American attack aftermath: Pakistan declares attack a 'plot'

[Hafizzz]

Pakistan asks US to vacate Shamsi airbase within 15 days
Pakistan asks US to vacate Shamsi airbase within 15 days - World - DNA

Pakistan today asked the US to vacate an airbase that has reportedly been used by American drones and closed NATO supply routes in response to a cross-border air strike by the coalition aircraft that killed 28 Pakistani soldiers.

The Pakistan government framed its response to the NATO air strike during an emergency meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani this evening.

The meeting was attended by the three service chiefs, including army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

The cabinet committee decided to "close with immediate effect the NATO/ISAF logistics supply lines" and asked the "US to vacate the Shamsi airbase within 15 days," said a statement issued by the Prime Minister's House.

The move came hours after NATO helicopters and fighter jets fired at two border posts in Mohmand tribal region at 2 am.

Officials were quoted by the media as saying that 28 soldiers, including a major and a captain, were killed and 15 more injured in the air strike.

A statement issued by the army put the death toll at 24.

Kayani strongly condemned "NATO/ISAF’s blatant and unacceptable act" and issued orders for taking all necessary steps for "an effective response to this irresponsible act."

The Defence Committee of the Cabinet "reiterated the resolve of the Pakistani people and armed forces to safeguard Pakistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity at all costs,"e official statement said.

Till recently, Pakistani supply routes were used to transport a majority of supplies for US and allied forces in Afghanistan.

Following a wave of attacks on supply vehicles and strained relations with Pakistan, the US has stepped up the use of alternative routes in Central Asian countries.

However, hundreds of NATO tankers and supply vehicles continued to cross over into Afghanistan from southwest and northwest Pakistan every day.

Pakistan had last asked the US to vacate the Shamsi airbase in June.

Numerous reports have said the CIA operates its unmanned spy planes from the airbase in Balochistan province, 900 km from Islamabad. Images of US Predator drones at the airbase have been published by Google Earth.

Secret American diplomatic cables leaked by WikiLeaks have suggested that the United Arab Emirates, which has controlled Shamsi airbase since the 1990s, has allowed the US to use it for its drone flights.

The statement issued after the meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet noted that the decision to close NATO supply routes and to ask the US to vacate Shamsi airbase had been taken in line with a resolution adopted at a joint session of parliament that was held in the wake of the American raid that killed Osama bin Laden in May.

The statement said Prime Minister Gilani would take "parliament into confidence on the whole range of measures regarding matters relating to Pakistan’s future cooperation with US/NATO/ISAF in the near future."

The cabinet committee strongly condemned the attack by NATO and ISAF aircraft on the Pakistani border posts and expressed sympathies and condolences to the families of the dead soldiers.

Pakistan also lodged strong protests with the US and at NATO headquarters in Brussels, "conveying in the strongest possible terms Pakistan's condemnation of these attacks which constituted breach of sovereignty, were violative of international law and had gravely dented the fundamental basis of Pakistan’s cooperation with NATO/ISAF against militancy and terror."

The Defence Committee of the Cabinet contended the air strike had violated the mandate of NATO and ISAF, which was confined to Afghanistan.

"Pakistan had clearly conveyed to US/NATO/ISAF its red lines which constituted an integral element of Pakistan’s cooperation that was based on a partnership approach," the statement said.

"The attack on Pakistan Army border posts is totally unacceptable and warrants an effective national response," the committee said.

The DCC further decided that the government would "revisit and undertake a complete review of all programmes, activities and cooperative arrangements with US/NATO/ISAF, including diplomatic, political, military and intelligence cooperation," the statement said.

In Islamabad, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir called in US Ambassador Cameron Munter to lodge a "strong protest on the unprovoked NATO/ISAF attack," the Foreign Office said.

Bashir told the US envoy that the attack had "deeply incensed the government and the people of Pakistan."

In a statement issued by the US Embassy, Ambassador Munter said,"I regret the loss of life of any Pakistani servicemen, and pledge that the United States will work closely with Pakistan to investigate this incident."

