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India-Pakistan
Strike inside Pakistan due to 'mistake': NATO
2007-08-29
The US-led coalition in Afghanistan has admitted it did not have permission from Pakistan to strike Taliban positions across the border over the weekend, citing a “miscommunication” problem.

The coalition had insisted it was given the go-ahead for the attack inside Pakistan on Saturday that destroyed six Taliban firing posts on both sides of the frontier, killing more than a dozen rebels. This was rejected by the Pakistan Army, which said it had not been asked for authorisation. The foreign ministry in Islamabad said reports of permission being given were “speculative and fabricated”. The coalition said in a statement late Monday it had investigated further and found that Pakistan had not actually given permission. “We regret the miscommunication in this event,” said the coalition’s deputy commanding general for operations, Brigadier General Joseph Votel.

He said the coalition was committed to respecting the sovereign borders of Pakistan.
"After all, they respect Afghanistan's."
Posted by:Fred

#14  I'm Barack Obama and I endorsed this message.

Invade away, boyz!
Posted by: B. Hussein Obama   2007-08-29 21:55  

#13  Our "miscommunication" is Musharef's cover. He pretends to be offended and we pretend to apologise; M-guy has deniability, we get to bomb, and T-bunnies get their virgins. Everybody is happy.
Posted by: Skunky Glins5285   2007-08-29 21:31  

#12  What? They didn't kill any "civilians"?
Posted by: Abu Uluque6305   2007-08-29 17:09  

#11  Pakistan would be better off quietly giving permission and "keeping it on the down low". If they do not have the capability or willingness to cleanse their "grey zones" themselves, then they should be informed that not only will it still be accomplished but they will surrender a substantial chunk of future U.S. aid.
Posted by: Grumenk Philalzabod0723   2007-08-29 11:55  

#10  Hey, sarge, what does this button do?
Well, since you're so inquisitive, punch it and find out.
Woah...lookit that...
Posted by: tu3031   2007-08-29 11:39  

#9  Hague Convention of 1907-
a neutral country has the obligation not to allow its territory to be used by a belligerent. If the neutral country is unwilling or unable to prevent this, the other belligerent has the right to take appropriate action.

Nuff said.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2007-08-29 11:19  

#8  No more moola for Mullahs (sp?).
Posted by: Natural Law   2007-08-29 11:17  

#7  With mistakes like this who needs perfection!
Posted by: Sniglet Prince of the French   2007-08-29 10:48  

#6  I don't see how this could have happened. Since we've repeatedly been told that the terrorists are not based in Pakistan, how would attacking their camps cross the border?
Posted by: Gary and the Samoyeds   2007-08-29 09:18  

#5  as it is well said, it's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission....
Posted by: Jan    2007-08-29 01:33  

#4  The US-led coalition in Afghanistan has admitted it did not have permission from Pakistan to strike Taliban positions across the border over the weekend, citing a “miscommunication” problem.

"Dang radios always conk out right near the frontier!"

The coalition had insisted it was given the go-ahead for the attack inside Pakistan on Saturday that destroyed six Taliban firing posts on both sides of the frontier, killing more than a dozen rebels. This was rejected by the Pakistan Army, which said it had not been asked for authorisation.

KEEP HONKING REJECTING, WE'RE RELOADING

The foreign ministry in Islamabad said reports of permission being given were “speculative and fabricated”.

If they keep this sort of thing up someone might get the notion that Pakistan was genuinely interested in fighting terrorism and we can't have that now, can we?

Someone needs to tell Musharraf that we can either do this the easy way or the hard way and we need to make damn sure he is frightened to death of the hard way.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-08-29 01:19  

#3  And we promise never to do it again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxrd_jZJxkg
Posted by: Danking70   2007-08-29 01:17  

#2  Heh, borders are nothing more than lines on a map!
There are no plexiglass barriers to keep stray hockey pucks and other projectiles from crossing over.
There are no free zones nor virtual bubbles to completely isolate one from all dangers in this world nor in the virtual online world.
This is the borderless, frontier age of the world, wild web.
Besides we have a poor history of observing our borders here in the US.
We prefer a free an open society. Free love baby!
Posted by: Push over pushes back   2007-08-29 01:03  

#1  Oops, our bad! Sorry about the dead guys. No harm, no foul, eh?
Posted by: SteveS   2007-08-29 00:16  

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