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Pakistan strike unlikely, State Dept. says
By William H. McMichael
Posted : Wednesday Jan 23, 2008
The U.S. is not likely to unilaterally strike al-Qaida or Taliban insurgents hiding out in Pakistans remote northwest region, the State Departments top counterterrorism official said Tuesday but Washington would provide military aid to Pakistan if requested.
In those areas where they solicit assistance, well provide it, Dell Dailey said in a morning meeting with defense writers in Washington. But we see the use of unilateral action contrary to the sovereignty of an influential and very supportive partner in the fight against terrorism.
Dailey was appointed in June to lead the State Departments Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism and, working with the U.S. Counterterrorism Team, takes a leading role in coordinating and supporting the development and implementation of all U.S. government policies and programs aimed at defeating terrorism overseas. The team includes the Defense Department.
The Bush administration has pressured Pakistan to take tougher action against Islamic insurgents, possibly including Osama bin Laden, believed to be hiding in the rugged Federally Administered Tribal Areas, which cover 10,888 square miles of Pakistans territory adjacent to Afghanistans eastern border.
Earlier this month, the New York Times reported that the U.S. was considering giving the CIA and the Pentagon authority to conduct aggressive covert operations in Pakistan.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York also has proposed the deployment of teams to safeguard Pakistans nuclear assets.
Pakistan would definitely object to unilateral action. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf told Singapores The Straits Times that he would regard such a move as an invasion that would be met with stiff resistance. Musharraf also said Clintons statement was an intrusion into our privacy, into our sensitivity. ... She doesnt seem to understand how well-guarded these assets are.
But if Pakistan requested U.S. aid, Dailey said, were prepared to provide what the Pakistanis would be asking [for]. He said he was unaware of any resistance to providing such assistance among defense officials or any other members of the U.S. counterterrorism team, such as law enforcement and counternarcotics officials.
But the actual insertion of military assistance, particularly covert special operations forces, could prove extraordinarily difficult, Dailey said.
Its tough to blend something as innocuous as wearing your blanket with a flip over the left shoulder versus the flip over the right shoulder [which] shows that youre an outsider, Dailey said.
Potential to be detected is pretty high. So unless its a very, very, very focused effort and this is special operations around the world its pretty tough to be immediately effective unless you have focused effort, a specific location, with near-perfect intelligence, and with some form of means of getting in and out.
So it would be tough for U.S. or coalition special [operations] forces to be fully effective in Pakistan, just because [of] the degree of difficulty of blending in and getting excellent intelligence, he said.
Even if invited in by the Pakistan government, Dailey said, popular resistance would likely be substantial. Noting the strong support al-Qaida and other radical Islamic insurgents enjoy in many parts of Pakistan, he said, My take is that the blowback would be pretty serious.
But Pakistans own efforts may end up bearing fruit, Dailey said. He cited the aggressive actions by Pakistans new army chief of staff, Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kiani and said the Pakistanis have shown a deliberate ability to engage and thats the conventional ops that have taken place in the rugged Swat Valley.
In a recent example, Pakistani security forces on Monday captured 35 rebels, including a pro-Taliban commander, The Times of India reported Jan. 21.
I think Pakistan has a chance to really do things in an aggressive and a successful manner in the federal tribal areas, Dailey said.
He emphasized again that he does not see unilateral activity as a solution for the United States.
Others may, he said. Theyre not necessarily State Department folks.
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By William H. McMichael
Posted : Wednesday Jan 23, 2008
The U.S. is not likely to unilaterally strike al-Qaida or Taliban insurgents hiding out in Pakistans remote northwest region, the State Departments top counterterrorism official said Tuesday but Washington would provide military aid to Pakistan if requested.
In those areas where they solicit assistance, well provide it, Dell Dailey said in a morning meeting with defense writers in Washington. But we see the use of unilateral action contrary to the sovereignty of an influential and very supportive partner in the fight against terrorism.
Dailey was appointed in June to lead the State Departments Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism and, working with the U.S. Counterterrorism Team, takes a leading role in coordinating and supporting the development and implementation of all U.S. government policies and programs aimed at defeating terrorism overseas. The team includes the Defense Department.
The Bush administration has pressured Pakistan to take tougher action against Islamic insurgents, possibly including Osama bin Laden, believed to be hiding in the rugged Federally Administered Tribal Areas, which cover 10,888 square miles of Pakistans territory adjacent to Afghanistans eastern border.
Earlier this month, the New York Times reported that the U.S. was considering giving the CIA and the Pentagon authority to conduct aggressive covert operations in Pakistan.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York also has proposed the deployment of teams to safeguard Pakistans nuclear assets.
Pakistan would definitely object to unilateral action. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf told Singapores The Straits Times that he would regard such a move as an invasion that would be met with stiff resistance. Musharraf also said Clintons statement was an intrusion into our privacy, into our sensitivity. ... She doesnt seem to understand how well-guarded these assets are.
But if Pakistan requested U.S. aid, Dailey said, were prepared to provide what the Pakistanis would be asking [for]. He said he was unaware of any resistance to providing such assistance among defense officials or any other members of the U.S. counterterrorism team, such as law enforcement and counternarcotics officials.
But the actual insertion of military assistance, particularly covert special operations forces, could prove extraordinarily difficult, Dailey said.
Its tough to blend something as innocuous as wearing your blanket with a flip over the left shoulder versus the flip over the right shoulder [which] shows that youre an outsider, Dailey said.
Potential to be detected is pretty high. So unless its a very, very, very focused effort and this is special operations around the world its pretty tough to be immediately effective unless you have focused effort, a specific location, with near-perfect intelligence, and with some form of means of getting in and out.
So it would be tough for U.S. or coalition special [operations] forces to be fully effective in Pakistan, just because [of] the degree of difficulty of blending in and getting excellent intelligence, he said.
Even if invited in by the Pakistan government, Dailey said, popular resistance would likely be substantial. Noting the strong support al-Qaida and other radical Islamic insurgents enjoy in many parts of Pakistan, he said, My take is that the blowback would be pretty serious.
But Pakistans own efforts may end up bearing fruit, Dailey said. He cited the aggressive actions by Pakistans new army chief of staff, Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kiani and said the Pakistanis have shown a deliberate ability to engage and thats the conventional ops that have taken place in the rugged Swat Valley.
In a recent example, Pakistani security forces on Monday captured 35 rebels, including a pro-Taliban commander, The Times of India reported Jan. 21.
I think Pakistan has a chance to really do things in an aggressive and a successful manner in the federal tribal areas, Dailey said.
He emphasized again that he does not see unilateral activity as a solution for the United States.
Others may, he said. Theyre not necessarily State Department folks.
PrintEmailReddit
