ISLAMABAD: A top US official who briefed US President Barack Obama was certain that Pakistan was well aware of Osama Bin Laden’s whereabouts, according to Peter Bergen’s recently published book ‘Manhunt: From 9/11 to Abbottabad - The Ten Year Search for Osama Bin Laden’.
“If Bin Laden was dwelling in the midst of a well-policed city, how could the Pakistanis not know?” asked Robert Cardillo, a veteran intelligence official who briefed President Obama three days a week about national security developments around the world.
Furthermore, if his compound was just a kilometre away from the Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul, it was “nuts” that he hadn’t relocated in six years, the official said – inviting murmurs that it was being guarded by the Pakistan military.
The book reveals secret deliberations of the top US intelligence with Obama. However, when approached by The Express Tribune not a single Pakistani official was ready comment on the book’s claims.
Bergen claims in the book that the US military leadership had hinted at unilateral action against Bin Laden or Ayman al Zawahiri, the current leader of al Qaeda, to Pakistan’s army chief.
US Admiral Mike Mullen repeatedly told his counterpart General Kayani, “If we know we can find Number One or Number Two, we are going to get them. Period. And we are going to get them unilaterally. Period.”
There seemed to be certain downsides of involving Pakistan. Intelligence officials claimed that doing so might lead to mishandling of crucial information. The Abottabad operation was hence carried out in complete secrecy, with not more than a dozen military men privy to its developments.
The question of sovereignty
A huge question before the US leadership related to the consequences of a unilateral action on Pakistan’s sovereignty. Flying undetected over a long stretch of Pakistani airspace was another huge challenge.
According to the book, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made it clear that preserving Pak-US amity was not a priority when it came to eliminating Bin Laden: “And I remember at one point, one of the briefers said the raid will be considered a gross violation of the Pakistanis’ national honor, and I exploded at the moment and said, what about our national honor? And what about going after a man who killed three thousand innocent people?” she said
The method of raid was also discussed at length. Top US officials’ decided not to contact General Kayani for assistance. They agreed to adopt the ‘fight your way out’ option instead.
Michael Leiter, then Director of the National Counterterrorism Center says, “We were just amazed by the lack of a Pakistani response. It was, even by Pakistani standards, remarkably slow.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2012.
COMMENTS (18)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@Azeem:
Osama was'nt ANY terrorist. He was THE terrorist.
He was not found in some tribal area, but next to a military academy.
You can justify it how much ever you want to, but the world will think on its own terms. That matters a lot.
@BruteForce: your logic is like that of a 2 year old Baby. Pakistan caught more AL Qaeda fighters than US and UK put together. A US solider was involved in Terrorism against Obama, does that mean Every single US general knew about it ???? he didnt live next to PMA, he lived inside a room with a local family. No one would guess he lived their, do you know everyone who lives on your street ?
OBL never left his compound and lived in a small room with a local family , he no electronic communication, pakistan even raided the compound in 2005. Why is it so hard to believe ??? does america know who lives i n every house with in 3KM of its military bases .
we should hang all people who fed the CIA info as an example
Anyone with pea size brain can come to the conclusion that he was a state guest.
this is 5th book on binladen saga how may more ?it reminds me story stuffed trout where every body in caffe told wrter he is the one who caught that trout and finaly when wrter touchs the trout it fells and broken into maney pieces same with binladen he knows ,she knows he does he does not its bull crap nothing more sotop payin attention
.........aaaahhhhhhh...same old bed time stories. you don't me to post the same counter arguments.................
@Lala Gee:
"Any proof?"
There has been a theft. Police catch a suspect which the stolen goods. He asks,"What's the proof?".
Osama was found few metres from the premier Pakistani Military Academy, not in some cave on the borders of Af-Pak. The proof has to be given by Pakistan, not others.
"Pakistan was privy to Bin Laden’s hiding: Book"
Any proof?
Pakistan's duplicity will be the subject of World attention every September for the rest of your lives --- you made the bed so I hope you enjoy sleeping in it.
My patriotism compels me to ignore these facts.
ignored
The world will keep on talking whatever they want unless Pakistan come out of its denials and conspiracies mode.
Michael Leiter, then Director of the National Counterterrorism Center says, “We were just amazed by the lack of a Pakistani response. It was, even by Pakistani standards, remarkably slow.”
Slap right in the face..............
My dear Indian Generals please note this point "“We were just amazed by the lack of a Pakistani response. It was, even by Pakistani standards, remarkably slow.”
Also take Israel ,US,Russia 's help in your next planning in case you need a back up .
There aren't many arguments which suggest that Pakistan didn't know the whereabouts of Osama.
The World already thinks Pakistan is complicit but not in a position to punish Pakistan because of the dependency on supply routes running through Pakistan. After 2014, once this dependency is eliminated, we will see the real outrage of the World towards Pakistan.
Kayani should be punished for this.
Michael Leiter, then Director of the National Counterterrorism Center says, “We were just amazed by the lack of a Pakistani response. It was, even by Pakistani standards, remarkably slow.”
This statement speaks volume about how we are perceived worldwide. We are a joke, a laughing stock. This government has failed at all levels including international relations and defending the nations' sovereignty (granted, that other governments didn't have success in that department but it never got as worse as it is now). It needs to go and never show its face again. The people need to rise up against this government and the status quo, the more complacent we are about our current situation; the more unmotivated we get about making a change. Then, we become forever slaves...
"his compound was just a kilometre away from the Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul, it was “nuts” that he hadn’t relocated in six years, the official said – inviting murmurs that it was being guarded by the Pakistan military." Before being stationed in the custome fort, OBL was on the run. However, in this compound he was so safe that he never bothered to move in over 6 long years. We cannot be quiet and not tell the whole truth to the world. The info would continue coming out unless we tell the whole truth and not sit like PCO judge Iqbal on Abbottabad Commission.
“We were just amazed by the lack of a Pakistani response. It was, even by Pakistani standards, remarkably slow.”
We were not slow Sir.. We were just watching our Indian borders, making plans for another Kargil, finalising negotiations for 6 new cantonments, 8 new fertilizer and dairy plants, telling civvies to smarten-up and making a list of which Generals should get double extensions..