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Pakistan 'delay let bin Laden escape US raid'
Telegraph ^ | Jan 29 2001 | Massoud Ansari

Posted on 01/28/2006 5:00:16 PM PST by Dog

Prevarication by the Pakistani government cost America the chance to kill Osama bin Laden in an airstrike near the Afghan border two years ago, the Sunday Telegraph has been told.

A CIA lead that the al-Qaeda leader was hiding in a remote province was squandered because the Pakistani government delayed giving permission for the attack on its soil, according to a senior Western diplomat.

By the time US officials got the go-ahead, bin Laden had left the suspected hideout in Zhob, in the Baluchistan province of south-west Pakistan.

The near-miss was cited by the diplomat as the reason why America chose not to consult Islamabad before the US missile strike in Pakistan's Bajaur region two weeks ago. The January 13 attack, prompted by a tip that bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was hiding in a local village, killed 13 civilians.

Speaking of the Zhob attack, the diplomat, who asked not to be named, said: "For unknown reasons, Pakistani officials delayed in giving permission...which ultimately gave these militants time to move to an unknown location."

According to his account, which was backed by sources within Pakistani intelligence, the CIA picked up electronic traffic suggesting that bin Laden and his bodyguards had sought temporary shelter in Zhob, which is dominated by Pathan and Baloch tribesmen sympathetic to al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

Fearing that a commando raid would cause massive casualties to both sides, with no guarantee of success, the US decided to launch a strike by laser-guided missiles, fired from Predator drones.

The reason for the delay is not clear. While Pakistan's President, Pervez Musharraf, has vowed to eliminate terrorists operating within his country, elements within Pakistan's ISI intelligence service may have sought to protect bin Laden.

If he was in Zhob at the time it would have been the first known occasion that he had been firmly in America's sights since his escape from Tora Bora in Afghanistan, where he slipped through a cordon of US troops in 2001.

Gen Musharraf last week described the strike against al-Zawahiri as a "violation of sovereignty", although he said other al-Qaeda figures had died in the raid.

Al-Zawahiri is thought to have cancelled his visit, possibly after spotting CIA drones in the area.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaeda; binladen; clintonsfault; espionage; fifthcolumn; gwot; huntforbinladen; india; insidetip; musharraf; obl; osama; osambinladen; pakistan; terrorism; terrorists; ubl; usama; waronterror; waronterrorism; wot
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To: Anti-Bubba182

"Pakistan wants to keep the hunt alive and continue to rake in the US money. They do this better with Bin Laden alive."

Good point


101 posted on 01/29/2006 1:47:15 PM PST by nuconvert (No More Axis of Evil by Christmas ! TLR) [there's a lot of bad people in the pistachio business])
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To: Dog; frankjr

I think Zawahiri, aka #2, is dead. I am hoping that Bush will say in his SotU address, that we nailed him.


102 posted on 01/29/2006 4:22:09 PM PST by Perdogg ("Facts are stupid things." - President Ronald Wilson Reagan)
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To: Perdogg

Ok, who are you rooting for? Pittsburgh or Seattle?

Or are you (and W) just happy with the BCS win?


103 posted on 01/29/2006 4:24:48 PM PST by frankjr
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To: frankjr

Pittsburgh.


104 posted on 01/29/2006 4:32:39 PM PST by Dog ( Ayman al-Zawahiri .....Sleeps with the fish's.....enjoy those raisins.)
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To: frankjr; JennysCool

I would like to see a good game. Bill Cowher is a State Grad, Willie Parker a UNC grad, Bettis playing in his hometown, reason not to go against the Steelers. But I would like to see a new team win it. No AFC team has ever won a Super Bowl that was played on ABC. Also, the last time a NFC west team played against an old AFC Central team in Detroit the NFC team won (San Fran over Cincy).

When I think of Seattle, I think of grey, rainy skys and a guy (wearing flannel unbutton shirt, pants hanging of his hips, no bath or shower in days, scraggly hair) and girl (Wearing dirty jeans, flip-flops, toe rings, with her nose pierced) both unempployed sitting at a Starbucks dinking coffee and smoking.

When I think of Pittsburgh, I think of sunny skys and a guy (wearing flannel shirt, jeans) and girl (Wearing dirty jeans, and an oversized t-shirt) both unemployed from the steel mills sitting around drinking a beer and smoking, watching some sort of sports on TV.

j/k ;)


105 posted on 01/29/2006 4:35:38 PM PST by Perdogg ("Facts are stupid things." - President Ronald Wilson Reagan)
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To: FreeReign
Okay, unnamed sources from left wing newspapers have been bad mouthing Pakistan in general for a long time.

I believe that Pakistan has cosseted terrorists in Kashmir, and probably those responsible for the attack on India's Parliament several years ago. Am I far wrong?
106 posted on 01/29/2006 6:12:01 PM PST by kenavi ("Remember, your fathers sacrificed themselves without need of a messianic complex." Ariel Sharon)
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To: Dog

I'm sure most democrats want us to:

a) Apologize profusely to Pakistan for civilian deaths, and

b) Always ask permission to try to kill terrorists in Pakistan.

Which both reflect why they cannot be trusted with National Security. Remember Carter, Dukakis, etc.


