That's right kids, while everyone is watching The Decoy, Dubya is attacking Pakistan and probably opening the third front in his madcap war on terra. I guess if you can't fight in Iran, Pakistan will just have to do.
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – American forces launched a raid inside Pakistan Wednesday, a senior U.S. military official said, in the first known U.S. ground assault in Pakistan against a suspected Taliban haven. The government condemned the attack, saying it killed at least 15 people.
The American official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of cross border operations, told The Associated Press that the raid occurred on Pakistani soil about one mile from the Afghan border. The official didn't provide any other details.
Ok... now given the source we gotta check it a bit more thoroughly
Well it looks like they are not loving this "help" in Pakistan. The military is not happy:
The army's spokesman, Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, said the attack was the first incursion onto Pakistani soil by troops from the foreign forces that ousted Afghanistan's hard-line Taliban regime after the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S.
He said the attack would undermine Pakistan's efforts to isolate Islamic extremists and could threaten NATO's major supply lines, which snake from Pakistan's Indian Ocean port of Karachi through the tribal region into Afghanistan.
"We cannot afford a huge uprising at the level of tribe," Abbas said. "That would be completely counterproductive and doesn't help the cause of fighting terrorism in the area."
Their diplomats are not happy:
The Foreign Ministry called the strike "a gross violation of Pakistan's territory," saying it could "undermine the very basis of cooperation and may fuel the fire of hatred and violence that we are trying to extinguish."
And local officials who are supposedly being won over in the fight to capture hearts and minds so the Taliban won't get a foothold in the North West Frontier?
The governor of North West Frontier Province called it an "outrageous" assault on Pakistan's sovereignty.
Of course, everyone here is so proud of this they are all rushing to talk -- anonymously. Rice did not respond to questions about this directly, saying:
"We're going to be in continued contact with the Pakistanis as we both try to help them to build a strong economic foundation, to build a strong democratic foundation and to fight the terrorists who are a threat not just to the United States and to Afghanistan but to Pakistan as well."
With friends like that who needs enemies? Speaking of enemies. Who did they get? Currently, it is unclear. Some reports say 15 dead, others say 20, others say 11. Women and children in the mix. No mention of OBL, who presumably is the target... or put it this way.... is the only target that could even come close to justifying an unprovoked raid into sovereign territory. As I read the prior statement, it occurs to me ... look who we're talking about. Justification? Hah.... it's election time. We don' need no stinkin' justification.
Note the unilateral nature of this attack:
"There has been no NATO or ISAF involvement crossing the border into Pakistan," a NATO spokesman, James Appathurai, said. There were unconfirmed reports that the incursion was carried out by US Special Forces, which are not under ISAF command and can operate independently.
Something smells fishy here. I wouldn't be surprised if this is Bush trying to stir the pot. I don't buy for a minute that OBL is a target. If the guy was alive all he would have to do is take a cell phone and snap a picture of himself holding a newspaper or standing in front of a TV showing CNN to date stamp the shot beyond any doubt. He hasn't done it. Because he can't. That's why I think this is wag the dog.
The Name Of The Game:
We're Gonna Stir Them Up Over There
So We Can Stir Them Up Over Here.