Editor’s Note: Maryam Khan Ansari is a Montreal-born attorney living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her immediate family lives in Abbottabad, Pakistan, where Osama bin Laden was found hiding.
By Maryam Khan Ansari, Special to CNN
Over the past week, I’ve heard many commentators assume that bin Laden’s mansion in Abbottabad must have stuck out like a sore thumb. But I can tell you from frequent visits to the city and from extended conversations with family and friends in Abbottabad that this is not the case. Here are 5 reasons why:
1. Large, walled compounds are fairly common: While it is said that bin Laden's compound was the largest in its vicinity, Abbottabad is still a city known for having many large compounds. Barbed wire on the outside walls is not uncommon, either. Barbed wire and embedded glass shards are found on the tops of outside walls to deter potential burglars. And in Abbottabad, burglary is a more common concern than fugitive terrorists.
In addition, many people have arrived from Swat Valley since the 2005 earthquake and the recent Taliban invasion. People from Swat tend to live in large, walled compounds with many families under one roof. Swat refugees tend to be religiously conservative and these walls allow women in the family to walk outside unveiled without being seen by strangers.
Another reason for the relative abundance of large compounds is that Abbottabad is as a retirement town where wealthy outsiders build their vacation homes to escape the blistering summer heat of other parts of Pakistan.
2. Abbottabadis are used to many outsiders: Abbottabad has a history as a medical safe haven. Tuberculosis patients once came to Abbottabad for medical care. It has become a place of rest and relaxation for the old and ailing as well.
So there is a great mix of people in Abbottabad – Swat migrants, rich retirees, and people seeking medical care.
Neighbors don’t always know each other and people don't ask too many questions of newcomers – partly out of fear that they may just ask a question that is too intrusive and partly to leave the retired and ailing to their peace.
3. The drug trade leads people to ask fewer questions of otherwise "eccentric" people. With rampant marijuana growing in the region, the drug trade hangs over Abbottabad. If people see a particularly large compound, they might assume it was built by black money. This is another reason people don’t dwell on abnormally large buildings, and certainly don’t try to explore them.
4. The unpretentious attitudes of the people: Abbottabad is a place where you don't show off and you don't act impressed by another's wealth. It's just not considered culturally appropriate. There are many wealthy people in Abbottabad. In the case of a three-story mansion, it's likely that people wouldn't give it much attention, even if they noticed it and even if it was (as reports say) eight times the size of neighboring homes. It would be considered crass to talk about it.
5. The military's presence. Much has been made of the fact that Abbottabad houses the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) Kakul, which is Pakistan's version of West Point. But PMA is essentially a gated village where the military officers live and train. Retired Brigadier Mohammad Sadiq, a high-ranking army surgeon once based in the academy says, "PMA Kakul is a village of its own, with its own shops and its own social circles. People don't venture out and nobody ventures in. They don't care about what goes on outside their gates."
While many questions remain as to the military's involvement in hiding Osama bin Laden, it’s very likely that the average military Joe didn't even notice that the building existed. True, they live nearby. But the military members rarely leave their base and the bin Laden compound was not in direct sight of the main road leading in and out of the PMA Kakul military areas.
In addition, the military's presence protected the privacy of the compound. Nobody expected the world's most wanted man to be living near a military base. And if the prospect of the compound being a drug lord’s house wasn’t enough, the average citizen may instead have assumed it was an army building.
Those are all the reasons picking Abbottabad was a smart strategic move. But bin Laden might have had personal motives too. Why endure the extreme weather of the rugged Afghani border areas when you could live in the "San Francisco" of Pakistan? Abbottabad has the rolling green hills, romantic fog and fresh air. And now, thankfully, it no longer has Osama bin Laden.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of Maryam Khan Ansari.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Abbottabad is also known for frequent id checks by police
Interesting to learn that not only the locals but even the police and intelligence agencies do not probe into the affairs of the drug lords!!!
Yes, but Bin Laden never left the house, so he was never checked. The others who lived in the house, the courier for example, they were never known to the general public nor were they wanted by the U.S.
Has any one checked for underground tunnels from the hide out residence to other homes or offices?
The writer is a pakistani , this person will always try to hide the facts, This town is mainly of military There is no way that the government did not know about his presence .The government and this terrorists were hand in hand They have been giving safe haven to terrorists for years, Dawood ibrahim who is know terrorist sympathiser , there are many criminals who lives in pakistan and pakistan has always denied their presence , I will not believe a word from pakistan and pakistani, pakistan uses terrorism as weapon. They milked USA for years by playing double game, one side they show the support to USA other side they harbour terrorists and give them inside information with the help of ISI
i give the lady the same benefit of doubt as any one else...I am not tramatized by this war.. God spoke to me on the 9/11 day after the event and I went back to sleep afterwards..exhausted from watching all day!
What he said is written in Psalm 110:5..I looked it up the next day and read it and verse 6..verse 5 & 6 give a pretty good description of what happened..
since God spoke to me that same verse in January saying this time that he is at my right hand , it is not surprising what happened to Osama...
The fact that the Pakistanis also didn't notice the CIA renting a house and spying on the Bin Laden Compound for months gives credence to the idea they didn't know Bin Laden was there either
yea and where are you from? whatever country it is (bc you dont speak fluent english) there are problems within its govt. else you wouldnt be here complaining
A good hideout is one you're never found at.
Why Abbottabad was a bad hideout: he was found there.
Abbottabad was a hideout? That's because Costellobad didn't cross home! Who's on first? Ha! Ha! What an obvious sham! People of the U.S., do NOT give up your personal freedoms by letting TSA goons grope you at airports, train and bus stations. The whole supposed bin Laden hit and resulting "terrorist" threat is a big fat LIE, which CNN and the rest of the lamestream media is trying to milk, but there's no cow to milk. The "bad guys" are all CIA-trained stooges, often going back as far as the Ronnie Raygun era, and even before. (yawn) Watch your benefits, property and money, folks – that's what the gubmint is mainly trying to fake you out of position to steal. Don't be swayed by right and left political baloney. Stay strong and unmoved!
Conspiracy theories are always wrong. You sir are wrong. If you want bombs going off every few months then by all means you moron, have no security at the airport! They aren't "Groping" you. They are making sure the planes and airport are safe for others to be in. Id rather be patted down, then F^%$#G blown up.
Speak for yourself about the TSA. My mother is 88 years old and the only reason she travels, and she travels frequently, is in the hopes that she will get groped. Its the most exciting thing in her life.
As if we don't have enough to worry about the terrorists and all. Now I seriously worry about people like Ed too....
With your lack of coherency, we're all glad you're not in charge.
You have proved yourself to be as intelligent as Rain Man.
I'm guessin the brain transplant did not go so well?
Thirty five thousand civilians, five thousand Pakistani troops have been killed by Al-Qeida and it's affiliates. They have handed over 600+ Al-Qaeda operatives and have deployed over 100 thousand troops to fight the common enemy. I see the lot of Indian propoganda on this form. Your occupation of Kashmir is a denial of UN resolutions and act of state terrorism.
LEOFACT, you are right, there has been significant Pakistani cooperation, working on concert with US (and world, for that matter) aims. You have to admit that at the very same time, the Pak govt and the ISI have worked counter to US interests too. It should not be a surprise that in any bilateral relationship, each party seeks to maximize their own gains. And, yes, I have also noted some parochial Indian opinions (propaganda) here. It just balances out the Pakistani propaganda too. There is a lot of history involved with the Kashmiri conflict, going back to colonial times. That era caused a lot of ongoing conflict that still is being worked out in Asia and Africa. Maybe both India and Pakistan should let Kashmir be independent, split, or reach some sort of resolution through self-determination.
Certain Pak & ISI elements should realize that supporting radical / terrorist groups can be dangerous to your health – learn from the CIA's experience with the Taliban and Al Q.
I am tired of hearing pakistanis claim indian occupies kashmir. that's like saying india occupies the other half of punjab. kahsmir has always belonged to india – no one else. pakistan never existed during this time and kashmir has never belong to pakistan. why don't you guys understand this? if anything, the part of pakistan you took during the war is occupied. it's factually incorrect to say indian occupies kashmir. stop trying to use the same wordage that typifies the israeli-palestinian conflict. they are truly fighting over sacred land claimed by muslims, jews and christians. this silly argument that paksitanis make over kashmir is only about religion – it has nothing to do with kashmir itself. it was never yours to begin with.
Pakistan's reason for existence is the belief that a nation can be created on the basis of discrimination, the parameter for discrimination being religion. This belief has been proven false by unfolding of events in the past 60 years – Pakistan is a mess that survives total collapse because of alms it collects from Western countries. India OTOH is based on inclusion of people of all religions. Most Pakistanis refuse to acknowledge this simple fact of history – the last 60 years have seen India develop into one of the worlds biggest economies, choose a Muslim president, see a muslim become the richest man in the country (Aziz Premji), see Muslims go win Oscars. Yes, we Muslims in India live in constant debate, sometimes getting into quarrels, but that is a part of our democracy and we are proud of it.
Kashmir is the tip of the iceberg of Pakistan's insecurity about its own existence. It wants Kashmir to undergo the same ethnic division that it brought about in itself 60 years ago. It's time for Pakistan to lay off and look inwardly, clean up its own act taking inspiration from the Arab Spring... When that happens, we can all sit around a table and talk like friends. 90% of the problems will already have been solved.
Sounds a lot like Mexico.
I think that one of the most important reasons this site was selected is because it sits in the shadows of a military complex the thinking may have been that UBL would have been in the Military's Zone of Protection. In other words, any unidentified aircraft would have been immediately challenged because super paranoid Pakistan would have assumed that the Indians were up to no good.
Paki defending their terrorist links
Must you remain ignorant?
Someone stating an obvious fact is ignorant? Want a better impression behave better, stop calling people ignorant for call out your foibles.
@true – actually somebody using a racial slur is ignorant.
@truefax. Read much? The lead-in clearly says she was born in Montreal and now lives in the USA. So her nationality is either Canadian or American. Also, for you to not know that the term "Paki" is a racial slur is just further proof of why the rest of the world thinks Americans are ignorant idiots...
It is her opinion and not a fact. You need to go back to school and please concentrate this time.
The fact is...Pakis are weak and poor allies. We always knew this. This event and their weak replies just further confirm it. It's all good. We have shown that despite a government's lip service regarding assistance and good intentions...we can find who we're looking for and get them with or without a weak nation's full cooperation.
You need to read history on who has been a good ally TP. Was US a good ally when it never helped Pakistan when it was being attacked by India in 1971. Was it a good ally when it sanctioned Pakistan as soon as USSR split up. It goes both ways. 30 thousand dead Pakistani civilians in this war on terror, 5000 dead soldiers and you ask what has Pakistan done.
Do you know why USSR is no more? They ran out of money. We are also running out of it. The $20B so or that US claimed they paid Pakistan also include rent and fuel that gets shipped from Pakistan. Do you know that Pakistan send over 500 gas tankers daily to Afghanistan for NATO and allow another 1200 trucks daily to go through. The $20B includes reimbursement for the food and fuel also. Do you know Pakistan also does not charge tax on NATO? sadly, no one in the media will say that ever or no one like you will believe it.
Syed, are you at all capable of stating your opinion or what you believe to be facts without insulting everyone you correspond with? If you are under the impression that this makes you seem smarter than everyone else, or adds any weight to your arguments, I think anyone who has read any of your comments today would disagree. It actually just makes you sound like an arrogant jerk who lacks the confidence to have his opinions challenged.
@Khalisata: wow $20billion of the US money for Paki gas and food??!!! you must be out of your mind, unless you grow your produce on the moon or mars.
Khalisata....u are a freaking liar. Pakistan attacked India in 1971 not the other way round. Pakistan has been supporting terrorist since 1950's and this time its hurting themselves. You reap what you sow.
