do I really have to say it???
Posted on 06/24/2011 1:31:48 PM PDT by James C. Bennett
The cellphone that was seized from Osama bin Laden's courier has been revealed to contain contacts to a militant group that's been long connected to Pakistan's intelligence agency. This could mean that Pakistan was protecting bin Laden the whole time.
The militant group that Osama had in his phone, Harakat-ul-Mujahedeen, were in constant talks with Pakistan officials. Though none of those conversations were explicitly about bin Laden, it does raise an interesting question. Did bin Laden get help (and live comfortably while in hiding) from the Pakistan government? The link to Harakat is important because it is deeply entrenched in the area that bin Laden was living. The NY Times reports:
Harakat has especially deep roots in the area around Abbottabad, and the network provided by the group would have enhanced Bin Laden's ability to live and function in Pakistan, analysts familiar with the group said. Its leaders have strong ties with both Al Qaeda and Pakistani intelligence, and they can roam widely because they are Pakistanis, something the foreigners who make up Al Qaeda's ranks cannot do.
To the Harakat's credit, they've said they had nothing to do with bin Laden, telling the BBC, "Al-Qaeda had their own discipline, their own thinking, their own organisation. We have never ever been in touch with Osama." It feels like somebody isn't telling us something. [NY Times, BBC]
TendoMentis Fri 24 Jun 2011 11:57 AM Just how much evidence, circumstantial or otherwise is the US government going to need before finally admitting that Pakistan played them?
It seems clear that Pakistan was playing both sides. They sided with Bin Laden, but wanted our money at the same time.
I'd love to give them a choice: pay back all that money we gave you, and we'll simply cut ties with you and consider you a low-level threat to keep an eye on, or keep the money and we'll turn your nation into a lovely new crater.
For better or worse, the rest of the world is laughing at the USA for being made a fool of.
So, how much more $$$$ will we be sending them this week?
Playing the U.S. gov't for fools. ....justifiably. It's far from unprecedented.
I don't think that's much of an option with a country with dozens of nukes if they are proven to support Al Qaeda. IMHO we would be justified in launching a first strike if we can prove it. We warned the world in 2001 if you shelter terrorists, you are a terrorist, and we would not allow terrorist states to get nukes. Pakistan is a terrorist state, with nukes.
Another alternative I have been suggesting since 9/11 is to create a Dooomsday List. We publish a list of nations with nukes or nuke programs that we don't trust not to give them to terrorists, or sell them to other countries that might. Iran, Pakistan, Syria and N. Korea are obvious immediate candidates. Then we tell them that if we or any of our allies are hit by a nuke, under any circumstances, we will immediately launch an all out nuclear attack on every country on the list, without waiting to prove anything. The only way to get off the list, is to agree to whatever terms we decide are needed to be assured they don't have nukes and aren't trying to get them. Until we are satisfied, they stay on the list, and they better pray nobody else nukes us or our allies. IMHO, they would all jump through whatever hoops we told them to in order to get off the list.
Problem is, M.A.D doesn’t work very well with Doomsday lovers like Muslims. They want the world to end - they yearn for it.
In other surprising news news today, darkness will follow dusk, and Norwegian Resident Muslims Refugees will attempt a gang rape.
True, but even the most ardent Jihadist leaders never seem to want to sacrifice themselves for the sake of making it happen. Sure, Ahmednutjob may want millions to die to bring back the 12th Imam, but I don't see him volunteering to be one. Still, we can always add an addendum that if we think you are crazy we won't wait, we will just go ahead and attack first.
“This could mean that Pakistan was protecting bin Laden the whole time.”
COULD???
No shite Sherlock.
do I really have to say it???
My name is not Sherlock and I did not post that. Normally you reply to the #1 post when you are addressing the thread story. :>
No way! Pakistan wouldn't lie to Obozo and Bush/sarc.
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