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Washington: The United States has a secret retribution plan to bomb more than 150 terror camps in Pakistan in the event of another major terrorist attack originating from that country.
The startling disclosure about Washingtons all bets off policy towards a dubious ally in the war on terror is contained in Bob Woodwards opus Obamas War,which details an evolving US approach in the region.
The plan pre-dates the Obama presidency,going back to the Bush White House,but elements of policy,aimed at wiping out terrorist sanctuaries in Pakistan,are evident in the current administrations ruthless bombing by unmanned drones of targets inside Pakistan,far surpassing the Bush approach in terms of frequency and intensity.
Although plans of punitive strikes against Pakistan are linked to another 9/11-style attack against the US,they evolved after the 26/11 Mumbai carnage,when then President Bush called his national security team into the Oval Office and told them,You guys get planning and do what you have to do to prevent a war between Pakistan and India. It suggests that the US will undertake the bombing to prevent India from retaliating against Pakistan.
Pak terror camps in US cross-hairs
Washington: The US threat of retribution places into context secretary of state Hillary Clintons dire warning to Islamabad earlier this year that there would be severe consequences for Pakistan if another 9/11-style attack were traced back to it.
This is like 9/11,he (Bush) said, writes Woodward.US military did not have war plans for an invasion of Pakistan.It had and continues to have one of the most sensitive and secret of all military contingencies,what military officials call a retribution plan in the event of another 9/11-like attack.
In fact,such is the anger within the US administration about Pakistans double-faced approach that the plan calls for a noholds-barred attack.Some locations might be outdated,but there would be no concern,under the plan,for who might be living there now.The retribution plan called for a brutal punishing attack on at least 150 or more associated camps, Woodward writes.
Woodwards 417-page book provides a fly-on-the-wall view of the Obama Presidencys evolving Af-Pak policy,which is more Pak than Af.In an ABC interview,Woodward described how Obama was told of deep problems in the US relationship with Pakistan at his very first intelligence briefing,likening it to a cold shower for the President,coming two days after his 2008 poll victory.
Imagine the high of being elected on that Tuesday and they come in two days later and say,by the way,here are the secrets,and one of the secrets is Pakistan, Woodward writes.Were attacking with a top-secret,covert operation,the safe havens in Pakistan,but Pakistan is living a lie.
And this is a theme in the Obama presidency : How do you get control of Pakistan Soon after,in an Oval Office meeting with Pakistans President Asif Ali Zardari,Obama tells him his country has to get over its obsession with India.
We do not begrudge you being concerned about India, Obama tells Zardari,but we do not want to be part of arming you (Pakistan) against India,so let me be very clear about that. Zardari replied: We are trying to change our view but its not going to happen overnight. Zardaris attempt to change Pakistans chronic pathology towards India has been thwarted by the countrys military.
The startling disclosure about Washingtons all bets off policy towards a dubious ally in the war on terror is contained in Bob Woodwards opus Obamas War,which details an evolving US approach in the region.
The plan pre-dates the Obama presidency,going back to the Bush White House,but elements of policy,aimed at wiping out terrorist sanctuaries in Pakistan,are evident in the current administrations ruthless bombing by unmanned drones of targets inside Pakistan,far surpassing the Bush approach in terms of frequency and intensity.
Although plans of punitive strikes against Pakistan are linked to another 9/11-style attack against the US,they evolved after the 26/11 Mumbai carnage,when then President Bush called his national security team into the Oval Office and told them,You guys get planning and do what you have to do to prevent a war between Pakistan and India. It suggests that the US will undertake the bombing to prevent India from retaliating against Pakistan.
Pak terror camps in US cross-hairs
Washington: The US threat of retribution places into context secretary of state Hillary Clintons dire warning to Islamabad earlier this year that there would be severe consequences for Pakistan if another 9/11-style attack were traced back to it.
This is like 9/11,he (Bush) said, writes Woodward.US military did not have war plans for an invasion of Pakistan.It had and continues to have one of the most sensitive and secret of all military contingencies,what military officials call a retribution plan in the event of another 9/11-like attack.
In fact,such is the anger within the US administration about Pakistans double-faced approach that the plan calls for a noholds-barred attack.Some locations might be outdated,but there would be no concern,under the plan,for who might be living there now.The retribution plan called for a brutal punishing attack on at least 150 or more associated camps, Woodward writes.
Woodwards 417-page book provides a fly-on-the-wall view of the Obama Presidencys evolving Af-Pak policy,which is more Pak than Af.In an ABC interview,Woodward described how Obama was told of deep problems in the US relationship with Pakistan at his very first intelligence briefing,likening it to a cold shower for the President,coming two days after his 2008 poll victory.
Imagine the high of being elected on that Tuesday and they come in two days later and say,by the way,here are the secrets,and one of the secrets is Pakistan, Woodward writes.Were attacking with a top-secret,covert operation,the safe havens in Pakistan,but Pakistan is living a lie.
And this is a theme in the Obama presidency : How do you get control of Pakistan Soon after,in an Oval Office meeting with Pakistans President Asif Ali Zardari,Obama tells him his country has to get over its obsession with India.
We do not begrudge you being concerned about India, Obama tells Zardari,but we do not want to be part of arming you (Pakistan) against India,so let me be very clear about that. Zardari replied: We are trying to change our view but its not going to happen overnight. Zardaris attempt to change Pakistans chronic pathology towards India has been thwarted by the countrys military.
