Reflecting “a divergent view from the official stance over the killing of Bin Laden,” and probably one that is more popular with the people of Pakistan than that official stance. “Prayers for Bin Laden in National Assembly,” from The Express Tribune, May 11 (thanks to Mehreen): Parliamentarians were stunned on Tuesday when a lawmaker led […]
U.S. suspects Pakistan leaked CIA station chief’s name in retaliation for bin Laden raid
Our Friend and Ally continues to bend over backwards to show how sincere it is in its cooperation with its American “partners.” Once again, as Panetta said: they’re either complicit or incompetent. Or quite likely, willfully incompetent and claiming plausible deniability. “U.S. suspects leak of CIA station chief’s name was retaliation for bin Laden raid,” […]
Pakistan says it will let U.S. question bin Laden’s wives
Perhaps they realized that stonewalling outright on the issue proved America’s point about their non-cooperation and validated keeping them out of the loop on the bin Laden raid all over again. That said, Pakistan has left itself plenty of room to move the goalposts. Don’t be surprised if someone has to cut down a tree […]
Who sheltered bin Laden? Suspicion falls on Pakistan army chief
Undoubtedly bin Laden had friends at high levels in Pakistan. “Who sheltered Osama bin Laden? Kayani among suspects,” by Sachin Parashar for TNN, May 9 (thanks to Mehreen): NEW DELHI: The US is turning the heat on Pakistan’s ISI as it tries to establish the identity of those who sheltered Osama bin Laden in the […]
Pakistan refuses to allow U.S. to interview bin Laden’s wives
More prompt help from our friend and ally. The U.S. sure is reaping benefits from all those billions showered upon Pakistan. “Pakistan denying U.S. access to bin Laden wives,” from CBS, May 9 (thanks to Twostellas): ISLAMABAD – The United States wants access to Osama bin Laden’s three widows and any intelligence material its commandos […]
Pakistan opposition leader on bin Laden killing: “This is the biggest tragedy in the history of Pakistan after the fall of East Pakistan in 1971”
Just in case you’re still wondering which side they’re on. “Pakistan: Bin Laden killing ‘second biggest’ national tragedy,” by Syed Saleem Shahzad for AKI, May 6 (thanks to all who sent this in): Islamabad, 6 May (AKI) – Pakistani opposition leader Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan reacted to the killing of Osama bin Laden by American […]
Saudi Arabia and Turkey tried unsuccessfully to persuade Pakistan to hand over bin Laden to U.S.
So the Pakistanis must have known he was there. “Malik gives Zardari’s message to Saudi king,” by Syed Rashid Husain for Dawn, May 8 (thanks to Ashish): RIYADH: Interior Minister Rehman Malik handed over a message from President Asif Zardari to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia on Saturday. The unscheduled visit and presence of the […]
Bin Laden may have lived in Pakistan for over 7 years
Lobbyists or no lobbyists, it may be dawning on Pakistan that this situation isn’t going to get any less awkward. “Bin Laden ‘may have lived in Pakistan for over 7 years’,” by Kamran Haider for Reuters, May 7: CHAK SHAH MOHAMMAD, Pakistan (Reuters) — Osama bin Laden may have lived in Pakistan for over seven […]
Pakistan paying U.S. lobbyists to deny it helped bin Laden
Here, a lobbyist pleads that, while some allege Pakistan “must have known” about bin Laden’s presence, “Must have known doesn’t mean knew.” It’s the return of the Clinton Qualifier: the tactic of insisting a claim depends on your definition of this or that word in order to deflect scrutiny into a debate over semantics. So, […]
Pakistan warns U.S. of “disastrous consequences” for any more bin Laden-style raids
The Pakistani government should be apologizing. It should be groveling. It should be undertaking a massive internal reform to sweep out the jihad sympathizers. It should be opening its doors to American military personnel, acknowledging that it is infiltrated and compromised and offering to do whatever it takes to reverse that. After all, Pakistan is […]