Bush Secret Order To Send Special
Forces Into Pakistan
Fear of escalating regional conflict
By Simon Tisdall
The Guardian, September 13, 2008
go to original
See Article III.2
Initiating War Without a Declaration
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An observation post sits in the mountains
over looking Speray on one side, and the Pakistan
border on the other.
source: John D. McHugh,
Guardian
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A secret order issued by George Bush giving US special
forces carte blanche to mount counter-terrorist operations
inside Pakistani territory raised fears last night
that escalating conflict was spreading from Afghanistan
to Pakistan and could ignite a region-wide war.
[An observation post sits in the mountains over looking
Speray on one side, and the Pakistan border on the
other. (Photograph: John D McHugh)]An observation
post sits in the mountains over looking Speray on
one side, and the Pakistan border on the other. (Photograph:
John D McHugh)
The unprecedented executive order, signed by Bush
in July after an intense internal administration debate,
comes amid western concern that the war against the
Taliban in Afghanistan and its al-Qaida backers based
in "safe havens" in western Pakistan's tribal
belt is being lost.
Following Bush's decision, US navy Seals commandos,
backed by attack helicopters, launched a ground raid
into Pakistan last week which the US claimed killed
about two dozen insurgents. Pakistani officials condemned
the raid as illegal and said most of the dead were
civilians. US and Nato commanders are anxious to halt
infiltration across the Afghanistan-Pakistan border
of insurgents and weapons blamed for casualties among
coalition troops. The killing of a US soldier in eastern
Afghanistan yesterday brought American losses in 2008
to 112, the deadliest year since the 2001 intervention.
The move is regarded as unprecedented in terms of
sending troops into a friendly, allied country.
But another American objective is the capture of
Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaida leader held responsible
for organising the 9/11 attacks. He and his second-in-command,
Ayman al-Zawahiri, are thought to be hiding in the
tribal areas of north and south Waziristan.
Bush's decision to extend the war into Pakistan,
and his apparent hope of British backing, formed the
background to a video conference call with Gordon
Brown yesterday. "What's happening on the border
of Pakistan and Afghanistan is something where we
need to develop a new strategy," Brown said before
talking to Bush.
Brown said he would discuss the border issue with
Pakistan's new president, Asif Ali Zardari, who visits
Britain next week.
Bush's unusual move in personally calling the prime
minister for an Afghan strategy discussion has led
to speculation that the US president was trying to
line up British support for the new policy, including
the possible involvement of British special forces
in future cross-border incursions.
Bush's executive order is certain to cause strains
with some Nato allies fearful that a spreading conflict
could bring down Pakistan's weak civilian government
and spark a wider war. Last night there were indications
of open disagreement.
James Appathurai, a Nato spokesman, said the alliance
did not support cross-border attacks or deeper incursions
in to Pakistani territory.
"The Nato policy, that is our mandate, ends
at the border. There are no ground or air incursions
by Nato forces into Pakistani territory," he
said.
Nato has 53,000 troops in Afghanistan, some of which
are American. But the US maintains a separate combat
force dedicated to battling al-Qaida and counter-terrorism
in general. Nato defence ministers are due to discuss
Afghanistan in London next week.
Last week's raid, and a subsequent attack on Monday
by a Predator drone firing Hellfire missiles, provoked
protests across the board in Pakistan, with only Zardari
among leading politicians refusing to publicly condemn
it.
Pakistan's armed forces chief, General Ashfaq Parvez
Kayani, said the army would defend the country's sovereignty
"at all costs". He went on: "No external
force is allowed to conduct operations inside Pakistan."
He denied there was any agreement or understanding
to the contrary. His comments were widely interpreted
as a warning to Zardari not to submit to the American
importunity. But his tough words also raised the prospect
of clashes between US and Pakistani forces if American
military incursions continue or escalate.
Until now, Washington has regarded Pakistan as a
staunch ally in the "war on terror" that
was launched in 2001. But the alliance has been weakened
by last month's forced resignation of the army strongman,
former general Pervez Musharraf, and his replacement
by Zardari, Benazir Bhutto's widower.
Polls suggest most Pakistanis favour ending all counter-terrorism
cooperation with Washington, which is blamed for a
rising civilian casualty toll in Afghanistan and in
the tribal areas.
Yousaf Raza Gilani, Pakistan's prime minister, joined
the chorus of condemnation yesterday. He reportedly
told state media Kayani's warning that unilateral
US actions were undermining the fight against Islamist
extremism represented the government's position.
Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs,
and Robert Gates, defence secretary, told Congress
this week that victory in Afghanistan was by no means
certain and the US needed to take the fight to the
enemy inside Pakistan.
Mullen called for a "more comprehensive strategy"
embracing both sides of the border. "Until we
work more closely with the Pakistani government to
eliminate the safe havens from which they operate,
the enemy will only keep coming," he said.
US and Pakistani forces have clashed by accident
in the past during operations to root out militants,
although sections of the Pakistani military and intelligence
services are said to harbour deep resentment about
perceived American interference.
