Posted on 03/28/2005 3:46:19 AM PST by Straight Vermonter
WASHINGTON - A lone U.S. ambassador compromised America's hunt for Osama bin Laden in Pakistan for more than two years, The New York Sun has learned.
Ambassador Nancy Powell, America's representative in Pakistan, refused to allow the distribution in Pakistan of wanted posters, matchbooks, and other items advertising America's $25 million reward for information leading to the capture of Mr. bin Laden and other Al Qaeda leaders.
Instead, thousands of matchbooks, posters, and other material - printed at taxpayer expense and translated into Urdu, Pashto, and other local languages - remained "impounded" on American Embassy grounds from 2002 to 2004, according to Rep. Mark Kirk, Republican of Illinois.
While the American government was engaged in a number of "black" or covert intelligence activities to locate Al Qaeda leaders, Mr. Kirk said, the "white" or public efforts - which have succeeded in the past in leading to the capture of wanted terrorists - were effectively shut down in the months following the September 11 attacks.
Mr. Kirk discovered Ms. Powell's unusual order in January 2004 and, over the past year, launched a series of behind-the-scenes moves that culminated in a blunt conversation with President Bush aboard Air Force One, the removal of the ambassador, and congressional approval for reinvigorating the hunt for Mr. bin Laden.
(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...
Well, yeah---all of the above and then some! The RFJ Program is a good setup. Clinton couldn't support it but it's done good work in spite. And it is WORLD WIDE. The notion that it was some how suspended in Pakiland is what the Haw'ns say: KAKA! I've written to them numerous times and know they are set up to be reached internationally. I still say the butch chick spent too much time studying URDU and ought to be kept away from moving things, like progress.
Miniter's book Shadow War is documented to the point of requiring undivided attention when reading it. Hard to imagine a guy who does good work would get proveably careless. Even in his live interviews I don't catch him spreading obvious BS---which is a high compliment anymore.
At least she's not wearing one of those hideous cockroach-looking brooches that Maid Madeline "Not at" Albright wears.
a real porker.
why she's still in the employ of the u.s. government needs serious attention.
We just walked through the looking glass?
... ought to be kept away from moving things, like progress.
Yes..moving things is a critical point. Situations change--dramatically so in the ME. And that alone calls for the character parts to be recast. Like Colin Powell out/ Condi Rice in.
Thinking about it, I was probably a bit too anal about Miniter using the word 'little'. He probably meant 'few' (rewards have been paid...)
As an aside, and moving the subject to Iraq...I think that in Iraq, the incidents of locals coming forward with info about bad guys will increase dramatically as an Iraqi gov't takes shape. My gut feeling is that it will be entirely more acceptable for Iraqis to rat out the troublemakers to Iraqi authority (as opposed to 'Coalition' authority) and that will ripple across the region.
Who rats out who is a major key----and don't forget the Iraqi gals have a much bigger piece of the coming pie. They gotta be getting sick of the dirtbags shooting up their kids. Laura's over there getting the girls in school too---seems to me the 'raqi's are on a roll
rule of thumb: aquire dirt on as many co-workers as possible,...when yer in a fix,they'll just shuffle you to somewhere because yer a HEADLESS NAIL
It didn't go over to well having a lesbian ambassador in Pakistan
It is called political correctness.
Davey found this, I had missed it and wonder if you did also.
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