Pakistan Tells U.S. To Keep Out

Warning Comes After Gunbattle Between Supposed Allies

(CBS/ AP)  Pakistan warned the U.S. not to stray across the Afghan border into its territory after a gunbattle between the anti-terror allies that was praised by tribesman as a victory against Washington.

As if to underline the point that Pakistan can beat al Qaeda and Taliban militants without American firepower, a top general said Friday an offensive in another frontier province had killed more than 1,000 suspected insurgents and predicted the region would be "stabilized" within two months.

Still, he also showed reporters photos of militant tunnel systems and trenches in Bajur, suggesting more tough fighting ahead in an area that is considered a likely hiding place for Osama bin Laden and other top al Qaeda leaders.

The violence that is roiling the Muslim, nuclear-armed nation showed no sign of letting up following last weekend's truck bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad that killed 53 people.

Pakistan's new civilian government is under mounting U.S. pressure to crack down on militants, especially those sheltering in the border area where they are believed to plan attacks on coalition troops in Afghanistan.

In recent months, Washington has launched a flurry of missile strikes and a ground assault on targets within Pakistan, infuriating both ordinary Pakistanis and their leaders.

In one of the most serious incidents yet between the two sides, U.S. helicopters and Pakistani ground troops briefly traded fire Thursday on the border.

The aircraft were not hit and no one was hurt.

U.S. Central Command spokesman Rear Adm. Greg Smith said the helicopters had been escorting U.S. troops and Afghan border police. When the helicopters were fired on, the ground forces fired rounds meant not to hit the Pakistani troops, but "to make certain that they realized they should stop shooting," Smith said from Centcom headquarters in Florida.

The Pakistani forces fired back during a skirmish that lasted about five minutes. The joint patrol was moving about a mile inside Afghanistan, with the helicopters flying above, Smith said.

The Pakistani military disputed the U.S. version, saying its troops fired warning shots when the two helicopters crossed over the border - and that the U.S. helicopters fired back.

Pakistani government spokesman Akram Shaheedi urged U.S.-led coalition forces "not to violate (the) territorial sovereignty of Pakistan as it is counterproductive to the war on terror."

But Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari struck a more conciliatory note on Friday during a brief appearance alongside U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in New York.

"I look at U.S. support as a blessing. I look at the world support as a blessing to Pakistan," Zardari said.

In Washington, Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Pakistani military leaders reassured him last week that they have no intention of using force against U.S. troops along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Mullen said he has no reason to believe the Pakistan-U.S. relationship has changed as a result of Thursday's border clash.

The clash - the first serious exchange with Pakistani forces acknowledged by the U.S. - drew praise from fiercely anti-American tribesman in the region.

"Pakistan should have reacted against the Americans like this earlier," said Mushtaq Khan. "They started late, but still it is a welcome step."

[mabangash]

to vietname21


hey *********, is it the same intel that told us irad had WMDs? you people are a joke...

[nicholasma]

No Bail out !!!!!!!!
We have no voice !!!!!
If you bail wall street out then who needs law

[guadalcanal3]

petro49l...Yeah riiiight...and what do you think will be the reaction of the "NATO" coalition "if" their forces are nuked by Pakistan?

[mabangash]

to vietname21
please return 1000+ pakistani soldiers and the thousands of civilians who have died in the war on terror and oh yes khalid bin sheikh and all the other al qaeda leaders we gave to u

and as long as we are on it, please also petition to bring back the USSR since without Pakistans help in afghanistan, you would still be reeling from the defeat in vietnam......

[zwaggsy]

I''ll think you find that most off the money you gave to Pakistan went to the politicians & their sponsors.

As for why the various villages & towns in the mountainous areas won''t toe the government line it''s probably because during the last big earthquake that devastated Pakistan the government largely ignored the outlying areas. These were mostly rescued by extremist groups who gave aid & helped rebuild as well as supplying some rather hard line preaching & teaching!

These people were effectively left to die by the rest off the world & now you want them to go to war with the people who saved them! The War On Terror is just as much about propaganda and leading by example as it is about combat and in this field the Coalition is failing dismally.

