Long touted as the one irreplaceable ally in the US global war on terror, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta was defiant on the ever worsening relationship with Pakistan today, saying the the US is “reaching the limits of our patience” with the nation.
Panetta couched the US “anger” at Pakistan in the terms of their long-standing demands that Pakistan launch an offensive against North Waziristan, insisting that the site remains a “safe haven” for terrorist groups to launch attacks into Afghanistan.
On that count, both Afghanistan and Pakistan have had beefs with the other side, as militant factions operate freely across both sides of the rugged border. For every strike into Afghanistan staged from the Pakistani tribal areas, Pakistan can cite a similar strike against Bajaur or Peshawar that came from militants in Afghanistan’s Kunar Province.
This is, of course, only part of the issue, and the real changes in the US-Pakistan relationship have been in relation to the closed border crossings, and negotiations in which Panetta accused Pakistan of trying to “price gouge” the US, as well as Pakistan’s growing public criticism of the US drone strikes pounding their tribal areas.
Indeed, between the Raymond Davis fiasco, the constant drone strikes and the November US attack which killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, one must marvel that Pakistan isn’t simultaneously “reaching the limits” of its own patience with the US, particularly as massive anti-US protests conducted regularly in Pakistan make it a core issue in their next election.
Still, Panetta’s position seems to be well supported among the US political class. During a debate last night on BBC Radio 5, high profile neo-con Richard Perle told me that “I don’t have a lot of sympathy for the Pakistanis in this situation,” citing the recent Pakistani decision to sentence a CIA doctor for “high treason” for conducting a phony vaccination program aimed at collecting the DNA of children in Pakistan. The US Senate revoked some aid from Pakistan for this same reason, arguing that without the covert program, Osama bin Laden would never have been successfully assassinated.
Has Leon fallen and hit his head? No one with an IQ greater than their shoe size listens to Richard Perle anymore.
delusional uncle Leon has to stop inhaling bath salts in kabul. Next he will we eating some bearded talibans nose and ears at bagram
Be careful Pakistan, or the United Suckers of America will have a tantrum and drone you for good!
Was it a real succes also to kill the unarmed Bin Laden? Only if you are in fear of what he might tell the public, I presume. The important thing of only getting one side heard azre of course very important, when your own side consists of b-s dressed up with vague declarations of human intentions, disproven by the actual actions being taken inside and outside the US. A society with a leadership without accountability deserves to be destroyed, and probably will be at some point by the home population losing any trust or hope.
Mr. Panetta, has diarrhea of the mouth.
We murder their citizens, men women and children alike, we violate their sovereignty daily and cozy up to their mortal enemies all the while calling them allies And we're losing patience with them. The hubris of the US ruling elite is staggering sometimes.
Hate hits a world record
A new poll showed that 97% of the Pakistan people have an intense hatred for the guts of any and all Americans. For to protect the property, stability and security of our rich-ruling class, our military-CIA has enriched itself upon the misery, instability and insecurity of the laboring-class tribes in Pakistan.
John, not questioning your statement, but could you provide the source for your poll? Thx
Washington DC, not Waziristan, is the world's biggest safe haven for militants.
The US is losing patience with Pakistan? Wow, go figure. The US (government) has already lost it's freaking mind so, losing patience seems just another dumb-ass thing for Uncle Leon to blather about.
It helps when making decisions if you can put yourself in the other guy’s shoes. How would we react if another country sent drones here to murder our people, our parents, wives and children from the sky just on some faceless unaccountable video “game” player’s “suspicion” that the people he murdered (“bug splat”) might be “militants” (a word that, like “terrorist”, is now used so freely and thoughtlessly to describe the victims that it is virtually meaningless). I think our response might be somewhat stronger than just denying that country access to our roads. Acting accordingly, by the Golden Rule, might well result in greater humility, true friends, fewer enemies and less blood and treasure being expended.
We know how the US would react if a country (or Group) would react if they were attacked by a drone! It has already Happened it was called 9/11, What the US forgets is that Pakistan will only put up with what the US itself didnt for only so long its Citizens are getting sick of Civilians being killed Women and Children.
With the UN investigating the legality of the Drones Both as a Human Rights violation and the fact that it is being operated by the CIA which is not Military is interesting. What will Panetta say if the UN tells it that they are in fact breaching International law?
We are about to find out Canadian, because Obama is making it legal for Military and Police to have drones.
Aaah, poor, poor USA, so very patient. They should go ahead and invade Pakistan already. Who knows, they may be the ones that plant a nuke smack dab in the center of Washington, DC already.