Pakistan army knew about operation against Osama bin Laden

[VCheng]

Pakistan Military Played Key Role In Bin Laden Raid

The United States has said that no one in the Pakistan military or intelligence community knew about the US raid on Osama bin Laden's residence in Abbottabad. The Pakistan government, military and intelligence service likewise disclaimed prior knowledge.

It doesn't add up. And the reason it doesn't add up is because it is not true.

GlobalPost reports:

Pakistani officials have told GlobalPost that the Pakistani army had full knowledge of the U.S. raid that led to the death of Osama bin Laden and that it played a larger role in the operation than previously acknowledged.

One senior military official, who asked not to be named because he is not permitted to speak to the press, said that Pakistani army troops were in fact providing backup support when the United States began its operations inside the compound where bin Laden had been staying, including sealing off the neighborhood where the compound was located.

Residents in the area confirmed that the Pakistan army appeared to have at least some knowledge of the operation well before it began. Several residents said that two hours before the United States launched its attack, Pakistani army personnel ordered them to switch off their lights inside and outside their homes and remain indoors until further notice.

“The army personnel cordoned off the entire area long before we heard the sounds of helicopters hovering over the area,” said Zulfikar Ahmed, who lives in the Abbottabad neighborhood of Bilal Town, where bin Laden’s compound is located. Locals interviewed by the BBC and several other local and international media outlets made similar statements.

You can read the full report here. The reason that both the US and Pakistan governments proclaimed that Pakistan had no prior knowledge of the raid was to protect the Pakistan government from the wrath of its citizenry (or some of its citizenry). It was, as they say, useful fiction.


Read more: Bin Laden: Pakistan assisted US strike

This is a big steaming pile of bovine excreta.

 

[Army of Pakistan]

Pakistan had "full knowledge" of bin Laden raid

(CBS) GlobalPost is reporting that the Pakistani army had "full knowledge" of the U.S. Navy SEAL operation to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, but the U.S. government maintains that Pakistan had no clue about the 40-minute operation.



According to the GlobalPost report, Pakistan's government has been hiding its involvement in the raid to avoid a public backlash, and especially reprisals from Taliban and Al Qaeda sympathizers.


In recent weeks, popular anger in Pakistan spiked when CIA contractor Raymond Davis killed two Pakistanis, on top of disagreements over U.S. drone attacks on Pakistani territory.


The GlobalPost article cites a senior Pakistani Army official and an Abbottabad resident, who claimed Pakistani forces provided military support for the operation, such as sealing off the area around bin Laden's compound and telling neighborhood residents to turn off their lights two hours before the attack.

In addition, the article quotes a senior military official who said Gen. David Petraeus, current commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan and soon to be director of the CIA, held a one-on-one meeting with Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Pakistan army chief of staff, to to discuss the details of the operation on April 25 in Islamabad.

This account completely differs from what both U.S. and Pakistan officials have been saying about the raid.

CIA Director Leon Panetta told CBS News' Katie Couric that the Pakistanis had no involvement in the operation:


"This has been a long process, obviously, developing a lot of streams of intelligence. And some of those streams of intelligence were kind of in the normal process of working with the Pakistanis. But they were never aware of our focus on this compound or in bin Laden. And we made the decision that we would not inform them that we would conduct this operation unilaterally on the part of the United States.



"I think that President Bush, President Obama have both made very clear to the Pakistanis that if we found a location where Osama bin Laden was located, that we were going to go in and get him. And I think they understood that very clearly."

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir has maintained that his country was clueless about the raid (which was apparently carried out by U.S. "stealth" helicopters flying below the radar) until it was underway. He said the army scrambled two F-16 fighter jets when it was aware that foreign helicopters were hovering over the city of Abbottabad, but they did not arrive in time to intervene.


On Thursday, Pakistan's army called for cuts in the number of American military personnel inside the country to protest the raid, and it threatened to cut cooperation with Washington if it stages more unilateral raids on its territory. A small number of U.S. soldiers have been training Pakistani forces in counter-insurgency operations.




Despite the tensions in the relationship and complexities of the diplomatic-speak, the U.S. and Pakistan will continue to circle around each other. "I think we have to pay more attention, not less, to Pakistan," Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said. "I would guess that our number one foreign policy problem over the next 10 years will be Pakistan. It's nuclear. It's poor. It's ethnically divided and it's never had good leadership."


