Emphasis in red.  In my line of work I have a theory that has held true:  if you tell one person of your plans there is a 50 percent chance the person you told will leak the information.  If you tell two people, the whole world will know.

M-S

Senators Defend Airstrike in Pakistan
By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Senators defended on Sunday a purported CIA airstrike that Pakistani officials said killed at least 17 people in a village near the border with Afghanistan but not the intended target, al-Qaida's No. 2 leader.

"We apologize, but I can't tell you that we wouldn't do the same thing again" in going after Ayman al-Zawahri, said Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz.

McCain said it is a "cautionary tale" about the fate of the terrorist network's leaders that the U.S. "didn't take them out year ago." He said the United States must hunt them down wherever they are hiding.

"We have to do what we think is necessary to take out al-Qaida, particularly the top operatives. This guy has been more visible than Osama bin Laden lately," McCain said on CBS' "Face the Nation."

A U.S. counterterrorism official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the information's sensitivity, said it's still unclear if al-Zawahri was killed in the attack.

Pakistani officials have strongly condemned the strike. The White House declined to comment on the attacks on Sunday, except to praise President Gen. Pervez Musharraf as well as Pakistan as "a valued ally on the war on terror." Officials at several U.S. agencies have not immediately provided details about the attack.

The FBI anticipates performing DNA tests on the victims, a law enforcement official said Saturday.

Islamic groups staged demonstrations across Pakistan on Sunday to denounce the attack. A protest in Karachi drew 10,000 people, and chants of "Death to America" were heard.

Sen. Evan Bayh (news, bio, voting record), D-Ind., said the real problem is that the U.S.-allied Pakistani government does not control the region along the mountainous border with Afghanistan, where the attack occurred. Many al-Qaida and Taliban combatants are believed to have taken refuge there.

"It's a regrettable situation, but what else are we supposed to do?" Bayh told CNN's "Late Edition." "It's like the wild, wild west out there. The Pakistani border is a real problem."

Pakistani intelligence officials have told The Associated Press that al-Zawahri was invited to a dinner marking an Islamic holiday in the border village of Damadola, but that he did not show up.

Sen. Trent Lott (news, bio, voting record), R-Miss., said strikes are necessary to get at al-Qaida leaders in Pakistan who are directing anti-American violence in Iraq. "My information is that this strike was clearly justified by the intelligence," Lott said.

Both Bayh and Lott serve on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Bayh said the CIA had been watching the area for several days and that the agency would not have conducted such an operation without extraordinarily high levels of intelligence. Bayh said he has "every reason to believe" that high-ranking officials in the Pakistani government were told in advance of the strike.

No way....they're our allies.

Bayh said he has "every reason to believe" that high-ranking officials in the Pakistani government were told in advance of the strike.

- This has always been a problem when working with them.  Look at some of the case studies done on missions to capture Bin Ladin in the past.

If you first don't suceed..try try again

Quoted: Sen. Trent Lott (news, bio, voting record), R-Miss., said strikes are necessary to get at al-Qaida leaders in Pakistan who are directing anti-American violence in Iraq. "My information is that this strike was clearly justified by the intelligence," Lott said.

dang, sucks that he's no longer senate majority leader...

The problem is sharing any intelligence with the ISI (Paki Intelligence Agency). These are the guys that created the Taliban, Osama`s protectors. We might as well sent a mailgram. Worse, the ISI set this up to embarass the US and Musharref.

The Pakis' aren't part of the solution, they're part of the problem.  

Sorry to hear we did not get al-Zawahri but I don't feel sorry for the other people that were killed.

After all, they were harboring terrorists.  

I'm glad to hear the US is going proactive in Pakistan instead of waiting for the incompetent Pakistani army to deal with things.

Musharef will be killed within a week of when any AQ leader in Pakistan is killed.

That's all there is to it.

Quoted: The Pakis' aren't part of the solution, they're part of the problem.

BIG +1.

