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| India-Pakistan | ||
| HA HA! US releases video of clash along Afghan border | ||
| 2008-06-12 | ||
| The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan released footage Thursday of a skirmish with militants that Pakistan claims resulted in an airstrike on one of its border posts that killed 11 of its troops. Pakistan has lodged a strong diplomatic protest, saying the bombing of the Gorparai post in the Mohmand frontier region on Tuesday was a "completely unprovoked and cowardly act." They climbed down from that I understand. Now we know why. But Pakistani and U.S. officials have given widely differing accounts of an event that threatens to further sour relations between key allies in Washington's war on terror. I'm sure Pakistan will be issuinging a profound apology and an expression of their appreciation for eliminating this walking fertilizer any minute now. To support its version, the coalition on Thursday took the unusual step of releasing excerpts of a video shot by a surveillance drone circling above the mountainous battle zone. And to support its version, Pakistan will deny that the video is related to this event. The grainy, monochrome images show about a half-dozen men firing small arms and rocket-propelled grenades from a ridge at coalition troops off-camera in the valley below. According to the voiceover in the video, the ridge is in Afghanistan's Kunar province, about 200 yards from the Pakistan border and close to the Gorparai checkpoint. Neither the checkpoint nor any other structures are visible in the video excerpts.
The video shows the "anti-Afghan militants" moving to a position identified as inside Pakistan and the impact of a bomb which the voiceover says killed two of them. The survivors then One of the bombs fell off screen, and U.S. officials said about a dozen bombs were dropped in all. On Wednesday, U.S. diplomats offered apologies for the reported casualties. But the Pentagon insisted that the drone footage of the bombings showed they hit their intended targets. Defense Department press secretary Geoff Morrell said it was too early to know whether the strike killed the 11 Pakistani troops. "Every indication we have is that this was a legitimate strike against forces that had attacked members of the coalition," he said. Pakistan army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas gave a different account. Abbas said the fighting broke out after Afghan government soldiers who had occupied a mountaintop position in a disputed border zone Monday acceded to a Pakistan request to withdraw. "They were on their way back and they were attacked by insurgents in their own territory," Abbas said. I wonder how the terrorists knew that they were there. He said the Afghans then called in coalition airstrikes, which hit the Pakistani Frontier Corps post across the border. The anti-terror alliance with Washington is already unpopular among Pakistanis, whose newly elected civilian government is negotiating with some militants in hopes of curbing a surge in violence. Western officials fear peace deals could give more space for Taliban and al-Qaida militants to operate. That can quickly turn into a two-way sword. | ||
| Posted by:gorb |
| #12 I am FUCKING SICK of bending over backward to assuage the feeling of our enemies. Listening to the audio of that video it sounds like a friggin State Department douchebag is making sure his dinner with the enemy won't be disturbed. F these chimps. It should say. Enemies destroyed. Any other damage is due to the positioning or desire of the enemy. THAT IS ALL. |
| Posted by: Hellfish 2008-06-12 21:35 |
| #11 Someone mentioned "double dipping." True, post opium season, Pashtos can make $300 per month in heroin money, by fighting for Taliban. Ergo: don't let there be an opium season. |
| Posted by: McZoid 2008-06-12 18:02 |
| #10 If our troops effectively control that territory for the duration of the fight, then we need to give the Taliban habeus corpus. |
| Posted by: Justice Kennedy 2008-06-12 13:10 |
| #9 If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck... If they act like an enemy, then they should be prepared to die like an enemy. These |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2008-06-12 11:28 |
| #8 Goodbye talibunnies! While it is clear, there are no military structures or outposts in the area, it is clear there are parts of talibunnies spread through the area. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-06-12 11:16 |
| #7 The video is fascinating, not for the pictures, but the commentary . . . it is clear there are no military outposts or structures in the impact area As is usual, the opposing claims are misleading, overwrought, almost wholly inaccurate and evasive. It's curious that DOD and State seem to be coordinating the walk back here, one fact at a time. 1) Yeah - we killed 'em and have pictures 2) here are the pictures 3) where are your outposts? It's what's coming that is intriguing - 4) where are your troops? 5)where is your border? 6) who is your leader? 7) where is your leader? 8) why are you an arab colony? 9) why do you deny you're an arab colony? And so on . . . |
| Posted by: Caesar Ebbaviger1593 2008-06-12 10:43 |
| #6 So from the video I counted 11 dead (2+6+3). Just by coincidence Pakis claim 11 dead border guards. I'm just surprised only 8 were double dipping Taliban salaries too. Interesting that the Warrior (Predator C) is already deployed. I thought they were to armed with 4 Hellfires and could have taken out the lot when the Pakis were bunched up and firing at US Forces. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-06-12 10:38 |
| #5 The Video at this link |
| Posted by: 3dc 2008-06-12 10:07 |
| #4 But how many fluffy bunnies and baby ducks were killed?!?!? |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-06-12 09:32 |
| #3 Face it: the US is fighting Pakistan in Afghanistan. ALL the non-Pashto areas are at peace. The only obstacle is those drug dealing pigs in the south. Solution: napalm and no confidence in Karzai's Pashto drug-gang. |
| Posted by: McZoid 2008-06-12 09:07 |
| #2 We smoked some Taliban and terorists, the Paks protested that we violated their territory that they cannot or will not control. I would say that it was a good day. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul at Hamilton, Ontario 2008-06-12 08:42 |
| #1 wow, if the Paks weren't so virtuous and Islamic, I'd say they were involved with the "militants". But I'm cynical that way.... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-06-12 08:28 |