Posted on 07/13/2007 3:42:10 PM PDT by peggybac
As senior intelligence and law enforcement officials met again today in the White House Situation Room to deal with the "summer terror threat," a top terror commander said an attack was coming that would dwarf the failed bombings in London and Glasgow.
Taliban military commander Mansour Dadullah, in an interview to be broadcast on ABC News' "World News With Charles Gibson," said the London attacks were "not enough" and that bigger attacks were coming.
"You will, God willing, be witness to more attacks," he told a Pakistani journalist in an interview conducted just four days ago.
Just last month, Dadullah presided over what was termed a terror training camp graduation ceremony in Pakistan, supposedly dispatching attack teams to the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Germany.
In this new interview, Dadullah talked about the ease with which he and his men operate inside Pakistan.
"We have many friends," he said. "It is very easy for us to go in and out of the tribal areas. It is no problem."
Indeed, the rugged mountains of Pakistan have emerged as a safe haven for al Qaeda and the Taliban.
"They are the central front for al Qaeda," said Seth Jones, who studies the area for the RAND Corporation, a national security think-tank. "They are the area al Qaeda has based its international and regional operations. It is a very serious threat to the U.S. security," he said.
Pakistan continues to deny al Qaeda enjoys a safe haven in its territory.
"The problem is people don’t understand the local environment," the Pakistani ambassador to the United States, Mahmud Ali Durrani, told the Blotter on ABCNews.com.
"Pakistan is doing more than its share. We have done a lot, we have captured a lot, we've killed a lot, and we continue to do it not just for your sake, but more so for our own sake," he said.
In testimony before Congress this week, U.S. intelligence officials were straightforward in saying they believe Osama bin Laden is in Pakistan and freely operating there.
"It's not that we lack the ability to go into that space," said Tom Fingar of the office of the Director of National Intelligence.
"But we have chosen not to do so without the permission of the Pakistani government," Fingar told members of Congress who demanded to know why the U.S. did not take more decisive action against a known enemy.
U.S. officials say Pakistan consistently denies the U.S. military permission to go after known al Qaeda training camps.
The situation has grown even worse since February, officials say, when Vice President Dick Cheney traveled to Islamabad to demand Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf take action.
"Their (al Qaeda's) situation is actually better today than it was even then," said the RAND Corporation's Jones.
"The U.S. has provided $5.6 billion in coalition support funds to Pakistan over the past five years, with zero accountability," said Congressman Patrick Murphy, D-Calif., at the hearing.
"Why is Pakistan still being paid these large sums of money, even after publicly declaring that it is significantly cutting back patrols in the most important border area?" he asked.
User Comments
Oh no, let's run for fear... NOT. Those who fear terrorist have given the terrorist exactly what they want: Fear.
Posted by: Wlkrdude | Jul 13, 2007 5:01:40 PM
Bush had no qualms about invading a country that had NOTHING to do with 9/11 (but they have OIL)...but refuses to do anything about a country that protects Bin Laden and Al Qaida (Pakistan has no OIL). Five billion of US taxpayer dollars a year going to the country that allows Bin Laden and Al Qaida to grow and plan new attacks. What ever happened to Bush's solemn vow "...we'll go after any country that harbors terrorists"? Seems that oil, not ethics or US security...is his priority. Bush is turning out to be a complete wimp.
Posted by: wilder5121 | Jul 13, 2007 5:05:11 PM
Pull the current sufi Kutb out of the tribal area - then nuke it to utter non-existance...
Posted by: fg | Jul 13, 2007 5:12:23 PM
I'm so MAD we haven't made a dent in AQ. Could Bush & Co be more incompetent?!!!
We can't even get Bin Laden! I blame Bush for this. He wanted the money. He wanted to invade Iraq to make a big chaotic mess where billions of dollars can change hands without being tracked. Well, he got what he wanted and made us less safe and more hated than ever.
From the headlines, I thought that they were going to try to best The Blitz.
Wake me up when they figure out arabic numbers well enough to do ratios...
Taliban military commander Mansour Dadullah, in an interview to be broadcast on ABC News' "World News With Charles Gibson," said the London attacks were "not enough" and that bigger attacks were coming.
BRING IT ASSHOLE!!! YOU 7 century throwbacks who hide in caves....are all talk.
STICK IT!!
I am so sick of these goat herders..
Oh no! Not THREE burning cars!
Considering the last attacks in London, I’m guessing we can expect and attack in the form of PB workers locking themselves out of the gas stations?
Nobody tell them we already have a Burning Man festival, ‘K?
Taliban military commander Mansour Dadullah is all hat and no goats.
I am so sick of these goat herders..
As Jack Nicholson said to a lady that asked if he wanted to dance:
Wrong Word (Herders)
a top terror commander said an attack was coming that would dwarf the failed bombings in London and Glasgow.
Yawn. Yeah, right. Maybe try rubbing two sticks together this time.
I think the figure is actually higher than that - for those interested in how Pakistan actually gets paid the cash - all they do is submit an invoice to the US embassy in Pakistan - and so they have been doing that - until a while back someone asked a simple question...
How come all the invoices have round figures?
and the solution...? the US embassy would do the paperwork for the Pakistanis - no joke - it gets worse...
All Musharraf all the Time
Blah blah blah.. I feel like bacon tonight..
Goats have humps?
“Never underestimate your enemy.”
They are terrorists, if we don’t laugh at them they will have won.
Yes, and they’re self-delusional, they have no idea how real a war this truly is, but they’re about to find out I believe.
My main gripe is that this war is way too PC. We have yet (officially) to define the enemy. It is Islam. That kind of denial will get many of us killed. Our WOT is a TACTIC, not an entity, but who’s listening anyway...
Meanwhile, I have faith in the average, REAL American. When the need arises in our “homeland”, he will rise to the occasion and Katy bar the door then, the talking will be over for a season. And gladly so, I’m really fatigued by the endless yadayadayada.
After the Glasgow Burning Man Festival the brand new PM described islam as
...drum roll...
a religion
...more drum roll...
of peace!
*rimshot!*
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.