Suffice it to say that Pakistan has done more to hinder this hunt than aid in it's success.

We should be operating more clandestinely within Pakistan's border and quit advising them of every single operation.

HS1

Quoted: Musharef will be killed within a week of when any AQ leader in Pakistan is killed. That's all there is to it.

There is rarely, if ever, a time I disagree with this man. This time is no exception.

The people who were killed were NOT INNOCENT  FUCKING VICTIMS!!!!!  They had plans to eat dinner with a top-level terrorist, therefore they were terrorists too.

So Pakistan's intelligence service acts against its president's agenda?  Damn, we have more in common with Pakistan than I thought.

Quoted: Quoted: The problem is sharing any intelligence with the ISI (Paki Intelligence Agency). These are the guys that created the Taliban, Osama`s protectors. We might as well sent a mailgram. Worse, the ISI set this up to embarass the US and Musharref. Ding! Ding! We have a winner! Pretty 100% certain this 'tip off' was bogus and was intended to achieve the resut it achieved. US will get zero intel from the Tribal Homelands now and any leads they had (and they probably did, hence the set up) will now go cold. ANdy

Why does the GWOT share the same disturbing tendencies with the Vietnam War...

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: The problem is sharing any intelligence with the ISI (Paki Intelligence Agency). These are the guys that created the Taliban, Osama`s protectors. We might as well sent a mailgram. Worse, the ISI set this up to embarass the US and Musharref. Ding! Ding! We have a winner! Pretty 100% certain this 'tip off' was bogus and was intended to achieve the resut it achieved. US will get zero intel from the Tribal Homelands now and any leads they had (and they probably did, hence the set up) will now go cold. ANdy Why does the GWOT share the same disturbing tendencies with the Vietnam War...

Because the exact same traitors and backstabbers are still in the Gov't and the media undercutting our ability to use the full force of the US military and government to win.

No enemy of any form can withstand the full and unified effort of the USA for this long without great support from WITHIN the USA.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: The problem is sharing any intelligence with the ISI (Paki Intelligence Agency). These are the guys that created the Taliban, Osama`s protectors. We might as well sent a mailgram. Worse, the ISI set this up to embarass the US and Musharref. Ding! Ding! We have a winner! Pretty 100% certain this 'tip off' was bogus and was intended to achieve the resut it achieved. US will get zero intel from the Tribal Homelands now and any leads they had (and they probably did, hence the set up) will now go cold. ANdy Why does the GWOT share the same disturbing tendencies with the Vietnam War... Because the exact same traitors and backstabbers are still in the Gov't and the media undercutting our ability to use the full force of the US military and government to win. No enemy of any form can withstand the full and unified effort of the USA for this long without great support from WITHIN the USA.

Nope. It has nothing to do with Dems. It has everything to do with the fact that Pakistan has Nuclear weapons. How can we demand anything from them? or say the N. Koreans?? The plain fact is that the Terrorists are literally under a "Nuclear Umbrella"!!! As long as they stay within Pakistans Tribal areas they are safe. That's why we'll never get Osama or Al-whatever! And why they will never leave Pakistan. Technically our so-called friends the pakis are on our side so they have launched army raids into Waziristan but they suck ass! They can't even take on a few Loser tribesmen. Until we can get Troops into Pakistan This will be a stale mate situation.  As to why we are not allowed in?? Well maybe it's because Mushariff has a tenous hold on the country and fears he might lose it if he lets us in. OR he's not really our friend at all. Or maybe it because it is a Muslim country and we can expect no real help from ANY muslim country anywhere ever! Even though they are our great friends.....................

You know I beat this horse to death a couple of years ago and several called me ignorant

Not anyone that has posted here yet...

While we might have a few friends in Pakistan many including the ISI are our worst enemies and should be treated as such.

