Abbottabad incursion an act of war: Musharraf

Former president terms Obama’s threat to strike again ‘arrogant’.


May 26, 2011

NEW DELHI:


The US raid which killed al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was technically “an act of war”, said former president Pervez Musharraf, Hindustan Times reported.


Musharraf described US President Barack Obama’s statement that he would order another raid if necessary as “arrogant”. Bin Laden was gunned down on May 2 by US Special Forces who attacked his hideout in Abbottabad. The US said it had carried out a unilateral assault.

Musharraf told CNN: “No country has a right to intrude into any other country.”

He added: “Actually, technically, legally, you see it, it’s an act of war. So I think it is an irresponsible statement, and I think such arrogance should not be shown, publicly, to the world.”

He, however, added it would not necessarily signal a war.

“How to deal with it, is the question. I leave it to the government there to [decide] how they want to deal with it,” said the ex-president.

Musharraf admitted that he was “embarrassed” after one of the most wanted men was found hiding in Pakistan and said that the Pakistan Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence could not be blamed for the “slip-up” that saw Osama residing in Abbottabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26th, 2011.

COMMENTS (59)

S. H. Zaidi | 12 years ago | Reply What would have been your reaction were you in power when the Americans raided Abbottabad to get Osama, Mr. Musharraf? Well, you may say what you like now, but surely you would have applauded and maybe even claimed that the raid was conducted with the help of the Pak army or by the Pak army itself! Just recollect; there was an American missile attack on a madressah somewhere in the Frontier Province or FATA during your tenure that killed more than 80 children and you owned up to the attack and said it was done by Pak army! You were quite a loyal servant of the US, weren't you?
Mrs. Saleem Siddiqi | 12 years ago | Reply @chidanand: This is a tactical move and the day is not so far when he will be among us. See Mahatama Gandhi spent most of his life in South Africa before coming to India. Also see the example of Imam Khomeni who spent most of his life in France before coming to Iran to lead the nation. We are waiting for our great leader Musharaf. Regards Dr. Saleem Siddiqi Johannesburg South Africa.
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