 

[khanz4996]

Look boss we dont care if retalliation starts a world war or universal war we dont care we need blood for blood bullet for bullet.how many of us they have killed already in last 10 years ?more then a 1.5 million in iraq more then 1 million in afghanistan and around 100000 in pakistan libya is i dont know how much syria is up on the menu iran is on the menu so what else can a world war do kill alot of people?its already happening but my heart is bleeding for our soliders who died a death of rats sleeping in their beds not got a chance to fight because they are not allowed to fight due to the dollars which kiyani and zardari and mussharaf stuffing up their a$$es pakistan is being run by CIA agents like haqqani who sold his country and this shameless zardari is keeping him in president house i bet one day americans and nato will come in stealth helicopters and take our nuclear assests and these traitors will say my radars were catching **** signals i dont know what to do but i have 1 THING TO SAY AND THIS IS MY PROMISE IF ANYONE TAKES OUR NUCLEAR ASSEST I WILL KILL THESE 3 BASTARDS THATS KIYANI ZARDARI AND GIILANI OR DIE TRYING.THATS MY PROMISE TO MY LORD ALLAH.

 

[Al Bhatti]

UAE

UAE leadership kept the national interest above their part of co-operating with the NATO/ISAF, and when they saw their national interests (increase in flight rights of the two govt. carriers) are not being answered they gave them the ultimatum to leave the camp. This was their reply to keep natioanl intrests first. They did not go back with their decision and the Canadians had to leave within the said deadline.

Pakistan

Our soldiers and civilians are being killed and sovereignty is trespassed daily and what is our national response? What the military and civilian leadership agree for is asking again to vacate the Shamsi base and blocking NATO supplies. This reply of Pakistan is peanut compared to what UAE did with Canadians for not allowing more flight rights in Canada.

The Canadian base in UAE was bigger than shamsi air base and important to Canadian military but they were kicked out. Is Shamsi base relevant to US? UAE leadership got balls and Pakistani leadership__?

UAE

Furthermore (till this day) they stopped issuing visa on arrival to them and made them to get visa prior to leaving Canada.

Pakistan

US nationals are roaming free in Pakistan. Not only that they kill anyone they want (Raymond Davis and many other cases)

Salute to UAE for keeping it's national interests first and foremost. Forty years of UAE is far far better than 60+ years of Pakistan.

No need to celebrate independence day when Pakistan's sovereignty is trespassed daily, Why do we celebrate independence day?

Shame on Pakistani Generals and Politicians for keeping the bank accounts above Pakistan.

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Timeline

05/01/2011
Dan McTeague, the Liberal Party critic on Foreign and Consular Affairs, said that the blame for the UAE’s imposition of visas for all Canadian visitors lies squarely with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

02/01/2011
UAE’s Ambassador to Canada, Mohammad Abdullah Al Ghafli, has been unable to get a face-to-face meeting for the past three months with Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Lawrence Cannon.

01/01/2011
Calgary Herald launches a bitter and vitriolic attack on the UAE for its decision to impose visit visa regulations on Canadians.

27/11/2010
UAE’s Minister of Economy Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri says that Canada need not fear job losses if it grants UAE airlines additional flights because this could contribute $60 million annually to the Canadian economy.

18/11/2010
Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay says that the UAE should have been granted more routes for its national carriers in exchange for use of military base.

09/11/2010
UAE imposes new visa regulations on Canadian citizens who come to the UAE for business. As of January 2, Canadian citizens who wish to visit the UAE will have to obtain a pre-arranged visa.

14/10/2010
Official source announces UAE lobbied against Canada’s bid to win a seat on the United Nations Security Council because of its anti-Arab policies.

11/10/2010
Canadians barred from military base, a crucial link in the supply line for its mission in Afghanistan.

10/10/2010
UAE is disappointed that despite intensive negotiations over the last five years the UAE and Canada have been unable to arrive at an agreement on expanding the number of flights between the two countries.