Quoted: Quoted: You know I beat this horse to death a couple of years ago and several called me ignorant Not anyone that has posted here yet... While we might have a few friends in Pakistan many including the ISI are our worst enemies and should be treated as such. Anyone who thinks that the ISI, who created the Taliban and Bin Laden, (and are the real power behind the throne in Pakistan, Musharref is only President as long as it suits the ISI), will turn over their 'Golden Child' to the infidels is smoking crack. ANdy

Which is why when the Dems bitch about not enough troops in A-stan they're full of it because troops in A-stan won't solve the problem.

Quoted: The Pakis' aren't part of the solution, they're part of the problem.

Indeed.....

I did see a report on FOX news that said there was a source who claimed that Al Zawahiri ( however you spell it) was killed.

Anyone else hear this??

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: The problem is sharing any intelligence with the ISI (Paki Intelligence Agency). These are the guys that created the Taliban, Osama`s protectors. We might as well sent a mailgram. Worse, the ISI set this up to embarass the US and Musharref. Ding! Ding! We have a winner! Pretty 100% certain this 'tip off' was bogus and was intended to achieve the resut it achieved. US will get zero intel from the Tribal Homelands now and any leads they had (and they probably did, hence the set up) will now go cold. ANdy Why does the GWOT share the same disturbing tendencies with the Vietnam War... Because the exact same traitors and backstabbers are still in the Gov't and the media undercutting our ability to use the full force of the US military and government to win. No enemy of any form can withstand the full and unified effort of the USA for this long without great support from WITHIN the USA. Nope. It has nothing to do with Dems. It has everything to do with the fact that Pakistan has Nuclear weapons. How can we demand anything from them? or say the N. Koreans?? The plain fact is that the Terrorists are literally under a "Nuclear Umbrella"!!! As long as they stay within Pakistans Tribal areas they are safe. That's why we'll never get Osama or Al-whatever! And why they will never leave Pakistan. Technically our so-called friends the pakis are on our side so they have launched army raids into Waziristan but they suck ass! They can't even take on a few Loser tribesmen. Until we can get Troops into Pakistan This will be a stale mate situation.  As to why we are not allowed in?? Well maybe it's because Mushariff has a tenous hold on the country and fears he might lose it if he lets us in. OR he's not really our friend at all. Or maybe it because it is a Muslim country and we can expect no real help from ANY muslim country anywhere ever! Even though they are our great friends.....................

Okay maybe I didn't understand wtf "GWOT" meant.

I didn't know it meant how to deal exclusively with Pakistan because that's all that YOUR answer addresses.

My answer dealt with the Global War On Terror which included and most specifically referred to the hottest warzone on the planet, namely Iraq.

Quoted: Quoted: You know I beat this horse to death a couple of years ago and several called me ignorant Not anyone that has posted here yet... While we might have a few friends in Pakistan many including the ISI are our worst enemies and should be treated as such. Anyone who thinks that the ISI, who created the Taliban and Bin Laden, (and are the real power behind the throne in Pakistan, Musharref is only President as long as it suits the ISI), will turn over their 'Golden Child' to the infidels is smoking crack. ANdy

That was the point I tried to make a couple of years ago. I only wish some of you guys had come to my aide back then

Quoted: Emphasis in red.  In my line of work I have a theory that has held true:  if you tell one person of your plans there is a 50 percent chance the person you told will leak the information.  If you tell two people, the whole world will know. M-S [

what is your line of work that holds such a a theory? are you a spy?

i work in an office and sometimes when i tell a co-worker what i'm bringing for lunch,  the next day two other people bring the same thing. do you think i should adopt your theory?

Quoted: Quoted: Emphasis in red.  In my line of work I have a theory that has held true:  if you tell one person of your plans there is a 50 percent chance the person you told will leak the information.  If you tell two people, the whole world will know. M-S [ what is your line of work that holds such a a theory? are you a spy? i work in an office and sometimes when i tell a co-worker what i'm bringing for lunch,  the next day two other people bring the same thing. do you think i should adopt your theory?

Sounds more like the Pavlov theory, except instead of you ringing a bell, your colleagues are stimulated by what they are watching you eat.