Pakistan fires health workers tied to bin Laden kill

CBS/AP

ABBOTTABAD, Pakistan - A Pakistani government official says 17 health workers have been fired for allegedly participating in a CIA scheme to confirm the presence of Osama bin Laden in a northwestern town.

Zafeer Ahmed said Wednesday the workers, 16 women and one man, were dismissed because they failed to inform authorities they were helping Pakistani doctor Shakil Afridi with a fake vaccination program meant to obtain the al Qaeda chief's DNA.

The scheme was allegedly carried out in Abbottabad, where bin Laden was killed last May by American commandos.

Pakistan detained Afridi after the operation and could charge him with treason. The Pakistani government was outraged by the operation because it was not informed beforehand.

Ahmed is a senior health official in Abbottabad district.

In January, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who led the CIA at the time of the bin Laden raid, sat down with Scott Pelley to discuss the operation and how Dr. Shakil Afridi helped. Watch his interview at left.

[smittyc]

Shows the breath and scope of the current administration, and their diplomatic expertise which is zero. These folks should have been evacuated along with the physician and all their family members. These people helped destroy a monster, loss of job and livlihood should not be the result and Pakistan is making a very clear statement on where their loyalties are.

[Truth_Guru]

America is surviving only because of Pakistan merciful friendship. Without Pakistan America is nothing. America would have finished in 2 days if Pakistan did not protected America. In order to survive war in middle east America has to worship Pakistan.

The proof of that Pakistan is Protector of America is that America Kisses Pakistan Buttock all the time and pays money to Pakistan so that America does not get detroyed by middleeast.

In order to proof that America is not Pakistan slave, it has to stop giving money to Pakistan and stop kissing its bhuttock AND START ATTACKING PAKISTAN LIKE A MAN.

[FACEITT]

@IEtOut writes, "...The way america rewards them by slaughtering innocent people with remote controlled missiles? Kinda hard to make friends like that." You cannot be an American with that crap you are talking. There are no innocent people in Pakistan and if it bothers you so much, get the hell over there and help your people out.

[netjunkie1]

Pakistan is on the verge of turning our troops into occupation forces if they continue down the path of islamic extremism.
I cant' imagine such behavior from the very people we hope to liberate from the lies told to them.
Admittedly nobody is perfect and some negative publicity has resulted in effect, and most of the Pakastani populace are ignorant.
The dangers cannot be overstressed in a country that has the bomb.

[thehomelessguy]

If Pakistan was an ally of the US, they'd be rewarding these people.

[IEtOut]

The way america rewards them by slaughtering innocent people with remote controlled missiles? Kinda hard to make friends like that.

[FACEITT]

Yeah, IF they were. I simply do not understand why we deal with them at all and certainly don't understand why we are giving them money. For what? They betray us at every turn. When are those in charge going to wake up and tell them to go to hell, pull our troops and our money out of that treacherous country and come home?

[venusvegasvada]

Treason? Bin Laden wasn't a Pakistani so how do they figure it was treason?

Frankly the Paki's are just PO'd because we found the rat that was so carefully hidden away and they have to kick someone besides themselves for the embarrassment of being busted.

If the Pakistani's had done their jobs in the first place we wouldn't have had to do anything.

[you_MAY_be_right]

What are you talking about?

The Pakis are PO'd because the USA found the "Golden Easter Egg" they thought they had hidden away. They have to blame someone, easier to blame 16 women and one "doctor".

[venusvegasvada]

Do you comprehend what you read?

[jd2408]

Hamid Karzai told all of us on a TV interview a few years ago that Osama bin Laden was in Pakistan. I'm not sure if he came out and said Pakistan was harboring him but I got that impression. It was no surprise he was found there but I was surprised how close he was to a military facility.

[venusvegasvada]

I think the thing was where in Pakistan. We had thought for years he was hiding in the northwest mountain region, probably underground. The big surprise was as you said.

[Ericwvb]

These healthcare workers betrayed their oath (assuming they took one) and should be fired, even if what they did brought down a monster.

HOWEVER, having said that, if you charge them with treason the implication is that bin Laden, the world's most wanted criminal, was an ally or agent of Pakistan.

[iCi2i_befree]

You got that right Eric! However, charging them with treason saves face for those who sympathize with western interests.

My question to the CIA for betraying the names of informants and especially Dr Afrisis; was it necessary and why? They are probably all being tortured and will never see the light of day again. While getting Bin Laden was of paramount importance, there may be another some day but you can bet those people will think twice about helping us ever again. Was it necessary to betray them and was it worth it?

[Ericwvb]

TellitTrue: Medical workers take an oath to heal the sick. The vaccine program was a sham to get bin Laden's DNA and had nothing to do with healing or healthcare. Therefore the healthcare workers betrayed their oaths to heal their patients.

[jonnyooh]

The reason the Pakistanis were not informed that we were going after bin Laden is because we knew the Pakistanis would warn him and put him in a safe place. I think it's been a long time since we trusted those SOB's.

[DMD29]

Perhaps the US can offer all of them green cards and jobs here.

[Mark869]

That is an excellent idea. They did a huge service to our country and to the world.

If this move doesn't show how in league with Islamic terrorists the Pakis are, nothing will. We should cut off all aid to Pakistan until their behavior improves.

[billpl-2009]

ditto here

we also have lots of empty houses... let them take their pick!