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The UAE-Canadian relations have reached their lowest point ever after Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper launched a vitriolic attack on the UAE few days ago.

The UAE deserves an apology from the Canadian Prime Minister, senior UAE officials say.

Gulf News has learnt the UAE officials also expressed their disappointment and anger with Canada in strong diplomatic terms after it was reported that Harper likened the UAE's introduction of visas for Canadians and its ending of a lease arrangement at Camp Mirage for Canadian forces fighting in Afghanistan to blackmail.

Harper also hinted that the UAE was soft on terrorism, a claim that has infuriated UAE officials at all levels.

The central issue is a request from Emirates and Etihad for more landing slots and more Canadian destinations. That request has gone unanswered for four years, and both UAE airlines are limited to just three slots each per week in Toronto. The airlines would like more access plus be able to fly to Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.

UAE furious

Gulf News has learnt that the UAE government is furious over Harper's attack and relations between two nations are extremely strained.

Gulf News can report that the UAE government is seething that it has been perceived as kicking Canada out of Camp Mirage near Dubai.

The reality is that Canadian forces and the UAE government has signed a memorandum of understanding which ran out in June, allowing Canada free access to the logistics facility at the base. When the MoU ran out, UAE officials extended it by three months to September. Canada was then given a one-month's grace period to leave the base, which it did.

Gulf News has also learnt that an incident in November, in which Canada's Defence Minister, Peter MacKay, was refused permission to land in Dubai arose because Canada had failed to comply with diplomatic protocols.

As the Canadians were no longer operating a military base in the UAE, convention dictates that a military aircraft would require pre-authorisation to land.

When the request for pre-authorisation did not arrive, UAE officials told MacKay that he would be unable to land. That incident was portrayed in Canada's media as the UAE kicking MacKay out.

What is particularly hurtful, senior UAE officials say, is that hundreds of injured Canadian soldiers have been treated free of charge at UAE military hospital facilities. Severely wounded soldiers are stabilised at the military medical facilities before being reunited with their families in Canada.

Gulf News has also learnt that the UAE played a key role in assisting Canada's efforts to free three hostages taken in Baghdad. Without the UAE's help, the three would likely have been killed.

UAE government officials are at a loss as to why its efforts in assisting Canada in this case and also by providing medical and logistical support to Canadian troops are being disregarded and forgotten.

Gulf News has also learnt that the request for more landing slots has been met with complete derision as Ottawa is determined to protect its legacy carrier, Air Canada.

This writer can report that Canadian officials did offer to increase the number of flights from three to four, but that increase was tied to restricting the size of plane, meaning, in effect, an overall reduction in the number of seats available.

With cargo demand and seat loads at levels reaching 100 per cent capacity, the need for more flights is pressing.

Offence

Gulf News has learnt that UAE officials take offence at the assertion that more flights will hit jobs of Canadian employees.

"The Emirates and Etihad flights keep many people employed in Toronto," one senior official told Gulf News.

"When the Emirates Airbus A380 touched down, it was a Canadian pilot at the controls. The first Etihad flight was crewed by Canadians. The UAE airlines are providing jobs for skilled Canadians and others from all around the world. Who is buying the houses in Emirates Springs, it's Emirates' and Etihad's employees from around the world."

In two years since arriving in Ottawa, the UAE's Ambassador, Mohammad Abdullah Al Ghafli, has yet to meet with Canada's Foreign Affair's Minister, Lawrence Cannon.

The irony is that Al Ghafli's office is just 200 metres from Cannon's office building in Ottawa.

"Cannon only meets with a select group of ambassadors," a senior official told Gulf News.

UAE officials believe that the relationship has been poisoned by Harper's personal views, his vindictiveness and his inability to reach out to a long-standing ally in the Middle East.

"It will take at least ten years for the relationship to be rebuilt," one senior official told Gulf News.

In terms of the visa requirements, Canadians are now required to obtain a visit visa before entering the UAE.

It is, however, much more difficult for UAE nationals to obtain a Canadian visa.

"They even want to know the name of your grandmother," one official said.

