Bush Aide: Military Could Go Into Pakistan

White House Adviser Says Operations Within Pakistan Possible If Musharraf Fails To Stop Al Qaeda

(CBS/AP)  The U.S. would consider military force if necessary to stem al Qaeda's growing ability to use its hideout in Pakistan to launch terrorist attacks, a White House aide said Sunday.

The president's homeland security adviser, Fran Townsend, said the U.S. was committed first and foremost to working with Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, in his efforts to control militants in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region. But she indicated the U.S. was ready to take additional measures.

"Just because we don't speak about things publicly doesn't mean we're not doing things you talk about," Townsend said, when asked in a broadcast interview why the U.S. does not conduct special operations and other measures to cripple al Qaeda.

"Job No. 1 is to protect the American people. There are no options off the table," she said.

The national intelligence director, Mike McConnell, said he believed that Osama bin Laden was living in the tribal, border region of Pakistan. Bin Laden is the leader of the al Qaeda network and mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks.

McConnell said Musharraf's attempt at a political solution to peace in the region had backfired by giving al Qaeda a place and time to regroup.

"Al Qaeda has been able to regain some of its momentum," McConnell said. "The leadership's intact. They have operational planners, and they have safe haven. The thing they're missing are operatives inside the United States."

In the National Intelligence Estimate released last week, analysts stressed the importance of al Qaeda's increasingly comfortable hideout in Pakistan that has resulted from a hands-off accord between Musharraf and tribal leaders along the Afghan border.

That 10-month-old deal, which has unraveled in recent days, gave al Qaeda new opportunities to set up compounds for terror training, improve its international communications with associates and bolster its operations.

Since then, U.S. officials have said they expect Pakistan to launch more military strikes on Islamic militants while the Bush administration pumps hundreds of millions of dollars in development aid into lawless tribal regions to fight extremism.

On Sunday, Townsend reiterated the importance of Musharraf's efforts.

"We should also be clear that we believe Pakistan has been a very good ally in the war on terrorism," she said. "Musharraf has been the subject of numerous assassination attempts. Al Qaeda's trying to kill him. They get what the problem is. And we're working with them to deny al Qaeda and the Taliban the safe haven."

McConnell also sought to bolster the leader of Pakistan, a key U.S. partner in its fight against terrorism. "President Musharraf is one of our strongest allies," McConnell said.

Townsend spoke on "Fox News Sunday" and "Late Edition" on CNN. McConnell appeared on "Meet the Press" on NBC.

The National Intelligence Estimate also suggested that al Qaeda was regaining strength and reconstituting its leadership in Pakistan in part because of increasing terrorism activity in Iraq. Critics have charged the administration with pulling resources from the hunt for bin Laden along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to prosecute a war in Baghdad which has subsequently strengthened the terror group.

On Tuesday Townsend said that U.S. military efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq are connected.

"These aren't separate conflicts," she said. "These are clearly a single conflict by a single determined enemy who is looking for safe haven. And if they don't have safe haven in Afghanistan, they look for safe haven someplace else.

"They'd like to find it — and bin Laden has been quite clear — they'd like to find it in Iraq. But if they don't find it in Iraq, they're going to look someplace else, whether that's northern Mali, in the Maghreb or that's Somalia in West Africa."

[j-whitman]

Fran Townsend is one who supports every single thing Idiot Boy Bush does, including destroying our military & national security --
-- She was one of the many who helped scrub Bush's Air National Guard Record.. --
-- None of these people wou where with Bush from the start of this mess are the least bit credible.

[j-whitman]

Fran Townsend was another one who kept saying that Iraq was so safe, she would take her family there.

[xzavierbrown]

Fran Townsend was another one who kept saying that Iraq was so safe, she would take her family there.
Posted by j-whitman at 01:51 PM : Jul 22, 2007
+ report abuse

****

THEY WAY YOU AND THE DAC ARE GOING...that iraqi style safety will be delivered right to your door steps. I am sure allah will consider all your assistance before his followers blow you and your family up

[j-whitman]

xzavierbrown,,,, Nobody is going to blow you or me up,,, That kind of talk emboldens Bin Laden, it's exactly what he wanted - To make America Fear ----- Fear is Bush's entire Presidential Legacy

[speakinup]

Proof once again the liberals don't care about the war against terrorism, just hating Bush.

