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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: frankjr
But did we get the number 2 guy?

He was last heard reiciting bad poetry on tape... or calling for a filibuster from the Swiss Alps. I can't remember which.

21 posted on 01/28/2006 5:14:57 PM PST by WhistlingPastTheGraveyard (Boycott Citgo)
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To: Dog

Agree with post 19. In the language of the hills, when he showed up, he got blowed up.


22 posted on 01/28/2006 5:16:24 PM PST by billhilly (The Democrat symbol is no longer the donkey, it's a strait Jacket.)
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To: Dog

I'm starting to think you're right about that.


23 posted on 01/28/2006 5:16:32 PM PST by WhistlingPastTheGraveyard (Boycott Citgo)
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To: WhistlingPastTheGraveyard

I know I'm right...:-)


24 posted on 01/28/2006 5:17:39 PM PST by Dog ( Ayman al-Zawahiri .....Sleeps with the fish's.....enjoy those raisins.)
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To: Dog

This story doesn't disclose a single named source. I don't have enough faith in any media outlet to believe any story that can't be verified.

There's no way for anyone to begin checking it. A western diplomat could be any of a thousand people from any country west of Poland.

I can't think of anything to do with this story except say it might be true.


25 posted on 01/28/2006 5:19:27 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: Dog
stunning...yet not surprising....
for there's already been a time when the word "is"
was treated as a poor foolish gambit in waiting.
26 posted on 01/28/2006 5:20:09 PM PST by no-to-illegals (Every illegal employed is an American out of work.)
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To: Dog

"Laser-guided missiles". Does that mean we had eyes on the target house?


27 posted on 01/28/2006 5:20:59 PM PST by REDWOOD99
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To: Dog Gone
DG I keep having the words of Porter Goss run thru my head when I see a story like this..

To paraphrase him on OBL:

"We know more than we are telling....."

28 posted on 01/28/2006 5:22:50 PM PST by Dog ( Ayman al-Zawahiri .....Sleeps with the fish's.....enjoy those raisins.)
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To: satchmodog9
"Pakistan must be taking ally lessons from the frogs."

Did we ask for some of our bribe money back?

29 posted on 01/28/2006 5:23:41 PM PST by blam
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To: Dog

Article written by Massoud Ansari...


30 posted on 01/28/2006 5:24:48 PM PST by jimbo123
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To: Dog

Startin' to believe what you read, eh? Get a grip time!


31 posted on 01/28/2006 5:25:20 PM PST by ErnBatavia (Meep Meep)
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To: Dog
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

I'm not sure that I buy this tidbit. Seems to be more CYA for Musharraf. Not that I have a problem with it.

32 posted on 01/28/2006 5:26:00 PM PST by Mad_Tom_Rackham (A Liberal: One who demands half of your pie because he didn't bake one.)
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To: ErnBatavia

HUH?


33 posted on 01/28/2006 5:28:48 PM PST by Dog ( Ayman al-Zawahiri .....Sleeps with the fish's.....enjoy those raisins.)
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To: jimbo123

Should that mean something to me?


34 posted on 01/28/2006 5:29:35 PM PST by Dog ( Ayman al-Zawahiri .....Sleeps with the fish's.....enjoy those raisins.)
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To: Dog

35 posted on 01/28/2006 5:30:29 PM PST by sono (Ted Kennedy's naming his dog Splash is like Jack Abramoff naming his dog Bribe.)
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To: ErnBatavia

I have ALWAYS believed OBL is alive.


36 posted on 01/28/2006 5:32:56 PM PST by Dog ( Ayman al-Zawahiri .....Sleeps with the fish's.....enjoy those raisins.)
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To: Dog
Huh?

Yeah, I'm 98% convinced too that he's alive (although that had nothing at all to do with my comment)...my point is that these "sensational" articles are a waste of everybody's time....yours and mine.

37 posted on 01/28/2006 5:36:38 PM PST by ErnBatavia (Meep Meep)
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To: ccmay

I think I do trust the Pakistani's a little more than most other Moslems but I still don't "really" trust them.


38 posted on 01/28/2006 5:37:51 PM PST by yarddog
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To: Dog
"For unknown reasons, Pakistani officials delayed in giving permission..."

The reason is the Pakistani Intellegence is in bed with Al-Qaeda and wanted to tip him off. Why, for money and influence among a population sympathetic to him. Musharraf wants to stay alive and in power and has to go along. The American alliance with Pakistan is a sham in many ways. Pakistan wants to keep the hunt alive and continue to rake in the US money. They do this better with Bin Laden alive.

39 posted on 01/28/2006 5:38:39 PM PST by Anti-Bubba182
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To: ErnBatavia
So why are you wasting your time posting on this "sensational" time waster ?
40 posted on 01/28/2006 5:40:10 PM PST by Dog ( Ayman al-Zawahiri .....Sleeps with the fish's.....enjoy those raisins.)
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