@Khalisata: Since when was it India who attacked Pakistan in the 1971 war? Do you have selective amnesia or do you seem to forget that East Pakistan's (now Bangladesh) Awami won a majority in parliament, which was unacceptable to your beloved Premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, which was followed by a genocide of East Pakistanis by West Pakistani forces. Not only that but it was Pakistan who decided to pre-emptively attack India on 11 airfields. Stop portraying Pakistan as victim when time after time, they are really the offender.
Some points:
Paki is a slur, please use Pakistani.
Not all Pakistanis are the same – some support the Taliban, some do not. Most just want to avoid the topic of politics as much as possible, really. That being said, you try living next door to Al Qaeda – if you come out loud and proud against them you stand a good chance of getting dead. So please consider that before condemning all of them.
Is Pakistan a trustworthy ally? Not really. But it's pretty easy to see why.
Re the calls for aid from Pakistanis – we have been absolutely POURING money into your country, and your politicians steal it all. Deal with your political corruption – and no, I don't know how to do that either, but the US handing you money won't do anything for the Pakistani people until this is solved – you guys officially have one of the most corrupt political systems in the world.
Re proclamations of why we didn't protect you from India or the Russians – we weren't exactly friends at the time, and we're not exactly friends now. Benazir Bhutto made serious inroads regarding peace and reaching out to the West, and what happened to her? Oh, that's right, for all of her efforts to help your country out she got dead. We are still clinging to the progress she made, but we all know it's slipping away. Look at comments like @TuePaki's and it's easy to see why. The only reason we are still there at all is because we bring money (lots of it) and your politicians are all carpetbaggers. Minus that they'd throw us out on our hind parts in no time.
I am someone that believes that we should be out of the region, I believe that Palestine should be a sovereign nation and that Israel needs to get out of Gaza and that we need to get Israel in line and make that happen. But the Jihad/Fatwa mentality and all of the calls for "infidel free" and the rise of Islam (including subverting, destroying and ruling the West) sure aren't helping.
Where is the movement saying "hold the phone – how about let us rule our own countries our own way without you guys playing Monroe Doctrine chess all over us, we don't want to kill anybody, if an infidel swings by then whatever as long as they're not hurting anybody"? That would go a long way towards the West not thinking of you guys as savages – because a lot of what we hear from Muslims is pretty savage.
Good one Syed!!..lolz
Not all Paki's. As youself this. What is there to gain?
Al'Qeada slaughter Pakis. So the government gains nothing
ISI has nothign to gain in protecting him.
The only people who have anything to gain is the Military. The longer the War on Terrror goes the more resources the US will send their way to help fight it.
My Money is on the intellegence, and Government truly not knowing. I beleive rogue elements of the Army were working to protect Bin Laden so they can continue to gain from the US war on terror. The militray is the only ones with something to gain.
i am so sick of Pakistan they are the ones harboring terriosts and aiding them in order to recieve billions in aid from the US...they have been playing this dirty trick since the Afghan war against the Soviets...they would recieve billions in order to aid the Afghan fighters but would give them pennies on the dollar in order for their own country to prosper...pull out of afghanistan and start sending the SEALS to clean up the terriosts in Pakistan...
Joey they are just as sick of you..
if all the Muslim world would unite under the terrorist banner and hate you as much as Osama Bin Laden does then you would really be sick... WHO'S TO SAY THAT THEY wouldn't buy from a cash strapped Russian or China some biological weapons to smuggle into the USA using the Mexican cartels to sneak it in...then they could just poison us all to death..secretly..in a crude way like the 9/11 event was... Hate begats hate! and there are some that hate you with their whole breath ...
Rick From Los Angeles
ISI= Inter Services Intelligence.
Officers of the military run ISI on deputation.
Jonathon- if the mexican drug cartels helped in extermenating the american population, then who would buy their drugs? Think about that one....
yes she must Syed, for she is tramatized as most Americans are by this man...You must be pretty anchored in Christ to not be....BTW I was here with a paki named selma ..she is here and is free with her opinion by here own knowledge Most paki's hate us...That's just a fact....My opinion is that Pakistan tolerates the US there because of their fears of India.....There are more moderates there than extremist because in every election they have elected a moderate to the presidency , even a Woman TWICE ....Hey! everybody ! Pakistan has elected a woman to run their country twice..
2 times which is proof that not all of Pakistan is extremist most are not extremist! Ghandi gave them their territory because of the extremist element that exists there...Pakis are really Indians ...but they are liberated indians and call themselves Pakistanis .... : )
Jonathan-You can not even spell Gandhi properly, leave aside your ignorant and unwanted sympathies for Pakis. Those liars have now been caught with their pants on fire. The new generation in India is so glad to leave these terrorists out of India. All Pakis can do is hate their ancestors and their motherland at one time. They do not know anything else and that will ultimately cause their destruction. Sooner it happens better it will be for India, for USA, for Afganistan, and for the rest of the world.
Jonathon, wow. Just wow. Pakistan is more moderate? One of those female PM's just got killed a few years back. Also killed- a popular politician campaigning against the countries dark-aged anti blasphomey laws (you can be killed for speaking out against religion). 82% of the public believes in the cutting off of peoples hands and feet for such petty offenses as theft (of any amount). Pull your head outta your ###. Are you just a troll, or do you believe this rubbish that you are spewing?
Paki is a racial slur so clearly this person IS ignorant and stupid, as is anyone with the gall to defend them.
not to mention all the idiots throwing around this word like it's nothing.
A wise man doesn't hide where people are likely to look for him. I know nothing of the neighborhood, but hiding up near the border, where "everyone" thought he was makes little sense.
Many years ago I recall a political kidnapping. I believe it was in Italy. I'm not certain, but as I recall the events, they searched the whole city but couldn't find the guy. When the story finally came out (I don't recall if he survived or not) he had been hidden just blocks from where he'd been taken. The area had been searched many times, on a house-to-house, room-by-room basis.
Go figure.
I always figured they would find him in a penthouse in New York City.
Haha, that's a good one. Nobody would be surprised either.
I can't believe that CNN would allow such a series of apologetic "statements of facts" with limited credibility opinion to be published here. This is pathetic.
Jay you got a problem with freedom of the press ????
because if you do ..then you have a problem with the truth...not one persons truth but the truth...
sometimes the truth is not always welcome for what ever reason..whatever though whatever the truth is we need to hear it no matter how painful...the truth is like an anti-ceptic or anti depressant or anti lie!!!
I have learnt few more things about Pakistan, people of Abbottabad used to terrorist but afraid more of burglary, growing marijuana in that area, people of that city do not care who is newcomer or bother to know about it. This place is safe heaven to hide terrorist because people do not bother to know and question who is staying in that house. One thing draw my attention, person with lots of black money or drug lord do build big house in that area. Such big house now suspects for drug lord or black money owner. Any house as suspect normally attract attention of itelligent agency and IRS department. Five years of stay by Bin Laden with few was not questioned only because it was under protection of ISI. Same way Pakistan did hide Daud Ibrahim, most wanted criminal by Interpol in Karachi near military establishment. Near military establishment, it looks like safest hiding place for any criminal. Abbottabad is not a tourist place or retiree place for army officer but place to hide all world criminals, all word terrorist by bribing ISI heavily. Like special gay community or nudist camp location, now Abbottabad is famous for criminal and terrorist community camp encouraged by ISI .
Those agency could be corrupt. Like in America a few thousand dollars and the police look the other way.
Completely agree with you Rick. It's not like the United States doesn't over look the drug lord mansions all over Florida and else where. And Raj India isn't exactly devoid of corruption. It may be less than Pakistan in corruption but it still exists greatly. When it's so rampant in your country do you have the right to point fingers at other nations. Just my two cents, and there is ALWAYS more than what meets the eye.
Yeah, India definitel has its share of problems, as we all do. Like the horrendous treatment of lower caste people by the elites. Much poverty in the country also, which is normal for an under developed country that experiences dramatic growth quickly (Brasil).
Whle I will buy into all of the above reasons, what I cannot buy into is that the ISI and the military which has a huge presence with intelligence officers all over this town. This town has been a hot bed of terrorist activity against its people and the army. The town has suffered from several IEDs and sucide bmobing atttacks from the Swat operation. People may be ignorant of OBLs presence. The ISI was not. Dont insult the intelligence of the wolrd community, incluidng the Pakistanis.
Ver well said. The article explains why a common may not have found out but the intelligence is supposed to be intelligent. When US could find out sitting 10,000 miles away, one wonders what the local intelligence was doing/hiding.
So we're supposed to feel good that people just suspected it being a huge druglord so they didn't ask questions? People are private so no one would have asked? You seem to be able to make sweeping judgements on the nature of Abbottabad but then you don't know how large the compound was? You asked it as a question (even if they noticed it and even if it was (as reports say) eight times the size of neighboring homes) because you either don't know or you want to give it some doubt. So either you're an expert on Abbottabad or not. To me it just sounds like you're an apologist for the Pakistani government and people.
why not ??..you seem to think that the pakis are supposed to be as good as we are. or as brilliamt ..when we can't even find the killer of whores in New York
I thought it was a good place to hide due to it being close to Costellostan.
Which can only lead to one logical conclusion–was he on first?
I believe he was catching on his last day.
\m/
Ha ha ha. LMFAO. Glad for that .
I believe I posted her that same conclusion only it was costelloabad
Do you know how the US got the information they needed to capture OBL? They got the info from some of the people pakistan arrested and handed over to the US. Even then they were 50/50 that OBL was in that house.
Umm no, it came form GITMO and field work by the CIA. Pakistan had NOTHING to do with it, which is why it worked out.
Wrong, information about the courier's activities initially came from Pakistan. Sen. Kerry and Hillary have already confirmed this,
TrueFax appears to be TrueIdiot. Most of the terrorists in GITMO were captured in Pakistan and were given to the US. You people are so ignorant that there is no point in arguing with you. Educate yourself
Syed is bigger idiot, his country protecting bin laden for 6 years and by giving info on peanuts to show that they are in fight on terror, as long as Americans are fools they know how to cheat and survive.
nobody ever confirmed who gave info on courier's, just pakis trying to defend themselves they are saying this. They gave bin laden shelter for 6 years and they need to answer why they did it period.
ana, I am sorry but its not my fault you lack the basic information about this issue. The 9/11 Planner Khalid was arrested in Pakistan and handed over to the US. he lied that courier was a pakistani but when another al qaidan told the agents that he infact is a kuwaiti, they started to track that courier. This info led them to believe that this courier could be linked to OBL. Even then they were 50/50. all these al qaidas were captured in pakistan. There is no excuse for you to be so ignorant. Don't blame Pakistan as thats very easy to do. Educate yourself or remain an idiot forever
hey Syed, are you secretly working damage control for the Pakistani Gov? Also, by getting mad and calling people idiots makes you look childish, and it will make people think twice about what you are saying. Pakistan got caught up, face it. Intelligent people knew they (Pakistan) wanted to play both sides of the problem. Im not here to bash Pakistani people- but that Gov was playing both sides.
It seems like you regret some of your countrymen telling the truth to Americans!!! Bravo! Be patient, more truth is bound to come out.
Whatever....the mere fact that he was a Yemenee Arab yet sought and found refuge in Pakistan is compelling enough for me. Then of course there is the very vocal and large majority of Pakistanies that are upset he was killed. What more proof do we need that Pakistan is the real enemy we are fighting, not some feable minded farmers from Afghanistan.
