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| India-Pakistan |
| US error led to Pakistani deaths |
| 2011-12-04 |
| AMERICAN officers gave the wrong co-ordinates to their Pakistani counterparts as they sought clearance for the air strike that killed 24 friendly troops on November 26. NATO and US officials voiced regret but have refused to apologise until an investigation is complete into the incident near the Afghan border, which triggered a crisis in US-Pakistan relations. Officials previously offered varying accounts of the event as they sought to shift blame. A senior Pakistani military officer said that a border co-ordination unit - established to avoid exactly such a tragedy - was given incorrect details of a suspected Taliban position. ''The strike had begun before we realised the target was a border post,'' he said. ''The Americans say we gave them clearance but they gave us the wrong information.'' American officers have not disputed this Pakistani account. The American pilots had been confident in their targets as they flew out of the night sky, towards a mountain ridge that marked the border with Pakistan. Afghan and US commandos hunting Taliban training camps inside the eastern edge of Afghanistan had called in air support as they came under fire from the border. The pilots believed that the co-ordinates had been checked with a Pakistani officer and the Apache attack helicopters and lone AC-130 gunship were given the go-ahead to unload their deadly payload. But as dawn arrived it became clear that a terrible mistake had been made. Twenty-four Pakistani soldiers lay dead and their border posts were a smoking ruin, unleashing a wave of anti-American anger in Pakistan, which has halted co-operation in the fight against al-Qaeda and Taliban militants. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #6 A successful US-led war, occupation? agz IRAN all but removes the motive for Saudi Arabia + other anti-Iran, Sunni-majority Muslim States to go Nukulaar, BUT LEAVES ALREADY NUKE-ARMED PAKISTAN "AS IS" OR BETTER. However, it still leaves the final decision on nukes in the hands of the various "ARAB SPRING" NEW PRO-ISLAMIST GOVTS, whom as a class are supported by Iran + Al-Qaeda + non-Muslim/Faith based Secular Political Movements. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2011-12-04 22:42 |
| #5 The last I read, the US had permission to operate there. It's a show, and the administration is a sucker for partaking in it. |
| Posted by: newc 2011-12-04 17:21 |
| #4 The last time Paks closed the border after a similar incident they were firing mortars at US forces from Pakistan. |
| Posted by: Eohippus Phater7165 2011-12-04 13:34 |
| #3 Pakistan is more than just part of the problem. Pakistan IS the problem and definitely need some payback. And so do the Iranians - 36 years to fester and grow. |
| Posted by: Goober Goobelopolous 2011-12-04 13:19 |
| #2 Weren't the Pakistani troops firing on NATO troops? Did they clear that with NATO? |
| Posted by: gorb 2011-12-04 13:07 |
| #1 i get the feeling this event was carried out to teach the pakis a lesson re regular deceit on the border! |
| Posted by: Paul D 2011-12-04 09:57 |