Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Obama authorised SEALs to take on Pak forces
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.
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.
Labels: Abbottabad operation, Barack Obama, Osama killing
Obama: We have cut off al-Qaeda’s head
From The Hindu
‘This continues to be a tough fight'
Even as there was a growing clamour of voices questioning the legality of the United States entering Pakistan's territory without notice and killing an unarmed Osama Bin Laden last Sunday, U.S. President Barack Obama struck a defiant note on terror group al-Qaeda on Friday, saying “We have cut off their head and we will ultimately defeat them.”
Speaking to soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, scarcely five days after Navy SEALS stormed bin Laden's walled compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, the President said that the U.S. was making progress in its “central goal in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and that is disrupting and dismantling... al-Qaeda.”
After a visit a day earlier to New York City, where Mr. Obama spoke with the families of victims of the 9/11 terror attacks, he said at the military base, “I came here for a simple reason — to say thank you on behalf of America.” Adding that this was “an historic week in the life of our nation,” he said the terrorist leader who struck our nation on 9/11 “will never threaten America again”.
Mr. Obama also confirmed that he had met Admiral William McRaven, a former SEAL, and commander of the Joint Special Operations Command, and also the members of the SEAL team involved in the operation.
He said, “Today... I had the privilege of meeting the extraordinary Special Ops folks who honoured [Mr. Obama's promise to “never forget” those lost in the 9/11 attacks]. It was a chance for me to say – on behalf of all Americans and people around the world — “Job well done.”
Mr. Obama also touched upon the Af-Pak region, noting that the U.S. was “making progress in Afghanistan... taking insurgents and their leaders off the battlefield and helping Afghans reclaim their communities.”
Further, across Afghanistan the Taliban's momentum had been broken and they had been pushed out of their strongholds. “We are building the capacity of Afghans, partnering with communities and police and security forces, which are growing stronger.” Mr. Obama said that this “This continues to be a very tough fight,” and in the coming months U.S. forces would start transferring responsibility for security to Afghan authorities reducing U.S. troop numbers.
Arguing that the planned long-term partnership with the Afghan people would help ensure that “al-Qaeda can never again threaten America from that country, Mr. Obama reiterated, “The bottom line is this: Our strategy is working, and there's no greater evidence of that than justice finally being delivered to Osama bin Laden.”
Labels: Abbottabad operation, Al-Qaeda, Barack Obama, Osama bin Laden killing
Involving Pakistan might have jeopardised the operation: CIA
From The Hindu
Leon Panetta, Director of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), has said that although the U.S. considered including other countries in the plan to launch an assault on Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad the CIA ruled out participating with Pakistan at the outset because “it was decided that any effort to work with the Pakistanis could jeopardise the mission.”
Mr. Panetta said in a media interview that if the U.S. agency had shared such critical intelligence with Pakistan, “they might [have alerted] the targets.” Running a high-altitude bombing raid from B-2 bombers or launching a “direct shot” with cruise missiles were considered as an alternative, he said.
Those options were, however, ruled out due to the possibility of “too much collateral,” Mr. Panetta said to Time magazine. He pointed out, though, that the direct-shot option “[had still been] on the table [till] as late as last Thursday as the CIA and the White House grappled with how much risk to take in the mission.”
He said that he had worried about the potential consequences of involving Pakistan in the covert operation, saying: “What if you go down and you are in a fire-fight and the Pakistanis show up and start firing?”
Leon Panetta, Director of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), has said that although the U.S. considered including other countries in the plan to launch an assault on Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad the CIA ruled out participating with Pakistan at the outset because “it was decided that any effort to work with the Pakistanis could jeopardise the mission.”
Mr. Panetta said in a media interview that if the U.S. agency had shared such critical intelligence with Pakistan, “they might [have alerted] the targets.” Running a high-altitude bombing raid from B-2 bombers or launching a “direct shot” with cruise missiles were considered as an alternative, he said.
Those options were, however, ruled out due to the possibility of “too much collateral,” Mr. Panetta said to Time magazine. He pointed out, though, that the direct-shot option “[had still been] on the table [till] as late as last Thursday as the CIA and the White House grappled with how much risk to take in the mission.”
He said that he had worried about the potential consequences of involving Pakistan in the covert operation, saying: “What if you go down and you are in a fire-fight and the Pakistanis show up and start firing?”
Labels: Abbottabad operation, Osama killing, US-Pak ties
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