Leave Syed alone, his eyes are behind his head. He obviously can not see well. His debate is even putting his country into
more problem.He called someone idiot, someone too named him a bigger idiot. If we should add up these, somone should please tell me what this bad eyed person is who is bent at giving a good colour to his country at all costs
Is it true that a large majoirity of pakistan feels this way or the fact that we did it under their noses..like Bin laden
you and all haters is making my job in that area more difficult but please continue ...I 'm reminded of when Elijah had them continue to pour water on the wood pile before he commanded fire to come down and consume the alter...
that's it.... I shall command New testament fire to come down from heaven and consume all Pakistan..the punjab in particular please wish me luck,...Saudi Arabia all the entire Muslim World....at least half a billion..My I see in my lifetime...
to command more fire than Elijah is pretty good company..
you believe in an invisible man in the sky, who watches you to determine if your naughty or nice so you can get into "heaven" and you have the gall to call other people stupid?
I H8STUPID PEOPLE – well said.
Nahhh Yahhh Ya missed me!
Ms. Ansari's interesting perspective resonates with the same willful ignorance claimed by the Germans when they “first” learned of Nazi atrocities: “We did not know these things were happening.”
We can explore many reasons to explain the camouflaged existence of bin Laden et cie in Abbottabad for these many years. All we really need is one reason that no one chose to examine the plain-sight evidence.
In that case, let them come over to New york City and clean up the devastation still there after a decade. Just as the Germans were tasked with clearing the bodies from the concentration camps...
Very good points. We will likely see more propagandist garbage trying to pile up reasons why Bin Laden was able to live there undetected for years. The fact remains that the fortress-like compound sticks out like a sore thumb in that neighborhood. Eight times the size of the others. A BinMansion of sorts! Sure he went undetected. He went undetected because elements within the ISI and Pakistani military enabled it to be that way. When you know of something but turn the other cheek; I think you get my point. The Pakistani's are so afraid of us lowering aid to them or worse, giving greater support to India that they are trying to sell us on their ISI and military being 100% incompetent on every level in this post post Bin Laden media frenzy. The ISI and Pakistan military definitely are not first class operations (especially when viewed in the context of the last week or so) but they are not rank amateurs either in my opinion.
Great points Stephen. Its funny how much you can learn from history if you study it properly.
All at http://www.TheDimensionMachine.com
Being drup lord is more safer than ordinary citizen in pakistan, wow? and that Gilani has no shame to ask stop blame game. BTW who is blaming and what, they are hiding bin laden for 6 years and its clear.
Why Abbottabad was a great hideout:
5. Habib's Discount Suicide Bomber Outfitters World Headquarters is right around the corner
4. Neighborhood developer offers buyers discount incentive to members of the 4H club, Abbottabad Credit Union, and
Al-Queda
3. Complimentary drinks on military-assisted flights to and from monthly status meetings with border militants
2. It's one of the few places left in the world where VHS tapes are actually sold, making it easier to film home movies or threats against capitalist infidels
1. "Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.
Wouldn't you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see,
our troubles are all the same
You wanna be where everybody knows
Your name.
You wanna go where people know,
people are all the same,
You wanna go where everybody knows
your name...."
LOL
Norm and Cliff are still in the valley, but Shelley Long cut out early to expand her "career".....we all know how that worked out. Mullah Sam says she cant come back.
Bad move, Diane. Bad move.
Well, OBL WAS a druglord, Al Qaedas is heavily involved in illegal drug trafficking, Afghanistan is the worlds leading source of poppies, i.e. opium and heroin. In their sick minds it might have been seen as another masterstroke terrorist plot, to poison the youth of the west with drugs which in turn pay for everything else. The ultimate leverage, we basically pay for our own destruction by buying their drugs, double whammy.
You must be a heroin importer to know for sure, or you just take the word of the DEA. You realize that when the taliban were in place in Afghanistan poppy production almost came to a halt. Since Al Qaeda is funded primarily through charities in Saudi Arabia I wonder how you get your info.
http://www.rferl.org/content/Terror_Expert_Discusses_Taliban_AlQaeda_Funding_/1854261.html
This is a really nuanced and very instructive article that matches some of my own observations from my limited travels to this region. People there live in difficult situations and mind their own business. Surprising? Really? Why were the child kidnappers and rapist hiding so happily in our midst? Are we all complicit? Open your mind, fellow Americans.
The difference between Americans not finding bad actors in their neighborhoods is that they look and act like regular folks when their not committing crimes, while the Abbottabadans look the other way because they are sure their neighbors are criminals and are afraid for their own skins. It is a shame that this kind of lawlessness can persist in the shadow of a leading military base. It raises questions. Is the Pakistani security apparatus blind, incompetent, unconcerned, or involved? It certainly looks like that at the very least, they don't have control of their own forces and lack the ability to root out internal corruption (e.g. no "Internal Affairs Dept").
I am truly thinking of stopping reading at least the opinion columns on CNN. The only people you find here are Muslims from Pakistan & ME or their diaspora in the west, most of whom have a vested interest in covering up their nations and their peoples.
And, ofcourse we have our own famous Islamic sympathizer Mr. FAREED ZAKARIA who never tires of trashing America, Isarel and Europe to futher his faith's cause.
Amit-At;anta-USA
Please get lost you manhoos indian
To CNN: This comment needs to be removed. Racial slur.
I am a fun of Fareed. I think he is usually right now. never seen him bash any country, usually states the facts
Chal Hindu Kuttay. Maa chuda apni phir.
Abhi teri maa chod kar aya hoon.
To CNN: Comments by Zaid and Paddy need to be removed. Abusive.
Matherchod..har koi aa ke tumhari marke ja raha hai..laude apni paki gaand sambhal
How much you wanna make a bet that the U.S. bags the #2 guy in Pakistan as well. Probably 3-5 as well.
How embarresing is it for the an attack on Pakistan's soil in Pakistan's version of West Point military base?
The Pakistanis have to wake up to the fact and accept that Pakistan is a terrorist haven. Pakistani's are in denial about this, and the US media and politicians are also largely to be blamed by letting Pakistan get away with this.
Stop saying the terrorists are in the border between Afganistan and Pakistan. The border is just an imaginary line not a vast "no zone" . The terrorists are in either Pakistan or Afganistan not somewhere "in between".
The fact that most of the terrorists have been arrested and/or killed in Pakistan is enough of a proof that it's Pakistan that is formenting terrorism by harboring them.
I know whats in my backyard
yea. I am .. doing your mother.
I guess some people just hate to report the truth and some in the media like to print the most sensational version of events without thinking. I'm glad this report is setting a few people straight. Criminals live in Washington DC, right under the noses of the police, FBI, army and President. Are you shocked to hear this, or do you now realize that people don't know who is in the next building? It's absurd to assume that everyone knew he was there.
And your reality is absurd when you you are pretty sure that most, if not all the large homes in your neighborhood are owned by criminals. Don't the local officials have ownership records of the properties there?
There are always corruption with politicians and army in this part of the world.
Dear Indian Friend:
Please don't generalize things. India surely is corrupt, but still it's way lower than Pakistan and most Muslim countries. Do a google check on Corruption in Muslim countries and see what comes up. Even in India crime & corruption are much more rampant with Muslims than other communities. Don't get me wrong. I am not saying that non-Muslims are not corrupt or not invloved in crimes (don't start giving examples!), they surely are, but tthese are a lot more prevalent with Muslims than others.
There was a PEW study on traffic offenses by diplomatic personnel in NYC, Pakistanis were #1,a nd an Indian diplomat was 11 times less likely to commit a traffic offense than his Pak counterpart!
Also, please don't equate Indian armed forces with Pakistan's. There is a world of difference between them.
Amit-Atlanta-USA
stop with your pakistani hatred. its good that not all indians are this hateful.
talk Abbottabad place to hide.
I think it's a great place becuase of the awesome nightlife and the great music. You know Osama loved to boogy down!
This does not make sense. Nobody is saying common people noticed OBL and did not tell authorities. The question is city officials. Were they sleeping? I do not think so.
Truly. A friendly tax collector or building inspector visit..... ask the property owner "what do you do for a living? How's your job or business going these days?"... The owner of a multi-million property has no visible means to pay for it... At least it smells like tax evasion. Shouldn't that raise questions for the tax collector, like, "Are you hiding something from me?"
Syed
Since you do not seem to be a bigot, please answer these for me.
1. What do you think of a person who changes from islam to another religion?
2. Your daughter/sister marries a person of another religion. What would should be the religion of her kids?
3. Your son/brother marries a person of another religion. What would should be the religion of her kids?
4. How would you refer to a secular person in your language and what is his status in an islamic society?
Lastly
5. What do you think of Lashar-e-Taiyyaba (LET)?
Regards
Nothing make him change.
The fact that all religions have doctrines for themselves. It is a way introduced by satan to yule the land of the people.
No religion brings freedom. Jesus Christ did not preach religion. He said in His own words" I came to give you Life and life abundantly." All religion can do is divide the enemy from one enemy to other form of enemy. Releigon does not save. Jesus Christ saves. Thru His blood we are redeemed. God has done everything for us. All we need to do is repent and receive Jesus Christ, and follow Him.
IndianAmerican,
I love my religion and al qaida and taliban do not represent Islam. If LET is behind killing of any innocent, I would never condone that act. I truly believe if one kills an innocent, they have killed the entire humanity. My daughter is not marrying any non muslim. I like some bollywood movies but don't believe it inter-religion marriages. I respect all reigions like my Prophet Mohammad (p) has taught us. Again some of these organizations are going totally against His teachings.
Dear Syed
Thanks for replying, here is what I understand of your response.
1. No response.
2. Thanks for number answering
3.There was a typo in that. Sorry about that. It should read:
Your son/brother marries a person of another religion. What would should be the religion of his kids?
No response (don't want to guess, same as number 2).
4. No response.
5. "If LET is behind killing of any innocent, I would never condone that act."
You mean, there is still a chance that in your opinion that it isn't.
I do not have a problem with muslims, just wanted to know where you stand on bigotry.
Indian American,
Your obvioulsy not catholic as such questions are irrelevant. We could ask you the same question in reverse, how would you answer them? Never mind it does not matter. Each person has their own level of belief and all religions have their fanatics. Take for instance the Christian fundamentalists that protest at the funerals of Gay's and military, or the crazed leader of the christian sect that desecrated the holy book of the Muslims. They are a version of christinities Al'Qaeda.
Dear Rick From Los Angeles
Why catholics are some special breed?
Frankly, I do not care what the religious inclinations of my family will be 2 generations from now as long as they are good human beings with compassion and are not flying planes into buildings.
I cannot speak for Mr Syed, but at least he has hinted on his preferences. (I am not commenting on that yet).
I was hoping Mr Syed will clarify his position.
I can only hope that his muslim son in law in the future does not consider her daughter to be equal to half his being or worse does not have jihadi inclinations like the Time Square bomber. It is Mr Syed that has a potential problem here. My problem is we might have to bear the consequences for such thought which have been let loose by OBL and their kind.
I do not intend to defend Christian fundamentalists here because I am not an apologist for them, but in US of A at least one can hope that the law will take its course.
The mosques where these questions could have been answered had been destroyed in Bahrain and Syria. Syed, remember that this is not a mosque and that we are not here for an Islamic lecture. Please, correct your head.
Just amused and strangely worried with the reasons. These are the thoughts of an educated Pakistani, in fact Ms Maryam seems to be living outside Pakistan, but has family in Abbottabad. The reasons are so convoluted ,weak and contradictory ...haven for drug lords , next to the military academy and the capital, habitated by "nice" people....duh! there are only two inferences that can be made its either gross negligence (which doesnt fit with military academy, small place , "rich and influencial"people theory) or a calculated schemed decision with Pakistan in know
and "Pakistan in know" doesnt mean the common people of Pakistan ..but ISI and maybe even the government. The common people in Pakistan are more worried about their livelihood, just like people in any other country, or so it seems.
