Anti-NATO tension builds in Pakistan

By: Farhan Bokhari
Topics: Pakistan ,; World Watch

Pakistani protesters shout slogans against America and NATO in Lahore, Pakistan on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011.

(Credit: AP Photo/K.M.Chaudary)

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan on Saturday demanded the United States vacate an airbase within 15 days, as tension mounted between the two countries, following the killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers in an attack earlier in the day by Afghanistan-based NATO helicopters targeting a remote border outpost.

The Shamsi Air Base in Pakistan's southwestern Baluchistan province has long been suspected of having been used to carry out U.S. drone attacks. In recent months, conflicting accounts have been made about the current presence of U.S. personnel at the base.

After a meeting of the Defense Coordination Committee (or DCC) of the Pakistani cabinet, a late evening announcement by the foreign ministry said that the U.S. had been given 15 days to vacate the base. The DCC meeting also ratified a decision earlier in the day to shut down all supply routes for trucks passing through Pakistan to Western troops in Afghanistan.

In separate assessments of the decision on Shamsi Air Base, Western and Pakistani officials said its closure may not jeopardize the drone program operated by the CIA which has successfully targeted hundreds of Islamic militants in the Afghan-Pakistan border region. Still, there were warnings that Pakistan's decision will mark a significant symbolic setback surrounding relations between Washington and Islamabad.

"As far as I know, the drone program which is run by the CIA is operated from locations in Afghanistan and not Shamsi any longer," said one senior Western diplomat in Islamabad who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity. "The Shamsi Air Base decision will be seen as a significant symbolic setback to the U.S.-Pak relations," he added.

Pakistan blasts "unprovoked" NATO attacks
NATO: "Highly likely" it killed Pakistanis

A senior Pakistani government official who also spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity said that the decision indicated rapidly mounting anger among Pakistan's civil and military leaders.

"I think the feeling is clearly 'enough is enough,'" said the Pakistani official. "It doesn't matter if the Shamsi base is an active staging post for drone attacks or not. Pakistan's protest must be recorded as much as possible."

A Pakistani cabinet minister who also spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity, however, warned that the attack that killed Pakistani soldiers earlier on Saturday "had in fact violated a very firm red line drawn by Pakistan. The decision by the Pakistani government is that we must all take a stand, because the killing of our soldiers in cold blood is just not acceptable."

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by borysd November 27, 2011 11:10 AM EST: We have incompetent Politicians, a incompetent Banking system and to no surprise a incompetent military!; Reply to this comment


by usunus November 27, 2011 9:29 AM EST: As usual,a billion or two of American dollars should pacify the anger.; Reply to this comment


by libertyforever1234 November 27, 2011 8:54 AM EST: It's pretty frightening to see how many people on here are mad at the Pakistanis because WE killed THEIR soldiers. Are you all so brainwashed by your own state that you can't imagine America, the infallible, making a mistake? We need to get the hell out of the entire region, we are just exacerbating this problem every day we're over there.; Reply to this comment

by Freedom_Thinker November 27, 2011 2:18 AM EST

Once again the US is on an Al-Qaeda recruiting mission. Just when you were convinced that tensions weren't volatile enough towards our global bullying, our war-obsessed politicians are back to their favorite pastime, poking sticks at pit bulls.

Meanwhile, there is literally an invasion going on at our southern border and our military is hanging out in Japan, Germany and Australia. Gee, I feel so safe and snug now.

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by Lerianis4 November 27, 2011 3:54 AM EST: True..... personally, I think that we should try to have international police methods work to catch these people, with summary assassinations as an absolute last resort against them.

Things like this are the BIGGEST damned recruiting tool that we could give Al-Qaeda and everyone who has not been brainwashed by the conservatives knows that.

by dadrees-2009 November 27, 2011 1:24 AM EST

We should tell the Pakistanis and Afghans to get out of the middle ages because we have had enough of your religious nonsense we are going home.If you start up again we'll be back with the B52's and B2's and turn both of these hell holes into one big assed parking lot

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by Lerianis4 November 27, 2011 3:54 AM EST: You know, if you TRULY believe what you just posted? Do society a favor and go check yourself into the nearest insane asylum, because that is where your butt belongs!


by BrianHorsfield November 26, 2011 11:26 PM EST: Ron Paul was treated with huge disrespect in their foreign policy "debate". So CNN did a better job, but now Pakistan will make sure the issue is kept front and center about the wisdom of the US in having 900 bases in 130 countries, and bombing currently in 4 or is it 5 countries? These wars are insane and have nothing to do with protecting the United States. Ron Paul is the only candidate running not sold out to the deep pockets of the war machine.; Reply to this comment


by jeremyb802 November 26, 2011 10:18 PM EST: WOW, is this the kind of incidents and casualties that actually cause more hatred towards the US that Ron Paul has been talking about during the last 2 debates?

Imagine if some other country came over here, had a military base in Virginia and killed 24 of our troops? I wonder how Americans would feel about that, I know I would join whatever forces I could to fight back against that country? Would I be considered a terrorist? We need to get out of these peoples country. Al-Qaeda does not have an airforce, but I guarantee out of the 24 families that just lost a loved one, the US just made a few more enemies.; Reply to this comment


by aheadace November 26, 2011 8:55 PM EST: Time to pull out cut the aid we no longer need to be there; Reply to this comment


by bajajohn1 November 26, 2011 8:45 PM EST: There are nukes in Pakistan. Aside from the security of those nukes, one of our vital interests are the supply routes to Afghanistan. Some of the comments on this board are quite shallow.; Reply to this comment


by sallychicago November 26, 2011 8:17 PM EST: The Pakistani government is fragile. There is already anti-US sentiment because we have bases there and are flying out of Pakistan. Expect an "Asian" Spring.; Reply to this comment