Pakistan stands up for its sovereignty

[unhappycamper]

Pakistan stands up for its sovereignty
By Gareth Porter
Oct 13, 2010

WASHINGTON - With its 10-day block on North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) convoys headed for Afghanistan through the Torkham border crossing, Pakistan's military leadership brought an end to the unilateral attacks in Pakistan pushed by General David Petraeus and forced Washington to make a new accommodation.

And it may make it impossible for Petraeus, the top US commander in Afghanistan, to make the argument in the future that the United States can succeed in Afghanistan, given Pakistan's drastic action.

The halt in NATO convoys bound for Afghanistan - which ended on Sunday - and unhindered attacks on tanker trucks continued despite a decision by the White House to direct US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W Patterson and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, to apologize to the Pakistani government for the deaths of three Pakistani soldiers resulting from a US helicopter raid from Afghanistan into Pakistan.

President Barack Obama, in an effort to reduce tensions, has clearly abandoned the tough line toward Pakistan represented by cross-border helicopter attacks and accelerated drone strikes.

United States and Pakistani officials were engaged at various levels to find a way out of the impasse, according to one administration official.