This article was written by an apologist for the Pakistani government, no one seriously believes that they didn't know. Their government has proven to be double-dealing time and time again – that is just the facts.
before using this term double dealing , you should have gone into the details of statistics as to how many suicide bombers hit Pakistan , how many innocent people of Pakistan died in these attacks , and compare it with the losses of USA and NATO forces ............. you will be shocked to to know that losses of Pakistan are far more as compared to USA and NATO . Point to bring home is , that you will be in fools paradise if u still believe that Pakistan did double game at the cost of what ...and for what .... to get more losses ..... i will have accepted it if statistics would have been other way round ......
Stop cutting and pasting the same post again and again. That doesn't make you any better terrorist.
Ady, are you serious? the pakistani gov doesnt give a #### about the common Pakistani. The problem is that Pakistan has a lot of crazy people who do irrational things, like suicide bombing, to "solve" their problems. And yes, the Pakistani gov LOVES to play both sides. Collect the American aid, but also hedge themselves against the supposed Indian threat by supporting terrorist organizations. Problem is, they cant control the terrorist organizations. They are part of the political landscape, sadly.
I hope the best for the regualr, hard working Pakistani who is just trying to create a better life for their family. Best of luck to them, and i wish our Gov could (would) do more to help THESE people.
As the profile states, Maryam Montreal-born attorney living in the San Francisco Bay Area who likely visits her immediate family in Abbottabad on vacations/trips and what not
Anyone who has "lived" in south-asia would know that everyone knows everyone in their neighbourhood/street. This is true even if someone is not "friendly" or mingles with others but the neighbourhood knows the people who stay there, their routine of coming/going, trips to the marketplace, what time the milk gets delivered and what not ! There's just no way around that
What's more striking from a lot of the articles about people in pakistan and it's diaspora is the defensive tone and the head buried in the sand attitude. That to me is more cause for concern than any possible intelligence failure
Well, unless you've lived in Abottabad, I would say that you don't really know what you're talking about. Having lived in South Asia, I would hope that you realize that not every community is identical. Also, even if the neighbors did see who went in and out of the compound in Abottabad, most likely they would have seen the courier, not bin Laden himself. So why should they have been suspicious?
Jeff
Having lived in South Asia, I can tell you for sure that neighbors are always keen to know how they live next to. Agreed, nobody saw Osama, but there is always curiosity to know who lives there, what they do for a living etc etc to raise some brows ...I just read a neighborhood kid raising suspicion now, questioning why cameras outside and the inhabitants giving money for the lost balls (kids playing in the area and losing balls in the compound) etc. its either complete indifference (as suggested by this article too, okay with drug lords living in the area) or ignorance, and neither is good for a civilized and robust society. The question again is not for the common people, but to the offiicials in Pakistan's law and order...
Kumar, you talk about South-Asia. Those of us who have lived in many places of the world will know how diverse a region that is. I have not lived in a Muslim country and am perhaps intimidated because that's very foreign to me. I have various friends who have lived in Muslim-lite countries like Turkey and stricker ones such as Afghanastan and the Arab gulf. Now, from what I know, it is not uncommon for some family members (e.g. women) to essentially never go outside of the family compound. Therefore in that sort of environment, everybody will *not* know what everyone else is doing as every compound can hide secrets for many years and only special visitors such as doctors may guess what might be really going on inside.
I liked the article. Critics of the article have said that local intelligence folk must have known OBL was there. Maybe that's true, but in such a relatively corrupt poor environment don't you think an intelligence officer might have decided to make 10x the amount of his or her annual pay in one transaction by selling OBL's location to US intelligence? So unless the people who knew cared more about OBL than money then I would suggest that only very very few would have known. If you were a Pakistani government official who knew about it you would already know not to tell others because the environment is too corrupt. Also you would be correctly concerned about what would the repurcussions be if the US located him on your soil. Governments want to stay in power and inviting the US to walk in might mean weakening your position in the next election against more radical political parties. The intenal Pakistani political environment is complicated and dangerous.
For now we're all speculating. I will not be suprised if in the long run it appears noone knew for certain where OBL was prior to the US determining it.
My opinion is that, dispite the general mistrust of the Pakistanis as allies, the US should have found a way to have the Pakistani military involved even if it was after the fact so that they could jointly claim credit and this did not turn out to be an action that is in clear breach of a soveriegn country's rights.
Running an unannounced military strike on a foreign country sets a really bad prescident for the future. Can other countries with less noble goals of liberty for all, now conduct snatch, grab and summary-executions-without-trial of people they don't like. I don't want China, Russia, Israel or others who have the capabilities to do this see this as a valid approach: Can they now turn around and say "The US did it with their enemy #1, so we feel that it's not an illegal action to invade another country to murder someone". We'd be shocked if the Chinese flew into Nepal and murdered the Delia Lama for instance.
I personally feel we're all better off with OBL dead and not going to trial somewhere for crimes that may be very hard to prove apart from his own confessions. I hope that his legacy is not to become a marytr but I guess that is how he will be seen by many radicalized Muslims. It would be good if we can shift away from the villianizing to closing the rift, ending the hatred and the "violence that begets violence.
Our collective and individual focus needs to be on what every family cares about: the stability and safety to live and prosper wherever they are and whatever creed or religion they follow. If we really care about the world our children and our children's children will enter, we should focus on uplifting everyone so that kids don't want to be suicide bombers, they want to be pop stars, rich and get laid. That's the enduring offering within the American way.
Abbottabad? I always thought he was hiding in Costelloabad! Hey Abbott!!!!
Do you know that the pakistanis crave for dollar than any person in the earth. This they found thru the easy aid from USA. They know the source by allying with USA, they can reap riches. That is the root of all evil. Easy money comes by roooting out one dictator, and then other one comes in. This has been the history of pakistan. You become a billonare if you hold the presidents post, and all those who are involved in the the presidents team are benefited little by little. They only uphold status and money. No values. This immoral activities, of murder and rape are common in pakistan. It starts with the dictator who reached the position, to becaome a rich candidate for helping hands from USA in the form of $$$$.
Clandestine operations and mujahdeen operation and taliban operation, and al queada operation are all part of the $$$$ aid. They are all tagged for roaring business. so dont be surprised. If USA wants pakistans help, it will be given but with great trouble to face the future. Lets have a common sense. Who is pakistan supporting? They are moslems. What is their doctrine? I will tell the US President to make no frinedsip with pakistan. They have a mask. Make business with India instead, and bind the friendsip with India.
How convenient for the americans to forget that it was them who let Osama escape from tora bora-there were close to 40 u s special forces troops at the entrance of the pas-but they were afraid to ingress because-first there was no permission from the top brass-second there was no followup support coming--then Osama was noticed two other times and let go because permission didnot come to take him out.
Then worst of all-Bush disbanded the agencies squad in 2007 that was tracking Bin Laden-so as far as paks were concerned--Osama was not a big deal to americans-ifthey didnot go after him at the time of conquest of afghanistan and later-maybe the u s didnot care.
It is alos obvious that the americans knew about this place since last year-and the probability has not been more than 50% if OBL was there-even all the time the u s had this compound under surveillance for close to a year--there was no sign of OBL--capish--you understand you haters-.
Here is why this action took place-u s was waiting for other things that may come up-what happened was that pak prime minister went to afghanistan last month and told Karzai to look towards china for help and kick out the american military--. Well-guess what-you can't do that to the u s--.
There is a lot of truth here my friend. But rememeber this- Bush and the Tools didnt WANT to catch Bin Laden. They had everything vested in the military industrial complex. These people, like Dick Cheney, owned pieces of these companies contracting in the war areas. As long as Bin Laden was free, they had their built in excuse to continue these wars, so the money would keep on flowing in. Thats why I laugh when I read these Republican comments about how "this program was started by Bush, and completed by Obama". Bush had is chance at Tora Bora, but they didnt want it to end.
The golf course, don't forget the golf course !
He was protected by Pakistan.
Towels R Us is just around the corner.
Is that your bigotry showing? but I guess you wouldn't see that.
And the towel heads give me a very strong reason to be one. I am a bigot for a real reason.
This may have been history's easiest covert operation. Not even our intelligence officials could have screwed it up, yet we spent weeks questionning our Intel. I could just hear White House officials: "No! Really? He's THERE?" It calls to mind a scene from the 1985 Brian de Palma-directed film The Untouchables. When Kevin Kostner's Elliot Ness walks into the post office led by Sean Connery's Malone, presumably to the site of Al Capone's main whiskey distribution center, Ness turns to Malone with shotgun in hand and pleads with great dismay: "Here?!"
As for the raid itself, we could have sent Potsy from Happy Days in with a semi-automatic weapon and achieved the same results. So I have to read one more word about "the best of the best" with their dog, I'm either going to laugh or be very sick. Maybe both.
Abbottabad is a pleasant town. I and my wife spent the night there in July of 2007. After the heat of Lahore it was a real relief. A fair number of adventurous travelers use Abbottabad as a kick-off point to drive up the Karakoram Highway....as we did. If I were to live full-time in Pakistan it would be in my top ten places to live.
I can't believe Pakistanis, especially one born abroad, tries to make excuses on how Osama could hide in a military city. Well I know the city very well besides Kakul Military Acedemy, there is frontier force and Baloch force headquarters in Abbottbad plus Army medical corp and the Pakistan military band is headquartered there..Anyways, the police check for national id cards and residents meet weekly to give info on who is new in town to the local imam who reports it to the police head. There are always plain cloth ISI and military intelligence officials looking for suspicious activity and new people..Also, two weeks ago when Army chief Kayani visited Kakul a few meters away, the security forces do an extensive secruity clearance of the area. Anways, lets just say the Pakistan did not know...well they know HAqanni network operates from N. waziristan and kills American soldiers and innocent Afghans, why does it harbor Haqaani terrorists. There are 50 nations in Afghanistan with their armies, Top Taliban and Al qaeda are in PAkistan protected by a complex newtork of ISI unit tasked soley to make sure these terrorists are safe...All while PAkistan milks America
Because Pakistan is an ally in the war on terror, Bush hide the fact the Mastermind of 911 was a pakistani ISI agent, again Khalid sheikh mohammad aka KSM was a Pakistani citizen, Pakistani born in Pakistan from Pakistani parents....Again, using terrorists and terrorism is part of PAkistani foreign and domestic policy...I remeber Pakistanis were building Pakistan during the Afghan-Soviet war with American dollars tell us that if we do not help PAkistan communists will take over...It is replaying the same dirty game, telling us to give more dollars and weapons or terrorists will take over...ISI chief PAsha has privately said it will take 90 days to get the terrorists in PAkistan and end it(this is because they know who is who and where they are)
Lot of good points here.....
I think it's key to differentiate between the Abbottabadi people and the military. The "5 reasons" the author is referring to seem to be explaining why the "average Joe" citizen of the town didn't know what was going on. It is not an apologetic piece for the military. Furthermore, even the military itself is not one, uniform entity. As President Obama stated this morning, it's probably true that some in Pakistan knew OBL was there. But that is not a reason to indict the entire 170M+ Pakistani people, every single one of the millions who lived in the region, or every single one of the hundreds of thousands who lived in the town.
WAS? I bet it still IS a great hideout!
Interesting. So in old America it was "women should be seen, not heard" but in Islamic Pakistan its "women should not be seen or heard".
your an idiot – less than a century ago woman couldn't vote in this country. Is it any surprise that a culture that until a few decades ago, spend their days being subjugated by the west; they just might be a little bit further behind on certain social issues.? BTW the roots of liberalism and the enlightenment came from the Quran, and many people consider the old Ottoman Empire to be one of the most liberal and free societies of its time – far more progressed on the issue of woman's rights than the US was.
hahahahahahahahah. haha . lol lol hahah. hahahahahahaha. idiot.
