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Afghanistan/South Asia
Pakistan Army told to fire at intruding Americans
2005-02-22
Pakistan has issued new rules of engagement permitting its Army to fire at US forces that cross the border from Afghanistan without coordinating first, according to a report contributed to the magazine 'American Conservative' by a former CIA officer.
Then they've got no bitch when we fire back, do they?
Philip Giraldi, now an international security consultant and writer of intelligence matters, writes in the February 28 issue of the magazine's 'Deep Background' column that "President Musharraf has been receiving angry reports from his military that US forces have been engaging in hot pursuit across the border in violation of bilateral agreements. Musharraf is also said to be unhappy about the recent abrupt withdrawal of Predators and other surveillance resources from Pakistan for transfer to Iraq for use against Iran. According to high level Pakistani sources, Musharraf and his Army chiefs expended a great deal of political capital in their support of the Al Qaeda hunt, clashing frequently with hostile tribesmen along the border. The US Central Command's January announcement that the drones and other supporting surveillance technologies that were being used against Al Qaeda would be withdrawn to support 'elections in Iraq,' was an unpleasant surprise, particularly when 'in Iraq' turned out to be a euphemism for 'against Iran.
Posted by:Fred

#12  That would be like telling them to shoot themselves. Look in mirro. Shoot terrorist!
Posted by: John   2005-02-22 1:42:33 PM  

#11  Hey, if they could spare a few minutes from shooting at Americans to snipe at some of the terrorists over there, that would be nice. But only if they've got time.
Posted by: Captain Pedantic   2005-02-22 1:40:27 PM  

#10  I suspect that much of the Army in that region is from that region, that is, totally in bed with the bad boyz. They won't shoot at their own, and were probably danger close to mutiny and shooting at the US anyway. This way, they keep their uniforms on, and under at least modest discipline. More than anything else, I just see it as a little give and take--I truly doubt any Pak military are going to light up the US any time soon.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2005-02-22 10:55:26 AM  

#9  Actually, some things bear repeating, 2b.
Posted by: Ptah   2005-02-22 10:12:03 AM  

#8  Heh..didn't notice you beat me to it, RC.
Posted by: 2b   2005-02-22 9:10:42 AM  

#7  "a former CIA agent"?? Who? Schuerer.

Ok, we are to believe that Musharraf is bizarrely ordering his men to shoot at Americans who shoot at Al Qaeda - but is angry that we withdrew our intelligence assets since they have "expended a great deal of political capital in their support of the Al Qaeda hunt." But he's mad because we shoot back? Makes sense, not a lot of sense, but some.
Posted by: 2b   2005-02-22 9:10:03 AM  

#6  according to a report contributed to the magazine ‘American Conservative’ by a former CIA officer.

That's Buchanan's paleo-con circle jerk. Take this report with a world-record sized salt deposit.
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2005-02-22 7:40:59 AM  

#5  If Ranchers on the border(Az/Mex)can patrol the border with thier own uav's so can Perv.
Posted by: raptor   2005-02-22 6:58:44 AM  

#4  It will be an interesting day when some Pakki border unit fires on American ground troops who have Apaches, A-10's and AC-130's in close air support. There might not be a whole lot to pick up afterwards - just pink mist.
Posted by: Lone Ranger   2005-02-22 2:07:38 AM  

#3  Most of these asshats don't even know where the border is. The assets that were used over Pakistan were not being put to good use. There is also this, the removal may lead some QA to believe they can move without detection. That is not likely the case. Of course if our troops are fired on they will respond in kind.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2005-02-22 2:00:31 AM  

#2  Really? -- Shoot back!
That's not going to sit to well with anybody I know.
Posted by: 3dc   2005-02-22 1:53:49 AM  

#1  Iraq is a euphanism for Iran, Syria, and Saudi, if ya really want to get technical, heh.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2005-02-22 1:20:59 AM  

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