I predict yuo will see all sorts of negative comments from LEFTY on this site. Specifically they will say, "so now Bush is expanding the war". Of course, their version will use some childish adjectives and adverbs, which don't really define the President.

Fact is, on other sites they have complained bitterly about how we are in Iraq, and Al Qaeda isn't there. (like anyone believes THAT.)

So, start the lie-mill lefty - you know you will. Or, better yet, say Bush started the lie-mill - we all want to hear that story again.

[j-whitman]

xzavierbrown,,,,, Allow me to elaberatate --
Fear, Dishonor, Distrust, Abuse,,,, is Bush's entire Presidential Legacy

[speakinup]

j-whitman - are you the idiot that thinks the twin towers were done by the US Goverment ? There are so many conspiricy 'experts' on this site.

If not, how can you possibly say,"Nobody is going to blow you or me up" and that Bush's legacy is fear ?

If you are, why don't you expand on your evidence (no web sites please - not everything on the web is credible) - yor personal beliefs would be appreciated.

[emtak1]

"Job No. 1 is to protect the American people. There are no options off the table," she said.


Right on! Now your're geting it!

[us18988]

It's about time - should have been five years ago.

BTW - Fran Townsend is bright, beautiful, *** and definitely much more intelligent and stable than either Bimbo Val or the shrew whose pervert went off to Lewinsky. Maybe not Presidential timbre at this time, but could be a great Veep - or Secretary of State. She'd draw rings around Clinton's fat pig NotBright.

[j-whitman]

speakinup,,,, I don't agree with that argument of the Towers being a conspericy at all, & I've said so.

Terrorists or Al Queda flatly won't take over our country, chop your heads of or force you to convert ---- If you think they will, as Bush tells you,,, You don't put much stock in Americans.

[us18988]

j-whitman is a left wing imbecile who supports every little blame America and support Islamonazi cause he can find. The fact is, he also supports the majority of the MoveOn.Org Dem candidates whom if Al Qaeda (by a miracle) ever took us over, the surviving ones like Obama would grovel to the song of the Caliph himself, his namesake.

A Loser - a real bozo. To be ignored along with his friends FeelJihadi and RandyBoBS. Also Hillary and Obama and Osama cheerleaders - when they're not wearing their whitesheets courtesy of KKK Byrd.

Fran Townsend excludes class, intelligent, and beauty - kindly name one Dem who does, certainly not crybaby 'hos Pelosi or Plume.

[repug_bush]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Al Qaeda Cell in the U.S. or on it's way, according to Intel!! HELLO, our "SOUTHERN
BORDER" has been "wide-open" since 9/11!
You DO NOT NEED INTEL to tell me that!!!
All I have to say is. "WHERE'S THE FENCE?"
Illegal immigration + Al Qaeda = "TROUBLE"!!
ENOUGH SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!

[j-whitman]

It's Bush loyalists like Fran Townsend that are the reason we are still in Iraq,,, None of them would discuss Iraq, & they still won't debate it -- Obstrucionism, as they have done for the last 6 years is the reason of No Progress & Failed Iraq Policies.

[randalds]

Fran Townsend is insane. She's Di*cky Boy Cheney in a dress. She's as warmongering as they come and I would trust her to walk my dog (she'd probably kill it), let alone give advice on war or who to invade. She's one of the brain dead cheerleaders of death that got us into the quagmire of Iraq and will get us into a war with Iran and Syria too. She's a fanatic. A true Neoconservative believer and is therefore dangerous. She's swallowed the drugs and washed them down with the koolaid. She's a want to be Magda Goebbels.

[j-whitman]

US18988,,, Ask an honest Texan how Fran Townsend helped then Governor Bush take thier small farms & ranches from them,, & helped scrub Bush's record.

[randalds]

Someone needs to shut this mouthy bi*tch up! Come on Bush! Pull her leash back before she gets more of our soldiers killed! Stick something her her mouth to give her something constructive to use it for! Just don't let Condi find out though.

[us18988]

Hey Bozo aka Whitman,

Fran Townsend served in the United States Coast Guard as an Assistant Commander for Intelligence. Tell me when Hillary or Ann Taylor Girl Pelosi ever served.

