Political India: Engaging America

Osama bin Laden may be dead but, like Banquo's ghost in Macbeth, the decade-long fear-pandemic that he unleashed on the United States has come back to haunt the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Citing specific and “credible although unconfirmed” intelligence received from an informant by the U.S.' main spy agency, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sought to justify going public with the news on the eve of the anniversary. “We took it seriously. There's also an advantage; by making it public you enlist literally millions of people to be your eyes and your ears.”

Recalling that the attempted attack by Faisal Shahzad, the so-called Times Square bomber, was foiled because “a food vendor saw something suspicious,” Ms. Clinton said she hoped the American public would “be part of ... [a] network of vigilance, where it's not just our law enforcement who are on the tip of the spear.”

Responding to news of the tipoff that two U.S. citizens, possibly of Arab descent, had travelled from the Afghanistan-Pakistan region and reached the U.S. last week, senior intelligence officials were quoted as saying that “The ‘chatter' indicated plans to attack Washington DC and New York City on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.”

Since that time the two major East Coast cities have been swamped by patrols of bomb-sniffing dogs in the subway system and vehicle searches by police — all aimed at discovering clues to a possible “vehicle-borne” attack.

Some media reports, quoting intelligence officials, said the informant had approached the CIA with information that the men dispatched to carry out the attacks were following orders from al-Qaeda's new boss, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and that possibly two of the three individuals had U.S. documentation.

White House spokesman Jay Carney, however, suggested that the information on the possible attack this weekend might have been the result of a four-month investigation led by John Brennan, President Barack Obama's counterterrorism adviser.

Commenting on Mr. Obama's response to the perceived threat, he told journalists that Mr. Obama had asked “the whole team [to] redouble its efforts to follow all the information we get, all the threat information we get, and to take all the necessary precautions.”

From The Hindu

United States President Barack Obama’s announcement this week that there will be a 33,000-troop drawdown by next summer elicited a wide range of responses that revealed, more than anything, the cross-cutting impact of this major strategic decision.

For one, his would-be Republican challengers in the 2012 presidential election have trained their guns on the alleged weakness in U.S. foreign policy that the decision implied.

Speaking at a Maryland Republican Party dinner in Baltimore, an outspoken if poorly placed challenger, former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich had strong words for Mr. Obama’s failure to protect Pakistan-based informants of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency from being arrested in the aftermath of Osama bin Laden’s death.

“We should have taken extraordinary actions against Pakistanis within 24 hours,” Mr. Gingrich was quoted as saying, adding, “We should have said If you don’t release those people you can assume we have no relationship and we’ll chat with you from India.”

Others critiqued with a broader brushstroke, considering the strategic implications for the U.S.’ strategic approach to the region.

Lisa Curtis, a former CIA officer and Senior Research Fellow at Washington’s Heritage Foundation, worried that the Obama announcement might “further discourage Pakistan from cracking down on the Taliban leadership that finds sanctuary on its soil,” and also possibly “encourage Pakistani military leaders to continue to hedge on support to the Taliban to protect their own national security interests.”

Ms. Curtis also argued that the rapid withdrawal announcement would likely bolster the morale of the Taliban and encourage them to stick with the fight. “Since al-Qaeda has not yet dissolved as an organization and its relationship with the Taliban remains strong, reducing military pressure on the Taliban in Afghanistan could benefit al-Qaeda and provide it a lifeline at a critical juncture in the fight against terrorism,” she said.

Indeed it was think-tanks that seemed most active this week, dissecting the myriad of consequences that could stem from the drawdown that is set to begin in a week.

Both the Heritage Foundation and at a new India-focused think tank here played host to several Members of Parliament from opposition parties in India, and they focused attention on the potential fallout for India.

Speaking at the launch of the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies think tank, Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, was quoted as saying, “We are almost close to the finishing line. What did India say all these years? We said Pakistan is the epicentre if global terrorism. Pakistan uses terror as an instrument of state policy. When these words were first used by us, some considered it to be an overstatement.”

Some experts, such as Council on Foreign Relations military specialist Stephen Biddle, viewed the White House plan more favourably but added that the President “should have affirmed a longer U.S. troop commitment in the region, even if it meant cutting force size further.”

Similarly Vanda Felbab-Brown, Fellow of the Brookings Instituion argued, “Although the number of troops being withdrawn this year... is not as large as some proponents of the counterterrorism-only, off-shore approach have advocated, the force reduction will be felt and could weaken progress that has been achieved.”

From The Hindu

Even as the United States-Pakistan relationship has fallen to a dangerous low following the killing of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, U.S. President Barack Obama said in unprecedentedly candid remarks that he thought that “there had to be some sort of support network for bin Laden inside of Pakistan”.