"It takes weeks for a Canadian visa to be processed. Trust me, UAE nationals are not applying for visas to live in Canada. They simply want to come for business."

Rejection

Gulf News can report that even if UAE nationals obtain a visit visa, they are subject to rejection at Canadian entry points. In the past two years, three UAE nationals have been turned back by immigration staff even though their visas were in order.

This writer has also learnt that UAE officials are frustrated with Ottawa's inaction on helping take action against Canadian absconders from the UAE who owe UAE banks millions of dirhams, which now cannot be collected.

‘No way to treat allies’

In an interview on Friday with Canadian news agency QMI, Canadian Prime Minister Harper said: "That's not how you treat allies, and I think [this] tells us you better pick your friends pretty carefully in the future. I could never see [Canada] treating an ally like that.

"Could you imagine if after 9/11 the Americans had come to the Canadian government and said ‘We need help to do with something to do with security' [and we said] ‘Well only if you do something on Buy America.' I mean, give me a break." The Canadian Prime Minister continued: "When we, as a country, offer to be part of an international mission to help protect global security, then somebody comes along and uses that to try and leverage demands on our domestic airline industry, I don't think that's a situation we, as a country, want to be in," he added in the interview.

He went on to say: "What this teaches us in future and when we're looking at other options is, don't get in a place where somebody's going to try and use it to leverage some unrelated issue."


gulfnews : UAE-Canada relations at all-time low

UAE Canada dispute

http://www.defence.pk/forums/pakist...-pakistani-gnrls-politicians.html#post2331267

 

[Albatross]

I have been using this site for years to update myself regarding defence matters and other core issues..But such brutal killing of our soldiers by socalled friends left me with no option but to join and express myself as I feel its high time for us to be united and strong and rethink our strategy..

Instead of blindly abusing NATO and US we need to act rationally ..do some research and ask Allah to give us guidance I would like to quote a lil example for the refference..how did the world war 2 started ..though on the surface it was against the hitler and his crimes against humanity..but how many of you know that he was financed by secret financers from united states including the grandfather of last US president bush..he was even arrested in 1944 and the news can be viewed in newyork times then edition..deep down the both sides in that war were funded by the same party..hitler was motivated by jews indirectly and the relations between bush family and elite jews is no more a secret..I cant go in all the gory details but hint is enough for wise people..

One more example is killing of john f kennedy after he tried to take american federal reserve under government wings by signing an exective order..For people who doesnt know its been over two centuries that american banking system is under jewish control..And whosoever tried to come in the way was eliminated instantly..

Point here is there are people in this world who has no value for human life and has means and ways to make them fight and kill oneanother..Nato would never like to create such a situation with pakistan especially when relationship was about to improve after months of chaos..If somehow this incident can be investigated completely it will lead to some invisible hands which guided atleast one or two member in that mission which deliberately killed our soldiers to achieve their target which was to create this gap b/w us and nato and bring us to a point where there is abuse and mistrust..A normal american and pakistani is busy in arranging bread and butter for his family but what has happened that now the common man on both sides hate eachother and blame other side for their miseries..Its like an evil web that has been knitted so cleverly that we play in their hands like lil kittens...
bottom line is this is high time for us to devise ways to be independent in the true sense of the word and get out of this american,inidian and jewish hatred and goafter those handful of illminded people who has carefully created this chaos and bloodshed throughout the globe..And Allah subhan tallah will guide us through only if our niyat and our souls are pure...Read between lines my friends and thats the only way out and stop reacting emotionally..

 

[Safriz]

They started a third front in Libya which means US don't care to spend money on starting new front(my point is not about Gadaffi or anti-Gadaffis). Anyway, you are belittling the economic component and instead talking with "Garam Khoon" without thinking of dealing with situation wisely.

its not only about being hot under the collar....if you look into stats...pakistan has lost too much money on WOT..and its not worth.it.. plus it has divided the nation..
something as drastic as a nato attack will only have positive effect as.on creating unity among pakistanis and thats what the country needs even more than money.

