Pakistan

Pakistan army denies US troops were in northwest

Pakistan's military has denied a report that US special forces were embedded with Pakistani troops

Reuters May 22, 2011

Pakistan's military has denied a report that US special forces were embedded with Pakistani troops for intelligence- gathering missions in the northwest of the country.

The local Dawn newspaper said on Saturday it obtained secret dispatches from WikiLeaks that revealed that US special forces were deployed with Pakistani troops in joint operations in Pakistan by September of 2009.

A spokesman from the Pakistani military's media relations department categorically denied the presence of American troops in North and South Waziristan.

"No US troops are involved in any military operations in FATA," said the spokesman. The WikiLeaks cables could hurt the powerful Pakistani military's image.

It faced rare criticism after a secret US special forces raid that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden not far from the capital Islamabad this month. The army condemned the assault, which has severely strained ties between the two countries, as a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty. But Pakistanis lashed out at the country's generals because they did not know about the raid.

Anti-American sentiment runs high in Pakistan, partly because of US drone aircraft strikes on militants, which are regarded as a violation of the US ally's sovereignty and have killed civilians.

The disclosure of the alleged US troop deployments came a day after another set of cables showed that Pakistan's powerful army chief not only tacitly agreed to the covert US drone campaign against militants, but asked for "continuous Predator coverage" of the tribal areas by these aircraft. The army denied the contents.

COMMENTS (23)

[OTC]Smokey | 13 years ago | Reply Having read these comments, and being american, it is almost comforting to hear the opinions and concerns you people have expressed. I honestly feel for you all. The situation is so tense and fragile, I just want to say that across the globe there are people who want to understand and try to help.

Safia Noureen | 13 years ago | Reply It has been said and believed by many that the Pakistan Army is the prime stakeholder of the interests of our country. People have always looked up to the army with hope. Anchorpersons go crazy when they get a lead to politicians’ corruption but have always supported the army. The ordinary people are no different. Despite the 1971 surrender to India, they have put all their faith in the uniform. WikiLeaks, though, has washed away this optimism as General Kayani has been proved to have allowed the Americans to carry out drone attacks in Pakistan. It has been proved yet again that the army is the supreme power in Pakistan and the decisions that are apparently associated with the political leadership are actually taken by the armed forces. The political leadership is just used as a front to face the public wrath. I condemn the role of the electronic media as they always present politicians as the most corrupt individuals on the planet earth. The same media anchorpersons turn dumb and deaf when it comes to the real decision makers, i.e. the army leadership of Pakistan.

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Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply American troops were never in Pakistan, even when they killed OBL at an army base in a safe house. Lies, lies and more lies.

AZ | 13 years ago | Reply When a nation and its functionary choses to be lawless and senseless things like that happen naturally. Why Pakistanis didnt consider abbotabad operation victims as innocent till a circumstantial evidence could have been provided?. Why five persons including a seven month pregnant woman were killed in Quetta brutally by police and FC?. Why people are being killed and abducted in military operations in Baluchistan and Waziristan and Pakistanis see all it happening?. Why the convicts are not tried in the court and then punished in accordance with the law instead of killing in operations?. Why when **US president** had said that he will not hesitate to bomb anywhere in Pakistan where **HE** will thought it is OK, any of the Pakistanis said "we will not let you to do so"?. If Pakistanis can tolerate all this then they will have to see the incidents like attack on Mehran base... and many more ...naturally.

fahad soomro | 13 years ago | Reply Our country has a very confusing foreign policy specially in related to the war against terrorism.....the only reason of U.S secret raid in Abottabad to kill Osama is that U.S is not having any trust on her front line Ally Pakistan because of the reason that U.S also have some idea of some of Pakistani high officials involvement in boosting terrorism against U.S. But now there is time to be on one side because Pakistan has learnt a lesson...

Cautious | 13 years ago | Reply Not sure many stop to think --- if American special forces are embedded with your military then there is no violation of sovereignty - there is common cause and if your troops die then the American troops die. These special forces are risking their lives to protect Pakistani troops - the fact that your leaders won't disclose this is disturbing - the fact that the people of Pakistan may find American's fighting along side their own troops wrong is even more disturbing.

Indian | 13 years ago | Reply @irfan IRFAN FOR PRESIDENT!! Definitely getting out of the paranoia and moving ahead with a 'live and let live' attitude is the way to go...India wishes voices like yours all the best and wishing both our countries a future of peace, mutual respect and prosperity!

rifaye(India) | 13 years ago | Reply @ imran : one serious advice to u. get a visa and migrate to europe or some western nation.. no matter how much you scream or how many page you write, you cant influence those india obsessed army/isi..i think you deserve a better life

Kazmis | 13 years ago | Reply @irfan: Very detailed account of India's favor. It is a fact that India is to become some power but USSR was a real power. Pakistan defeated that in Afghanistan and subsequently it was broken in pieces. Why USSR preferred to become pieces rather destroying Pakistan?. Best planning can save a country, like Pakistan. USA is facing same problems with Pakistan as USSR was facing. USA is actually using INDIA to destroy Pakistan but perhaps Pakistan will destroy both. But How? the answer is embedded in first few lines of your comments.

