders to followers, from rich to poor. Leaders of Pakistan and Businessmen and Politicians better rethink on 1MoreStarInUSAFlag. The only option, out of choices, Pakistan has left. If Pakistan still think they still can choose they are still living in denial.
Pakistan(Punjabi) Army is basically the biggest gang of professional mercenaries to be hired to do the job anywhere in the world. They have doing this job since World War I killing people (mostly muslims). They are also thieves in a sence that they consume more than half of Pakistan's Budget and also stole most of the 20 Billions that Uncle Sam doled out to them. Proof, go and look at their villas in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Abbottabad and else where. Most of the villas has a quotation from Qoran which reads either Masha-allah" or "Haza Min Fazle Rubbee" on the gates. They have been abducting Baluchi freedom fighters without any trace of them. Fareed Zakaria is encouraged to invite Mr. Selig Harrison to discuss Baluchistan in his TV Show, who is a long time authority on Afghanistan and Baluchistan. A free Baluchistan will be good for the national interest of USA. It will weaken Punjabi army to the extent that they will learn to live in peace with her neighbors especially India.USA should not give billions of dollars to Pak Army to slaughter their own citizens on any pretext. Why should they help NATO nations to achieve a peaceful solution to Afghan problem when they are being paid heavely. It is a business for them. Didn't I mention above that they are mercenaries for hire? Wake up USA. They are blackmailing you and at the same time they are blackmailing China.
I wish we would give Pakistan $0 dollars now.
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/pakistan-being-treated-as-hired-gun-imran-khan-to-ndtv/198969
;;;;;;;;l
Imran Khan
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/pakistan-being-treated-as-hired-gun-imran-khan-to-ndtv/198969
Lou Pruneda – REALLY ?
Sooo, this entire mess is due to the establishment of the modern state of Israel ? really ?
So, when you hear of islamic terror in China, Japan, Russia...it's all because of Israel ? Surely you jest.
Perhaps you dont know the U.S. Marines' theme song "From the hills of montezuma to the shores of Triploi"? Did you know that the Marines' first foreign missions were to eradicate islamic piracy in the 1780's ?
Simpltons like you blame Israel and Bush for all the world's ills.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. We should stay in Pakistan but recogize them for what they are.
Everybody is wrong. Give Pakistan credit. They brought OBL to Abbotabad house. So they can keep an eye on him. He was under house arrest. Due to sensitivity Pakistan did not get involve in catching the prize. Let US seals take credit, they stayed in background.
The simplest way to explain the failure of Pakistan's military to detect the U.S. raid is that they have come to believe their own press releases. They are perfect, so perfect that nobody, not even the U.S., can touch them. After years of funding the Taliban and providing them safe havens in Pakistan, all using money provided by the U.S., the Pakistani Army made classic military mistake, they dismissed the possibility that the U.S. might be willing and able to act. In any event the Army has nothing to fear, they already run the country (including banks and bakeries) and can replace the civilian puppet government or return to direct military rule in a heartbeat.
Are we forgetting the fact that we've been sending drones into their pitiful little country for years?
Actually this question has already been answered in OTHER STORIES ON CNN. The Pak air force was responding to the helicopters when they receieved word from Americans that we were engaged in a raid on a priority target. The Pak air force switched mode to outer perimeter defense of the airspace. There is some sort of coding/signal we use with them, which is what was done in this case.
Seems to me that with Osama living that close to a military college, Pakistan would also have to know he was there. I find it hard to believe otherwise. Its apparent to me that Pakistan is playing both sides of the fence: keep the US and it's monies coming in in an attempt to appear as though its fighting the war on terrorism while in effect doing very little. I say pull all of the monies out of Pakistan for one year and put it to use here at home! Let's see just how much they rely on the United States.
@Sayem
you cannot run away from the truth that terror plots mostly have a DIRECT OR INDIRECT PAKISTANI CONNECTION
Like David Headly ( Expat PAKISTANI American caught as conspirator of Mumbai attacks by the FBI ) and Tawahhur Hussain Rana (( Expat PAKISTANI Canadian caught as conspirator of Mumbai attacks by the FBI )
sept 11 – Khalid sheikh mohammad and Bin laden found sanctuary in Pakistan
and latest TIME SQUARE BOMB PLOT WAS HATCHED BY FAIAL SHEIKH (EXPAT PAKISTANI )
PAKISTAN = HUB OF TERROR
Please don't believe all Fared Zakria says. He normally doesn’t have good things to say about Pakistan and Middle East.