Cookies maybe - or ILLEGALS.

Another typical loser remark from a typical Left Fascist loser who'd prefer we lose than defeat an enemy.

[j-whitman]

US18988,,, If you check, you'll find we have only killed around 760 actual terrorists in Iraq,, compare that number to the 3,652 Americans KIA, thier is no gain & Iraq's government is falling apart at the seems ----- BUSH JUST KEEPS ON LYING

[randalds]

Ok, I'll play. I picture US18988 as a grotesquely overweight guy in his early thirties still living with his parents. He's wearing only a tent-sized pair of urine stained Fruit-of-the- Looms and sleeveless undershirt that accentuates his man-breasts. There are chocolate Zinger stains on his face. He divides his time between posting boorish, uninformed opinions here and watching his 12-year old sister take a bath through the bathroom keyhole (normally she'd let him watch, but she's still mad at him for stomping her kitten to death). This afternoon his Steven Seagal movies will come in the mail from NetFlix, and tonight he will have a wet dream about Rush Limbaugh and wake up crying.

The above, perfect, description used by permission of bobgee_1999 and thanks again.

Face the truth US18988, you're a toad, A lunatic that no one takes seriously except to toy with and pis*s on.

[us18988]

Ahhh, the other idiot and screaming hyena is on board. Throwing up as usual - welcome Al Qaeda's best friend - RandyBoBS - and his usual clown routine.

(let's strike up that Barnum and Bailey tune, folks)

How's Hillary this morning, little boy? You ought to know... LOL

You can defend a glorified secretary and call girl like Plame, but heaven help a classy, intelligent woman like Townsend with your Islamonut apologists.

[j-whitman]

US18988 -- She was with the Coast Guard & look what happened,, Coast Guard lost 8 new ships with thier Deepwater Project.... Scrapped, unfit for sea.

[speakinup]

j-whitman, I'm glad you recognize the twin towers. I know there is someone out there that claims the plane hitting the Pentagon was a government sponsored lie.

ok - so, I'll go along with the idea that no one is going to be able to force us to convert to Islam. I believe that to be a joking reference as to how far this could go.

You know, I've looked for the proof of it once, and can't seem to find it, maybe someone can help, but I remember the media stating once that OBL said he isn't going to be happy until 3 million innocent US civilians are killed. This was before the Towers.

With the advent of IRAN trying to go nuclear, NK already there, and the poor accounting of the former USSR nuclear inventory (not to mention the organized crime in that country); wouldn't you think that it would be at least a possibility that a nuke could be brought into a port city and detonated before we'd know about it ? And, I'm not trying to scare you, just asking if you think this is really far fetched ?

[randalds]

Posted by j-whitman at 03:17 PM : Jul 22, 2007

Hey J, how ya doing? Having fun I see. US18988 is a pretty fun toad to kick around isn't he? Get him mad and he foams at the mouth. Really hilarious!

[speakinup]

Gee US18988, looks like you really torked the sarge (RandalDS) off. Look out! He's liable to go into PTSD again. Wouldn't want him to jump in the gutter again when the next car back-fires.

[j-whitman]

speakinup,,,, I worked with nuclear weapons for the majority of 20 years, don't sweat it... It takes a lot to maintain them safely & high technology to deliver them ---
- Iraq has stated they only want them for defensive resons, believe them (If they hated Jews they would kill the Jews in thier own country)...
. They are surrounded by threats that do have nuclear weapons.. Now thanks to Bush even Idia has them.

[us18988]

Whitman,

Again I'll ask, since you and the sick pervert named Randy - doesn't he hang out with g&ys??? lol - always try to change the subject...

What service did Cuckolded Shrew serve in, or Ann Taylor Girl Nan, or Plame, for that matter (the CIA is not a service, in her case maybe a call girl one)?

Shrew didn't even have the fortitude to do something appropo to Perv when he went Lewinsky -she wouldn't have the moxy to deal with Ahmedinejedad after he nuked Tel Aviv or New York, and you know it.

As for Pelosi, time she stopped scr&wing Assad and went over to serve in Iraq. She's wasted too much taxpayer dollars with her private planes and her hiring of ILLEGALS for too long.

