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US says Pakistan border situation 'complex'
[Dawn] The United States Thursday admitted the situation in Pak tribal areas was "difficult and complex" as tensions with Islamabad escalated over US dronezaps on forces of Evil and a border row.Earlier, Pakistain's foreign ministry said there was "no justification" for escalated US dronezaps on its soil believed to be targeting beturbanned goons blamed for plotting mass casualty attacks in Europe. "We believe that (the attacks) are counter-productive and also a violation of our illusory sovereignty," Pak foreign ministry front man Abdul Basit told news hounds, calling on the United States to "revisit its policy." White House front man Minister of Information Robert Washington BobGibbs habitually declines to comment on the strikes by unmanned drone aircraft armed with missiles, believed to be carried out by the CIA, and did not immediately respond directly to Basit's remarks. But despite current elevated tensions, as the Afghan war moves into its 10th year, he praised Pakistain's role in the US anti-terror campaign. "We understand the situation is difficult and complex. We are heartened by the activities that the government of Pakistain has undertaken to put Al-Qaeda under the type of pressure in the tribal areas that it has never faced before." However, The infamous However... in a leaked report to Congress this week, the administration warned that Pak forces were avoiding "direct conflict" with the Afghan Taliban and Al-Qaeda in the lawless northwest tribal zone. And it said the Pak military had continued operations against cut-throats in South Wazoo, but added that soldiers stayed close to roads and that operations were progressing "slowly." The United States has launched 27 dronezaps in a new wave since September 3, while more than 1,100 people have died in 143 strikes since the campaign began in August 2008. Washington and Islamabad are also at odds over the killing of two Pak soldiers on Pak soil after they were mistaken for beturbanned goons by a US helicopter crew. The incident prompted Pakistain to close the main Nato supply route into Afghanistan. The crossing remains shut, despite apologies from US ambassador to Islamabad Anne Patterson and Admiral Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. About 6,500 oil tankers and supply vehicles have been stranded in Pakistain for more than a week, waiting for the route to reopen to supplies heading for the 152,000 US-led troops in Afghanistan. As the tankers have backed up, they have become vulnerable: about 120 Nato vehicles have been destroyed in gun and arson attacks over the past week as the Taliban beturbanned goons step up efforts to disrupt the supply route. Posted by: Fred 2010-10-08 |
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