Skirting the question of which specific agencies or individuals might have knowingly harboured the suspected terrorist for many years, he said, “We don't know whether there might have been some people inside of government, people outside of government, and that's something that we have to investigate, and more importantly, the Pakistani government has to investigate.”

In a relatively rare break from the general tenor of official comments, Mr. Obama also spoke of the geo-political sensitivities involved in an operation that entailed covert action in nuclear-armed Pakistan.

Noting that there would have been “significant consequences,” had bin Laden not been identified by the CIA at the compound, Mr. Obama said, “Obviously, we're going into the sovereign territory of another country and landing helicopters and conducting a military operation. If it turns out that it's a wealthy... prince from Dubai who's in this compound, and... we've sent Special Forces in — we've got problems.”

Discussing the links between Pakistan and terrorism in the interview, Mr. Obama was however careful to avoid implying that the ISI or any military establishment organisation was responsible for harbouring bin Laden.

White House National Security Advisor Tom Donilon also drew the focus of debate to counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan, when he said in another interview over the weekend, “We have had difficulty with Pakistan, as I said, but we've also had to work very closely with Pakistan in our counter-terror efforts.”

While Mr. Donilon noted that more terrorists and extremists had been captured or killed in Pakistan than in any place in the world, Mr. Obama hinted that the flip side of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship was that a degree of mutual resentment may persist.

He said, “[Continuing counterterrorism cooperation] doesn't mean that there aren't going to be times where we're going be frustrated with Pakistanis. And frankly, there are going be times where they're frustrated with us.”

He added that there were not only individual terrorists in Pakistan but “also a climate inside of Pakistan that sometimes is deeply anti-American. And it makes it more difficult for us to be able to operate there effectively.”

From The Hindu

U.S. President emphasises that America is not at war with Islam

On a day when the United States basked in the glory of its accomplishment in its decade-long war on terror, U.S. President Barack Obama sought to temper the triumphalism over the killing of Osama bin Laden by placing victims of the 9/11 attacks in the spotlight, and also by emphasising that America was not at war with Islam.

Shortly after he announced Osama's killing in a residential compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, large crowds of revellers gathered outside the White House here and near Ground Zero in New York City, waving the American flag and chanting “USA, USA!” and “Yes, we can!”

While many of those speaking to the media expressed joy, a sense of justice delivered or closure, hearing the news of Osama's death, Mr. Obama sought to temper the emotional outpourings, cautioning, “We must also reaffirm that the U.S. is not – and never will be – at war with Islam.”

He said that he had made it clear, just as Mr. Bush did shortly after 9/11, that “bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims.” Indeed, the al-Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, Mr. Obama said.

Yet the President firmly underscored the significance of bin Laden's killing for the families of those killed on September 11, 2001. He said: “It was nearly ten years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory – hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.”

Mr. Obama also said that while Americans understood the costs of war they would be relentless in defence of their citizens and “our friends and allies.”

“On nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al-Qaeda's terror: Justice has been done,” he said.

There was unequivocal and bipartisan praise for the Obama administration's perseverance in tracking down and killing bin Laden. Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton — also associated with pursuing bin Laden for terror attacks on U.S. soil — hailed his killing as justice delivered.

In a statement Mr. Clinton said, “I congratulate the President, the National Security team and the members of our armed forces on bringing Osama bin Laden to justice.” Mr. Bush, who was in office during the 9/11 attacks, said: “This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001.”

He added a strong message to those who would attack the U.S., saying: “The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a similar statement saying that the death of bin Laden sent a message to the Taliban in Afghanistan that “you cannot wait us out. You cannot defeat us. But you can make the choice to abandon the al-Qaeda” and participate in a peaceful political process. She added that some doubted bin Laden would ever be caught, but “this is America... We persevere, and we get the job done.”

John Boehner, U.S. House Speaker and Republican of Ohio, said: “This is...a victory in our continued fight against the al-Qaeda and radical extremism around the world. We continue to face a complex and evolving terrorist threat, and it is important that we remain vigilant in our efforts.”

Former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney had direct words of praise for Mr. Obama when he said: “I also want to congratulate President Obama and the members of his National Security team. At this moment when bin Laden has been brought to justice, we especially remember the sacrifice of the young Americans who've paid the ultimate price in the defence of the nation, as well as the nearly 3000 Americans who lost their lives on 9/11.”

While the economic recovery and job creation are likely to continue to be key issues for the presidential elections in November 2012, many observers noted that the killing of bin Laden marked a major achievement for the Obama administration's continued war on terror and would likely improve Mr. Obama's odds of re-election significantly.

