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Bashir and Petraeus in Tampa, March 23, 2010. (US Navy photo)
Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir spoke on Wednesday in Islamabad and once again reiterated the official Pakistani line that no foreign helicopter or drone raids would be allowed inside Pakistan. As if in response, we see from Dawn. com that both helicopter and drone attacks occurred again today. How long will this charade of completely different public and real stances be tolerated?
Bashir’s coments were published by ANI and picked up by oneindia news:
Drone or helicopter attacks inside Pakistan’s territory will not be allowed, as that would be an attack on the country’s sovereignty, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir has said, according to a TV channel.
Bashir made these comments while talking to journalists after addressing the annual ceremony of Bahria College in Islamabad, the Daily Times reported.
His remarks came in the wake of reports that the United States has renewed its pressure on Pakistan to expand the areas where CIA drones can operate inside the country.
Yet, a helicopter raid wounded three today:
At least three people were wounded when two Nato gunship helicopters opened fire in North Waziristan’s Dattakhel area after violating Pakistani airspace on Friday, television reports said.
The helicopters, incurring several kilometres into Pakistani territory, struck the Lowara Mandi village in Dattakhel.
Officials have neither confirmed nor denied the incident.
And a drone strike killed four:
Pakistani intelligence officials said a suspected US missile strike killed four alleged militants in the country’s northwest.
It’s the latest in a barrage of attacks by unmanned drones on the stronghold of Taliban fighters targeting American and Nato forces in Afghanistan.
The officials said a pair of missiles hit a moving vehicle in Pir Kali village in North Waziristan. The area is home to a mix of Afghan and Pakistani Taliban.
This strange dance of Pakistan publicly saying US incursions are not allowed, while the frequency of the attacks is increased is just one more of the many inconsistencies in US policy in the area. As the photo above proves, Petraeus has spoken with Bashir face to face, so why can’t they at least synchronize their stories?
17 Comments
Thanks, Jim. This is so strange. Reminds me of Baghdad Bob saying “everything is fine” with the sounds of gunfire and other assorted noises going on right behind him.
Do generals not have dress uniforms any more? If you are meeting with a high-ranking official of another country, do you expect to make a good impression wearing your paint-spattered jammies?
Give the Nazis credit, they were snappy dressers.
I’m sure there is a whole lot we don’t know about what is going on there. And the Pakistani government cannot admit openly that they approve of drone attacks because they are extremely unpopular among the public. I still believe one day, probably when we are no longer the only superpower, we will regret our drone attack policy. It’s quite a precedent, one that Obama has escalated way beyond what Bush did.
http://www.openfilm.com/videos/human-resources
“why can’t they at least synchronize their stories?”
Because they are speaking to mutually exclusive domestic audiences, for the most part.
Petraeus has less risk in what he says domestically than does Bashir.
But Bashir’s statement is being reported in OneIndiaNews, which lowers his risk. Was it published at all in any Pakistani news sources? Did Dawn cover his remarks as well as reporting on the drone strikes?
TMCP can do no wrong. He’s teflon and has the entire MSM pulling for him. Military Junta here we come…
Gareth Porter does his usual excellent job in debunking Betrayus…!
I might add that the Taliban have been flatly stating all along that they’ve not been engaged in any talks whatsoever with the ‘infidels’…! Why isn’t anybody truly listening to them, eh…? 8-(
General McChrystal wore his cammies to his chewing-out session on Air Force One in Copenhagen, after the general had dissed VP Biden in London. Obama should have fired him then.
The field uniform, according to the regs, is supposed to be worn only in the field, otherwise the Class A uniform must be worn. The regs are widely abused.
There is no redeeming purpose for either Iraq or Afghan wars. These are meant simply to make money, induce fear in Americans and other populations and kill as many “useless” people as possible. That is the sole purpose of the military.
Oh this video is interesting:
http://theautomaticearth.blogspot.com/
I believe Noman.
Jim, obviously there was a breakdown in an important phase of the Deception Execution Cycle — “Vertical and Horizontal Coordination Ensuring Up-to-Date Integration Between Real-World Ops and Deception Ops.
I have tended to concentrate on domestic politics or the U.S. political system. I was shocked to read that the cost of the Afghanistan war already exceeds the cost of the Vietnam and Korean Wars combined, even in inflation-adjusted dollars.
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/afghanistan-and-vietnam/?src=me&ref=general
Your point that they are speaking to mutually exclusive domestic audiences is well taken, but with modern communications there must be some leakage. How controlled is Pakistan media. Is al Jazeera or al Jazeera net available?
Jack
Do political platforms work?
My Examples:
Republican Contract with America
1994 midterm elections
Result Republicans gained a majority of seats
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contract_from_America
The Democrat’s 100 hours plan
2006 midterm elections
Result Democrats gained a majority of seats
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100-Hour_Plan
Republican Pledge to America
2006 midterm elections
Result Republicans gained a majority of seats in House
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_to_America
“How long will this charade of completely different public and real stances be tolerated?”
SOP, Standard Operating Procedure.
ICI – Pak Intel – supports Osama with our money as the Pak military pretends to look for him.
Seems like the “worry about the influence of India” is a great cover for a lot of CIA games. Someone should tell Obama so he can allow Hillary to make changes in CIA operations so that CIA foreign policy alines with State Department attempts to implement Obama’s foreign policy.
Yep that will happen about the time Obama does anything positive for the base – and that in turn will be well before Obama actually tries to do medical reform and cost control via the only way that works – the public option and HHS pricing controls.
I guess they believe the dress unis are not as intimidating to their civilian counterparts.
Since the whole world is the battlefield for America’s “long war” (formerly TM), they can wear their cammies anywhere they like. Porno scanners especially.
“Petraeus has spoken with Bashir face to face, so why can’t they at least synchronize their stories?”
They did. Different audiences require different stories. This is not about the statements, it is about the act of saying certain phrases – for example, so that people waste time blogging about them.