NATO Regrets Pakistan Troop Deaths, Urges Route Reopening

[karan.1970]

They fail to understand that Pakistan has the potential to bury the NATO alive in Afghanistan at the whim of a finger..they wont even get a chance of rapid air evacuation since that will have to cross so many countries over such a vast territory!

and you accuse Indians of having wet dreams

 

[huzihaidao12]

Do not make any idea of the Chinese road, closed to traffic NATO.

 

[pkpatriotic]

Nato regrets Pak troop deaths, urges route re-opening
October 05, 2010

ISLAMABAD/BRUSSELS: Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed regret on Monday for the deaths of Pakistani soldiers last week and said he hoped Pakistan’s border would reopen for NATO supplies to Afghanistan as soon as possible.

Angered by repeated attacks by Nato helicopters on militant targets within its borders, Pakistan blocked one of the supply routes for Nato troops in Afghanistan after a strike killed three Pakistani soldiers in the western Kurram region.

Analysts and Western officials said Pakistan’s closure of the border for a few days would not seriously impact the war effort in Afghanistan, but it would create political tension that Pakistan could exploit.

“I expressed my regret for the incident last week in which Pakistani soldiers lost their lives,” Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said after meeting Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Brussels. “I expressed my hope the border will be open for supplies as soon as possible.”

The apology came after gunmen attacked a convoy of trucks taking goods to Western forces in Afghanistan on the outskirts of Islamabad, killing three guards. The foreign minister while apprising the Nato secretary general of the gravity of public anger over Nato incursions said that Pakistan would only reopen the supply route for coalition troops in Afghanistan once public anger eases and security improves. “Unless the reaction cools down and we make sure that the supply line is secured, we cannot reopen it,” the foreign minister added. He further said the UN mandate for Isaf is confined to Afghanistan and Nato/Isaf forces are again advised to refrain from any actions that constitute a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.

Foreign Minister Qureshi did not hold a press conference after the meeting. Hours later, suspected militants attacked trawlers carrying supplies for Nato through Balochistan, killing one man, police said.

Pakistan has officially said the border has been closed for security reasons and the Taliban threat of more attacks will likely prolong the closure of the vital supply route — now in its fifth day — and further strain ties with ally Washington, which has long demanded Pakistan crackdown on militants. “Efforts are underway to resolve this issue, but there is a lot of anger in Pakistan about the border incursion,” a senior Pakistani government official told Reuters.

ISAF spokesman Major Joel Harper told Reuters in Kabul that the border closure wouldn’t impact the mission, but that the supply lines are “an important element of the Pakistani economy. It’s important to our logistics stocks”. The closures would force more supplies through NATO’s northern supply route through Russia and the central Asian republics, he said. “Nato authorities have all along anticipated disruptions in the supply chain and have been stockpiling supplies in advance,” said Kamran Bokhari, South Asia director at STRATFOR global intelligence.

Andrew Exum, a fellow with the Center for a New American Security and former adviser on Gen Stanley McChrystal’ assessment team in Afghanistan, said the closures mattered little tactically.

“Even though it’s painful it doesn’t cripple the mission,” he said. “The larger strategic issue is that we’re seeing a period of rising public tension between the United States and Pakistan.”

“It’s clear the Pakistanis are frustrated with the United States,” he continued. “It’s clear the Pakistanis are frustrated with the drone strikes in Pakistan. What I don’t think the Pakistanis understand is how frustrated the Americans and the American public are with the Pakistanis.”

Rasmussen said the killing of the three Pakistani soldiers was unintended and showed the need to improve coordination between the NATO and the Pakistani military. He said a joint investigation was under way. “It is important we step up our cooperation,” he said. —Agencies

Mariana Baabar adds: Meanwhile, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), when contacted, said it cannot confirm the identity of two planes that hovered inside Pakistani airspace at the time when Nato helicopters were striking a Pakistani checkpost. A private television channel showed the footage of the incident in which for the first time the presence of these two planes came to light.