Read more: GlobalPost: Pakistan had "full knowledge" of bin Laden raid - World Watch - CBS News

 

[Kinetic]

Pakistani foreign spokesperson said the operation was unilateral and unauthorized, US also said no country had knowledge of the operation until it was over. Also note about the question raised by CIA and US administration. So such claims has no basis.


Video: John Brennan, the counter-terrorism chief of the US, explains the operation that killed Osama. Note between 6:12 to 7:40.

Did Pak provide support system to Osama?

 

[Army of Pakistan]

Pakistani foreign spokesperson said the operation was unilateral and unauthorized, US also said no country had knowledge of the operation until it was over. Also note about the question raised by CIA and US administration. So such claims has no basis.


Video: John Brennan, the counter-terrorism chief of the US, explains the operation that killed Osama. Note between 6:12 to 7:40.

Did Pak provide support system to Osama?

Pakistan so vehemently denying any involvement in this operation doesn't make sense. Especially with the most wanted man found here. If this was a suprise to Pakistan and Pakistan wasn't involved in this operation they would be saying otherwise to save face. But with your intellectual level you prolly will not understand.

 

[American Eagle]

Of course Pakistan was involved from start to finish. Why do you keep ignoring the public fact that President Obama called President Zardari to thank him for the assistance of the GOP? Let's cut the fake mysteries and move on.

 

[Army of Pakistan]

Of course Pakistan was involved from start to finish. Why do you keep ignoring the public fact that President Obama called President Zardari to thank him for the assistance of the GOP? Let's cut the fake mysteries and move on.

thank God we have an intelligent person here.

 

[Army of Pakistan]

i have posted before that our ssg was on its way at 1 am, to take the control of around the compound, after some time there were announcement for peoples to stay home and keep the lite off, and one more solid reason whom they deliverd the captured childerns, womens before leaving ?

why doesn't anybody realize this? good post.

 

[S.M.R]

 

[VelocuR]

Despite the tensions in the relationship and complexities of the diplomatic-speak, the U.S. and Pakistan will continue to circle around each other. "I think we have to pay more attention, not less, to Pakistan," Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said. "I would guess that our number one foreign policy problem over the next 10 years will be Pakistan. It's nuclear. It's poor. It's ethnically divided and it's never had good leadership."


What does that means??

 

[ares]

IF Pakistan really knew about this raid or were a part of it ..it is utterly pathetic and inexcusable on how the have handled the situation thereafter such that they are still in the eye of the storm and global condemnation.

Rather being acclaimed as heroes for capturing OBL..they are being ridiculed for their apparent lack of knowledge of OBL living in their backyard for last five yrs..and being called Osama's complicit/incompetent by their own allies/raid partners.

 

[mughaljee]

Military Leadership was knows every thing,
Crocodile tears.

 

[luckyyy]

yes , they came to know at 3:00am ....

 

[Gin ka Pakistan]

Of course Pakistan was involved from start to finish. Why do you keep ignoring the public fact that President Obama called President Zardari to thank him for the assistance of the GOP? Let's cut the fake mysteries and move on.

Yes . but only the few at the top, but they made sure no interception should be made by any level of the army to interfere with the the action , even local police was not allowed to go , electricity was cut on time but accepting the fact that Pakistan helped at any level can make few Generals more unfamous as they are.

Every one know both US and Afghan government is in contact with Taliban leaders inside Pakistan and they should be Pressurized to behave when US leave.

 

[Break the Silence]

The question arises here after so many threads being related to whether pakistan knew about the operation or Pakistan Army and ISI were escorting OBL?
The answer could be very well summed up in following lines. Either Pak army& ISI betrayed OBL, or they betrayed U.S.A.

 

[Gin ka Pakistan]

IF Pakistan really knew about this raid or were a part of it ..it is utterly pathetic and inexcusable on how the have handled the situation thereafter such that they are still in the eye of the storm and global condemnation.

Rather being acclaimed as heroes for capturing OBL..they are being ridiculed for their apparent lack of knowledge of OBL living in their backyard for last five yrs..and being called Osama's complicit/incompetent by their own allies/raid partners.

The bill to cut Pakistani aid will fail because with out the Pakistani Ellette who need the aid for there life style , US is trap in Afghanistan and do you the cost of living for one solider in logistic cost per day? , its in three figures