Aamer Khawaja | 13 years ago | Reply the entire state is in a state of denial

mind control | 13 years ago | Reply Ah, Paklistan Army and its denials.

TightDhoti | 13 years ago | Reply Alot of denying going on. Remember the US Army officer who was killed near Chitral inaugurating a school about a year ago, and the ISPR said he was there for training? Wasnt he there? Is the ISPR going to now deny that there were no Americans providing support for FC operations in Bajaur?

mahmood | 13 years ago | Reply Why would you care if special forces accompanied your military? Is this one of your xenophobic things - or just one of your religious intolerance things.

I_love_Pakistan | 13 years ago | Reply The brave Pakistan army has really done well in the war against terror but were ditched by some of the elements among themselves having sympathies for Talibans. Long live Pakistan and its beloved army.

sammer | 13 years ago | Reply Please provide links to the wikileak post that claims this.

Iftikhar-ur-Rehman | 13 years ago | Reply SOMEONE is lying !! Either the Wikileaks or ISPR

irfan | 13 years ago | Reply … Rather than focussing on India, it would be better it we focus on ourselves and our soil…US raids deep into our territory… Chinese forces are there in the Azad Kashmir…. Now Barack Obama is willing to raid target deep inside Pakistan… BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/13478318 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13487031 We dont deserve the right to talk about sovereignty… We are not a sovereign nation We are experiencing an average of 30 Bomb Blasts (major and minor) in our territory every month… Look at India. Now they are growing at a rate of 9 and they are targeting a growth rate of 10++next year onwards… Look at their total defense expenditure… its just a 1.6 % of their GDP… within that that 11 billion US dollar they are spending to procure 126 Eurofighters is just a fraction… India is becoming more and more vibrant… But we and our politicians are spoiling our nation by thinking of a threat from India… It s becoming obvious that no one can prevent India from becoming a major power in the near future… All nations around the world had already accepted the increasing clout of New Delhi in world affairs… Obama while visiting India said” India is not emerging, it has already emerged..”… Look at our capital… we are discussing sovereignty issues and nations are ready to question us whether we in cahoots with Osama Bin laden… We are ashamed in front of the international community cos of this issue… Look India is now ordering 126 aircrafts with a provision of increase upto 350 fighters… By 2017 they ll have PAK FA 5th Generation fighters… they are not getting these things thru aid off the shelves… they are into production… they r creating jobs… India is not focussing on Pakistan… cos it is obvious that Pakistan cannot compete with India… They are way ahead in regard to tech, economy, trade, literacy etc… Look at IPL… look at ISRO… How succesfull their space programmes are… So rather than focussing on India, lets focus on pakistan and develop ousrselves inclusively… Major international sources are perdicting that India ll be the world’s second largest economy and a super power by 2050… the same sources are predicting that if Pakistan proceeds in the same way, it would the world’s top most failed state… So friends, rather than supporting talks given by ISI cheif Pasha like “we have identified high value targets inside and India and dry run for attack has been completed, it would be better if we realise the reality and become a progressive nation…

saad khan | 13 years ago | Reply @Someone: the religious savages have already made all our cities into a living hell.The women can't move freely in the cities as these fanatics over time have brainwashed our people into believing that all good women walk around in black tents wrapped up like mummies with only their eyes showing,we can't rationally or have sane discussion as now people just accuse you of blasphemy if you say anything about islam. The yahodis or hindus don't need to destroy us,the islamic fundamentalists have already caused us fatal damage.

Fahd Shah | 13 years ago | Reply Wiki leaks made by American CIA. they have gained the trust of people now play with them. you will see next time if they do any attack in Pakistan they wont confirm with the Pakistan Authorities, Rather they will confirm from the Americans living there. .... as it also came in the news paper (6 months back) that so called Black Water has more than 800 villas only in Islamabad. Our Defense minister also gave one of his house to them on rent.(it came in the local paper)

Someone | 13 years ago | Reply @imran saeed....so you want American foot soldiers in Pakistan? You want Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Islamabad etc. to be the next failed Kabuls/Baghdads?

imran saeed | 13 years ago | Reply the US should operate in pakistan to help us eliminate the religious fanatics who've ruined our country.our own forces don't seem willing to take action against the religious terrorists as zia during his rule started the brainwashing of the army personnel & the islamisation of the forces.so ,we cant expect our military to take action against the islamic fundamentalists,so it's better if the americans can help us to clean up this mess.

Nazir Habib | 13 years ago | Reply Wikileaks has a veritable databank of our GOP's adulterated character. Whom to believe and whom to distrust? Is the million rupee question. VIVA ! Islamic rules and regulations. Salams for a better Pakistan.

M.Akthar | 13 years ago | Reply Its a lie without doubt, soon, the chinese army will take over from Pakistan. They now have the Port already to exploit Pakistan`s mineral wealth and export it their country. All the jobs will be taken over by the chinese, and the Government/Military will cry hoarse in 10 years from now. History Repeats like the Terrorists created boomerang on Pakistan. What goes around comes around. But we`ll never learn.

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