Bin Laden's death: 'Why kill the goose?'

[CHIMO]

Blinded by the thirst for vengeance, the United States targets and kills another enemy. Its citizens celebrate. And functionaries of the George W Bush period tell us that what it proves is torture at Guantánamo worked, after all. Europe applauds. Vassals elsewhere (including Pakistan's president) congratulate the US on mission accomplished.

This is slightly bizarre, given that Bin Laden had apparently been in a safe house near the Pakistan military academy for six years. Nobody believes this could have happened without the knowledge of senior intelligence officials. A meeting with one such person in 2006, which I recounted in my last book on Pakistan, confirmed that Bin Laden was in the country and being kept safe. The person concerned told me the Americans only wanted Bin Laden dead, but that it was in Pakistan's interest to keep him alive. In his words: "Why kill the goose that lays the golden eggs?" – a reference to the billions in aid and weaponry being supplied to the army. At the time I wasn't sure whether my informant was fantasising to amuse or misinform me; he was obviously telling the truth.

Pakistan is in the grip of a fierce debate, its politico-military establishment damned whatever the case. If they admit they were in the know, they stand condemned within their own ranks. There is a great deal of dissension among junior officers and soldiers unhappy about border missions in which they are forced to target their own people. If it turns out that the US didn't even bother to inform the Pakistanis that helicopters were on the way to clip Bin Laden, they stand exposed as leaders who permit the country's sovereignty to be violated at will.

The departing CIA chief Leon Panetta has said the decision was made early not to tell Pakistan so as not to compromise the operation. But stories are changing rapidly, and nothing can be taken at face value. As WikiLeaks revealed, there was a US-Pakistan agreement, that while the latter would tolerate drone attacks they would be forced to denounce them because of public anger. On the other hand, given that within the CIA the ISI is referred to as a terrorist organisation, there may have been anxiety about leaks. The helicopters that entered Pakistan airspace would have been cleared as part of routine reconnaissance, though in the past Pakistani radar has been jammed to facilitate raids. This time it was not.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/may/04/bin-laden-death-no-endgame

[Poll_Blind]

1. That was a stellar article! Certainly plausible.

I recced but it's still at 0. Maybe the ISI is reading too!

PB

[Canuckistanian]

2. Wow, there's a viewpoint I never suspected

Pakistan KNEW about bin Laden but did nothing because it would end the US money flooding in.

And it was the ISI that drove that process. Brilliant.

I think everyone should pay more attention to Tariq Ali. He seems to have an excellent understanding of Pakistani and Afghani politics.

[CHIMO]

3. He Should

He was born and raised there.

[Canuckistanian]

4. Yes, but he's extraordinarily insightful

Not many Pakistani writers are. They usually take one side (Musharraf's) or the other (US Republicans).

[CHIMO]

6. If

You are interested in more of what he has said over time, on various topics, do a search on him on Democracy Now. He has been on many times.
http://www.democracynow.org/

[Canuckistanian]

7. Thanks

I will.

[Poll_Blind]

5. Indeed, very interesting point of view!

PB