What I think a lot of people are missing in the "what did Pakistan know" debate is that the Pakistani military, the ISI, and the government are three separate power centers with different allegiances and agendas. One group is unlikely to share more information than absolutely necessary with the other two. The ISI is clearly trying to maintain relationships with the militant groups that will allow it to have influence within Pakistan and in Afghanistan after the US leaves.
I guess the real question is Was it OBL? Should v just assume dat us is telling it as it is because they always tell the truth..... I think we should start with loosechange.com
How did that part of the world get so filled up with people? Not even a single immigrant either. The British tiptoed away from that stinker at the right time.
Abbottabad was OK, but Costellobad would have been better. Meanwhile, the best place would be CurlyLarryandMoeabad
It is mind boggling tha even if Pakistanis failed to detect or report his presence to US, the gigantic espionage and spy network that gallops trillions of dollars of US tax payers money could not find him merely hundred miles from US Army base and satelitte surveillance, afterall this was the same spot another high ranking alqeda operator was sought in a raid some years back.
Well apparently it wasn't a good hideout cause we got the mother effer!
What amazes me the most is that a Yemeni-Arab, not a citizen of Pakistan, being able to live for 5-6 years in this house and 2.5 years in another village in Pakistan. THow is it that no one checked his passport or visa, especially when he lived in the backyard of a army garrison. One would think that for their own safety, people living next door to a military command would be vetted by the Pakistani military. Regular people may not have known about his existence, but the military definitely did.
The author of this article is neither from Abbottabad nor has any immediate family in Abbottabad. CNN, please research your writers to gain credibility!
Ofcourse Higher up in ISI and Generals knew of Bin Laden in Abottabad.
They could not have hid him in a Military compound because the secret would be out in No time.
They wanted to hide him near military asset and US would not have droned him there.. But Got a bit complacent about air raids... as it was 10 years since he has been hiding. I know the premission to build a house was recieved in a day..
Merely a week after President Obama announced the death of Osama Bin Laden, there is literally a deluge of evidence that clearly indicates the whole episode has been manufactured for political gain and to return Americans to a state of post-9/11 intellectual castration so that they can be easily manipulated in the run up to the 2012 election. Here are ten facts that prove the Bin Laden fable is a contrived hoax….
1) Before last Sunday’s raid, every intelligence analyst, geopolitical commentator or head of state worth their salt was on record as stating that Osama Bin Laden was already dead, and that he probably died many years ago, from veteran CIA officer Robert Baer, to former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, to former FBI head of counterterrorism Dale Watson. In addition, back in 2002 Alex Jones was told directly by two separate high level sources that Bin Laden was already dead and that his death would be announced at the most politically opportune moment. Top US government insider Dr. Steve R. Pieczenik, a man who held numerous different influential positions under five different Presidents, serving as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State under the Nixon, Ford and Carter, told the Alex Jones Show last week that Bin Laden died of marfan syndrome shortly after he was visited by CIA physicians at the American Hospital in Dubai in July 2001.
2) The official narrative of how the raid unfolded completely collapsed within days of its announcement. First there had been a 40 minute shootout, then there was no shootout and just one man was armed, first Bin Laden was armed then he was not, first Bin Laden used his wife as a human shield and then he did not. First the compound was described as a “$1 million dollar mansion” then it turned out to be a rubbish-strewn dilapidated compound that was worth less than a quarter of that. Almost every single aspect of the official narrative has changed since Obama first described the raid last Sunday as the White House struggles to keep its story straight.
3) The alleged body of Bin Laden was hastily dumped in the sea to prevent any proper procedure of identification. The White House claimed this was in accordance with normal Islamic burial rituals, however numerous Muslim scholars all over the globe disputed this claim, pointing out that Muslims can only be buried at sea if they die at sea. While the White House claimed that Bin Laden’s death on May 1st was proven by DNA and facial recognition evidence, such proof was never released for public scrutiny and the Obama administration refused to release photos of Bin Laden’s dead body, suggesting a cover-up.
4) Despite the fact that the White House released “situation room” photos which purported to show Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and the rest of Obama’s security staff watching the raid which killed Bin Laden live, it was later admitted by CIA director Leon Panetta that Obama could not have seen the raid because the live feed was cut off before the Navy SEALS entered the compound. The photos were described by many as having “historical significance,” forming a “captivating” record of Obama’s greatest success and being the “defining moment” of his Presidency. One image showed Hillary Clinton with her hand over her mouth as if witnessing an anxious or crucial moment in the raid. Media reports at the time claimed that the photos represented the moment when “The leader of the free world saw the terror chief shot in the left eye.” However, the photos were staged as a PR stunt for public consumption, nobody in the photos ever saw Bin Laden killed live, nor did they see the Navy SEALS even enter the compound.
5) As even mainstream journalists began to cast suspicion on the official narrative behind the raid, the media reported that Al-Qaeda itself had confirmed every detail of Obama’s address the the nation. However, the conduit for such a claim was in fact an organization called SITE, which is a notorious Pentagon propaganda front run by the daughter of an Israeli spy that has been caught on numerous occasions releasing fake cartoonish “Al-Qaeda” videos at the most politically expedient times for both the Bush and Obama administrations. The SITE organization is nothing more than a contractor for the U.S. government, receiving some $500,000 a year annually from Uncle Sam, and yet the corporate media instantly swallowed and regurgitated the claim that “Al-Qaeda” had confirmed the official story after SITE directed them to an anonymous posting on an Islamic website.
6) Almost every single neighbor that lived near the alleged Bin Laden compound in Abbottabad that was interviewed by news reporters said with absolute certainty that they had never seen Bin Laden and that they knew of no evidence whatsoever to suggest he lived there. Since the town is a staging ground for the Pakistani military, which has a training facility situated virtually a stone’s throw away from the alleged Bin Laden compound, residents were required to show ID when they moved into the area. Pakistani troops and anti-terror police in the town refused to confirm that Bin Laden had lived in the house. Barack Obama himself admitted to 60 Minutes that the White House was only 55/45 sure that Osama lived there before the raid and this uncertainty prompted concerns that the US Navy SEALS sent in could have targeted a “prince from Dubai” or some other individual that was not Bin Laden.
7) The videos released by the White House this past weekend which purport to show Osama Bin Laden making Al-Qaeda tapes in October-November 2010 are almost identical to footage first released by Pentagon front group SITE nearly four years ago. Remember, a May 2010 Washington Post story reported how the CIA had admitted to making fake Bin Laden videos. Despite the White House’s insistence that the footage of Bin Laden is recent, he looks younger and healthier than tapes released almost a decade ago, having apparently dyed his beard black. A separate video that purports to show Bin Laden in his compound flicking through satellite TV channels depicts a much older looking man with a gray beard. Analysts have pointed out that the man has different shaped ears to real Osama pictures from back in 2001. A doctor has also pointed out the fact that the man in the tapes released Saturday has no problem moving his left arm, whereas video from 2001 clearly illustrates how Bin Laden was unable to move his left upper extremity because of a permanent injury probably related to damage to the peripheral nerves. Why the cameraman would film the back of Bin Laden’s head as he watches television is also dubious. Residents in the town of Abbottabad claim the man in the “television” video is not Osama, with one individual claiming that the man labeled by the White House as being Bin Laden is actually his neighbor, a man named Akhbar Han.
8: Despite the fact that numerous neo-cons came out on the days after the alleged raid to erroneously assert that torturing terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay led to the discovery of Bin Laden, Osama himself, the supposed world’s most wanted terrorist and a treasure trove of terror information, despite the fact that he was unarmed, was not taken in for questioning, he was instantly shot in the head according to the official narrative.
9) The US government has been caught on several occasions within the past decade staging military operations for the purposes of generating contrived, pro-war sentiment amongst the American public. Both the “rescue” of Jessica Lynch and the death of Pat Tillman were complete fables, scripted and staged at complete odds with the truth and unleashed on Americans as part of a psychological warfare offensive to elicit support for the war on terror, almost identical to what we’re seeing now with the Bin Laden sideshow. Given the fact that the US government has been caught red-handed scripting tales of pure fiction in order to justify the war on terror, notably in the cases of Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman, why on earth should we believe them now?
10) Despite the fact that Obama announced last Sunday on live television that the world was now “safer” because Bin Laden was dead, his administration, with the aid of the fearmongering mass media, instantly seized upon the situation to terrify Americans into being afraid of imminent “reprisal” terror attacks inside the United States, later claiming that Bin Laden had formulated an “aspirational rather than operational” plan to derail US trains that travel over 500mph, although no trains in the US can actually travel at such speeds. This led “terror experts” to salivate over how TSA agents were now needed in shopping malls to stick their hands down Americans’ pants, while New York Senator Chuckie Schumer called for the no fly list to be expanded to trains and subways. Obama hurried to ground zero for a photo op as he desperately tried to use the Bin Laden hoax to whip up phony patriotism as a means of boosting his flagging poll numbers. Others, like Democrat Bill Richardson, exploited the situation to try and push through policies that had no connection to Bin Laden or terrorism at all, like cap and trade. The haste with which the whole Bin Laden fable was exploited for political points scoring and as a psychological ploy to return Americans to a post-9/11 state of intellectual castration was painfully transparent, clearly suggesting that the entire farce was planned well in advance to achieve precisely those goals in the run up to 2012.
Love your plagiarism. Next time give credit where credit is due instead of cut & pasting someone else's work. Oh – and since it is obvious that you have never served in the Armed Forces, let me help you out with something that just happens to escape you and every other dingbat that also believes that the moon landings were faked: one person, even a dozen, can be convinced to perpetrate a lie. But scores of military officers and soldiers will simply not do it. One person, even a dozen, will remain silent on a lie for the President. But scores of people who value integrity will not go to their graves in order to lie for the President. I don't like or care for Obama, in general, but he has earned the right to "spike the ball" on this occasion. You, "x", are nothing more than a plagiarizing nitwit...
1) The so called “Top US government insider Dr. Steve R. Pieczenik” has nothing to do with US Govt. He is an author and a conspiracy theorist. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Pieczenik
2) Mr. Alex Jones is a radio talk-show host with similar beliefs. See Wikipedia contents below. He owns the websites where the referenced videos are located.
Nice reply Anti-X, but that was way too easy. This tool is referencing conspiracy kooks as his proof. And his answer was ripped from somebody else and pasted.
LOL! it seems you are just upset it was Obama, a Democrat (of no!) who was responsible for having the balls to do something the prior administration was unable to do. Whether Bush and the Tools were ever really interested in getting Bin Laden......who know. I doubt they wanted him dead.
ok now that he is dead! time for US to get lost from the region and let stability return. people in pakistan really dont give a crap about osama and al-qaeda.
I wonder why almost all terror plots have a Pakistani connection..
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YeXWhmiUAo&version=3&rel=1&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1%5D
NO, It was a great hideout because the Pakistan government kept telling us he was in a cave....
It apparently has not been grasped by our illustrious leaders or learned commentators, but bin Laden, had he wished, could have treavelled to Mexico and entered the US like millions of other illegal entrants. He could have then made his way to a sanctuary city, such as San Francisco, where he could have leisurely plotted a sequel to 9/11 in comfort and safety. Only a moron and fanatic would have opted to forego San Francisco and stay in Pakistan, which explains why bin Laden ultimately came to the end that he did.
That leads to the question of how many al Queda leaders did not opt to remain in Pakistan, and are now enjoying the comforts of our sanctuary cities, such as San Francisco, while they plan their attacks on we infidels.
WHY THE OSAMA COMPOUND WAS NOT A GOOD HIDE OUT................... HE GOT CAUGHT THERE. End of short story.
I guess I can move to Abbotabad, build a huge mansion, and no one will ever notice. Balderdash. Ms. Ansari, give us a break.
