Pakistan 'delay let bin Laden escape US raid'

Telegraph ^ | Jan 29 2001 | Massoud Ansari

[pctech]

Not so unbelievable. Far as I'm concerned, Pakistan has been in cohoots with Bin Laden the entire time. Bush has lacked the backbone to tell them to give just "get out and let me rearrange the landscape" a bit.

[STARWISE]

Musharraf sure plays both sides of the coin. You just know we have to be giving him billions for his "assistance." People who do that eventually get squeeeeezed.

[The Mayor]

Very Interesting!

[FreeReign]

This story doesn't disclose a single named source.

Doesn't seem to matter to most people. Even here at FR.

[FreeReign]

BULL

Unnamed sources from left wing newspapers have been bad mouthing Musharref for a long time. This is more of the same.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

The head man was in our sights TWO YEARS AGO!!!

The MSM, particularly The Guardian, has been floating urban legends like this since Oct. 2001. The number of Freepers that buy this line of freeze-dried B.S. EVERY TIME just amazes me.

I don't suppose it has occurred to anybody that the lamestream media throws us another "the U.S. military had Mr. Big in the gunsights and squandered it" every 6 months to jab the war supporters in the eye and sustain the myth that the U.S. military is bumbling, poorly trained, and incompetent.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

If anybody from the Guardian reads FR, they're laughing their asses off right now. It's always good for a laught to kick the conservative ant hill.

[neodad]

the CIA picked up electronic traffic suggesting that bin Laden and his bodyguards had sought temporary shelter in Zhob

There's more of that darn electronic surveilance. The enemy would love getting their representatives in Congress to shut the NSA down.

[Jumper]

A "violation of sovereignty", committed by the Americans.... Humm, and when will America her thses very same words be spoke government which has vowed to elimiate from her soil, in relation to the terrorists? I am under the impression that the terrorists are welcome and this part of this government in Pakistain is
"With the Terrorists".

[CatoRenasci]

Not necessarily. Could have had a designator drone and a firing drone, or the firing drone could have also been doing the designating.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Anybody read this yet?

Jawbreaker : The Attack on Bin Laden and Al Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander (Hardcover)
by Gary Berntsen, Ralph Pezzullo

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

According to the book , Jawbreaker, that might have been the eighth time.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Disregard my comment... I reread the comment.....

“The hunt for Osama bin Laden is the story of courageous CIA officers, like Gary Berntsen, repeatedly finding him and U.S. political and military leaders refusing to kill him. Berntsen’s excellent book Jawbreaker—which CIA leaders tried to suppress to protect America's bipartisan political elite and its military sycophants—precisely describes the eleventh such opportunity since 1998,

[AmeriBrit]

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


Is it a recycled story? The title here has a 2001 date on it yet clicking on the link it has 2006.

[FARS]

Right on!

[AdmSmith]

Another map:



and a lot of info http://www.bdd.sdnpk.org/zhob.html

[AdmSmith]

From the link above and it explains why van Lobi might have been there:

Religious Beliefs Zhob

The absolute majority of the people living in Zhob district belongs to the Sunni sect of Islam. A very small number of Shia people lives in the district. There are Syeds living in the district but they belong to Sunni sect. There is no "Imam Bara" found in the district.

The district used to have a huge Hindu population, but since partition of the sub-continent most of them have migrated. (my comment: probably scared away.)

The two major festivals are Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha. They are occasions of great jubilation and joy. Other festivals are "Eid-Miladuld Nabi, and Sab-e-Barat". During these festivals alms are given to the poor and relatives give each other presents.

The Hindu population is not seen celebrating "Diwali" and "Holi".(my comment: they will probably get killed if they show up.)

The population of Zhob district are religiously very conservative and strict. There is large attendance in mosques, routine prayers, and religious observance. The performing of "Hajj" (pilgrimage to Mecca) is common. Also poor people have performed Hajj. During the Ramzan, the observance of fasting is generally very strict.

The role of the "Mullah" (religious leader) is very important in the performance of rituals. The role of Mullahs is still strong in rural areas where literacy is low. A Mullah is respected for being the leader in prayers, profound knowledge of the Quran and performing rituals. Sick persons visit him to be healed.

[AdmSmith]

additional info:

Social Organisation Zhob

Introduction

The society of Zhob district is male dominated, firmly rooted in tribalism. However, affiliation to tribal chiefs is nominal. The role of the chief (Khan) of a tribe is limited. Decisions are taken at the tribal level with the consent of a group of elders rather than the chief alone. A decision made by the group of elders of a tribe is binding.

The society is predominantly a patriarchal one. The power of decision making is solely in the hands of men. The decisions made by men are binding upon women. A woman is regarded as the honour of family and tribe. When a woman goes against the decision of her male family members, she brings shame on the family.

Conclusion and major Development Issues

Most people live in a close joint family system. Customs of co-operation exist in the district on Islamic, tribal, and personal basis. A man's loyalty to a tribe is appreciated and required. An educated tribesman living outside the district still depends on tribal support. The number of marriages outside the tribe is small. Marriage is regarded as part of the promotion of family and tribal ties. A Pastho saying about marriage is that "There is no life without a wife, and no wife without family (close relatives), and no family without tribe."

The people are religiously very strict. One can see people making stops for prayers on highways and roads. The attendance in mosques in remote areas is very high. The "Mullah" is very important in the performance of rituals.

A large number of arms are possessed by the people. The number of unlicensed arms in the district is high. Arms are kept for self-defence, tribal enmities and as a symbol of strength. There are a number of tribal conflicts. Tribal conflicts are a handicap in the promotion of agriculture, horticulture and general development in the district. The role of the district administration in the settlement of tribal disputes is appreciated and necessary to prevent it from escalation.

[AdmSmith]

http://www.bdd.sdnpk.org/districts/Zhob/law%20and%20order%20Zhob.html

Law and Order Zhob


The Zhob district comprises largely "B" area under Levy control. The Levy is a traditional institution for law and order maintenance. The jurisdiction of the police is limited to the five kilometres area around Zhob city. ("A" area) the office of the Superintendent of Police was established in 1983, previously it came under the SP of Loralai. The regular police force is 260 for the two districts of Zhob and Killa Saifullah together, including one SP, one Deputy or Assistant Superintendent of Police and three Inspectors.



Travelling on the highway is safe in day time. At night travelling is restricted. Foreigners are only allowed to travel on highways in daylight without any permission of camping. They may only travel across the district when escorted. Cases of kidnapping, dacoity and looting are not common. Tribal disputes are common and regularly involve the killing of persons involved. Often criminals flee across the borders into Afghanistan. The role of the FC (Zhob Militia) is very important in the promotion of law and order, checking smuggling across the borders, and stopping tribal warfare if escalating.



The Zhob Militia is one of the oldest forces of the sub-continent. It was established in 1890 as the Zhob Levy Corps with Captain W.A.D. O' Mealy as its first Commandant. The Zhob Militia had jurisdiction over the region which now includes the entire Zhob division. Nowadays the ZM is headed by a Commandant with a rank of full colonel. It has four wings: at Zhob, Sambaza, Muslim Bagh and Qamardin Karaz.