 

[W.11]

I was expecting a better response from PA, GoP and other so called political parties (including PTI) and lastly was expecting much better response from the people of pakistan, People of Pakistan should have come on the road throughout the whole country and should have marched to all parliaments, to show their strength to the WORLD, together and peacefully

it had happened the day the first/last drone struck

 

[longbrained]

I say we should teem up with China, Iran and Venezuela. Disregard US objections against Iran gas pipeline, buy oil from Venezuela and increase China military cooperation. Not only that but it is now high time for Pakistan to get a blanket SAM coverage of the country for air defense purposes so that any aggressors wet themselves on mere thinking about flying near Pakistani border let alone crossing it. I say a dozen S-300 PMU2 and hundred each of Tor M1 and Pantsirs would do the job. Use China connection to get those, which are at any rate much cheaper than American crap F-16's. Conduct military exercises with Iran to send a message to US and NATO. There are so many things that can be done. Even a simple statement that in any next attack NATO helicopters or drones will be shot down once they fly close to Pakistani territory can be a good response. But these replies have not come unfortunately. Only simple "protests" will no do it. As history show.

 

[PakShaheen79]

Can we really keep this threat to the topic please.

 

[Windjammer]

Agreed NATO has breached our sovereignty more than that, it has conducted a cold blooded murder of 24 sons of the soil.
There is discrepancy in leading up to the fateful incident. NATO has promised a full investigation while the Pakistani establishment is also weighing it's options. If a country declares a war, then a immediate response is usually the requirement, even after 9/11 US didn't immediately attack Afghanistan. The bitter reality is we'll just need to wait and see the outcome of the findings.

 

[Safriz]

Pakistan Buries Troops Amid Fury Over NATO Strike | News | English

so they still say that killing pakistani sldiers miles inside pakistani territory was ok......

 

[Khan_patriot]

This is very gory video, its scary

******* cowards......

 

[VCheng]

Your 'level headedness' is the equivalent to people like 'Mukhtaran Mai' getting 'raped by jirga' and being advised to 'accept ground realities since the opponent is too powerful and things like equality and justice don't apply'.

Bravo! Your moral depravity is clear as day.

Look at how Mukhtaran Mai's case eventually turned out, with the acquittal of all but one guy. I rest my case with your analogy.

 

[LEGENDARY WARRIOR]

Last time I head Pakistan had debt of $67 Billion and Pakistan is also taking further debt of $2.5 Billion for Lahore Metro and it need some $12 Billion for Diamar Bhasha Dam.

There is something called credit rating which shows the burden a debt is putting over country, CCC defines a bankrupt country just above that is B- and Top is AAA. US only lost AAA to AA+, China still have AA- rating, India at BBB+. But Pakistan has rating of B- which expose it more for crisis. So, dealing with US is really a tough job for Pakistan.

Until the US/NATO forces are in Afghanistan, they need us more than we need them...

 

[Jango]

The DG ISPR has refuted claims by the NATo chief that they were chasing terrorists in that area, saying that the area had been cleared of the insurgents and the ISAF had been informed about it. The Company HQ there was placed to keep a hold of that area.

A cricket match between British Army and Pak Army has now been cancelled.

Looks like the pakistanis are taking no shi* about this mistake excuse.

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Brit Army Cricket team have arrived in PAK to play cricket match with PAK Army Cricket team, but PAK Army have refused to play any cricket match with them..... EXPRESSNEWS

unfortunate timing of course. Its not British army’s fault. This can be deferred for anywhere in the future once this issue is resolved.

by the way, if this incident would have happened to any other country within the NATO forces, their people would have been demanding the return of their troops and be done with America's war on terror.

whenever Americans have killed the British and Canadian forces there has been an uproar in the home countries asking their governments to stop cooperating in America's wars. sadly we have no choice and no where to go NATO is fighting the war next door and pushing its weaker partner in the corner.


there are only 2 possibilities

1. The NATO high command sanctioned the attack knowing what the target was.
2. The NATO troops who called the attack and the pilots who carried out the strike are inept, illiterate and cant use their own NAV systems to see where they are being sent.

