No Trophy in Pakistan

No Trophy in Pakistan

Pakistan on Saturday condemned a purported CIA airstrike
on a border village that officials said unsuccessfully targeted al-Qaida's
second-in-command, and said it was protesting to the U.S. Embassy over the
attack that killed at least 17 people.

Thousands of local tribesmen, chanting “God is
Great,” demonstrated against the attack, claiming the victims were local
villagers without terrorist links and had never hosted Ayman al-Zawahri.

“Their information was wrong, and our investigations
conclude that they acted on a false information,” said a senior Pakistani
intelligence official with direct knowledge of Pakistan's investigations into
the attack.

Pakistan says it does not allow Afghan or the 20,000
U.S. forces in Afghanistan to cross the border in pursuit of Taliban and al-Qaida
believed to be hiding there. The war on terror is opposed by many in this
Islamic nation of 150 million people.

Pakistan's information minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed,
called the “incident” in Damadola “highly condemnable.”

The Foreign Ministry later issued a statement saying
a protest had been filed with the U.S. Embassy.

“According to preliminary investigations there
was foreign presence in the area and that in all probability was targeted
from across the border in Afghanistan,” the Foreign Ministry said.

“The investigations are still continuing. Meanwhile
the Foreign Office has lodged a protest with the U.S. ambassador in Islamabad.”
…

Pakistan
Condemns Purported CIA Airstrike

If you think you've got a target take the shot, especially when
the guy you're shooting at is Zawarhiri. As for the Pakistanis, they can go
pound sand. I don't like Musharraf or the deal he's made with George W. over
A.Q. Khan, while the White
House declares “victory” over breaking up the network.

Q Yesterday, Dr. Rice at the press conference
at State Department put Iran on alert and saying that the international community
is behind to put Iran further on — is putting itself in isolation — (inaudible)
— international community. And she admitted that — she said that so far
we know only A.Q. Khan behind Iran's — who gave its knowledge to Iran. But
also, according to The Washington Post — I think that it was in yesterday
— A.Q. Khan network is still working and still spreading their technology.
But we don't know where we go from here, because terrorists — I mean, al
Qaeda —

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, one of the great intelligence successes
of this country is the breakup of the A.Q. Khan network. This is a network
that was not engaged in peaceful nuclear power, and as she pointed out yesterday,
Iran did have contact with A.Q. Khan and his network. That's another reason
why the international community is concerned about Iran's ambitions. And the
international community is fed up with their continued defiance. That's where
things are at this point. Their patience has worn thin. …

A.Q. Khan
is considered a hero in Pakistan, so Musharraf took heat for getting the
goods on him, no doubt about it. Now his nickname is “Busharraf.”
However, many reports say that Khan is actually living in seclusion in one of
the million dollar homes, having not paid any real price for the nuclear secrets
shared by his network from North Korea to Iran. I know I'm asking for a lot,
because a military dictatorship under Musharraf beats the hell out of an Islamic
republic, but I just don't trust him. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if some
of the most dangerous characters we're looking for are hiding in Pakistan, with
Musharraf looking the other way to save his own power structure, not to mention
his life. I'm not saying I'm right about this or that we have many choices today,
but I just don't like our relationship with Musharraf.

Just look at where we are with Iran today. From Daddy Bush through Clinton
through George W. Bush, we've really made a very lame attempt at securing nukes,
nuclear networks and everything in between. Since Bush went into Iraq, things
have only gotten worse, with no way out.

In Army House, Musharraf has hung a plaque with advice
to get him through these tough times, an excerpt from the 2,500-year-old Taoist
classic Dao De Jing by Chinese sage Laozi:

When the Master governs, the people
are hardly aware that he exists.
Next best is a leader who is loved. Next, one who is feared.
The worst is one who is despised.

(source: Time
magazine)

“Busharraf” says he is loved, but with him dodging assassination
attacks that's a stretch. As for his buddy Bush, well, no one needs to guess
where Laozi would put him on the Taoist scale of leaders.