In 1998, there was no cooperation between the US and ISI and Pakistan was under Pressler amendment meaning no military aid/arms sales because of its nuclear program. In fact, 50 0r so F 16's Pakistan had paid for were getting rotten in some warehouse somewhere on the US bases because of the arms embargo. Therefore, there is no way of ISI tipping Osama and his accomplices. The Pakistanis had no clue about missile attack. Also, the missiles fired hit a terrorist training camp of Osama and empty tents as Zakaria claims and several people (basically terrorists in training) were killed and injured in the attack.
Lastly, the camp was actually established by the CIA to train 'mujhadeen' who later turned their guns on the US and its interests and became terrorists. This was a results of hastily US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Facts should always be distinguished from fiction.
Zakaria is Indain by root..so why he would speak in favor of Pakistan???
And the Easter Bunny craps jelly beans...
Given that the Seals found Osama bin Laden, and not an ambush, unlikely indeed.
Who gives a rip about Pakistan, India isn't afraid
of Pakistan. India
Grows at 10 percent
Pakistan 1-2 percent. India has more nuclear missiles ans they are better.
If you say so mr. chirag patel
Yeah..thats why Indian don't Mess with Pakistan..
The biggest problem with Pakistan is its location. There is just way too much outside influence. Corrupt politicians don't help either
Sure – blame it on location – next time blame it on weather. obviously, accepting responsibility is not cards.
Look at the map of Pakistan and maybe you will get what I am talking about. Plus don't forget the US interest in the region. Maybe I am asking too much
Location is not the problem, but Pakistani society built for only MUSLIMS is the problem.It breeds religious divide,conflict with India, inspires causes for terrorism, fosters divide with the west;
Liquidation of an ISLAMIC STATE of PAKISTAN in south asia and making it secular will bring PEACE
and Muslims should learn to live in secular societies
Opinionindia you are a moron!
Mr. Zakaria says: "When we talk about the Pakistani military, it's probably not General Kayani and General Pasha, the heads of the military and ISI, that know anything."
If that was the case WHY DID THE US NOT TELL JUST THE TOP BRASS Kayani, Pasha, Gilanai and Zardari?
THE FACT IS THE US RIGHTLY DOES NOT ANY PAKISTANI OR EVEN MUSLIMS IN SUCH ISSUES................PERIOD!
"does something need to change in America’s relationship with Pakistan? This is the biggest strategic dilemma we face because the United States tried to excommunicate Pakistan in the 1990s for a bunch of different reasons. The result was the military got more radical; it got more isolated and it went into the arms of the jihadists."
REALLY MR. ZAKARIA? Even though you do come out and bash the Pakistanis often, you are STILL VERY GUARDED IN OFFENDING YOUR CO-RELIGIONISTS TOO MUCH Mr. ZAKARIA......That's the fact and NO WONDER MOST AMERICANS DON'T TRUST ANY MUSLIM ON MUSLIM ISSUES.
US-pak issue just as the Indo-Pak issue has as much to do with RELIGION as politics. You are NEVER HELPFUL in bridging the RELIGIOUS DIVIDE Mr. ZAKARIA!
Amit-Atlanta-USA
@Bigjohn is a Paki moron hiding behind a Christian name!
OpinionIndia:
There are far too many Pakistanis in these columns pretending to be liberal Christian Americans. Many even claim to be ex-US marines who were deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan, (or had a brother/sister/parent deployed there), were disgusted with the oppressive US policies there, and were overwhelmed by the love of those peoples etc.etc.
Anybody with little common sense can see through such people.
Amit-Atlanta-USA
HERE's THE GREATEST PROOF OF PAKISTANIS SUBSCRIBING TO PAKISTANI THEORIES......TRULY A MUST WATCH VIDEO!!!
Watch fmr. Pakistan Intelligence chief Gen. Hamid Gul GOING BACK & FORTH REPEATEDLY on Osama's death.
a) First he says he believes Bin Laden died a few days ago, and also quotes the statement of OBL's third wife.
b) Then he says it was all a drama, and that he had died several years ago!
