Letting the next bin Laden go

Word comes out today that Pakistan is accusing the U.S. of a “missed opportunity” to eliminate Tehrik-e-Taliban (the Pakistani wing of the Taliban) commander Baitullah Mehsud. Pakistan suggests that they passed on “actionable intelligence” that on May 24, Mehsud would be traveling via Toyota Landcruiser to his Taliban stronghold in South Waziristan. Apparently, the information was disregarded and the CIA Hellfires that could have fired missiles on the target sat idle.

This claim is almost comical, considering the timing. As reports circulate that the ISI (Pakistan’s intelligence agency) is full of corrupt Taliban sympathizers, the country has sought to accuse the U.S. of not fighting the War On Terror for Pakistan - despite that Prime Minister Gilani said last week while in Washington that the War On Terror was his country’s “own war” and the repeated public claims that U.S. forces had no right to violate Pakistani territory. That’s right, despite the nearly $10 billion that Pakistan has received since the War’s beginning in 2001 (only topped by Israel and Egypt as the top recipient of U.S. aid), Pakistan wants the U.S. to go after it’s high value targets - such as the alleged mastermind of Benazir Bhutto’s assasination.

The intelligence that was passed on is in reality, almost laughable. The reason Mehsud, who doesn’t sleep in the same bed each night and is virtually paranoid, would emerge on that date was for none other than a press conference. Mehsud called nearly 30 journalists to his stronghold to discuss his group’s policies publicly. It is well-known that Mehsud’s tribe is spending substantial amounts (to the tune of $45 million, the NWFP governor declared) on fleets of Toyota and Nissan trucks, which Mehsud uses for convoy travel with an estimated 2-3 dozen armed guards. To place Mehsud in a Toyota in the middle of a region that spans the size of New Jersey is worthless. Without an asset on the ground to confirm Mehsud’s presence, the credibility of such claims would be questioned.

The real question that this whole blame game raises is a very important one. Where is that money going?

Money intended for strengthening the Frontier Corps and Pakistani army troops apparently isn’t doing anything, if they are too afraid to act independently against a terrorist wanted in their own country for the assassination of one of it’s most revered politicians. Perhaps Prime Minister Gilani should remind his ISI and its minions that Mehsud had a warrant issued for his arrest on April 17. The majority of that month was spent with Mehsud’s fighters and the government brokering ceasefires. If Pakistan wants Mehsud’s head on a platter, let U.S. forces enter the region and allow full authorization for air strikes. Otherwise, how about diverting some of those billions in aid to North African countries, who could actually use it?

Just to give you a brief idea of what Mehsud’s organization has been responsible for in Pakistan’s policy evolution, here’s a short list:
-assassinated over 200 tribal elders in region
-abduction of over 200 Pakistani soldiers in 2007, as well as several police attacks (one of which he is charged in the warrant for)
-attempted Oct. assassination of Bhutto, successful attack in Dec.
-group has expressed links to AQ Khan nuclear smuggling network
-has free border access to Afghanistan, where group is orchestrating attacks