[randalds]

Posted by speakinup at 03:22 PM : Jul 22, 2007

Actually numbnuts I was about to give you a serious answer to the question you posed to J. In factor, in spite of your trollishness, I will anyway. Yes, it's very possible that a terrorist organization could quite possibly sneak a nuclear device into the US via one of our ports. Which is one of the reasons many of us on the left are so pis*sed at the Chimp for funneling hundreds of billions of dollars into Cheney's and his friends bank accounts via his war for profit in Iraq, rather then spending more of it on real port security and not trying to sell our ports to Middle-Eastern countries or the Chinese.

[j-whitman]

US18988,,,, What's your problem ?? They aren't the ones who lied our nation into a war of choice & spun intell ---- They aren't the ones who's destroyed our credibility in the world, our military, our Justece system & our National Security ------- THAT WAS BUSH

[us18988]

Thanks so much, speakinup, I really enjoy skewering these left wing wackos - trouble is, they're not so much left wing anymore as they'd even give a pass to Herr Hitler given the opportunity.

Notice the excuses and the avoidance they do - point out Fran's faults(?) but never once point fingers at their own, like 'ho Pelo.

Notice how Whitman the clown is defending Iran. So typical. So pathetic. He should go and live there and take Randy boy with him for company.

Thanks again! (Randy Boy is probably on his second or third bottle of Ripple by now - lol)

[j-whitman]

US18988 -- Why is it every time someone points out the GOP's & Bush's total dishonor,, you people accuse us of being un-American & un-patriotic ----
--- Bush has failed our nation & you are playing failed politics with our troops, I can't think of anything greater that aids the enemy.

[radiob-2009]

What makes anyone think Al Queda needs to use a nuclear weapon in the US? There are millions of soft targets that can be attacked, timing of multiple soft target attacks can produce far more serious consequences than 9-11.What amazes me is that with all the purported knowledge that has been gained on Al Queda why are there hierarchy so eluvise still?We supposedly captured Al Quedas no 2 man in Iraq who supposedly had direct ties to OBL and this person has been in custody since the 4th. of July again supposedly speaking freely.All of these videos come out of Pakistan from Al Queda and we are unable to track the couriers back to the root?

[randalds]

US18988 -- Why is it every time someone points out the GOP's & Bush's total dishonor,, you people accuse us of being un-American & un-patriotic ----

Posted by j-whitman at 03:35 PM : Jul 22, 2007

Because there is no honest way to defend Bush's record and he knows it. So he resorts to name calling only. It's all he has. It's all bullsh*it of course, but he's already so full of sh*it that it drips down onto his daughter when he's molesting her. Try to give him an honest or adult level statement or reply and all he'll do is curse at you. So I lower myself down to shoot at him in his own tongue (when I'm bored enough to reply to him). In words that a 5th grade drop out like him understands. If you talk above his IQ (about 65) then he just reverts to calling you unpatriotic so he hopes no one will see that he hasn't the slightest da*mn idea what he's talking about.

[radiob-2009]

J You have been watching the movie on 9-11
Have you seen these photos?

Photos of men actually cutting the columns.
http://wtc7lies.googlepages.co
m/WTCTorchAngleCuts1.jpg/WTCTorchAngleCu
ts1-full.jpg

[us18988]

You, Whitman, and Randy and your NON-SERVING Dems betray our troops much more than Bush or Cheney ever would.

Again, Whitman - where's Durbin, Schumer, Pelosi, Hillary, Bill (who ran off to London and Russia the last time around), KKK Byrd, or Boy Obama? If they don't like Iraq so much, they should volunteer for Afghanistan. Hillary wants to be CinC but she couldn't even deal with Lewinsky - it's time she got off her fat butt and did her duty.

You practice what your preach - or you prove yourselves to be the Benedict Arnolds we've always said you were.

And they, these MoveOn.Org paid traitors should shut up - or grab that helmet and carbine and go in harm's way.

As for your friend, the smelly drunk, about the only chimps he'd ever know would be a surrender monkey like himself.

[us18988]

Forget Prune Face Harry Reid in that unsavory mix of Moveon.Org paid Islamoappeasers...since he knows so much about military affairs, its time he proved his worth - or lack of it - in the field.

