ID :
182658
Tue, 05/17/2011 - 11:08
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/182658
The shortlink copeid
Did Pakistan have advance knowledge about the Bin Laden attack?
TEHRAN, May 17 (MNA) -- The war of words between Pakistan and the United States is escalating, with Islamabad saying the U.S. violated its sovereignty during the Osama bin Laden operation in Abbotabad.
There are two key questions in this regard. Was the assault on Bin Laden a violation of Pakistan’s national sovereignty? And will the issue affect the relationship between the two countries?
If the U.S. attacked Bin Laden’s residence without informing the Pakistani government, it is clearly a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and is subject to international law.
But the U.S. will probably claim that Osama bin Laden was an international terrorist based in Pakistan and according to international norms, it was allowed to act against a terrorist, despite the issue of national sovereignty.
However, it is almost inconceivable that the attack on Bin Laden’s compound would have been possible without Pakistan’s complicity.
Pakistan has made a commitment to cooperate with the U.S. as a member of the global alliance against terrorism. However, the South Asian country has participated in almost 10 years of cat-and-mouse games with the U.S., but never provided the CIA and the Pentagon comprehensive information about the hideouts of terrorists like Bin Laden.
Thus, U.S. officials were never satisfied with the policies and strategies of the Pakistani intelligence service. That is why Pakistan, under relentless U.S. pressure, decided to cooperate with the U.S. to finally get rid of Bin Laden.
Abbotabad is a place with a strong military presence, and Pakistan has a modern air defense system that covers the entire country.
So how could a deadly helicopter operation be conducted in the area under the nose of the Pakistani authorities?
Clearly, there had to be some coordination between Pakistani and U.S. officials in the Bin Laden attack, and the current war of words between the two governments is just a ruse to entertain and distract the general public.
Any other scenario would pave the way for a bloody battle between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda on one side and Pakistan’s government on the other, which could destabilize Pakistan and all of South Asia.
(By Nozar Shafie, a professor of political science at the University of Isfahan.)
There are two key questions in this regard. Was the assault on Bin Laden a violation of Pakistan’s national sovereignty? And will the issue affect the relationship between the two countries?
If the U.S. attacked Bin Laden’s residence without informing the Pakistani government, it is clearly a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and is subject to international law.
But the U.S. will probably claim that Osama bin Laden was an international terrorist based in Pakistan and according to international norms, it was allowed to act against a terrorist, despite the issue of national sovereignty.
However, it is almost inconceivable that the attack on Bin Laden’s compound would have been possible without Pakistan’s complicity.
Pakistan has made a commitment to cooperate with the U.S. as a member of the global alliance against terrorism. However, the South Asian country has participated in almost 10 years of cat-and-mouse games with the U.S., but never provided the CIA and the Pentagon comprehensive information about the hideouts of terrorists like Bin Laden.
Thus, U.S. officials were never satisfied with the policies and strategies of the Pakistani intelligence service. That is why Pakistan, under relentless U.S. pressure, decided to cooperate with the U.S. to finally get rid of Bin Laden.
Abbotabad is a place with a strong military presence, and Pakistan has a modern air defense system that covers the entire country.
So how could a deadly helicopter operation be conducted in the area under the nose of the Pakistani authorities?
Clearly, there had to be some coordination between Pakistani and U.S. officials in the Bin Laden attack, and the current war of words between the two governments is just a ruse to entertain and distract the general public.
Any other scenario would pave the way for a bloody battle between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda on one side and Pakistan’s government on the other, which could destabilize Pakistan and all of South Asia.
(By Nozar Shafie, a professor of political science at the University of Isfahan.)