"Justice has been done," said U.S. President Barack Obama in a historic address. Mr. Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed in a targetted attack on a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Osama bin Laden, leader of terror outfit al- Qaeda and alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks in New York City, was killed in Pakistan in a Special Forces operation by the United States, U.S. President Barack Obama announced on Sunday night.

In a statement issued shortly after 11.30 p.m., Mr. Obama confirmed that Osama, high on the list of U.S. authorities' most wanted men, had been killed after a “fire-fight” in Abbottabad, a military cantonment town not far from Islamabad. The President said U.S. forces subsequently “took custody of his body.”

Resistance

Media reports quoted administration officials saying Osama had offered resistance to the assault team, presumed to comprise U.S. Navy Seals, and was shot in the head. The end came when U.S. forces in helicopters attacked a large walled compound where Osama and some of his family members were said to be hiding.

Buried at sea

While U.S. officials said DNA evidence confirmed that Osama was killed, no official evidence of his identity was released yet. Senior administration officials, briefing the media, had said the body would be handled in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition, and reports confirmed that he was “buried at sea.”

Even as news of his death broke, large crowds gathered outside the White House, at Ground Zero — the site of the 9/11 attacks — and in Times Square, New York City. Comprising mostly college-aged youngsters, the masses waved the American flag, sang the U.S. national anthem and chanted “USA, USA”.

Touching upon the historic import of Osama's death after nearly a decade of the U.S.-led war on terror, Mr. Obama said in his address to the nation: “For over two decades, Bin Laden has been al-Qaeda's leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies.”

Mr. Obama said the death of Osama marked the “most significant achievement to date” in the U.S.' effort to defeat the al-Qaeda; however, he cautioned: “Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There is no doubt that the al-Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must — and we will — remain vigilant at home and abroad.”

“Justice done”

Echoing the popular mood of the jubilant masses on the streets, Mr. Obama said justice had been done. The former Presidents, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton – also associated with pursuing Osama for terror attacks on U.S. soil – also joined with Mr. Obama in hailing Osama killing as justice delivered.

‘Mass murderer of Muslims'

Even as spontaneous celebrations erupted across the country, Mr. Obama sought to emphasise that his country would never be at war with Islam, and also that Pakistan's counter-terrorism cooperation had been important in the operation. “Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims.” Indeed, the al-Qaeda had slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, Mr. Obama said.

There was some ambiguity regarding Pakistan's role in the operation. While Pakistani officials were quoted in the media as saying that they did have prior knowledge of the assault in Abbottabad, U.S. officials appeared to deny this, with one senior administration official saying: “We had shared this information with no other country, and... a very, very small group of individuals within the U.S. government was aware of this.”

However, Mr. Obama said he had called Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday night, and Pakistani officials “agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations.”

Covert operation

Regarding the covert operation, senior administration officials at the White House revealed numerous details regarding the intelligence gathering efforts that had set the stage for the assault.

Speaking to the media in a late-night conference call, they said that beginning in September 2010 the Central Intelligence Agency was said to have discussed with Mr. Obama “a set of assessments that led it to believe that in fact it was possible that Osama may be located at a compound in Pakistan.”

Following these discussions, officials said, it was determined in mid-February that there was a sound intelligence basis for pursuing the lead in an aggressive way and “developing courses of action to pursue Osama bin Laden at this location.”

With the President giving the final order to pursue the operation on the morning of April 29, the raid was sanctioned for Sunday, May 1, and the target, a large home with 18-foot walls and no telephone or internet connections, was identified based on intelligence reports compiled over four years.

40-minute affair

Spending less than 40 minutes in the compound, the U.S. forces “did not encounter any local authorities while performing the raid,” officials said, and apart from Osama, three adult males were said to have been killed, in all likelihood two couriers and Osama's adult son. Osama did offer resistance to the assault, officials said, confirming that one woman was also killed “when she was used as a shield by a male combatant.”

Following the assault, a helicopter was lost due to mechanical failure and “it had to be destroyed by the crew and the assault force.” Officials said crew members boarded the remaining aircraft to exit the compound.

From The Hindu

The United States is “worried” about the prospect of a terror attack in India “right now,” according to Robert Blake, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, in particular from groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba.

In a recent interview in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Mr. Blake said, “We think that groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba are looking for opportunities and countries through which they can infiltrate into India.”

Touching upon counter-terrorism coordination between key South Asian nations, Mr. Blake added that from the U.S.' perspective, the bilateral cooperation between countries has been “pretty good, with the possible exception of Pakistan.”

High priority

Arguing that such coordination, however, was “a very high priority for India and for Pakistan,” the Assistant Secretary said that the U.S. was very encouraged that the two nations' Home Ministers were going to meet on March 28.

“We hope that that can get counter-terrorism cooperation back on a more solid footing,” Mr. Blake said.