The city name is Abbot-abad like Abbot-"city" or Abbot-"town".
Great hideout? Osama has been dead for years???
In my opinion Pakistan is such a poor country and they have to many problems to deal with rather than fighting extremism and THE QUESTION HOW OSAMA MANAGE TO LIVE SO CLOSE TO MILITARY BASE? THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE THAT PAKISTAN NEVER REALLY FOCUS TO CATCH OSAMA RATHER FOCUSED ON ELIMINATING HIS NETWORK,
ALSO, IF YOU LOOK AT USA THERE WERE MANY CRIMINALS WHO MANAGE TO LIVE NEAR PENTAGON WITHOUT GETTING CAUGHT FOR LONG TIME!!!
Reason #6 Abbottobad was a good hideout: We could find him there, kill him,and dump his a$$ in the sea.
So he was hiding in Paki for 4 years, what about the 6 years before that ? Us couldn't find him when they first waged war on Afghanistan, and there are so many Cia operatives in Paki , they couldn't find him until now either. How could they have known he lives there if he never ever came outside of the compound ? Your asking a country that is already struggling with itself to survive, a country of about 60 years of existence with shaky government and constant military takeovers, to look out of 180 million people, with poor intelligence , to find this one guy, give me a fuc*ing break, Sure Paki has its problems, but don't act ignorant and think that problems are exclusive to third world countries. What's going on with the border of Usa and Mexico with the drug war ? What is going on in places like Gary Indiana where 50% of the people live in poverty. Bottom Line, they found him, he's dead, and the world is a better place without him, don't go blaming individuals for someone else's actions.
Kashief, good points, but you have to remember this- the Cheney Adminisration didnt WANT to find Bin Laden. They had to much money riding on the US military industrial complex. It was all about money. Having Bin Laden alive and making tapes was beneficial to them. He was the boogeyman, the person they used to scare Americans into believeing they had their best interests at hand. It was all a sick joke, on the American public and innocent people living in the Middle East.
pakistan is harboring these terrorists and milky money from USA . USA needs to be more smarter if they need to deal with pakistani's .For money pakis can do anything. pakis will never give the exact information to anybody the moment they will be honest they loose the aid given to pakis by usa. that is true in India and pakistan like countries every neighbor knows other neighbor its not like western counties people don't bother. In india and Pakistan all people wants to do is poke their noses into others peoples business. Especially in Pakistan where most of the people doesn't have jobs and all free. there is no way nobody knew where he was hiding the answer is they knew and i think they never anticipated that americans can cross their borders to get what they are looking for. they must have thought any way americans are going to ask us we will say we are trying to find him we doing arrests .and they will be doing this all their lives but would have never delivered but in this process USA would be in great debt and pakistan will be rich country one day as pakistan will be sending aid to USA.
Paki is a racist term. Racist.
Most of the comments to this article come from American's who are clearly uneducated, ignorant, and racist, and you wonder why most people in the world hate us? You act like hatred of the US is limited to the middle-east.... and if you don't understand why those cultures hate and distrust the west maybe you should pick up a history book.
There are many criminals on the FBI most wanted that are at large for years. Yet we don't know where they are hiding. Some may well be working for FBI or CIA themselves. Others may be living 5 short miles from the Pentagon. Only because we are focusing more on finding criminals in foriegn countries. We don't care about local and domestic ones.
Any place is a good place to hide when the government is helping you.
Maryam Khan Ansari's observations are spot on. The high walls, barbed wire, little/no evidence of movement inside the secluded interior, purposely well-protected from outside prying eyes, is typical of the area and of many other similar countries across the Arab and Latin American worlds. Nothing at all strange about that. Then, the additional observations as to why/how the villa was virtually blending in with the environment were well presented and make it easily understandable why townspeople gave nary a thought to who might be in the bin Laden compound. Of course, all of that in no way means that Pakistani officials were not complicit in keeping bin Laden's presence a well-known secret inside political and military circles. I cannot help but notice the wisdom of the bad guy hiding right next to security and military installations....where one would least of all suspect finding the bad guys. Pretty clever.
You know what Sgt. Schultz would always say on the hit tv show "Hogan's Heroes right?" I see NOTHIINNGG! That was the attitude about that 8 story tall mansion begging for attention from the police among others. They showed what looked like Bin Fartin channel surfing the satellite channels....oops......wait a minute...didn't reporters say that there were no wires,cables or satellite dishes on the joint? You would think someone with all that coin would have all the latest toys to play with right? What? No telephone service? Where are all the ***** wires and dish? Those facts alone would make me suspicious. I guess they went through the expense of burying the cables which would lead where? Had to be a nice neighbor who shared his satellite service with Bin Fartin. Follow the cable! Probably leads to their version of West Point.
No, it was reported that there was a satellite dish, but no telephone or cable. Information could come in, but no communications out.
Pakistan, the 6th most populated nation and only muslim country with nukes, will now get even closer with China. Both of them are already close. Central Asian oil will be accessed via Pakistani corridor and I am afraid this Osama strike, without participation of Pakistan will prove to be quite negative over the coming years. Just my 2 cents.
Some good points indeed. But you cant act like a weeny and let Pakistan get away with stuff like this, just because we dont want them to ally with China. Thats their business. We have a good partnership with India, which has an economy growing at a higher clip than even China, and will be the most populous country on the planet within 20 years. I guess what Im saying is we cant be weak in dealing with Pakistan due to fears. Ask Neville Chamberlian how that works out. If we get stern with Pakistan, but be honest with them (for once), they will come to their senses.
Peace
Well, the writer of this article seems to be as much intelligent and stupid as Bin Laden and the Pakistanis who worked for the Ladens for nothing but the dollars. Oh man, they can do anything for the dollars in there.
Yes we give $1.5 billion to Pakistan each year. However, Pakistan's economy has been suffering an economic loss of $20 billion per year since 9/11 due to war, terrorist attacks in their cities etc. 34,000 Pakis have lost lives including 5000 soldiers. Yet no body in the media tells american public these figures.
Its hard to feel sorry for loses inflicted on Pakistanis from suicide bombers. These terrorist organizations were started by Pakistan to hedge their fears on India. Now the chickens have come home to roost. They have lost control of these people, and in fact the terrorist types actually have a large influence on Pakistani politics. That was all Pakistans doing, so blame yourselves if anybody. Sorry
I am sorry to say brothers and sisters of Pakistan but our country Pakistan is a terrorist State. It harbors Osama Bin Laden, Dawood Ibrahim, El Ansari etc.
Please wake up brothers and sisters of Pakistan and lets all stop lying and being in denial.
We supplied Nuclear material to Iran, we secretly pray for America's death.
Lets stop lying and be true to God.
Thank you
Reveal your hindu name please – let's talk about Babri mosque, loot plunder and rape of muslim women in Kashmir and 70,000 murders by Inidan army and recent burning of Smjotha express in which 70 Pakis were burnt alive while traveling in Hindustan. Show some courage and reveal your true identity
Dont be offended brother. We have to learn to accept the truth.
We are a failed State and there is nothing wrong with being honest.
You know at each every Jumma Namaz how we talk hateful rhetoric.
Peace my brother Haroon, May Allah bless you.
by the way, Akeel is written with Q i.e. Aqeel......now give us your real hindu name
Brother Haroon, Salaam Wale Kum,
Please dont be paranoid. Why do you want me to make up a hindu name
We have hated hindu's, Christians and all Khafirs and Infidels.
We want an end to them and a Islamic world.
Again be honest to your self and others, Allah is watching.
By the way, My name is spelt with a "K" not "Q", it is Akeel.
Regards
5 reasons? There is only one reason, Pakistan harbors and protects terrorists and they finance it with US money.
B**ls**t
Don't hate me because I'm beautiful.
Great Pakistani nation is soon to stand up against the real terrorists like USA, Britain, India, Israel. We will kick them all out of the holly muslim lands from Morocco to Indonesia. This will be a vast Infidel free land and the most powerful in history. InshaAllah. Peace!
Typical Paki terrorist
US tax dollars at work.
First you say "kick them out" then you close with "Peace." ???? You've got some serious cognitive dissonance going on there buddy. It would be better to focus on eliminating corruption at home before striking out at distant peoples who would be happy to leave you alone if you just minded your own business.
OBL could have easily hid in Pakistan undetected, without the help or knowledge of their government. How long did the Uni-bomber live undetected in America? I guess he was aided by the FBI? How many fugitives are walking the streets of the U.S.? What about the Walker Navy spies? How many years did they spy? 20? More? I guess the CIA and Pentagon were in on that too. All I'm saying is that a government may not know that someone is hiding in an attic. Of course, I know, EVERYTHING is a conspiracy. Bring it on conspiracy nuts.
Very different cases. Not relevant. Uni-bomber lived as a hermit, not in a city with a big military base – he had no neighbors. Eventually, he was turned in by his family. The Walker spy case – they didn't announce themselves by incinerating 3,000 innocents, duh, they were spies, so, who even knew to look for them? You've not made any relevant point here.
Governments don't know all or see all.
US: We found bin laden living in a house in Pakistan. It is impossible that anyone could have lived there for years undetected by the government. PAKISTAN: How did you discover him? US: We had CIA agents living there for years undetected by the government.
After reading so much the conclusion : Pakistan's name is a disgrace to Islam.When the world shouts OBL's as a most wanted,Pakistan people reward him a MARTYR . How can a personwho killed innocent people in every part of world,
Twin tower, London, India,Russia are the set examples but still holds a rank of a MARTYR.Now Jihad is the best business to earn money.A man who is a trainee to kill innocent is getting money and a Martyr's rank.WOW his mother would be pleased to learn it.
Why USA never discussed Pakistan about his operation? Cause OBL was getting habitat in Pak's premises.And being a ordinary man i don't think that OBL has gone to local bodies ,bribe them and lived happily in ABBOT. If is it then It means there is no law or police in that town.what is the role of ISI behind this kind of shelter?Where is ISI's head?
Pakistan talks about peace then why SUZA PASHA is hiding.Pakistan is free country. Isn't it? 2 cents on it.
Or in other ways Suza pasha was bribed by America to reveal the truth, i don't think so.
Pakistan is talking about Sovereignty when his former president signed a treaty to use their soil for erasing terrorism.
I bet even Al-zawahiri future will be the same If Pakistan needs more dollars for nuke establishment.
In Asia why only Pakistan's name calls If USA attacking Afghanistan instead of Afghanistan itself. Somewhere Pakistan is playing a role of mediator between terrorism and USA.All in all thousands of questions can be raised and Pakistan can never answer.Pakistan should be ashamed of his doings. I still remember 9/11 when my friend goes missing in that attack, and never found alive. RIP!
Dear Prez Please kill all those who were involved in terrorism even if Pakistan encounter you.
PAKISTAN's MESSAGE IS LOUD & CLEAR. GIVE US MONEY ELSE THE GOVT. WILL FALL & THE EXTREMISTS WILL TAKE OVER & GET HOLD OF THE NUKES!
LET MORE UNADAPTABLE PAKISTANI IMMIGRANTS IN, ELSE THE PAKISTANI DIASPORA WILL EXPLODE IN ANGER WITH UNTHINKABLE CONSEQUENCES TO AMERICA & EUROPE!
AMERICANS, & EUROPEANS ARE NOT FOOLS TO BELIEVE THIS NUCLEAR & DEMOGRAPHIC BLACKMAIL WILL EVER END..................
UNLESS WE DISMEMBER PAKISTAN, SIEZE THEIR NUCLEAR ASSETS, STOP WELFARE FUNDS TO PARASITIC/CANCEROUS MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS.
