Pakistan criticizes US raid on bin Laden

[Cowtipper]

Holy crap. Can we cut off funds to these people yet?

http://news.yahoo.com...as_pakistan_bin_laden

[Gromit]

I do not believe the Pakistani Government did not know about this raid. They are very nervous of reprisals from India after the Mumbai atrocity. The would not let 4 unidentified aircraft into their airspace and leave them uncontested. Abbottsabad is apparently a "military town" but the helicopters were left alone.

No way was this "unauthorized". They have to tell their citizens.

[Philtaz]

In short, Pakistan can Foxtrot Oscar.
How a country that harbours/often turns a blind eye to the Muslim extremists living and operating from its soil can complain is beyond me. Their own ISI failed to query the erection of a purpose-built 'high value target' haven, situated within sight of their equivalent of Sandhurst!
Is it any wonder they weren't made aware of the operation to capture Osama until it was over?

[jno]

If they admit they knew of the raid they will face a lot of grief from their more hardline citizens. Far better to stand back and let the USA take all the credit/blame.

[DTCwordfan]

and are they going to sit back and say "Yes we let them dance all over us." Of course not, this is all standard play and it will all get settled out pretty quickly...

Cutting funds off would just exacerbate the situation and cause more extremism......

Naive thinking here

[Lonnie]

I think Pakistan has every right to complain, their sovreign territory was invaded.

However, having said the above, they brought it on themselves, their Goverment said they were anti Bin Laden, but its obvious that it was them that was sheltering him.

[jno]

not necessarily the government, though, Lonnie. The country has a very weak government; they have little control over religious elements and not enough over the intelligence services either, and either of these could have been sheltering the fugitives. The government will be only too delighted to get rid of Bin Laden, I would have thought; but it's not at all sure they knew where he was.

[keyplus90]

Anyone who knows border areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan can’t say that Pakistani agencies were 100% aware of Osama’s whereabouts. There are few houses literally with front room in Pakistan and kitchen in Afghanistan.

Then there are conspiracies. According to Pakistani media a lost (or perhaps left there for a reason) mobile phone was found at an airport in Pakistan with a text message received on Sunday morning saying “Osama is dead”. Operation was carried on, on Monday morning.

But being Pakistani myself I do agree with few things people said here,

///No way was this "unauthorized". They have to tell their citizens.//// By Gromit

////If they admit they knew of the raid they will face a lot of grief from their more hardline citizens. Far better to stand back and let the USA take all the credit/blame.//// By JNO

Finally, I am 100% in agreement with Cowtipper that “Funds should be cut off” to Pakistan. But I am not saying that in the sense Cowtipper is saying. I want it to be stopped because perhaps only then Pakistan’s corrupt rulers will have no choice but to say “NO” to American war on terror that has almost completely destroyed Pakistan. But Unfortunately for Pakistan and Pakistani people that will not happen as Osama Bin Laden or Alqaeeda were never a final target any way.

[Lonnie]

Point taken jno, I'll re-phrase it, not the Goverment as a whole, but certainly someone in Goverment.