 

[jahangeer yousaf]

thumbs up to our chinese frineds ..........well well well ....... now let them think ...... and i believe they wont come up with any idea INSHALLAH .......we do not have to fight...we can kill them by blocking the routes....moreover winter is ahead ...... so we do not need to burry them ...... snow will cover

 

[DGMO]

Quoting Asim Aquil:

" Apologies are cheap, blood is not.

NATO should have apologized for the deaths long time back.. anyway better late than never.

Very Good.. Is there an official statement issued by NATO around the apology ?

To clarify, NATO has only expressed regret at the killings of our troops.

They have not, and I repeat NOT apologised for their deaths.

Regret (in diplomatic parlance) is a way to avoid offering an all-out apology. Similar to when we hear statements by the Israeli's or the US when they say 'we regret the loss of innocent lives'.

So don't think NATO are backing down, or are realising the error of their ways (which this statement might appear to show).

No apology has been given, and don't expect one. The blood we spill doesn't appear to be worth much to warrant one it seems.

 

[jahangeer yousaf]

atleast i do not expect any REAL appology from ISAF or nato or americans.....and i will not accept either ............

 

[Tuahaa]

Best we don't accept

But the sad fact is that it'll probably will continue.

Our politicians aren't patriotic

 

[jahangeer yousaf]

“It’s clear the Pakistanis are frustrated with the United States,” he continued. “It’s clear the Pakistanis are frustrated with the drone strikes in Pakistan. What I don’t think the Pakistanis understand is how frustrated the Americans and the American public are with the Pakistanis.”

enough bluffing ......... i dont think so it will work ....... americans need to think something else ....... which they cannt right now because they are more frustrated than pakistan is........

 

[jahangeer yousaf]

i do not expect anything from our politician as they are only puppets of zoinist....... and i am used to of they are letting us down in front of everyone ..... but ARMY should watch before taking any step.......

 

[Omar1984]

 

[somebozo]

“It’s clear the Pakistanis are frustrated with the United States,” he continued. “It’s clear the Pakistanis are frustrated with the drone strikes in Pakistan. What I don’t think the Pakistanis understand is how frustrated the Americans and the American public are with the Pakistanis.”

Yes indeed we are damn frustrated..America has changed colors like chameleon since the end of Afghan-Soviet war leaving us on our self to fend for loss and damage we incurred. American gov is insensitive to our defense & security issues and more they never invested efforts and finance into reshaping post war Afghanistan leaving us at the mercy of gurellia forces raised to fight soviets.

 

[jahangeer yousaf]

Yes indeed we are damn frustrated..America has changed colors like chameleon since the end of Afghan-Soviet war leaving us on our self to fend for loss and damage we incurred. American gov is insensitive to our defense & security issues and more they never invested efforts and finance into reshaping post war Afghanistan leaving us at the mercy of gurellia forces raised to fight soviets.

i support and i agree with you ..................... america never took anything serious we were ally of america against soviet and still not taking it serious

 

[VCheng]

This government should be overthrown if it opens up the route without getting any state level assurance from the US Congress that attacks would cease upon Pakistan.

With the mid-term elections coming up, and after Bob Woodward's book, as well the the upcoming trip to India, there will be pressure to make Obama look tough on security issues.

The supply line will be opened in a few days, and drone attacks will continue, may be even increase, at least until the mid term elections are over.

What happens after that will depend on the Democrat's position in both chambers.

 

[Awesome]

With the mid-term elections coming up, and after Bob Woodward's book, as well the the upcoming trip to India, there will be pressure to make Obama look tough on security issues.

The supply line will be opened in a few days, and drone attacks will continue, may be even increase, at least until the mid term elections are over.

What happens after that will depend on the Democrat's position in both chambers.

We should be concerned about how our government acts. It is not the fault of the Americans that we're being attacked. For all the reasons you explained they have to keep attacking us

 

[VCheng]

We should be concerned about how our government acts. It is not the fault of the Americans that we're being attacked. For all the reasons you explained they have to keep attacking us

Exactly.

However, the great pity is that the Government of Pakistan has never felt the need to, or made to, answer, to its own people.

This situation is very painful for me to see on so many levels. I am trying whatever little I can do in this regard, but trust me, it is a hugely difficult job, on both sides.