NOTHING ELSE WILL WORK.......& AMERICA IS ALREADY WORKING ON THOSE PLANS:
Check out this document by Sileg Harrison of the Center of International Policy on why Pakistan cannot exist as a united nation and is only a lose federation of diverse ethnicities always figthing each other.
http://www.ciponline.org/asia/reports/pakistan_the_state_of_the_union.pdf
ISLAM ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE WELFARE STATE – A STUDY OF MUSLIM MIGRANTS (MOSTLY PAKISTANI) IN AMERICA & EUROPE
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/05/magazine/05muslims.html
Evidence of US plans to DISMEMBER Pak.
PAKISTAN ON THE BRINK
Afghan Intelligence chief Pakistani Govt. hand in glove with terrorists.
Pakistan's Secret Govt. The ISI
Amit-Atlanta-USA
Thank you so much for sharing this information. I hope we DO invade Pakistan and take their nuclear arsenal, from everything you have posted here, Pakistan IS a safe haven for world terrorists, and they don't deserve to have nukes where they can fall into the wrong hands. The entire world, needs to invade Pakistan, and take their arsenal, as they are not fit to have such weapons when they cannot prevent extremists from hiding in their own country.
Many Americans now say it's a forgeone conclusion that the US with assistance from Europe, Israel, Russia & India will invade Pakistan (like Iraq) at some point in the future, and is actively working towards that. China will be asked to just shut up, which they will!
That may in fact come sooner than later, if Pakistan tries to physically stop another US raid into its territroy to capture other Al-Qaeda/Taliban biwigs incl. Ayman Zawehari and Mullah Omar.
As US forces pull out of Iraq, our forces will be free to take out this most important existential threat to the west.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/nationalsecurity/fear-that-u-s-can-grab-nuclear-arsenal-heightens-pakistani-anger-20110509
Amit-Atlanta-USA
I'm American and have been paying attention. You're the first who's said that the US and European allies are planning to invade Pakistan. So, to say that many Americans are saying this is just balderdash. You are just trying to stir things up.
Bill744:
The National Journal is not my mouthpiece.
Also check these out:
Bush handed blueprint to seize Pakistan's nuclear arsenal
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/dec/01/pakistan.iraq
Do a google search on "US plans to seize Pakistani nuclear weapons" and see what comes up. Here's the readymade link for you.
http://www.google.com/#q=US+plans+to+seize+Pakistan+Nuclear+weapons&hl=en&prmd=ivns&ei=AfvJTe6VGoLE0QHi24yFCQ&start=0&sa=N&fp=df9e926e61a04245
Amit-Atlanta-USA
Then where is the Dawood Ibrahim Pakistan?
When India provided satellite evidence with his address you have failed to arrest him? This guy was born and India and killed hundreds of people if not thousands. It shows that your entire country is a rogue state.
I say we take those black helicopters back in and steal all their nukes and let the "extremists" have that sh!thole of a country. Honestly, we got bin Laden. Let's just get out now. Let's be honest with ourselves and admit that we really, really don't care if those people are "free" or not. Let the theocratic regimes squabble over useless mountain wastelands and kill each other because they don't worship their Prophet exactly the same way.
Roger that.
Seriously, you think that black helicopters can airlift all of Pakistan's nuclear weapons and the infrastructure that goes with it? It's not so simple. You're trying to play tic tac toe on a 3D chess board! Please, a little dose of hard reality.
Vow what a great thought – now go back to playing your video games
@Haroon – I can't, I'm at work. My point was that Pakistan's military obviously can't do anything right... either hiding or protecting bin Laden (which they failed) or finding him (also failed) or protecting their "sovereign" airspace (also failed). They're a joke. We could probably drive a convoy of trucks past their border guards to take their nukes, as long as we greased the right palms. Corrupt, inept clowns, all of them.
We didn't shoot OBL. We shot an unidentified tall guy who turned out to be OBL. How tall are Zawahiri? Omar? Awlaki? Folks their heights now have something to worry about. Consider the following imaginary SEALs debriefing:
"We shot this guy because across a dimly lit, windowless room he appeared to be about as tall as Zawahiri"
"And we shot this one 'cause through the fog it looked like he was approximately the same height as Omar"
"And this one stuck up about as high as Awlaki, so we shot him"
How in the world did the US find out about Osama's location with such a certainity that allowed them to take the risk to launch such a bold operation is still a mystery. It could have costed Mr.Obama his presidency and the American people a life time of shame and disgrace, if it had turned out that they were wrong.
Signals intelligence really is that good. They intercepted a cell phone signal from the compound and geo-located it. Multiple, very-sensitive scanners – and they had been tracking that phone for a long time. The only reason it has taken until recently to put location-based-services in cell phones is the cost – and the military doesn't have that limitation.
$50 mio bounty can give you very precise info
Once again, CNN making excuses, pointing fingers, blaming others, rather than pointing out the obvious – Pakistan hates us, resents our presence, and aided and abetted the Taliban and UBL, and has not wavered in their support of them.
They take our money, and thumb their noses at us behind our backs, then threaten military retaliation when we call them on their behavior. This article is an appeasement piece for Muslims, not Americans.
If all of you have a strong desire to win, focus on "WINNING HEARTS, NOT ARGUMENTS" We need to focus on getting to know each other so we can leave a better world than we found. Peace is possible if all of us will walk together on that path. Let us make a pledge to take a tiny step towards understanding one another, mutual respect and promoting peace. There are so many issues we can work on, poverty, hunger, homelessness, natural disasters and many many more. Can we please work towards creating a better world for all of us and our future generations?
Certainly. First, no name calling, like "infidel" or "apostate" or "loony" then, respect human rights, then one another's cultures.
@ aum
If you want to talk about using terrorism as a state weapon then let us shed some light on India which claims to be the biggest democracy in the word and yet they opress Muslims, Seikhs and Christians living there. 10000 Muslims were burnt alive in 2001 Gujrat riots, 5000 Christians have been butchered in the last 2 years in India with churches burnt to the ground. In 1980s more than 20000 Seikhs were killed by the thug indian establishment. Right now Pakistan faces threat from its enemy Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan, which gets heavy supplies of weapons and money from believe it or not 13 INDIAN CONSULATES, 13!from across the border in Afhganistan (I wonder why they need so many of them). It is also very disturbing that all this is happening right under the american's nose in Afghanistan. Please keep you money to yourself and leave Pakistan alone. We have spent more than 70 billion $ on a war that was not even ours to start with and you brag about giving Pakistan 1.5 billion a year. Please keep it to yourselves. It goes in the pockets of our corrupt politicians anyways.
Haider you need to check facts. You're post is wrong about everything. 10000 muslims burnt alive? Here are the facts on Gujarat. The 2002 Gujarat violence describes the Godhra train burning and resulting communal riots between Hindus and Muslims. On 27 February 2002 at Godhra City in the state of Gujarat, the Sabarmati Express train was attacked by a large Muslim mob in a conspiracy. As a result, 58 Hindu pilgrims, mostly women and children of ladies compartment returning from Ayodhya, were killed. The attack prompted retaliatory massacres against Muslims and communal riots on a large scale, in which 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus were killed and 223 more people were reported missing. 523 places of worship were damaged: 298 dargahs, 205 mosques, 17 temples, and 3 churches. Muslim-owned businesses suffered the bulk of the damage. 61,000 Muslims and 10,000 Hindus fled their homes. Preventive arrests of 17,947 Hindus and 3,616 Muslims were made. In total 27,901 Hindus and 7,651 Muslims were arrested. Nearly 10,000 rounds of bullets were fired in police shootings that killed 93 Muslims and 77 Hindus.
Disregard Haider's post
Problem #1: The Pakistani military doesn't care what goes on outside of their acadamy village gates.
They said it. Not me.
I guarantee you that nothing is going to change. The Pakistani military will keep getting the US taxpayers billions and the "war on terror" will continue. This is because this whole operation was totally made up with the involvement of Pakistani Army and USA. It benefits the Pakistani Army, and it benefits the Washington War Mongerers. Like a match made in heaven.
Give me isolationism. I'm tired of all this crap.
It may very well be that some of those in the Pakistani government are cooperating with us, but it's the few individuals that are creating the doubts about it. These are a people that would sell out their own families if the price is right, or they feel their own liberties are threatened. They have no allegiance to anyone but themselves.
I am amazed by the article. First of all, she is an attorney and secondly she is Pakistani. Offcourse, she will say anything to find an excuse for Pakistan. Pakistan is the most currupt country in the world.
He was taken there close to their Military Accadimy because if push comes shave they pick him up quickly and take him insde of the acadimy to hide.Never trust a paki or Pakistan... This paki woman is trying to hide the Sun with 2 fingers... lolz
Dear Ms.Maryam Khan Ansari:
Firstly you are of Pakistani origin, and nobody buys your agruments..............PERIOD!
It's just futile to even read through your justification. Most of them are just misleading, ex: point 5 (military presence). Please remember that in todays digital age, we don't have to be from Abbotabad to know what's in Abbottabad. We had Pakistani reporters say that they can't go more than 100 steps w/o bumping into a military installation.....essentially the entire towon is a well protected garrison town.
The only reason Pakistani ISI (& Military, the Govt and Pakistani people) KEPT OSAMA THERE IS TO PROTECT HIM DAY & NIGHT and PULL HIM INTO ONE OF THEIR INSTALLATIONS IN THE EVENT OF ADVANCE WARNING OF ANY SUCH STRIKE!!!.
No wonder the US gave no such warning!
So, please stop trying to comvince Americans on your theory. No wonder people in the west DON'T TRUST EVEN LOCALLY BORN PEOPLE OF PAKISTANI ORIGIN....EVEN AFTER SEVERAL GENERATIONS!
Amit-Atlanta-USA
Hi Amit,
I am a born Muslim but am tired of my country Pakistan and the lies for which it and its people stand for.
I am a big fan of M K Gandhi and his principles.
I apologize to you all for this terrorist nation's deceit and misleads. How long will Pakistan act as an prostitute?
When will US lift its rose colored glasses and label Pakistan a failed and terrorist state?
Does Hinduism allow, conversion of religion or do you have to be born a Hindu, This is just for my knowledge?
Thanks and Regards
Akeel Khan
Akeel Khan
Just be a good insaan (human).
If you can have some faith that what goes around comes around, one is a hindu at some level. Rest is branding.
Or you can say I an infidel is trying to misguide you.
Akeel Khan:
It's heartening to find a handful of Pakistani Muslims like you, a trait we don't see even amongst MOST Indian Muslims incl. MR. FAREED ZAKARIA.
Quite frankly, while Hindusim does allow other people into its fold, Islam needs people like you to transform that religion. It's a long hard battle if the so-called mioderates are willing to take up the fight. The fact is the so-called moderates also are no different from their jihadist brothers/sisters. That's why I said people like you are few and far between.
Good Luck!
Amit-Atlanta-USA
This website will censor n1gger sp1c and g00k but wont censor paki.
ih8stupidpeople
I tried to read your comments after this one, as I also have flagged people for offensive comments, but I was disappointed. It appears, all you are saying is screaming 'racial slur' and calling others ignorant and idiot.
The only other comment is where you are telling us that the Ottoman empire was greater than the West, in its times. That might have been, but what is the point of liberalism if it passed You by?
So in Pakistan, what is the percentage of women voting today (not 100 years ago)?
Al queada has killed more Muslims in thier attacks than the have Westerners. When will the Muslim world wake up that their biggest enemy is Al queada?
