Pakistan Rebuffs Secret U.S. Plea for C.I.A. Buildup

[cal04]

Source: NYTimes

The top two American intelligence officials traveled secretly to Pakistan early this month to press President Pervez Musharraf to allow the Central Intelligence Agency greater latitude to operate in the tribal territories where Al Qaeda, the Taliban and other militant groups are all active, according to several officials who have been briefed on the visit.

But in the unannounced meetings on Jan. 9 with the two American officials — Mike McConnell, the director of national intelligence, and Gen. Michael V. Hayden, the C.I.A. director — Mr. Musharraf rebuffed proposals to expand any American combat presence in Pakistan, either through unilateral covert C.I.A. missions or by joint operations with Pakistani security forces.

Instead, Pakistan and the United States are discussing a series of other joint efforts, including increasing the number and scope of missions by armed Predator surveillance aircraft over the tribal areas, and identifying ways that the United States can speed information about people suspected of being militants to Pakistani security forces, officials said.

American and Pakistani officials have questioned each other in recent months about the quality and time lines of information that the United States has given to Pakistan to use in focusing on those extremists. American officials have complained that the Pakistanis are not seriously pursuing Al Qaeda in the region.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/world/asia/27pakistan.html?hp

[jaybeat]

1. Well, er, DUH!!!???

Pervez is walking the tightrope just right, between his own security forces who (with US funding) CREATED the Taliban and Al-Qaieda, and who, conveniently, create just enough turmoil within Pakistan to justify his continuing dictatorial rule.

Last thing he'd want to do is upset the apple cart by actually going after these folks--heck, the little dance they've got going on is what keeps him in power! Pretty much sealed the deal by taking out Bhutto. (Too bad she was so naive to walk into their trap, but, them's the breaks when you love your country, I guess.)

'Course, the 'ol US of A doesn't *really* expect Pervez to crack down on the Islamists, any more than it expects him to let the CIA run amok in the extremist backwaters that his US funded military machine somehow can't "control." They just want to put on a good show, so they can tell the folks back home that their buddy Pervez is an "ally" in the "war on terrer," so that they can keep the money going to their friends and bid-ness partners.

After all, it was the US that gave AQ Khan the know-how to build the "Islamic" bomb! 'Be silly of us not to let 'em use it on us, after all. How else is we gonna have a little fun securing the "homeland"???

:nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: