Political India: Engaging America

From The Hindu

Did not want to leave anything to chance

United States Navy SEALs were authorised by President Barack Obama to engage in a fierce fire-fight with the Pakistani military during their clandestine operation against al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden on May 1, it has emerged.

As per an initial plan, the elite commando unit would have relied on backup from two combat-ready helicopters positioned on the Afghan side of the Durand line. However as it would take them 90 minutes or more to reach the primary strike team in Abbottabad, Mr. Obama stepped in and changed that plan at the last minute, insisting that the backup choppers and troops fly deep into Pakistani territory as well.

The President's decision to expand the size of the commando unit flying to Pakistan suggests that he was “willing to risk a military confrontation with a close ally in order to capture or kill the leader of al- Qaeda,” reports here said.

Even as U.S.-Pakistan relations sank to a new low in the aftermath of the raid, officials speaking on condition of anonymity said two further teams of specialists were on standby: “One to bury bin Laden if he was killed, and a second composed of lawyers, interrogators and translators in case he was captured alive.”

While sources said these teams were likely to have been stationed on the U.S. aircraft carrier Carl Vinson in the North Arabian Sea, they conceded that a running battle in Abbottabad between almost 80 U.S. commandos and the Pakistani law enforcement authorities would have “set off an even larger breach with the Pakistanis than has taken place”.

Speaking to the New York Times, one senior administration official said, “Their instructions were to avoid any confrontation if at all possible. But if they had to return fire to get out, they were authorised to do it.”

An official also explained that while the Americans may have been able to talk their way out of a potential confrontation with the Pakistani military or even local police, “given our difficult relationship with Pakistan right now, the President did not want to leave anything to chance.” It was this concern for the safety of the SEALs that prompted Mr. Obama to insist on “extra forces if they were necessary,” officials were reported as saying.

The NYT also quoted officials saying in planning for the possible capture of Osama it was decided they would take him aboard a Navy ship to “preclude battles over jurisdiction”.

The aim of that exercise would be to rapidly conduct a preliminary interrogation for information that might help prevent an imminent terror attack or pinpoint other al-Qaeda operatives.

The aftermath of Osama's killing has witnessed a spike in tensions between the U.S. and Pakistan, yet both sides have sought to limit the hostilities in some regards. Unconfirmed reports this week suggested that American investigators would soon be allowed to interview Osama's three widows, currently in Pakistani custody.

Simultaneously, the Obama administration put out a slew of statements affirming Pakistan's vital role as an ally in the U.S. continuing fight against terrorism.

However, even the publicly expressed resentment over the raid appeared to take on a theatrical air when some reports revealed that the former U.S. President, George W. Bush, and the former President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, had struck a secret deal in late 2001 whereby a unilateral, clandestine U.S. strike against Osama on Pakistani soil would be permitted by Pakistani authorities.

The Guardian, quoting both serving and retired Pakistani and U.S. officials, reported that as part of this deal after the U.S. strike, “Pakistan would vociferously protest the incursion,” and while there would be a “hue and cry,” in Pakistan over the raid the Pakistani military establishment would not actually attempt to stop U.S. forces from conducting it.