Mr. Townsend likely shouldn't even have said this from his official positionWho's Mr. Townsend?
Posted on 07/22/2007 8:51:33 AM PDT by blam
US Force Not Ruled Out in Pakistan
Sunday July 22, 2007 4:16 PM
By HOPE YEN
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. would consider military force if necessary to stem al-Qaida's growing ability to use its hideout in Pakistan to launch terrorist attacks, a White House aide said Sunday.
The president's homeland security adviser, Fran Townsend, said the U.S. was committed first and foremost to working with Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, in his efforts to control militants in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region. But she indicated the U.S. was ready to take additional measures.
``Just because we don't speak about things publicly doesn't mean we're not doing things you talk about,'' Townsend said, when asked in a broadcast interview why the U.S. does not conduct special operations and other measures to cripple al-Qaida.
``Job No. 1 is to protect the American people. There are no options off the table,'' she said.
The national intelligence director, Mike McConnell, said he believed that Osama bin Laden was living in the tribal, border region of Pakistan. Bin Laden is the leader of the al-Qaida network and mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks.
McConnell said Musharraf's attempt at a political solution to peace in the region had backfired by giving al-Qaida a place and time to regroup.
``Al-Qaida has been able to regain some of its momentum,'' McConnell said. ``The leadership's intact. They have operational planners, and they have safe haven. The thing they're missing are operatives inside the United States.''
In the National Intelligence Estimate released last week, analysts stressed the importance of al-Qaida's increasingly comfortable hideout in Pakistan that has resulted from a hands-off accord between Musharraf and tribal leaders along the Afghan border.
That 10-month-old deal, which has unraveled in recent days, gave al-Qaida
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
then maybe you could quarantine with a blockade
I say stand off and nuc them from orbit, it’s the only
way to be sure.
You can’t kill fire ants one at a time, you have to go for the nest...
...and we don't want Pakistan overthrown by muslim who would use them in a heartbeat.
It this quote is correct, it sounds like a fairly clear admission that Spec. Ops. are on-going in Paki.
I only hope they are expansive and lethal enough to make a difference.
This administration has done a lot to utilize and expand the role of SF within the military.
Mr. Townsend likely shouldn't even have said this from his official position -
And yet plenty need to understand this....
Mr. Townsend likely shouldn't even have said this from his official positionAl Queda will operate wherever they are given safe harbor and sanctuary. Pakistan is an explosive country with radical Islam pretty much running the show. The government shows some force but not enough to really make any progress. Just the killing of the radicals in the Mosque triggered riots recently. The instability of the government prevents them from taking out the enemies of stability.
And Pakistan is nuclear. Loss of control by the current government could place nukes right under the control of Al Queda. Those are the consequences if we don’t act.
But to the rest of the world, since we are the remaining superpower, we would appear to be bullies and those people would resent us more for taking away what little stability they have in their lives. Right or wrong.
Just like now in Iraq. To the people in Iraq, we caused their mess, and now they expect us to fix it. To the simple minded people, they had it much better before Americans came in to force “Democracy” on them.
Back to the article. If we don’t take out Al Queda wherever they operate, we are guaranteed technological barbarism in the 20th Century. We have no choice but to take them out wherever and whenever we can. But that is only going to prolong this inevitable cultural and religous war sweeping the world.
We need to be putting more of both of our (U.S.) guns and butter directly into these Pak border regions. Guns at those who we want dead....and butter for those who get out of our way.....
As for the Pak Gov't "controlling" these border regions - Not going to happen - They don't have the ability to do so - Simple as that - Though, they can do more and squeezing them, then they have been....or at helping to put us on HVTs
Regarding the concerns over radical Jihadists types taking over Pak - It's unlikely - The Jihadists / Pak-Taliban types have strong support virtually only in the border regions.....The Pak military isn't about to "share" power with them....The Pak "moderates" make up a sizable share to boot.....No, AQ/Taliban elements have very little chance of taking over Pak in all likelihood.
Though they do have much support within the border regions - From which to cause serious problems from - But that is different altogether from taking over the Gov't of Pak - (hell, there is a war within these Jihadists themselves over this exact issue - Should they be fighting the Pak Gov't (of which the Islamic Jihad Group (IJG) is demanding...and broke away from the Pak-Taiban & the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) over) - This is what led to much of the "red on red" supposed fighting that took place in the Pak border region earlier this year.
You also have the ISI (Sr. players) that have strong loyalties to Musharraff. Musharraff also have a great deal of support throughout the Pak Mil HQs...
If necessary? Does that mean we wait until they are in the Kabul area before we take out the staging areas?
My hillbilly fiance and I prefer saturation bombing of Taliban villages and strongholds, this way we might even kill the mothers and fathers who had these jihadi ba$t*rds.
Second paragraph of the article:
The president's homeland security adviser, Fran Townsend, said the U.S. was committed first and foremost to working with Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, in his efforts to control militants in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region. But she indicated the U.S. was ready to take additional measures.
” I prefer saturation bombing of Taliban villages”
That would make me feel better to.
How about nuke it and make it uninhabitable for the foreseeable future?
Mr. Townsend likely shouldn't even have said this from his official position -
And yet plenty need to understand this....
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