Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Washington Times
June 14, 2008
Pg. 10
Islamabad joins strike probe
By Anne Gearan, Associated Press
PARIS--Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice offered her personal regrets to Pakistan on Friday for the deaths of soldiers whom the United States called partners in the battle against terrorism. The two nations remained at odds over what happened and whether the U.S. accidentally killed friendly forces.
Pakistan agreed to join a U.S. investigation of Tuesday's bombing, which Pakistan says killed 11 of its soldiers camped along the lawless Afghan border. The U.S. military claims only enemy insurgents were targeted. Both countries publicly pledged to continue their anti-terrorism cooperation.
Miss Rice met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Paris and told him the U.S. regrets the incident at the border.
It was part of a U.S. effort to smooth relations with an important ally now under new management. Civilian leaders chosen this year in Pakistan are less friendly to U.S. terrorism policies than former army strongman Pervez Musharraf, whose power was diminished.
"We need to find out how and why it happened - what exactly happened - get to the bottom of it jointly and then figure out how to make sure we avoid this in the future," Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said following Miss Rice's meeting with Mr. Qureshi.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Thursday that he had invited Pakistan and Afghanistan to be part of a U.S. investigation into the clash on the Afghan border that led to American planes dropping bombs on insurgents who had staged an attack inside Afghanistan.
Mr. Qureshi and Miss Rice are in Paris for an international donor conference on Afghanistan.
The U.S. disputes Pakistan's characterization. On Thursday, the president's national security adviser, Stephen J. Hadley, said the U.S. had not corroborated that Pakistani troops died, but Mr. Boucher said Miss Rice specifically expressed regret for the dead soldiers, "knowing that they too are allies in the war on terror."
The two nations agreed they can share more information ahead of the generally secret U.S. terror-hunting operations, Mr. Boucher said. That was something Pakistan had sought.
"There was some notice to the Pakistani side that these operations were under way, but I think we all believe that the incident shows there's the need for even better cross-border communications," said Mr. Boucher, the top U.S. diplomat for South Asia.
Meanwhile, tribal leaders from the border region, angered by the U.S. air strike, vowed to raise a militia to help Pakistan's army defend the border with Afghanistan, Reuters news agency reported.
Elders from ethnic Pashtun tribes in Mohmand, one of seven semi-autonomous tribal regions, issued a statement late Thursday condemning the attack as "naked aggression" and saying they were ready to raise a "lashkar," or army.
Chanting slogans of "Down with America" and "Down with Bush," about 250 activists of an Islamic group paraded on the roads of Ghalanai, Mohmand's main town.
June 14, 2008
Pg. 10
Islamabad joins strike probe
By Anne Gearan, Associated Press
PARIS--Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice offered her personal regrets to Pakistan on Friday for the deaths of soldiers whom the United States called partners in the battle against terrorism. The two nations remained at odds over what happened and whether the U.S. accidentally killed friendly forces.
Pakistan agreed to join a U.S. investigation of Tuesday's bombing, which Pakistan says killed 11 of its soldiers camped along the lawless Afghan border. The U.S. military claims only enemy insurgents were targeted. Both countries publicly pledged to continue their anti-terrorism cooperation.
Miss Rice met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Paris and told him the U.S. regrets the incident at the border.
It was part of a U.S. effort to smooth relations with an important ally now under new management. Civilian leaders chosen this year in Pakistan are less friendly to U.S. terrorism policies than former army strongman Pervez Musharraf, whose power was diminished.
"We need to find out how and why it happened - what exactly happened - get to the bottom of it jointly and then figure out how to make sure we avoid this in the future," Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher said following Miss Rice's meeting with Mr. Qureshi.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Thursday that he had invited Pakistan and Afghanistan to be part of a U.S. investigation into the clash on the Afghan border that led to American planes dropping bombs on insurgents who had staged an attack inside Afghanistan.
Mr. Qureshi and Miss Rice are in Paris for an international donor conference on Afghanistan.
The U.S. disputes Pakistan's characterization. On Thursday, the president's national security adviser, Stephen J. Hadley, said the U.S. had not corroborated that Pakistani troops died, but Mr. Boucher said Miss Rice specifically expressed regret for the dead soldiers, "knowing that they too are allies in the war on terror."
The two nations agreed they can share more information ahead of the generally secret U.S. terror-hunting operations, Mr. Boucher said. That was something Pakistan had sought.
"There was some notice to the Pakistani side that these operations were under way, but I think we all believe that the incident shows there's the need for even better cross-border communications," said Mr. Boucher, the top U.S. diplomat for South Asia.
Meanwhile, tribal leaders from the border region, angered by the U.S. air strike, vowed to raise a militia to help Pakistan's army defend the border with Afghanistan, Reuters news agency reported.
Elders from ethnic Pashtun tribes in Mohmand, one of seven semi-autonomous tribal regions, issued a statement late Thursday condemning the attack as "naked aggression" and saying they were ready to raise a "lashkar," or army.
Chanting slogans of "Down with America" and "Down with Bush," about 250 activists of an Islamic group paraded on the roads of Ghalanai, Mohmand's main town.