Maybe Jack Reed, Webb, Murtha, and Kerry - the sorry losers who at least did serve can show Reid, Pelosi, the Clintons, Obama, Durbin, et. al., the way...Or as Webb said - maybe the American people could show them.

[radiob-2009]

You, Whitman, and Randy and your NON-SERVING Dems betray our troops much more than Bush or Cheney ever would.

Posted by US18988

Now you are refencing three individuals. Where have I posted here anywhere that suggests that we should not be fighting Al Queda?

[j-whitman]

Radio,, No, but I think I did see some clips... Anything is possible in America, this is the land of oppertunity..
. Right now putting these criminals in prison for what they have done to our country is more of a concern to me.

[radiob-2009]

J what people are trying to claim is that the columns were brought down by themite and not cut with torches. The photo clearly shows individuals cutting the columns.

[j-whitman]

US18988,,, I've served 20 years on submarine duty, 13 years of that, at sea away from my family defending our National Security -
-- How about you? Or does your Patriotism stop with Party like Bush's idea of Patriotism ???

[radiob-2009]

J I am still trying to figure out how he lumped me into insults, when I only posed questions. I have not read any proposed solution offered by US18988 only insults to posters on the board.That is a real good way to have dialect or converse on the article.

[randalds]

You, Whitman, and Randy and your NON-SERVING Dems betray our troops much more than Bush or Cheney ever would.

Posted by US18988

Now you are refencing three individuals. Where have I posted here anywhere that suggests that we should not be fighting Al Queda?

Posted by radiob at 03:48 PM : Jul 22, 2007

Same here. I have never posted anything like that. I have said (and it true) many times that al-Qaeda was not in Iraq before we invaded and that invading Iraq had nothing to do with fighting them. We SHOULD be fighting them and we SHOULD have eliminated them when we went into Afghanistan, instead of launching Bush's war of choice and for profit in Iraq. Idiots like US18988 have their head so far up their as*s that they can't see that there is a difference between fighting terrorism the fu*cked up Bush method and fighting it intelligently.

[j-whitman]

radio,,,, He's just a Bushie spoiling for a scrap, they should come better prepared.

[radiob-2009]

Randall I believe he ran away after being questioned on it.Nothing to back it up with.
About like ban_islam who I encountered the other night who ran off quick.

[randalds]

Oh and as many here know, but apparently head up his as*s US18988 doesn't, is that I served 4 years in the Air Force during Vietnam and I'll bet his well molested daughter that he's never been in any other uniform then the Boy Scouts and then got kicked out because his scoutmaster wanted him to also join NAMBLA with him.

[radiob-2009]

Oh by the way she ban_islam claims to be a Irish butt doctor. I wonder if burkas come in green?

[randalds]

Posted by radiob at 04:00 PM : Jul 22, 2007

He cut and ran, just like all of the yellow-bellied gutless coward Bush supporters. Ain't a one of them that's not a pu*ssy and not so deep down inside either. Just like Bush.

[speakinup]

"I worked with nuclear weapons ...It takes a lot to maintain them & tech to deliver them" j-whitman,

I have a CPIM. I know a lot about the Inventory and Production Mgmt.

There was a short ILWU strike not too long ago. The backlog of parts and assemblies which sat on the freighters for a few days caused a 3 month lag in Production for many companies all accross the US due to the railway freight system and its capacity to take that freight in an expeditious manner.

Current technology will not allow the scanning of all containers before they get into the port, not without a huge delay and lagtime for parts and assemblies. That's not going to happen, otherwise you are talking about a MAJOR economic problem.

So, there's your delivery system.

As for the maintenance of the bomb, consider that there are plenty of trained technicians looking for a living in the former USSR, India and Pakistan.

Where there is enough money and will, there's a way, eventually. Especially if you don't mind murdering a few people along the way to coerce their relatives to do the deed.

I believe the scenario is very realistic, and atleast somewhat probable.

[radiob-2009]

A little bit disturbing for foreigners to be telling us what we should do on these boards is it not? A Irish butt doctor,

http://www.faithfreedom.org/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=8778&sid=2495a064037d700f3d093a50db8f340b

[j-whitman]

speakinup,,, There is alot more to it than just sticking one in a shipping container.

[j-whitman]

speakinup,,,, Wasn't Valerie Plame in charge of a secret front company tracking WMD movements ???