'America paid us to hand over al-Qaeda suspects'

The Times ^ | September 25, 2006 | Daniel McGrory

[MadIvan]

Now I really don't trust Pakistan.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[SuziQ]

PRESIDENT Musharraf of Pakistan says that the CIA has secretly paid his government millions of dollars for handing over hundreds of al-Qaeda suspects to America.

Works for me!

[CarrotAndStick]

And the cows have started to come home...

Good times are going to roll for India, I guess.

[Judith Anne]

Thanks for the ping, Ivan.

This caught my eye:

"The latest revelation will embarrass the White House days before General Musharraf is due to meet President Bush and President Karzai of Afghanistan to discuss how to combat a resurgent Taleban."

I just find it hard to believe, it doesn't make sense. I think he's playing to his base. Before deciding about it, I'd like some proof other than his say-so.

[prisoner6]

Yuppers, they're playing both sides while they prep to instigate India once again. Don't trust 'em one bit!

BTW good to see yunz again MI! ALWAYS enjoy your posts!

prisoner6

[Ruth A.]

Nor do I. Many people say many things--especially when they are not accountable to back up the rhetoric. I wonder if bombing them would have been less expensive... Nonetheless, I am grateful for the information extracted from these terrorists whether bought by another government or with water boarding.

[backtothestreets]

General Musharraf says that he decided to disclose details of covert operations and his country’s capture of 689 suspects since 9/11 to counter claims that Pakistan has not done enough to combat al-Qaeda.

During the same period of time our intelligence agencies claim up to 60,000 additional al Qaeda fighters and terrorists have been trained in Pakistan. That's nearly a thousand to one replacement ratio. Pakistan is doing a lot in the WOT. It's just a question for which side of the WOT.

[JohnCliftn]

Times is running this as a Get Bush piece, but it sounds like taxation to me. US pays individual Pakistanis X millions. Pakistani government takes its cut. Presidents, prison guards, soldiers and policemen are individuals too.

[carton253]

Finally, my tax dollars being put to proper use!

[DB]

"The US government has strict rules banning such reward payments to foreign powers involved in the war on terror."

And what fool made that policy (if true)???

Putting a price on terrorist's heads and rewarding those who capture them is not a bad thing!

[Sarajevo]

Now I really don't trust Pakistan.

I never did. They're playing on both sides.

[Sarajevo]

Now I really don't trust Pakistan.

I never did. They're playing on both sides.

[anglian]

The US Department of Justice said: "These bounty payments are for private individuals who help to trace terrorists, not foreign governments. The US government has strict rules."

The Iran-Iraq War would never have occurred had Jimmy Carter not withdrew U.S. support for the Shah of Iran and ordered the CIA to stop paying millions of dollars per year in bribes to the Mullahs who disliked the Shah.

This unleashed the Mullahs fury and the Shah was toppled.

[FastCoyote]

Like Mushareff is saying anything that should surprise anyone. We were attacked, I'd be shocked if we didn't do everything to grab the bastards.

[OldFriend]

Not having read the book I would assume that Mushareff is merely trying to cover his rear end.

None of this sensational confessional changes the fact that the terrorists were turned over to our country.

Better to pay cash than expend the lives of our troops hunting these scum.

[Dixie Yooper]

Ever since we started our War on Terror, we have offered money for the capture of leading terrorists. Throughout the war in Afghanistan, we had to pay off each tribe as we or the tribes on our side encountered them. There was more buying off tribes than fighting in Afghanistan. At no time did Pakistan ever offer to help us for free with no strings attached, and as a matter of fact if Musharraf ever felt threatened by anyone from the Bush administration to become our ally, he should have felt threatened the night of 9/11 during President Bush's address to the world when Bush laid down the difference between who our allies and enemies were.
Musharraf is trying to sell his new book and thinks by leaking information like this is, the sales of his book will increase. Maybe he's right, the MSM is playing right into his hands by treating old news like startling revelations.

[Valin]

Ditto

[Valin]

"The latest revelation will embarrass the White House days before General Musharraf is due to meet President Bush and President Karzai of Afghanistan to discuss how to combat a resurgent Taleban."

With this we see the reason why this story is on the Times front page.

[caver]

So what he's saying is that Pakistan won't do anything with al-Qaeda unless we pay them.