Musharraf admits to a secret drone deal with US: report

[Devil Soul]

April 12, 2013 - Updated 715 PKT
From Web Edition
ISLAMABAD: According to American news channel CNN, former president Gen (Retd) Pervez Musharraf has acknowledged that his government secretly struck an agreement with US regarding drone strikes in the tribal areas of Pakistan.

This is the first time a top past or present Pakistani official has admitted publicly to such a deal, the news channel said.

In an interview this week in Islamabad, Musharraf insisted Pakistan's government signed off on strikes "only on a few occasions, when a target was absolutely isolated and no chance of collateral damage", said the CNN report.

The US news channel added that still, his admission that Pakistani leaders agreed to even a limited number of strikes runs counter to their repeated denunciations of a program they long claimed the United States was operating without their approval.

The report further said that the drone strikes -- which the nonpartisan public policy group New American Foundation estimates have killed at least 1,990 people in Pakistan, including hundreds of civilians -- are unpopular in Pakistan.
[video]http://videos.thenews.com.pk/VideoGallery.aspx?ID=11371[/video]

 

[RazorMC]

Admittedly, there were fewer strikes in his era than Zardari's.

Still, he should have been honest with Pakistan and its citizens instead of lying and then revealing it to CNN.

 

[notsuperstitious]

Everybody knows there was a deal - a deal means a give and take BTW.

Yet shaking people out of their denial is next to impossible when the ''macho ego'' gets hurt.

Musharraf made a mistake, his fanboys like him better when he tells 100% lies, an image saving half lie like this one will not go down well.

 

[JanjaWeed]

Won't be long before Musharraf does another somersault & retracts his statement!

 

[Argus Panoptes]

Admittedly, there were fewer strikes in his era than Zardari's.

Still, he should have been honest with Pakistan and its citizens instead of lying and then revealing it to CNN.

Not only Gen Musharraf, but Gen Kayani and the government kept up the charade of lies to the people after him. They all should be taken to task for their roles in being complicit the killing of so many civilians.

 

[RazorMC]

Not only Gen Musharraf, but Gen Kayani and the government kept up the charade of lies to the people after him. They all should be taken to task for their roles in being complicit the killing of so many civilians.

I remember Kiyani saying that these attacks are non-productive, but I don't recall him denying a deal specifically; Diplomatic language and its advantages.

 

[Argus Panoptes]

I remember Kiyani saying that these attacks are non-productive, but I don't recall him denying a deal specifically; Diplomatic language and its advantages.

Call it diplomatic language or whatever, but it is simply lying and treason to the people of Pakistan by the people who are supposed to protect them:

An Inside Look at the U.S.-Pakistan Feud Over Drones - TIME

and

Army chief wanted more drone support | Newspaper | DAWN.COM

and yet

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Pak+won't+allow+US+drones+strike+in+Balochistan+:+Kayani.-a0208721918

 

[RazorMC]

Call it diplomatic language or whatever, but it is simply lying and treason to the people of Pakistan by the people who are supposed to protect them:

An Inside Look at the U.S.-Pakistan Feud Over Drones - TIME

and

Army chief wanted more drone support | Newspaper | DAWN.COM

and yet

Pak won't allow US drones strike in Balochistan : Kayani. - Free Online Library

One link suggests that Kayani's request for drone-cover was refused and another just claims that Kayani found these strikes militarily useful.

Still, it's just too embarrassing for Pakistan to have its government publicly denying any approval, condemning them and then this open-revelation comes up.

btw, how do you see these strikes? useful or just violations ?

 

[Rank]

istarhan kay 2 4 aur begerat-commando rahay tu Pakistan ka waqaye may Allah-Hafiz .... already we have seen GREAT PERFORMANCE of PAKISTAN GENERALS in past 65 years!

 

[Dillinger]

One link suggests that Kayani's request for drone-cover was refused and another just claims that Kayani found these strikes militarily useful.

Still, it's just too embarrassing for Pakistan to have its government publicly denying any approval, condemning them and then this open-revelation comes up.

btw, how do you see these strikes? useful or just violations ?

As long as they were based on good actionable humint and elint they were productive, they even yielded a few dead Qeda leaders. But since these strikes have moved on to being based on "patterns" they have led to many civilian casualties. But the US cannot be expected to figure that into their calculus, they will always have the excuse that Pakistan goes easy on the Afghan taliban as a handy pretext. Pakistan's government should just let their position be unequivocally clear so that either it effectively stops these strikes or the people get to elect/select someone who can mitigate these strikes if the elected party/coalition could/can not.

 

[Argus Panoptes]

One link suggests that Kayani's request for drone-cover was refused and another just claims that Kayani found these strikes militarily useful.

Still, it's just too embarrassing for Pakistan to have its government publicly denying any approval, condemning them and then this open-revelation comes up.

btw, how do you see these strikes? useful or just violations ?

What I find the most objectionable in all this is the constant lying of our government to our people, repeatedly. This is betrayal of the highest order in my book.

I find that the outrageous cost of the drone attacks to be far far more than any potential benefit they might provide.

 

[RuheTag]

"only on a few occasions, when a target was absolutely isolated and no chance of collateral damage",

Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/war-ag...ecret-drone-deal-us-report.html#ixzz2QFs4WNcv

Whats wrong with that?

 

[Hulk]

Everybody knows there was a deal - a deal means a give and take BTW.

Yet shaking people out of their denial is next to impossible when the ''macho ego'' gets hurt.

Musharraf made a mistake, his fanboys like him better when he tells 100% lies, an image saving half lie like this one will not go down well.

Yes he is not truthful at all, he is saying only 2, 3 occasion. However for 2,3 occasion who is going to give an airbase. He is one of the biggest liar I have ever came across.

 

[RazorMC]

As long as they were based on good actionable humint and elint they were productive, they even yielded a few dead Qeda leaders. But since these strikes have moved on to being based on "patterns" they have led to many civilian casualties. But the US cannot be expected to figure that into their calculus, they will always have the excuse that Pakistan goes easy on the Afghan taliban as a handy pretext. Pakistan's government should just let their position be unequivocally clear so that either it effectively stops these strikes or the people get to elect/select someone who can mitigate these strikes if the elected party/coalition could/can not.

Signature strikes are what's creating this massive casualty rate. And the whole debacle began with our government lying through their teeth. What position are they expected to clarify, I don't know. They said they will take this issue up with the US and now we got confirmed that the administration was indeed involved in approving these strikes.

Infact, now people will begin to question whether what the government and military said earlier about more terrorists being killed is true or another lie to Pakistanis.

 

[Argus Panoptes]

"only on a few occasions, when a target was absolutely isolated and no chance of collateral damage",

Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/war-ag...ecret-drone-deal-us-report.html#ixzz2QFs4WNcv

Whats wrong with that?

So the rape of our national sovereignty is somehow okay if USA promises it won't hurt much and says please?