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Logan: Pakistan has U.S. "blood on its hands"
CBS
Pakistan's government has argued for almost a decade that it is doing everything in its power to fight extremist groups on its soil.
CBS News senior foreign affairs correspondent Lara Logan says that's quite simply a lie.
Logan says the Pakistanis have proven effective at targeting and killing Islamic militants inside their own territory, launching a battery of offensives against various Taliban factions and other groups.
Watch Lara Logan on "The Early Show" in the video player below
Pakistan: We didn't know bin Laden was here
But that success has been largely limited to groups which aim to destroy the Pakistani government. Military action devoted primarily to serving its own interest, in other words.
"This is an argument they made successfully in the last 10 years. The reason they're able to get away with so much," Logan said Tuesday on the Early Show -- the day after Osama bin Laden was killed in an elaborate compound in a town where thousands of Pakistani soldiers are trained every year.
Special section: The Killing of Osama bin Laden
Other groups, including networks linked to the Taliban -- some of which were created explicitly by the nation's security agencies and which have broader anti-Western and anti-U.S. aspirations -- are given too much freedom, says Logan.
"If you walk in Arlington Cemetery, past the fresh graves of American soldiers coming back from the field over there, Pakistan has some of the blood on its hands. They need to answer for that."
"Clearly they're not doing everything they can," said Logan. "And more importantly, they're not going to do everything that counts."
The raid on bin Laden's family compound in Abbottabad left Pakistan "caught with their pants" said Logan. "They're in hot water. They know it."
Pakistan's leader insists his government had no idea bin Laden was hiding right under the noses of his own military and intelligence agencies.
On Tuesday, senior U.S. and Afghan diplomats met Pakistan's foreign secretary in Islamabad. The three men gave a news conference to show solidarity, and express hope for even greater cooperation going forward.
"As diplomatic as the U.S. has been publicly, you can bet it's been a different story behind the scenes," said Logan.
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I read in the Washington Times that "Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Monday accused the U.S. of violating his country's sovereignty by sending in special forces to kill Osama bin Laden."
. However, I believe it is premature to levy blames as no evidence has surfaced that the Pakistani government had any idea Osama Bin Laden was in Pakistan. Nonetheless, I found Mr. Musharraf's accusation and condemnation of the U.S. of violating the territorial integrity of Pakistan highly contradictory.
Firstly, both countries have had bilateral relations for years, have supported each other in the same mission to eliminate what he calls a common enemy. He stated,"If two organizations [are] conducting an operation against a common enemy, there has to be trust and confidence in each other," And added, "Pakistan is "totally on board" on fighting al Qaeda and Taliban."
Well, well, well, if Pakistan is on board to fight a common enemy, would he be concerned with what explanation to give to satisfy the other, so as to maintain the trust or condemn the act, when in fact, both have been searching for ten or more years, five of which he was a guest in the other's home, living luxuriously?
Yes, Chapter 1, Article 2, item 4 of the U. N. Charter states, "All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations."
1. The purpose is to " achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion."
Lets not forget that Bin Laden has served as a threat to nations peace and security, impaired the way of life of many countries including Pakistan, except it was a ploy to make believe that they too were threatened by this man, I see no reason for Mr. Pervez Musharrafs frustration.
A Pakistani citizen was killed in self-defense by an American diplomat and he said nothing. To me that should have concerned him more than a man who has taken the lives of hundreds-of thousands of human lives and continues to threaten lives and peoples' ways of life..
Therefore, America's purpose there was not to infringe on the Territorial integrity of Pakistan nor to disrespect or serve as a threat to their independence rather, to continue the operation, that he, Mr. Musharraf acknowledges, the two organizations, or countries if you will, America and Pakistan, [are] conducting against a common enemy, Osama Bin Laden, with the trust and confidence that Pakistan who are "totally on board" on fighting al Qaeda and Taliban, haven been a difficult task, as the very person, OBL, had, on numerous occasions eluded both organizations, America and Pakistan, that he will express gratification that one of the two has accomplished the mission of finding him, in Pakistan, and in order that Osama does not go back in hiding, America decided that Pakistan who is an ally will be informed after the mission is accomplished. After all, Osama Bin Laden was residing in Pakistan illegally, if the government had no knowledge of his residency there, in Abbottabad, two hour's drive from Pakistani capital, among military retirees, for five years; five years, "without Mr. Musharraf, the Pakistani Immigration and ISI even knowing about it.
I believe many things will be discovered in this situation. Mr. Musharraf should think of explaining than accusing at this point because it is an embarrassment for the whole of Pakistan who "are" the ally that hosted the common enemy, with all luxurious facilities and beautiful women too.
I am just sad that our President (who has won the Nobel Peace Prize) can lift up his arch enemy as a trophy and show to the entire world that we kill first and ask questions later.
It is time to ban execution style death squads, bombs that kill civilians and torture!