I think it's possible the Obama administration just PREVENTED a war with Pakistan

[Bombtrack]

Bin Laden's compounds proximity to a Pakistani military academy combined with the lack of any apparent cooperation with the Pakistani military in the assault opperation on the compound makes me suspect that Obama and the CIA knew Bin Laden was being protected by atleast elements of the Pak military/ISI with ties to that academy and they knew they needed to take action before that became public knowledge in both Pakistan and America.

That is of course if the adminstration didn't fake it all and it wasn't Bin Laden, which I know is being posited.

[EFerrari]

1. No. Pakistan has a deal with us that they can deny

knowing about this operation. McChrystal cut it a while ago.

[Bombtrack]

3. I just don't think

Going by what I've read over the years. It's the wild west over there.

[EFerrari]

5. It's complicated.

Try to catch Amy's show today. It's a good investment if you're interested.

[Solomon]

11. What?

Obama has been complaining fgor a long time, as early as his campaign, that elements of Pakistan was complicit in helping Bin Laden.

He was the only candidate that said he would go into Pakistan to take him out - I remember lots of eyebrows being raised because of this stance.

[EFerrari]

13. I'm not sure what your question is.

I got that this morning from Jeremy Scahill's excellent run down on Amy's show. You might check the transcript when it goes up (it may be a little early yet) rather than have me give you a garbled version. But the basics that I gave is what he described. Scahill has been following the unit that wound up being deployed to take OBL out, as it happens.

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/5/2/jeremy_scahill_on_killing_of_bin

[robinlynne]

16. Pakistan is happily taking US dollars. That's about it.

[EFerrari]

18. Apparently not. More than one analyst today

on DN! said that this mission proceeded because of them, not despite them.

[quinnox]

2. Wow, quite a feat

So what else will bin Ladens death accomplish, perhaps peace in the Middle East is coming next? This is remarkable.

[seabeyond]

4. pakistan pres was on JON STEWART... talking about the mess in his country

everyone know that a majority of people a large part of military is on osamas side. even the pres. has been walking a fine line. says he is. none of this is new. i dont get why people are surprised with pakistan issue

[PATRICK]

9. The main thing

is that this single target has been a dangerous thorn with ops inside a sovereign country. The sooner accomplished the better. It is probably expected, and heartily desired by most Pakistanis the US will end the incursions now. Whether the US wants or plans to is another question. Once you accomplish a goal decisively you shouldn't stick around so long you ruin the impression, the point and the ultimate goal of stopping terrorist and nuclear aggression.

If we are going to have a permanent operation of "stabilizing" and de-Talibaning the region in BOTH nuclear Pakistan and Afghanistan the supposed "war in Afghanistan" will be now exposed as much wider and less winnable than ever.

[seabeyond]

10. i dont think there is any desire to mess with pakistan, but i think this is an opportunity

obama sees to build on the relationship that has had problems recently.

[JCMach1]

6. +1, CIA has been in an Undeclared war with rogue ISI since 2009

[tekisui]

7. We've been at war there for years. We'll see if anything changes.

For the better or the worse.

If we continue our drone strikes, we will run into a potential uprising/revolt from the people. We could have such a destabilizing effect.

[drm604]

8. It strikes me that faking it would be really stupid.

If you fake it, what happens when he turns up later? He would surely come out with an "I'm not dead" video.

[PVnRT]

12. A Pakistani reporter on NPR this morning said something similar

Basically to the effect of, some elements of the government/military had to know what was going on, else air defenses would have been alerted at the very least. It makes me wonder if there is a power struggle going on between the rogueish ISI/military elements and others in the government; both knew where he was, the former hiding it, the latter wanting us to do the dirty work.

[EFerrari]

14. Do you have the reporter's name, by any chance?

[PVnRT]

15. Najam Sethi

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/02/135914886/pakistani-journalists-comments-on-u-s-operation

The guy could be full of shit for all I know; just relaying what I heard.

[EFerrari]

17. Thanks so much. I'd like to check it out.

:hi: