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Pakistan Declares Bin Laden a National Treasure
 Osama bin Laden, America's most wanted man, will not face capture in Pakistan if he agrees to lead a "peaceful life," Pakistani officials tell ABC News. The surprising announcement comes as Pakistani army officials announced they were pulling their troops out of the North Waziristan region as part of a "peace deal" with the Taliban.
RB John called it AGAIN!
| We knew that was coming. That leaves the Talibs officially back in business, only on Pak "national territory," which means Islamabad can bitch when we clobber them. |
If he is in Pakistan, bin Laden "would not be taken into custody," Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan told ABC News in a telephone interview, "as long as one is being like a peaceful citizen."
| Peaceful citizens don't head international terror networks. |
Bin Laden is believed to be hiding somewhere in the tribal areas of Pakistan, near the Afghanistan border, but U.S. officials say his precise location is unknown.
| I doubt if it's "unknown," actually, just not precise enough for targeting... |
In addition to the pullout of Pakistani troops, the "peace agreement" between Pakistan and the Taliban also provides for the Pakistani army to return captured Taliban weapons and prisoners. "What this means is that the Taliban and al Qaeda leadership have effectively carved out a sanctuary inside Pakistan," said ABC News consultant Richard Clarke, the former White House counter-terrorism director.
| Picked right up on that, didn't he? That's cause he's a trained intelligence professional. Lawzy, we didn't pick up on it here until a couple or three years ago. |
Tums... where did I put mine?
| I favor Mylanta, myself. But y'gotta remember, chili first, then Mylanta, not the other way around... |
The agreement was signed on the same day President Bush said the United States was working with its allies "to deny terrorists the enclaves they seek to establish in ungoverned areas across the world."
thanks ABC..not
| He was referring to our allies. It being Wednesday, Pak's not our ally. |
The Pakistani Army had gone into Waziristan, under heavy pressure from the United States, but faced a series of humiliating defeats at the game of Whist with the Taliban and al Qaeda fighters.
| The Pak army kept up its tradition of never winning a war. Who's surprised? |
"They're throwing the towel," said Alexis Debat, who is a Senior Fellow at the Nixon Center and an ABC News consultant. "They're giving al Qaeda and the Taliban a blank check and saying essentially make yourselves at home in the tribal areas," Debat said.
Rantburg U rulz, we have the Founder, the Alumni and John's analysis!
Posted by: RD and John and Gleager Snurong5374 2006-09-06 |