If this is what HIGHLY EDUCATED PAKISTANI TOP BRASS believes in, one can only imagine what lesser mortals in Pakistan believe in!!!!!!!!!!! GOD SAVE PAKISTAN!
http://inthearena.blogs.cnn.com/category/hamid-gul/
Amit-Atlanta-USA
AMERICA BEWARE!!!!!
RATHER THAN ADMIT COMPLICITY IN HIDING OBL, AND GIVING UP OTHER TERRORIST LDRS. MULLAH OMAR, AND AYMAN ZAWAHARI, PAKISTAN IS BUSY WARNING THE US OF EVEN NUCLEAR WAR IF WE TRIED ANY SUCH MIS-ADVENTURE AGAIN,
AND.....
PAKISTAN IS BUSY ASSEMBLING A ANTI-US COALITION WITH CHINA (PM Gilani is now on a 4 day visit to China) and RUSSIA (Pres. Zardari is leaving to Russia today), and OFCOURSE ALL THE MUSLIM COUNTRIES (OIC).
As I have said repeatedly in these columns THIS UGLY ISLAMIC TERROR WAR WILL NEVER END, UNTIL & UNLESS WE DISMEMBER PAK, SIEZE THEIR NUCLEAR WEAPONS, AND STOP THE THREAT OF THEIR DIASPORA IN THE WEST BY STOPPING THE INFLOW OF UNADAPTABLE MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS INTO THE WEST................NOTHING ELSE WILL WORK.........PERIOD!
The greatest danger from the Pakistani Islamic bomb is to America, Europe, Israel and much less to India. We all should join together to end this menace once & for all.
The Time to act is now, before a Pakistani provided Nuclear bomb explodes over one of our cities. That day is surely not too far off, or far fetched as the CIA & FBI only know too well. The only question is when?
Amit-Atlanta-USA
Just wanted to add two more points:
Immeditaley stop all aid
Declare Pakistan a TERRORIST state
Typical Indian mind!!
Pakistani PM GILANI – “BLAME MUST BE SHARED BY “ALL THE INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES OF THE WORLD”. That will strike many as a bit rich, given that the Al Qaeda chief was found not in Abbottstown, PA, or in Abbotsbury in Dorset, but in Abbottabad, little more than the proverbial stone’s throw from Pakistan’s pre-eminent military academy.”
Dawn story – “EXCUSE US, WE KNEW NOTHING” by Mahir Ali
http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/11/excuse-us-we-knew-nothing.html
Amit-Atlanta-USA
Kamran Shafi – Ex-Pakistani Major and one of their leading columnists writing in Dawn- Story Title “Clean Bowled”
Check out the Pakistani complicity and also how our aid is being mis-used on things like top of the line BMWs and Mercs that our own military top brass can’t even dream of!
“SO WRAPPED UP IN THEIR (PAKISTANI MILITARY) OWN ARROGANCE; SO COMFORTABLE IN THEIR MANSIONS AND MADE-TO-ORDER TOP-OF-THE-LINE MERCEDES AND 7-SERIES BMWS, and secure in the knowledge that they had at least four plots of land in choice housing colonies carved out of military lands were they that the warning sounded by fellow Pakistanis who have also seen some of the world mattered not a whit to them. NO, THEY KNEW IT ALL.”!!!
http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/10/clean-bowled.html
Amit-Atlanta-USA
@Amit-Atlanta-USA
Many Pakistanis in this blog are hiding under a Christian,Bangladeshi or Indian names.Many Pakistanis have a legacy of pretending like Indians in the west, perhaps being called a Pakistani brings them infamy now after so many terror plots to their credit have surfaced
To Pakistanis who bring up Kashmir to deceive the world and hide all blame,here is the truth
Lets GIVE BALOCHISTANIS a chance for vote to decidde if they wanna continue to be part of Pakistan ( A failed state that discriminated agaInst Bengalis and now Balochis )
BALOCHISTAN WANTS PLEBISCITE AND FREEDOM FROM PAKISTAN.Pakistan stop discriminating against people of Balochistan where they do not get revenue spent on their development after their mineral wealth is eaten away by Pakistani state.
FREEDOM FOR BALOCHISTAN.
