Following up on yesterday’s post about U.S. military action in Pakistan, I see the New York Times is reporting that President George W. Bush secretly approved orders in July allowing American Special Operations forces to carry out ground assaults inside Pakistan without the prior approval of the Pakistani government.
The new orders, it says, relax firm restrictions on conducting raids on the soil of an important ally without permission.
The paper also quotes two American officials as saying that last week’s raid by U.S. troops involved more than two dozen members of the Navy Seals who spent several hours on the ground and killed about two dozen suspected al Qaeda fighters. ”Supported by an AC-130 gunship, the Special Operations forces were whisked away by helicopters after completing the mission.”
This is big stuff, with enormous potential for escalation, should the raids continue. What happens if a ground assault goes wrong and some U.S. troops are kidnapped and handed over to al Qaeda? An enormous publicity coup for al Qaeda, which would no doubt provoke more raids, in turn requiring air support to cover the U.S. troops on the ground.
According to a comment posted earlier on this blog by Pakistan military expert Brian Cloughley: “If they (U.S. troops) tried to walk in from Afghanistan it would be the duty of the Frontier Corps or the Pakistan Army to repel them. And U.S. ground forces, these days, are incapable of fighting without massive air support. So if they called in airstrikes within Pakistan the PAF would have no alternative but to support their own kin, and use their American-supplied F-16s to counter violations of Pakistan’s airspace by US aircraft.”
So is the United States walking into a quagmire in Pakistan’s border areas? Or will a series of “surgical” raids be enough to destroy the leadership of al Qaeda and the Taliban and turn the war in Afghanistan back in Washington’s favour?
Much will depend on how Pakistan itself — both the new civilian government and the Pakistan Army – respond to the American actions. The Pakistan Army is already carrying out its own military offensive in the border areas. But Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani has warned the United States to keep out, promising that “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country will be defended at all cost.”
And here’s a scary thought. Will the consequences of the U.S. operations in Pakistan depend on one of the more common variables in war, especially in rough hostile terrain: luck?
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INDIA AND PAKISTAN ARE NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES AND THEY SHOULD NEVER FIGHT WITH EACH OTHER BECAUSE IF AMERICA INVADES PAKISTAN THE BORDERS OF INDIA WOULD ALSO NOT BE SAFE AND SO IF INDIA AND PAKISTAN COOPERATE NO SUPERPOWER CAN HAVE A BAD EYE ON ASIA. WE HAVE SO MANY NATURAL POWERS AND SO BOTH THE COUNTRIES SHOULD COOPERATE WITH EACH OTHER BEBE
- Posted by NASREEN SOHAILif america invades Pakistan then it will be a great blow to not only american forces entering in pakistan but to america itself due to following reasons.
- Posted by fahadChina would keep on supplying anything at the hour of need including military equipment .warplanes etc.
Saudia arabia would cut down its oil supply to international market as it did before when pakistan was attacked by india.
At worse conditions well pakistan has got nukes ..israel and india both would be in trouble.
Regarding the attack in Pakistan, and the 60 plus people murdered … perhaps Obama could sit down and have a cup of coffee, and a photo op with the perpetrators and make everything ok, and we could all live happily ever after. Once again, it’s truly unfortunate that there are a bunch of power hungry murderers in the world who want to kill everyone who does not embrace their radical agendas, but the naive idea that they will be cooperative, if Obama just gets a chance to chat with them, is dangerous and irresponsible. As bad as things are, they could get much, much worse. If nukes get into the hands of terrorists, you can watch complete American cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles disappear, along with everyone in them. The ONLY thing these thugs and criminals understand and respect is strength. Keep American strong, elect McCain/Palin in November.
- Posted by HowardUmair,
Hindu fundamentalists may be causing trouble in India. India is not sending Hindu terrorists to Pakistan like Pak is sending terrorists to India, in the name of freedom fighting. Why are you worrying about something happening in India?. It doesn’t affect you in anyway?. Stop cribbing about India and cleanup the mess in your own country. Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand are afraid to come to Pakistan to play cricket but they can come to India why?. Just go and ask the terrorists in your country. They may have an answer.
- Posted by SudhirThank you for accepting it, the world already knows hindu fundamentalists are terrorising the christains in India.
- Posted by UmairYou can call me a Hindu fundamentalist for all you muslim terrorist..I take it with pride.thank you.
- Posted by OmSir Daudpota
- Posted by UmairI salute you.
