Clinton Questions Pakistan's Willingness to Go After Bin Laden

[sabra]

Source: ABC News

In her Toughest Talk Yet, Clinton Asserts That Al Qaeda Has 'Safe Haven' in Pakistan


Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dropped the diplomatic language today and said she finds it "hard to believe" that Pakistan couldn't get al Qaeda's leaders "if they really wanted to."

...

In numerous encounters during her trip to Pakistan, Clinton has sought to counter widespread skepticism and even resentment over U.S. policy in the region by highlighting the broader U.S.-Pakistani relationship that goes beyond security concerns.

But during an interview with six top Pakistani editors, Clinton questioned the country's willingness to take on terrorists or help the U.S. track down to kill or capture al Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Ayman Zawahiri.

...

"Al-Qaeda has had safe haven in Pakistan since 2002," Clinton said, referring the year U.S. forces invaded Afghanistan to topple the Taliban regime and attempt to capture bin Laden in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks.

"I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to," she said. "Maybe that's the case, maybe they're not gettable. I don't know.''

She added, however, "As far as we know, they are in Pakistan."


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Politics/hillary-clinton-scold...

[avaistheone1]

1. Bin Laden is dead.

[onehandle]

3. Shh.

Ixnay on the eaday.

[ej510]

15. I've been saying this for a while. It is a reason

for Obama to stay in the middle east and make rich people more money.

[lefty369]

25. He is still alive...where is your PROOF he is dead

any sources?

[timtom]

39. I'm guessing you watched the latest video

or heard the latest scratchy audio tape.

[smirkymonkey]

38. Well, at least they caught Elvis.

Phew!

[onehandle]

2. Bush wasn't willing either.

Bin Laden was/is a handy boogeyman.

[avaistheone1]

7. True.

Report: CIA unit that hunted bin Laden closed
N.Y Times says officials don't see al-Qaida as hierarchical as it once was

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13699308/

[fascisthunter]

4. pssst... Bin Laden is most likely Dead

funny how Benazir Bhutto died shortly after stating so on tv more than once.

[lefty369]

26. He is still alive...Obama and Dems would not lie to us

and keep the wars going if he was alive.

[fascisthunter]

36. you forgot the sarcasm thingie

[GodlessBiker]

What would happen in Pakistan if a Pakistani agent killed Bin Laden?

I don't think it would be good, at least for Pakistan.

[notadmblnd]

5. there's no bin laden to go after

we haven't even heard from the one they say is bin laden since the election.

[mikita]

6. well now,

if we're so fucking sure OBL is in Pakistan, what the fuck are we still doing in IRAQ and Afghanistan???

(I don't really need an answer, as I totally believe he's dead, and never masterminded 9/11 anyway....but I digress)

[timtom]

40. Yay!

We're on the same team!

(And there's damned few of us.)

[karynnj]

8. CBS - Pakistan's response

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/10/29/world/worldwatc...

Pakistan was already unhappy with the US as they have thought that they did not get enough credit for the fight they are currently undertaking against the Taliban, they are angry about the drone attacks, and they were upset that there were "strings" (per them) on teh Kerry/Lugar/Berman foreign aid package, designed to help the people of Pakistan. The hope was that the Secretary of State's visit could help as it would show their importance getting someone with that mush visibility.

(Here is an article that suggests what was hoped for - http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct2=us%2F0_0_s_3_1...

[cosmicone]

21. Who cares if they are angry?

Without our money, there would be no Pakistan.

Those who carry bags for money can't complain how heavy they are.

[LakeSamish706]

9. Bin Laden most likely didn't have anything to do with 911! n/t

[Captain Hilts]

10. FINALLY. Someone said the unsaid. Good for her. nt

[EFerrari]

11. Does Hillary not know Pakistan is in the middle of a civil war?

We've had pretty much the same information Pakistan has. We let Mullah Omar and his buddies sit in Quetta for 9 years. Maybe she's talking to the wrong people.

