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Serge
Moderate Poster
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 188
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 Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 11:43 am Post subject: The depths the US will stoop... |
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to force other countries into doing things their way:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5369198.stm
| Quote: | US 'threatened to bomb' Pakistan
The threat was alleged to have come from Richard Armitage
The US threatened to bomb Pakistan "back to the stone age" unless it joined the fight against al-Qaeda, President Pervez Musharraf has said.
General Musharraf said the warning was delivered by former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to Pakistan's intelligence director.
"I think it was a very rude remark," Gen Musharraf told CBS television.
Pakistan agreed to side with the US, but Gen Musharraf said it did so based on his country's national interest.
"One has to think and take actions in the interest of the nation, and that's what I did," he said.
'Ludicrous' requests
The extracts from the CBS show 60 Minutes, which will run on Sunday, were released on the same day that the White House praised Pakistan for its co-operation in America's "war on terror".
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Gen Musharraf is due to meet US President George W Bush at the White House on Friday.
The BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington says that Gen Musharraf was deliberately distancing himself from the White House in the face of intense pressure within Pakistan over his close ties to Washington.
He is also due to launch his autobiography next week and some analysts say the timing of the revelation may be an attempt to generate interest in the book.
The White House and US State Department declined to comment on the 60 Minutes interview.
The US allegedly ordered Pakistan to crush dissent
The Pakistani president said that, following the attacks of 11 September 2001, the US made some "ludicrous" demands of Pakistan.
"The intelligence director told me that Mr Armitage said, 'Be prepared to be bombed. Be prepared to go back to the Stone Age'," he said.
The US envoy also insisted that Pakistan suppress domestic expression of support for attacks on the United States, he said.
"If somebody's expressing views, we cannot curb the expression of views," Gen Musharraf said.
Mr Armitage also allegedly demanded that Pakistan allow the US to use its border posts as staging points for the war on Afghanistan.
Gen Musharraf did agree to open up Pakistani airspace to the US, as well as to share intelligence after 11 September.
American troops are not officially allowed to operate on Pakistani soil although they have launched air strikes from bases in Afghanistan.
In January, 18 local people were killed in a US raid targeting Al Qaeda number two Ayman Al-Zawahiri in a village in Bajaur Agency on the border with Afghanistan.
Five foreigners were also killed in the raid, Gen Musharraf said at the time, amid anger about the attack.
Pakistan's support was considered crucial in the defeat of Afghanistan's Taleban government, which Pakistan had helped to bring to power.
President Musharraf has proved a loyal ally though many now will question the means used to extract the co-operation, says the BBC's Jonathan Beale.
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I wonder what will happen when the 'safe haven' for the Taliban and OBL is officially set in stone by Pakistans President.
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The most transparent of all materials on this Earth is a politician. |
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Mark Gobell
On Gardening Leave
Joined: 24 Jul 2006
Posts: 4529
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| Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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In the past few days there have been a few reports on the US being prepared to bomb and invade Pakistan is it found that OBL was being protected there.
Bush is quoted in at least one saying he would do just that.
In the light of recent reports about Pakistan releasing Taliban prisoners en masse, what is going on ?
Have they fallen out ?
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The Medium is the Massage - Marshall McLuhan. |
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xmasdale
Angel - now passed away
Joined: 25 Jul 2005
Posts: 1959
Location: South London
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| Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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How should the world react to Musharraf claims?
From BBC World Service
http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=3961&&edition=1&t tl=20060922125427
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How will America's relationship with Pakistan be affected?
Pakistan's President, General Pervez Musharraf, says the US threatened to bomb his country "back to the stone age" unless they joined in the fight against al-Qaeda.
General Musharraf, speaking on American TV, said the warning was delivered by former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage following the September 11 attacks.
The White House and State Department declined to comment on the conversation. Musharraf is due to meet with George Bush at the White House on Friday.
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Following President Hugo Chavez' address to the UN in which, casting aside all the normal diplomatic niceties, he likened George W Bush with the Devil, it strikes me that suddenly so-called "Third World" leaders are finding the guts to say it like it is. I get the feeling that Chavez has encouraged Musharraf and that they both may well encourage others. Now aggressive US imperialism is being shown up for what it is and about time too.
Perhaps Chavez will encourage Musharraf to question 9/11 too.
Noel |
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Skeptic
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Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 485
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| Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2006 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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| could they be covering their tracks because people are starting to hear about the Mahmood Ahmad money? |
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