Pakistan played Powell and Bush for fools...

[kentuck]

They received a promise to forgive $460 million dollars in debt and they agreed to help capture a high-profile target, perhaps al Qaeda's number 2 man, Zawahiri. They brought in their long range artillery and shot a few rounds into the mountains where the "terrorists" were supposedly holing up.

Then the US news media picked up the story. CNN had a reporter on the spot, ready to show the pictures of the capture of the terrorist leader, as soon as he was captured. However, it never happened. It appears to have been a ruse. Somehow, the "target" managed to escape. But the egg is still on the faces of Bush and Powell.

[EdGy]

1. they are incompetent, no surprise here...

This is just one more piece of evidence that shows the images of Bush as some kind of foreign policy genius to be nothing more than slick propaganda.

These people are clueless when it comes to how the world works.

As long as they are in charge the world will be a more dangerous and unstable place.

[trotsky]

2. Pakistan has us right where they want us.

Why should they ever help capture bin Laden or any of the major players? As long as they can put up the facade that they're "helping," we'll forgive debts, give them weapons & money, anything. Win-win for Pakistan, lose-lose for Bushco (and us, unfortunately).

[smartass]

3. This is why they called * Texas Souffle. All hot air.

[rock]

4. That would be the way to bet

But they are dangerous fools.

[hexola]

5. Were there US forces involved or not? Nobody could decide...

I loved how they couldn't decide wether US troops were involved...

I'm sure since it ended up being a bust...no US troops were involved...

If we nailed a big wig...US troops would have been there...for sure.

[Jacobin]

6. Yup.

They know the administration is incompetent, gullible, and won't attack him since he has nukes. Also, they are desperate to keep Musharif in place, because if there's a coup there and the fundies take over, then the fundies will have a nuke arsenal.....not good.

[hexola]

7. DId anyone else notice Condi on Fox saying...

"This is Pakistans operation...no US forces involved."

Well why the hell not...?
I thought this was a world-wide war on terrorism?

Did she think it was comforting to tell the Amercian people that PAKISTAN is fighting terrorism for us?

They will try to hide, they will try to avoid the United States and our allies -- but we're not going to let them. They run to the hills; they find holes to get in. And we will do whatever it takes to smoke them out and get them running, and we'll get them. -GWMDB


We'll get them...or Pakistan will get them.

[Sagan]

8. Remember when the fighting paused to "negotiate the terrorists' surrender?

You know what that's code for?

It's code for "let's talk bribes".

[hexola]

9. My gosh...I thought we didn't negotiate with terrorists?

Who said that?
Hmmm.

[PATRICK]

10. Right up there with

giving 90,000,000 to the Taliban in 2001, with Powell very satisfied with himself he had a deal. This is the chickens come home to roost possibly for the GOP blocking the Iran hostages release until Reagan beat Carter.

Lots of war and drama, but no subservient delivery to Bushco, By the way, Musharraf, dealing with Bush is only a guarantee of your demise. Can't trust or depend on him. If you can get REAL money- not promises- that is doing better than most allies.

By the way, using the Pakistanis as surrogates risks offhandedly handing the nukes over to Islamist radicals, but heigh-ho, that's just part of neverending war and terror.

[hexola]

12. What was Musharraf up to?...re Arron Brown

He had this smirk...like he new we were falling for it...anyone else sense that?

[0007]

11. ....and they still are kentuck!

Pakistan was one of three counties that supported and recognized Afghanistan as a legitimate country untill 911. And we're doing business with the biggest fraud of 'em all.

Musharraf