[BootinUp]

17. How does this invalidate her comments?

Clearly there are those in Pakistan that support/protect the Taliban, and many are in their Government. As the poster you replied to said, good to hear someone spit out the truth.

[EFerrari]

24. Well, let's see. She's accusing them of having information we don't

and not acting on it when we have the same information and haven't acted on it either. There's that.

And there's the fact that they're dealing with a little civil war right now that has displaced at least a million people. That's that, too.

So, it makes her sound somewhat duplicitous if not worse to attack Pakistan on the same basis that could be used to criticize her own government.

[BootinUp]

28. It isn't our country

last I checked.

[EFerrari]

29. I think you misunderstood. I said the same accusation she's making

about Pakistan could be made about us. Is that clearer?

[BootinUp]

31. How do you suggest we act on the information

you know we have?

[EFerrari]

33. Do you seriously believe that those billions of dollars for military aid

to Pakistan come with no strings?

Second, it's been well known for YEARS that AQ has training facilities in the SWAT valley. People have written entire books about it in case you didn't. I can refer to you a few good ones.

Third, don't you think our government could come up with a better strategy than shelling civilians along the Afghan border when the people we're supposedly after are in the SWAT valley?

Lastly, how does Mrs. Clinton propose that Pakistan go after AQ while they're already engaged in a civil war that has spread to both rural and urban venues? If she was serious about prosecuting AQ, she wouldn't be chastising Pakistan in the press instead of working with them.

Clearly this statement was for the public consumption of people who don't know much about this situation. It has nothing to do with getting bin Laden or AQ because that can only really be done quietly and with the Pakistanis.

[BootinUp]

34. I think you're smokin somethin other than

plain tobacco. The statement is an effort to increase pressure on Pakistan to follow through with any committments made.

[EFerrari]

35. Right. And I have a nice selection of bridges you might be interested in. n/t

[cosmicone]

23. This is the best time to pressure pakistan to do our bidding

otherwise Pakistan is useless and better off balkanized.

[EFerrari]

30. If it was really "our bidding", we could have done it for the last 8 years. n/t

[BootinUp]

16. this might be the first

response in the thread that made any sense. Granted I might have missed one.

[David Zephyr]

18. I agree with what you said.

Some one said what should have been said years ago.

[David Zephyr]

19. Delete duplicate post.

.

[cosmicone]

22. +1

Someone has to say it and get value for our dollars going in Pakistan only to make them a threat to regional countries.

[winyanstaz]

12. Bin Laden is dead..has been dead..and will stay dead..

So if they KNOW they are in Pakistan then they would KNOW where they are exactly wouldnt they?
Is that like KNOWING where the WMDs were?

[sattahipdeep]

13. "As far as we know, they are in Pakistan." Blackwater operatives

The US embassy in Pakistan has imported guns, explosives and Blackwater staff into Pakistan without checks or controls, Mushasaff allowed this. They acknowledge this openly ... why would you need military grade explosives in diplomatic baggage.

[irislake]

14. No kidding!

Since when is Bin Haddie a top priority?

Besides, he's dead.

[David Zephyr]

20. Good for Hillary.

Listen, the Taliban did not attack us on 9/11. Afhanistan did not attack us on 9/11.

A Saudi financed operation did attack us on 9/11 and the criminals behind it have had safe havens within Pakistan since.

For all their phony machismo, Bush and Cheney never said what Hillary said.

Our troops are dying in Afghanistan while the government of Pakistan has it both ways.

We need to get out of this war that Bush and Cheney stuck on Obama.

What a breath of fresh air to hear Hillay saying what should have been said long ago.

[John Q. Citizen]

27. Hey Bill, your good friend George let the mo fo go. Clean let him leave. Why was that?

Inquiring minds want to know why you are silent about that?

[fascisthunter]

37. it's what an ex-marine now merc would like to know as well

I think this country is a bit more in the know than DC realizes

[Vidar]

32. Hey, we all have to keep the Saudi fundies happy.