107 posted on 01/29/2006 6:17:59 PM PST by truth_seeker
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To: kenavi
I believe that Pakistan has cosseted terrorists in Kashmir, and probably those responsible for the attack on India's Parliament several years ago. Am I far wrong?

Cosseted terrorists in Kashmir?

Maybe. Musharraf has nabbed very few Taliban. However, things have quieted down recently in Kashmir.

108 posted on 01/29/2006 6:37:50 PM PST by FreeReign
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To: Dog; sukhoi-30mki; Cronos; CarrotAndStick; razoroccam; Arjun; samsonite; Bombay Bloke; mindfever; ..

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !

ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho !

he he he he he he he he he he he !
..............
..............
..............

BUAWWWWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
(gloating!)


109 posted on 01/30/2006 2:01:19 AM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: minus_273

Pakistan ally still?


110 posted on 01/30/2006 2:04:17 AM PST by CarrotAndStick (The articles posted by me needn't necessarily reflect my opinion.)
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To: All; Dog; sukhoi-30mki; Cronos; CarrotAndStick; razoroccam; Arjun; samsonite; Bombay Bloke; ...

....sorry.


.....

.....

.....


BUAWWWWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


111 posted on 01/30/2006 2:07:09 AM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: Dog
you say "Screw Pakistan" and fire. Whats could be simpler. Great Quaking Pussy Alert!!!!!
112 posted on 01/30/2006 4:21:44 AM PST by Vaquero (time again for the Crusades.)
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To: FreeReign
eh.... nope not really ,winter has been setting in on the kashmir valley which gives the terrorists a hard time to cross over but even then things have not really settled : Saturday, January 28, 2006 (Poonch): A major infiltration bid was foiled on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. Six militants were killed near Balnoi by security forces after a fierce 10-hour gunbattle. The militants, a combined group of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba, were armed with the best of weapons and communication equipment like sat phones and global positioning system (GPS). The credit for this successful operation goes to Major James Thomas, a young officer who led the army ambush party and single handedly killed three of the militants. However, Thomas himself was killed by a grenade. Pakistan sponserd Cross border terrorism now not only targets its familiar domain of kashmir but also rest of india.This is quite evident from the terrorist attacks in banglore.
113 posted on 01/30/2006 5:50:54 AM PST by voice of india (INDIA SPEAKS)
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To: Gengis Khan
Old news. And still not funny.

There are some at FR that understand. To them "This situation" is beyond frustrating.

Btw, Indian intelligence on Pak sponsored terrorism is still the best. JMO.

Off topic, but whatever happened to Daniel Pearl's murderers? Do you know?

114 posted on 01/30/2006 7:19:36 AM PST by ARridgerunner
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To: Dog

They probably were waiting for a court order.


115 posted on 01/30/2006 7:51:54 AM PST by Chi-townChief
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To: ARridgerunner; Dog
"To them "This situation" is beyond frustrating."

I know. And all we have got to say is "we had warned you". We warned you against making Pakistan an ally, we warned you against against Pakistan's duplicity, we implored your government not to look the other way when Pakistan waged a jihadi aggression against us.

At the moment I can bet you all Indians are gloating over this news. (I know they shouldn't but its not their fault this is happening.) This kind of thing was just waiting to happen and we knew it all along.

Haven't heard much after the execution of Omar Sheik. He was quickly executed after a hushed up trial so that he doesn't stay around to leak to the press about Pakistan's involvement in Pearl's murder (Pearl was known to be in possession of sensitive documents that indicts the ISI for their involvement with terrorist). I was surprised why the US didn't pursue the matter.

BTW have you read this:
http://inhome.rediff.com/news/2004/may/12raman.htm
116 posted on 01/30/2006 9:23:26 AM PST by Gengis Khan
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To: Gengis Khan
We warned you against making Pakistan an ally, we warned you against against Pakistan's duplicity, we implored your government not to look the other way when Pakistan waged a jihadi aggression against us.

If the U.S. cuts off Pakistan, Musharaff goes and Pakistan becomes fundamentalist and belligerent, don't you think?

Do you think this will be good for the U.S. and India?
117 posted on 01/30/2006 9:47:10 AM PST by kenavi ("Remember, your fathers sacrificed themselves without need of a messianic complex." Ariel Sharon)
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To: Gengis Khan
I doubt all Indians are "gloating" over this news. It's old, for one thing and It isn't in any Indian's best interest to "gloat" about success of Pakistan's terrorists. You might be next, after all. (And I say all this as a friend.)

Btw, Are you personally responsible for your government's foolish mistakes?

Thanks for the link.

118 posted on 01/30/2006 10:20:29 AM PST by ARridgerunner
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To: Gengis Khan

It appears that Massoud Ansari, the writer of old news, is still angry with those who cooperate: President Musharraf, King Faad (who recently died) and their men. The radical and active side of the "Arab world" has been writing anger at them for some time.

Iran continues to be in the sights of the USA and others.


119 posted on 01/30/2006 12:55:10 PM PST by familyop ("The Romans and their Empire were but a bauble in comparison to the Jews." --President John Adams)
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To: Dog
Pakistan 'delay deliberately let bin Laden escape US raid'

there, fixed it.

120 posted on 01/30/2006 7:00:40 PM PST by Palpatine (Every single liberal is now an enemy of the republic!)
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