Yes, surely your comments are very in-depth and analysis of the situation is spot on. Please keep on commenting on the blog, we all need your feedback.
Sudhir and OM
- Posted by Umairboth of you are hindu fundamentalists and fanatics from those who are killing christians in Orrisa,India.
Daudpota..Your comments are definately laughable..
- Posted by OmNo fu**in pakistanis are not helping any american or anybodys cause with out charging $$$. Your president and army general are begging scoundrals, who are stabbing the americans from behind. Learn the main reason your widower president keeps his mouth shut even when US attacks in pakistan. After all if pakistanis did a good job to fight terrorists how can US drones find terror camps that pakistani army cannot with F-16’s and presence of 1000s of ground troops there ??
Daupota,
Indians are not sending Hindu terrorists to Pakistan right?. Point me to a link where Hindu terrorists planted bombs and killed scores of people. Tell me about Hindu sucide bombers(except Srilankan LTTE in early 90’s). Educate me about Hindu’s beheading Kaffirs. If you want links, info, videos of Pakistanis doing the same i can give you hundreds of links. I condemn the attacks against Christians in India, but not many christians are killed as you imagine.
- Posted by SudhirAmerica deserves its new ally, India. More churches have been damaged/burned, many killed and thousands displaced by Hindu Terrorists in the Orissa State. Hell, There are more Hindu Terrorists in India than the rest of the world combined. Every year they kill thousands of Muslims and Christians and people of other religions. They have killed hundreds of thousands of Kashmir Muslims and is on a killing spree once again.
Pakistan always supported America, even against Muslims; but look what we get in return. Indian sponsored terrorists are creating trouble from Afghanistan side of the Pakistan Border and America is blaming Pakistan. Pakistani tribals, the ones which helped America defeat Russia, are fighting those indian terrorists. They are not attacking americans. That is being done by Indian sponsored Alqaida/Taliban. America should realise its mistake and make amends and distance itself from Nuke Crazy Indians. See how happy they are at the thought of Nuking the whole world.
As far as Hiroshima and Nagasaki is concerned, USA did it at the height of helplessness due to the Japanese onslaught on the Pearl Harbour. They had not other option. Do not get us into a similar position. We are against terrorism and have done more than anyone else and have suffered more troops losses. We are also giving supplies to the US/Nato forces in Afghanistan. Without our sincere help, American troops will be left helpless without supplies and will be easily defeated. That is precisely what India and Russia have planned for USA. America is making a big blunder by getting into the Indian/Russian trap.
- Posted by DaudpotaKumar and Lekarshi:
I agree with both of you when it comes to the incubator of international terrorism which is called Pakistan.
The only way to get rid of terrorism in the world is to COMPLETELY destroy the ISI and Paki-terror army from the roots. Fortunately we are not very far from this happening.
ISI is al-Qaida, period!
- Posted by kaburaKabura,
- Posted by KumarYou are right, all muslims are not terrorists.But Most important fact no one would deny is “ALL TERRORISTS ARE MUSLIMS”.
Pakistan has been developing infrastructure to cultivate Muslim terrorists.Their Mosques and Madrasas are primary terror camps for terrorists and jihadis.Their Army and ISI has been recognised as Terrorists group in the form of govt. institutions.They are not only producing coward terrorists but exporting all over the world to kill innocent people.India has been the victim of their brutal terror export.thousands hindus has been killed and tortured in kashmir ,hundreds of thousands kashmiri hindus left kashmir becoz of Muslim terrorists.
They are still bombings innocent hindus across india from temple to hospital.does anyone think these animals deserve mercy…..no …never.They would be bombed to stone age with thir terror factories and exporters.
The rhetoric in these messages from some of the Pakistanis is childish. But the issue at hand is that Pakistan liked the American money, liked American war planes, liked American military hardware but they are now not willing to let America clean up the mess that Pakistan itself has created. I mean this also a help of sorts. Where was your so called “self-esteem”, “national pride” when you were begging for all of the above. If anything, Pakistan should welcome US troops and bomb terrorists into oblivion. Then it should ensure peace with its neighbors, grow economically and make the whole region a better place to live. What has Pakistan contributed to the world at large after its naissance? Military dictators, terrorism, wars, you name it, and in fact there are no other Islamic nations in this world without a worse track record. I think this is Pakistan’s final wake up call.
- Posted by Lekarshi