Posted on 09/15/2008 7:25:53 AM PDT by Straight Vermonter
A US military incursion into the Taliban-controlled tribal agency of South Waziristan was aborted after Pakistani troops opened fire on the force, reports from Pakistan indicate.
At least two American helicopters were fired on after crossing the Pakistani frontier near Angoor Adda in South Waziristan, Geo TV reported. "The U.S. choppers came into Pakistan by just 100 to 150 meters at Angor Adda. Even then our troops did not spare them, opened fire on them and they turned away," an anonymous security official told Reuters.
The incident has not been confirmed by the US or Pakistan military.
Angoor Adda is the location of the Sept. 3 assault by US special operations forces which resulted in 20 killed. While the US military did not go on the record about the attack, sources say 20 Taliban and al Qaeda fighters were killed during the raid. The Pakistanis claim that mostly women and children were killed.
The village was also the site of an apparent strike on July 11. The incident was never confirmed, but conflicting reports indicate either US artillery or aircraft was fired at Taliban fighters in the town. Angoor Adda sits astride a Taliban infiltration route into Afghanistan, and is used to stage cross-border strikes into neighboring Paktika province.
The latest US incursion into Pakistan comes as numerous Pakistani military and political leaders have vowed to protect its territorial integrity from all attacks. The Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani and Minister of Defense Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar both said the country would do what is needed to defend itself from outside attacks.
Pakistan closed the vital Torkham border crossing into Afghanistan to NATO traffic on Sept. 6 to send a message to the US, Mukhtar said. The crossing was reopened the next day. The Pakistani Air Force is said to have begun to patrol the tribal areas over the weekend.
President George Bush is has authorized the increased air and ground strikes inside Pakistan in an effort to root out al Qaeda and Taliban forces. There have been 16 cross-border strikes in Pakistan this year alone, compared to just 10 in 2006 and 2007 combined.
The raids have stepped up over the past three weeks, with the US hitting inside Pakistan on an average of every other day. There have been eight recorded strikes inside Pakistan since Aug. 31.
The raids have focused on the tribal agencies of North and South Waziristan. Seven safe houses and training camps have been hit in North Waziristan, seven have been hit in South Waziristan, and two have been targeted in Bajaur this year. Several senior al Qaeda leaders have been killed in the strikes.
North Waziristan hosts the deadly Haqqani Network, which has close links to al Qaeda and the Taliban, and is responsible for some of the deadliest attacks inside Afghanistan. South Waziristan hosts Baitullah Mehsud, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban who also has close links to al Qaeda.
Bajaur host Faqir Mohammed, who has sheltered senior al Qaeda leaders including Ayman al Zawahiri. The lawless tribal agency is a command and control center for al Qaeda's operations in northeastern Afghanistan.
According to the "Obama Doctrine" porous borders aren't such a bad thing. Foreign (US) cultural influence (whoop *ss) will result in great diversity.
Pakistan operates less than 30 F-16s and is going to get another 30 odd. Meanwhile, it will be BUYING (not getting) almost 290 Chinese fighter aircraft. It can afford to do away with the F-16s other than to play around with the US taxpayer.
Hopehully McCain will keep his campaign promise to cut off money to “nations who are not very friendly toward us”
...or that’s as near to the quote as I recall.
Better late than never, eh?
>>The Pakistani Air Force is said to have begun to patrol the tribal areas over the weekend.
Now, that could cause some interesting encounters.
Not only UAV’s over Pakistani airspace, like the Russians downed the Georgian drones, but also, more significant, US chopper flights, the SteroidC130’s, jets and bombers.
Will the Pakistanis actually try to take on the USAF.
Oh, be still, my heart.
How convenient! Brave tales of Pakistani military courage and skill in driving out the American interlopers! You couldn't have made up a better story if you tried.
On second thought, they did make up this story. It's a fairy tale for domestic consumption. Nothing more.
How about, "To catch Usama bin Laden"? They wouldn't be raiding across the border if they didn't have great intel. The units doing these raids don't do wild goose chases, and they veto missions that aren't worth the risk.
I have supported Bush up to now. I want our troops home as soon as possible.
I'm sure they're home now. They just fly across the border, do their thing, and come right back.
On second thought, they did make up this story. It's a fairy tale for domestic consumption. Nothing more.
We have a winner....
Why should they? We don't enforce ours. Maybe that's why Jorge Arbusto was OK with doing this.
Great tag line! Did he really say that?(rhetorical question)
Yes, he did, from a couple of weeks ago or so. I think it was an article in the UK Telegraph, posted here.
How on Earth does one get to these conclusions given that their govt said they will fire on us for crossing the border and lo and behold they are?
the Paks aren’t bad pilots, but jet fuel for training
has got to be expensive for such a poor country.
One has to assume that their F16s squak a different IFF
than ours...
>> jet fuel for training
has got to be expensive
Not if the USA is paying for it, Lol!
I didn’t say that the new president had control over his military, that will come with time. Their general just quit for gods sake, of course some of the 2 stars are going to take a few liberties to make a name for themselves
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