The other question apart from the Ariel attack is how far the ground troops had intruded into Pakistan by when they decided to request an air strike on a target 2.5 KM inside Pakistan. What kind of tactical situation is that which needed an attack on a designated post so far away from the border?

Using the air strike as an excuse for coming under fire from the Taliban is also very flimsy, weak and meant for people who are ignorant of the world of military and warfare. What kind of weapons the Taliban were carrying while trying to be as mobile and fast to escape the perusing ISAF/ NATO troops yet be able to fire back at them from miles? Either they were super human who were able to carry medium or heavy mortars and heavy machine guns while running up and down the mountains or they had air transport that was shadowing them to deploy their long range weapons to fire back at the ISAF/ NATO troops? Isn’t it absolute garbage? The best any mobile foot unit can muster is RPGs , light machine guns and light mortars of about 50 mm that cant fire beyond 800 meters. Even the machine gun bullets beyond 1 km and under 2 km will be actually harmlessly falling on the ground. I am not even mentioning RPGs and assault rifles as they don’t go beyond few hundred meters.


Now coming to the excuse of coming under fire from the Pakistani post, same rules apply. Their only long range weapons will be heaver morters or artillery. Had they directed any artillery fire on the NATO forces? If they had then there would have been NATO casualties and people like Glen Beck and O'Reilly would have been chocking blood by now and demanding nuclear strikes on Pakistan.


I will once again highlight the need of the following.

To get the conversation of the pilots and their base that ordered the attack and the conversation during and after the attack. And the conversation of The ground troops that requested the strikes.

How far or close where the NATO troops in the “poorly marked” border?

Now one thing is clear that those air strikes were definitely called upon specifically for those Pakistani posts so again two sub questions

Were the imbeciles on ground aware of the Pakistani posts and deliberately requested their destruction?
Did the dimwits at the NATO mission HQ know what the troops were requesting (attack on Pakistani posts) and then knowingly gave the go ahead?
Did the goons flying the helicopters and the aircraft also know that they were being told to attack 2.5 KM inside Pakistan on the designated posts of their war ally?

The more you think about it and raise questions about it more it seems that either the NATO was reckless, careless and incompetent or overtly vicious and deliberately hostile in its brazen attack. Lets see what the investigations by NATO (for all their worth) show up and if there is any joint team set up to find the facts (I doubt if that will happen) so that its established at which level the mistake was made.
If you ask me, I will put the blame on the mission HQ that took the request and gave the go ahead to the air strikes.

As far as the response of Pakistan is concerned, it should stop the active participation in war on terror and get to the level of support of say Turkey or Russia or say Saudi Arabia. It should fully concentrate on fighting (ONLY) TTP and BLA terrorists and give moral support to the peaceful settlement of the Afghan crises.
Given the circumstances Pakistan is in and the parity of military power between American/ NATO and Pakistan there is nothing much Pakistan can do more than some protests and gearing down the support in WoT. Its not a gang war and a cartel animosity that should lead in reprisal attacks etc so any such suggestions are cheap and stupid. The states don’t work like that no matter how bad the situations get.
When the Soviets shot down the American U2 spy plane that took off from badabir KP, Khrushchev threatened Pakistan by wiping that airbase from the face of the earth for aiding USA. But that’s were it all stopped and the behind the scene diplomacy cooled down the political temperature.

The only positive outcome from this attack is that NATO and the USA are not acting like their characteristic machismo despite what the internet trolls and Fox news fascists wish them to say. Pakistan can ask them what will NATO do to prevent such actions in the future and if its not satisfied it conveys that it will do all it can to protect its land and the lives of its troops from any similar future attacks. Pakistan is already fighting this war on its own expense and the so called aid is not military in nature but the reimbursement for using its facilities and the corridor and that is goin in the government’s pocket so its no longer an incentive to keep it going at the risk of its troops and civilians..