Al Qaeda is dead, 10 years from now, maybe nobody wants to talk about this organization anymore. OBL was a rich man; with his wealth, he could cover for all Al Qaeda terrorist activity, but after the death of OBL, this organization would collapse because of financial problem. If the world concentrate on the financial donation from the Muslim community to make sure the money don't come to the hand of terrorists, they will be doomed. Even when OBL was still alive, his organization was very weak. How many strikes his people had done lately _ not much. Look at Egypt, Yemen, Syria and especially, in Libya, do Al Qaeda people help these people overthrow their government or these people don't need Al Qaeda? The Somalian pirates had more robbing activity in the sea than the members of Al Qaeda did in the last few years. The real thread for the world is the Taliban _ not Al Qaeda. If the Taliban succeed overthrowing the Afghan regime, they would be like another Iran state.
maryam i am also living in abbottabad.please dnt give the reason for abbottabad compound as the hideout..if USA says incident of 9/11 was conducted by OBL,so its a fact.they say iraq had WMD,so its fact, they said afghan were holly warrier fighting against USSR under the umrella of CIA and ISI.so they were holly warrier and now they say they are terrorest so its right because boss is always right..AMERICA IS THE BOSS OF ALL NATIONS.being a soldier i say if i had been usama and i would select a hideout which no body can think of but at the same time i will plan for the escape route if being caught. so tactically if you see this compound.it has no escape route. osama knows he should not select an isolated compound and there cannot be any mutual support for other buildings. my messege to the soldiers is to see the site.Analyze and grade usama. is he that capable to be al quida no 1.
Umar Patek, a key wanted terrorist for the bali bombing, was found in abbottabad in january 2011, that was 4 months ago, he was picked up by the pakistani gov. and has yet to be released for interogation by the U.S or Indonesia. A terrorist of that stature being located in this city would send enough red flags for a complete sweep of abbottabad but to no avail. This of all things should be reason enough to implicate pakistan's isi with alqaeda.
Thanks to Maryam Khan Ansari, and to CNN for finally publishing something about this affair that makes good sense. This good information helps to explain a lot about the realities of daily life and local attitudes in Abbottabad. No wonder Bid Laden was able to pull this off! Seemingly neighbors and the local police there have no clue as to who lives in these compounds or what is going on inside any of them and this is an accepted way of life! In the United States, at least the tax assessor's office would be curious!
Nice article to tell the world why Abbottabad is a great choice. But hinting the unawareness of Army is a wrong assumption. This massive building designed to conceal people without entering in to the room, was built by a company of Dawood Ibrahim, a mafia don of South East Asia. Dawood has been given shelter in Pakistan and his links with Army and ISI were known and there is no surprise Al-quida get help from them. Don't suggest the Muncipality has not approved this plan which has a bunker too. Pakistan has become a paradise for the world most wanted terrorists and I pity on the average moderate Paki who lives there.
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 IMMEDIATELY CUT OFF ALL AID, DECLARE PAKISTAN A TERRORIST STATE, DISMEMBER THEM, 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
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
I'm sorry but it just seems absurd to me if the compound appeared to be "military" in nature in a garrison town that the military wouldn't take notice and come calling.
a good article and a real insight into the circumstances , under which the terrorist head lived,,,,agreed with whatever the author has written, beyond any doubt,,,
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
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
In addition to the complex religious, historical, and political issues in Pakistan and Afghanistan, there is the matter of their multi-billion dollar opium trade. (They also smuggle hashish and other illicit items, of course.)
This multi-billion dollar opium (soon to be converted to heroin) trafficking is being done with the full knowledge, support and aid of the military and government.
This opium will soon be converted to heroin, of course, and will cause even more violence and destruction, once it moves to the cities of the US and other parts of the world.
We know something about the corruptive influence of vast sums of drug-money, as we’ve seen from Mexico, because of their trafficking of cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine; and, we know how this has corrupted the country and caused so much death and suffering there and throughout the world.
I'm surprised that more isn't being said about the opium (soon to be heroin) trafficking from these countries, the billions of dollars generated by this, and the corruption and violence generated by this.
For all those who said kashmir to be a part of Inida or Pakistan. They are just wrong. See the history. See the promise made by Ghandi in UN. See his speech about kashmir issue if you donot trust. I am Kashmiri and i never like to live either with India or With Pakistan.
ohh boy ... everyone in the world knows that americans are not very smart .. i had some doubts about it before reading all this discussions .. now it's clear: no other country in the worls is more ignorant than the US .. for god's sake .. God MUST blemss America cuz it He does not do that ... what wil these people do in life ?
Extremism exists everywhere. Pakistan is only lime light.
You just have to know it, do the research, and then you will see that there has been more killing of civilians (by Military & extremist) in some other countries, much more than number of people killed in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and US on 911 and as a result of that.
Why media never brings it up? Think about it.
I would ask everyone concerned, to gather number of civilians killed in various regions of the world.
nclude every country, including Germany (Holocaust), Bosnia, Kashmir, Manipur (Eastern region of India), Gujrat, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine.
And then determine who has killed more civilians, Muslims or Non Muslim.
Who ever kills civilians is extremist and bad.
Pakistan is no exception.
Some countries are better at hiding their sins, and good at propaganda. IT does not absolve them.
Propaganda is always based upon half truth.
Who ever kills civilians is bad.
Pakistan is only in lime light.
Please do not pay attention to anyone talking out hate.
Please do not pay attention to anyone using incomplete information.
Please do not pay attention who does not know that drone attacks have killed mostly civilians, and resorted victims of drone attacks to retaliate
Pakistan's economy has taken more than 10 billion dollar of toll on economy since 911
America should stop giving aid, because most of the money goes into administration, consultants, into many deep pockets.
Out of 1.5 billion last year, only 179 million has been accounted for, and all of that has also not gone towards welfare of people.
One should speak out based on total facts, not hate.
Pakistan Military has been fighting terrorists who came to the country from outside, and killed thousands of them.
5000 Pakistani soldier have so far lost their lives fighting terrorists.
Terrorists have been killing civilians inside Pakistan, so far killed 35,000 Pakistanis.
There was no terrorism in Pakistan until 2001
Pakistan allowed the US to destroy Afghanistan government by joining the war on terror with America.
Pakistan did not create Al Qaeda.
Al Qaeda came into Pakistan from outside, mostly through Afghanistan
Where Al Qaeda gets its millions from.
It is not a peanut operation.
Remember Al Qaeda is fighting Pakistani Military & killing Pakistani civilians.
All extremism has to go without discrimination, to attain peace in the world.
Money, hidden agenda, might, propagandistic does not have to be criteria to assess who is extremist and who is not.
Also, we should understand the meaning of collateral damage from the example of fire truck with lights one and siren and some body gets in the way and get killed
It is not collateral damage when almost everyone being killed is civilians, and few extremists get killed. Most of the time they manage to run.
Also, it is true, so called mansions in the frontier province have large gates, high walls, and it is common, it is culture, and nobody pays attention. In fact people out respect and privacy mind their own business.
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
Yes it is true, Pakistanis are with their brothers in Kashmir, and some of them have been covertly & privately 7 occasionally engage in retaliation from time to time.
Indian Military has killed, raped many thousand Muslims in Kashmir since 1947, specially in the last 20 years.
This oppression and their occupation is the underlying cause, that we cannot ignore.
And, Muslims feel it is their obligation to support them, at least at heart, or using pen, by mouth, and some of them use their physical strength.
But the number of ones who covertly try to retaliate in support of their Kashmir brothers are like grain of salt in a bag of rice, very very few.
It is also true, some in military, privately and covertly and rarely, use their capability to retaliate against India in support of their brothers in Kashmir.
Again, these initiatives are exceptions, and initiated by individuals on their own, and strongly disapproved by their departments or the government of Pakistan.
I think such surprises will happen, as long as there will be oppression.
Surprises happen everyday and everywhere, because the underlying causes are generally neglected, and not in control of the concerned department and the government.
Intelligence failures happen everywhere.
As an example, Kargil operation was a surprise for India, an intelligence failure.
Americans missed OBL in Tora Bora, it was their intelligence failure.
911 was apparently a huge intelligence failure.
So was, OBL hiding right under the nose was a huge intelligence failure.
Any way, Pakistan did provide, few years ago, Americans information about the suspicious house in Abbot_Aabaad (Name after Major Jones Abbot), where later Americans killed OBL later
Also, Americans did not jam the radars, the helicopters flew low through the deep mountains where the radars do not pick up the signal. Pakistani F16's did scramble, within the hour, and could not detect the specially equipped helicopters because the radars could not pick them.
Also, it is evident from the event that Americans do not trust Pakistan. I think it leaves no justification to expect Pakistanis to trust Americans, because trust is reciprocal by its nature.
I think it does not make sense to continue cooperations with Pakistan in the absence e of mutual trust
i think we should all speak the truth, does not matter if it mean even if it is against the country of ones origin.
Speaking the truth, gives peace of mind, even if it is against one own self.
Life is short and temporary, and the benefit of lying, speaking half truth, and dismissing others & elevating one own self on their shoulders has huge long term consequences, in the form of surprises by extremists. Killing or oppressing civilians is extremism, regardless who does it.
Similarly, Pakistanis are with their brothers in Taliban and Al Qaida, and some of them have been covertly & privately 7 occasionally engage in retaliation from time to time.
Abbot_Aabaad (Name after Major Jones Abbot) and Gadaafi Stadium in Lahore, named after?
Most of the 500 to 600 million Muslims who live in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan are off springs of former Hindus, who accepted Islam.
Muslim is majority in Kashmir, and they are also offspring of Hindus.
If the minority Hindus have their gods or their shrines in Kashmir, or that Hinduism has been there for thousands of years, does not mean the majority of Hindus whose forefathers had reverted to Islam do not get their self determination democratic right to choose.
The people of Jammu & Kashmir have more rights than a Pakistani in Pakistan. If you count the total number of days Pakistan has been under open military dictatorship.
Forget about Kashmir or Afghanistan. They can manage very well without Pakistan. The reason because there is a problem in both is because of Pakistan (backed terrorism)
Don't believe in any propaganda without your own research, and objective thinking. Propaganda is half truth.
Also, ancient heritage obtained from places like Moenjodaro (Indus Valley is inside Pakistan), Harrapa, Ghandara and other regional ancient civilizations have same historical connection to Muslims and Hindus of that region, unless somebody thinks forefathers of 500 to 600 million Muslims living in the region came from middle east, central Asia, Iran.
Today we have 500 to 600 million Muslims, and we know all Muslims of the region are not from middle east, central Asia.
Also, ask any Kashmiri, and he or she will tell you that Indian military have killed hundreds and thousands of them since 1947, specially in the last 20 to 30 years.
If somebody says, Pakistanis sent terrorist to kill more than 100,000 of their own brothers in Kashmir, that person is not talking sense, obviously.
Indian military atrocities in places Kashmir, Manipur, is not even disputed by many Indians.
Read up on Internet and those authored by Arundhatta Roy, and many other who do not deny it.
We should not be biased.
We should have the courage to look at things with a neutral eye, by blocking our whims or desire how we want it to be.
As an example, Pakistani administration is corrupt and incompetent, it is true. Indian administration is much smarter, that is true also.
World will be a peaceful place, if everybody starts accepting their flaws, and not point finger on one party.
The underlying causes have to identified, and solution determined and implemented, to avoid symptomatic reactions by those get into reactive modes and extremism
"...ancient civilizations have same historical connection to Muslims and Hindus of that region, unless somebody thinks forefathers of 500 to 600 million Muslims living in the region came from middle east, central Asia, Iran."
This is where I do agree with you, but Indus Valley civilizarion of Mohenjodaro, Harrappa or Ghandhara (modern name Kandahar or Afghanistan), have been practically erased from the conciousness of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
They looked upon as inferior infidel culture and of people who are not of the Book.
Objectively, any idea, how many East Pakistani (now Bangladesh) brothers did West Pakistanis kill in its crackdown?
Hello, all the time i used to check website posts here early in the daylight,
as i love to gain knowledge of more and more.
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