OpinionIndia:
I posted your resp & also the following on another CNN discussion (link below):
http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/10/zakaria-draw-down-u-s-troops-in-afghanistan/#comment-25629
I reproduce below another response from a Pakistani friend on Kashmir UN resolution calling for plebiscite in all of Kashmir. India was OK with that. But, Pakistan wanted plebiscite ONLY in Indian held Kashmir after they siezed 2/3rds of Kashmir from India, and scared that Kashmiris will chose to stay with India!
http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/05/dead-man-and-the-sea.html/comment-page-3#comments
Bashir says:
May 6, 2011 (6 days ago) at 4:58 pm
NFP in particular and Dawn in general are two of few exceptions. I am afraid the Dawn policy does not permit me to give names of some of the other online newspapers that exhibit some of the most atrocious standards of journalism that ignore or distort facts that can be easily established by cursory internet searches. As an example, going to the mother of all causes, no newspaper in Pakistan dares to publish United Nations Security Council Resolution 47 (1948), particularly Clause 1, about Kashmir.
Check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_47
Amit-Atlanta-USA
May 11, 2011 at 7:10 pm | Reply
Amit-Atlanta-USA
@Amit-Atlanta-USA
Good work, India has 2/3 rd of Kashmir and one day we will have full of it as nothing can stand in front of the Idea of India and its secularism
..we will not allow Pakis to sell Kashmir to China as they have done in the past.
WANT TO READ THE GREATEST OF PAKISTANI CONSPIRACY THEORIES – MANY FROM HIGHLY EDUCATED PAKISTANI AMERICANS, AND EX-PAKISTANI GENERALS (Yes, GENERALS!!!!)......TRULY ENTERTAINING!!!!!
Check out:
http://www.opinion-maker.org/category/hot-topics/
Amit-Atlanta-USA
@Amit-Atlanta-USA
I want to respond to Pakistani Muslims who always draw parallel between Palestine and Kashmir and try to project Americans ,Jews and Hindus as "bad guys".Here is my response
Running after Americans and Jews is Bigorty , Pakistani fanatics..because The state of Israel has the right to exist as Jews have lived there for thousands of years.4000 years ago there was the kingdom of Judah before they were expelled and right of the Jews to the holy land CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE DENIED.
Kashmir has been the part of Hindu culture and our scriptures time immemorial talk about it and we have our holy shrines there .It is our Land and so is todays Pakistan .The right of India over Kashmir does not stretch back up-to only Partition.Kashmir has been a part and parcel of our social fabric,culture.The right of India and Hindus in Kashmir with Historical basis in the last 5000 years is grounded in facts and it CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE DENIED.
Yet India wants equal rights and SECULARISM in Kashmir as opposed to Jihad , oppression and terror Camps in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
MUST WATCH VIDEO
CNN's Wolf Blitzer REPEATEDLY GRILLS Pak PM Gilani on Osama Bin Laden's whereabouts. Gilani CATEGORICALLY states that OBL is NOT in Pak as the Pakistan military is on top of things and would have easily found out!
Check out their exchange here:
Amit-Atlanta-USA
To defensive Pakistanis
we know you sympathize with Pakistans ISI and rogue Army
If you are so much defensive about Pakistan's role( which is dishonest and worthy of shame) then stop accepting AID from US and return the 20 billion $ aid you have so far received ..:)
Now Pakistanis usually address Indians as "Hindu" and call us extremist, we don't blow up markets like you( your citizens, Pakistanis )
we don't sail from Karachi to Mumbai and go on a shooting rampage unlike you(Pakistanis)
we are not implicated from the west as Non resident Pakistanis in Mumbai terror plot unlike "Muslim Pakistani " HUSSAIN RANA
we are not implicated from the west as Non resident Pakistanis in Mumbai terror plot unlike "Muslim Pakistani " david headley ( changed his muslim pakistani name to a western name
)
we are not caught plotting the TIME SQUARE BOMB PLOT
WE ARE NOT CAUGHT SHELTERING BINLADEN FOR 5 YEARS
WE ARE NOT SHELTERING MUMBAI ATTACK MASTER MINDS ( ISI CHIEF PASHA), HAFEEZ SAEED
WE are not giving guest visa to DAWOOD IBRAHIM (Terrorist WANTED BY US and India)
we are not implicated from the west as Non resident Pakistanis in Danish terror plot
Extremism is Rampant in PAKISTAN , NOT India which is secular and tolerant
PAKISTAN SHAME SHAME
GOD What a MENACE this country ( Pakistan ) has become to the WORLD !!!
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