WASHINGTON - Top U.S. defense officialssaid on Wednesday there was no evidence Pakistan's leadershipwas aware Osama bin Laden was in their country before a U.S.military raid killed him, and they cautioned against punitiveaction against Islamabad over the incident.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a Pentagon newsconference he had seen "no evidence at all" that seniorPakistani leaders knew the al Qaeda chief's whereabouts beforethe raid and said "in fact, I've seen some evidence to thecontrary."
Bin Laden was killed earlier this month in a compound inAbbottabad, a garrison town near the Pakistani capital. Theincident deeply embarrassed Pakistan's military and spyagencies and led to calls by members of the U.S. Congress for atougher approach toward the country.
But Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the JointChiefs of Staff, both said the raid had cost Pakistan dearlyand cautioned against any action that could harm relations orinterrupt the flow of U.S. aid. "If I were in Pakistani shoes, I would say I've alreadypaid a price. I've been humiliated. I've been shown that theAmericans can come in here and do this with impunity," Gatessaid. "And I think we have to ... recognize that they see acost in that and a price that has been paid."
"I don't think we should underestimate the humblingexperience that this is," Mullen said, stressing the "internalsoul-searching" underway in the Pakistani military. "Theirimage has been tarnished ... and they care a lot about that.They're a very proud military." Gates said Pakistani officials indicated a willingness togo after al Qaeda and Afghan insurgent leaders themselves andhad warned the United States against trying another raid ontheir territory similar to the bin Laden assault.
OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTION "I think this provides us an opportunity, and I think weought to take them up on that," Gates said, adding that itwould give Pakistan a chance to address the "frustration andthe skepticism" over the relationship being expressed in theU.S. Congress. "It is their desire now to do this themselves. And I thinkthey certainly understand the importance of it," Mullen said.
But he added that "we all need to make sure that theyunderstand very clearly that this priority isn't going to goaway and that these safe havens ... for these leaders have tobe eliminated." Mullen said General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, Pakistan's chiefof army staff, had committed in the past to going after leadersof the Haqqani network, one of the insurgent groups fighting inAfghanistan.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a Pentagon newsconference he had seen "no evidence at all" that seniorPakistani leaders knew the al Qaeda chief's whereabouts beforethe raid and said "in fact, I've seen some evidence to thecontrary."
Bin Laden was killed earlier this month in a compound inAbbottabad, a garrison town near the Pakistani capital. Theincident deeply embarrassed Pakistan's military and spyagencies and led to calls by members of the U.S. Congress for atougher approach toward the country.
But Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the JointChiefs of Staff, both said the raid had cost Pakistan dearlyand cautioned against any action that could harm relations orinterrupt the flow of U.S. aid. "If I were in Pakistani shoes, I would say I've alreadypaid a price. I've been humiliated. I've been shown that theAmericans can come in here and do this with impunity," Gatessaid. "And I think we have to ... recognize that they see acost in that and a price that has been paid."
"I don't think we should underestimate the humblingexperience that this is," Mullen said, stressing the "internalsoul-searching" underway in the Pakistani military. "Theirimage has been tarnished ... and they care a lot about that.They're a very proud military." Gates said Pakistani officials indicated a willingness togo after al Qaeda and Afghan insurgent leaders themselves andhad warned the United States against trying another raid ontheir territory similar to the bin Laden assault.
OPPORTUNITY FOR ACTION "I think this provides us an opportunity, and I think weought to take them up on that," Gates said, adding that itwould give Pakistan a chance to address the "frustration andthe skepticism" over the relationship being expressed in theU.S. Congress. "It is their desire now to do this themselves. And I thinkthey certainly understand the importance of it," Mullen said.
But he added that "we all need to make sure that theyunderstand very clearly that this priority isn't going to goaway and that these safe havens ... for these leaders have tobe eliminated." Mullen said General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, Pakistan's chiefof army staff, had committed in the past to going after leadersof the Haqqani network, one of the insurgent groups fighting inAfghanistan.
He said the raid had created difficulties for Pakistan'smilitary, and while Kayani had indicated a desire to keep therelationship going "I think we both recognize it's goingthrough a very difficult time right now."
"I think we need to give them some time and space to workon some of the internal challenges that came out of this," hesaid.
Mullen cautioned against the United States taking actionthat could worsen relations and interrupt the flow of U.S. aidto Pakistan, such as linking funding to the handover ofspecific leaders.
"I think the region continues to be critical and ourrelationship continues to be critical," he said. "I think itwould be a really significantly negative outcome if therelationship got broken."
"If the senior leadership in Pakistan didn't know (aboutbin Laden)," Gates added,
"it's hard to hold them accountablefor it." Reuters
"I think we need to give them some time and space to workon some of the internal challenges that came out of this," hesaid.
Mullen cautioned against the United States taking actionthat could worsen relations and interrupt the flow of U.S. aidto Pakistan, such as linking funding to the handover ofspecific leaders.
"I think the region continues to be critical and ourrelationship continues to be critical," he said. "I think itwould be a really significantly negative outcome if therelationship got broken."
"If the senior leadership in Pakistan didn't know (aboutbin Laden)," Gates added,
"it's hard to hold them accountablefor it." Reuters
