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.
Stunning news.
The head man was in our sights TWO YEARS AGO!!!
Conspiring with the Clintonistas, I guess.
Fyi..
They "delayed" only long enough to send urgent word to Osama to hoof it out of there. I don't trust the Pakis any more than I trust any other Mahometans. It was a mistake to allow them to possess nukes. Their nuclear and military facilities should have been annihilated within 36 hours after their first test.
ping..
BULL
;0)
HUH?
I fully trust Mohammed El Baradei of the IAEA...to do everything in his power to ensure that Iran acquires nukes.
A long time ago a Navy captain told me something that I will never forget, " it's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission".
Fundamentally, OBL being alive and in Pakistan (or at least a perception of this) is necessary for the gravy train to continue. As long as the top dogs are alive and the Paks keep producing the repleacable "Al Qaeda #3s", it serves the Paks well.
Jiffy pop's on! This should prove enlightening.
That's my motto.
What part of this article do you have a problem with?
"Pakistan must be taking ally lessons from the frogs."
WORTH REPEATING.
But did we get the number 2 guy?
Zawahiri is dead...:-)
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