[worldpirate]

what is going on here afganistan sountains and all should have been leveled the day after 9/11/2001

there was a btime when the world envied, respected and feared us. we need those times back peace through superior power and a leader with b---s enough to capitalize on the power.
why do we not own the middle east everyone there hates us lets just take it and the oil

[petro49l]

Pakistani Soldiers and nuclear weapons protect Waziristan. The Coalition is stymied. Bin Laden''s safety guaranteed by Islamabad and Politicians in Washington D.C. Saudi money secured his freedom. The Coalition cannot win. If they invade Waziristan, Islamabad could launch several thermo-nuclear warheads at Afghanistan.

[nextgenman]

You are the quite dreamer are you not. With nuclear bombs in the hands of any religious extremist organization (Al-Quaeda, or any religiously governed nation) 100 years is beyond belief.

Posted by ToolMangler at 04:47 PM : Sep 27, 2008
--------

You''re right. God help us if the Jesus Nutballs ever gain control of America.

[nextgenman]

Oh Looky! Now our "Ally" on the Warr on Turrrr is telling Bush and the RINO Nutballs to stick it!

Republicans know no bounds when it comes to Failure!

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by brdlikssssss at 03:05 PM : Sep 27, 2008



You are the quite dreamer are you not. With nuclear bombs in the hands of any religious extremist organization (Al-Quaeda, or any religiously governed nation) 100 years is beyond belief.

[canadianalma]

You are absolutely correct that this is occurring. IN fact, in Great Britain, they are even starting to allow Sharia law in some civil courts over there



non of ur dam business u son of a ***

[pvperson]

Helluva job, Bushie/Cheney/McCain. What a mess you got us into.
Posted by irishmurph2 at 10:48 AM : Sep 27, 2008
+ report abuse
****
leave it to a liberal to try not offend a terrorist

Bush/Cheney/McCain are the real terrorists and I don''t care if they''re offended or not. I''d like to offend them with a jail sentence.

[toby2957]

Thanks Bush. Thanks neocons. Thanks republicans.

Now even our so-called allies hate us.

Time for a change.

[beehive21-2009]

Bush in company have poured millions into there own pockets and want to go out with a bang , called The Bail out.He let Big Oil run the White House and take your Money and they claim Billions in profit you know Bush has at least one Billion, from helping Big Oil and wants more, how greedy can the Republican pigs be,time get rid of the self centered Hos,No Bail Out.let em fall,or more Fairy Tales to get your money.Remember they wanted SS not to long ago.

[marl5-2009]

How can you guys blame Bush for this. Did you not hear the words for your loved Obama. Is it only a coincindence that Obama threatened Pakistan, and now they are shooting at our choppers? Get out of town if you believe it was only a coincidence.

[dsr57]

Looks like Bush''s plan worked. We jumped across the border a few times and FINALLY the country we''ve been paying 12 billion a year to fight terror steps up.

Pretty smart Idea really.

[thomm1961]

G.W. Bush is giving tens of millions to Pakistan and has no control over where it goes! I''ll tell you where it is going - Terrorism! The pakistanis are complete liars.

[random_radar]

All the Pakistanis have to do is shoot down an American helicopter and then we will see where it crashes. If it lands in Pakistan, they are justified. If it lands in Afghanistan, then the United States is justified. Until then, who knows what the truth is.

[stn_sage]

LOVELY! JUST LOVELY! One more enemy, one more conflict, more American dead fighting for nothing more than to keep armaments sales flowing! Good profits for Bush''s no-bid benefactors and good for him, too!

I swear, when this country ''tanks'' after Bush and Cheney are done ''slashing and burning'' it, I better NOT hear one godd@mn#%^*#@ Republican whining about, how did this happen?!

Because my response will be direct and to the point!

[j62kd4b]

If it weren''t for Spain (the other 1492) & their Queen Isabella riding roughshod thru Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and all other Muslim & Jewish territories - killing all "in the name of God"& Christianity, these areas which were peaceful for 400 years - would still be JEWISH & MUSLIM!
In fact, my ancestors were Jewish Sephardic...routed out of Palestine by the British Crusades and my ancestors migrated to Spain in time for the auto-de-fe & the inquisition.