US ally Pakistan makes peace deal with Taliban, agree not to arrest bin Laden

Thorgrim · 09-05-2006, 11:03 PM

Osama bin Laden, America's most wanted man, will not face capture in Pakistan if he agrees to lead a "peaceful life," Pakistani officials tell ABC News.

The surprising announcement comes as Pakistani army officials announced they were pulling their troops out of the North Waziristan region as part of a "peace deal" with the Taliban.

If he is in Pakistan, bin Laden "would not be taken into custody," Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan told ABC News in a telephone interview, "as long as one is being like a peaceful citizen."

Bin Laden is believed to be hiding somewhere in the tribal areas of Pakistan, near the Afghanistan border, but U.S. officials say his precise location is unknown.

In addition to the pullout of Pakistani troops, the "peace agreement" between Pakistan and the Taliban also provides for the Pakistani army to return captured Taliban weapons and prisoners.

"What this means is that the Taliban and al Qaeda leadership have effectively carved out a sanctuary inside Pakistan," said ABC News consultant Richard Clarke, the former White House counter-terrorism director.

The agreement was signed on the same day President Bush said the United States was working with its allies "to deny terrorists the enclaves they seek to establish in ungoverned areas across the world."

The Pakistani Army had gone into Waziristan, under heavy pressure from the United States, but faced a series of humiliating defeats at the hands of the Taliban and al Qaeda fighters.

"They're throwing the towel," said Alexis Debat, who is a Senior Fellow at the Nixon Center and an ABC News consultant. "They're giving al Qaeda and the Taliban a blank check and saying essentially make yourselves at home in the tribal areas," Debat said.

The Blotter

The Republicans have really led us to victory in the war on terror

"dead or alive" my ass!

I knew they'd cut this deal, Pakistani extremists support bin Laden and the Taliban INSIDE their government, and have finally pushed their president to make peace with the people who brought down the WTC

US forces can't violate Pakistani air space, so the people who murdered 3,000 americans are safe for life

What's worse is that he was trapped in Afghanistan but the WH ignored the CIA's call for US troops and he slipped away, now that failure by Bush will haunt us forever

6SpeedTA95 · 09-05-2006, 11:06 PM

Wow this is a slap in the face to the USA IMO. How can they say they'll give him a free pass if he agrees to a peaceful life? is it a trap? I doubt it...this is disturbing

KatKanPlay · 09-05-2006, 11:10 PM

It just keeps getting worse.....

thomez · 09-05-2006, 11:17 PM

this is no suprise really, Musharef (sp?) can only ignore his people's views so long

Donkey® · 09-05-2006, 11:37 PM

Pakistan...our friend in the war on ter...oh, wait. I guess letting them get nukes (and sell their technology around the world without punishment or even being able to talk to the guy who did it) was a GREAT idea. But ya know, those damn Iranians are the problem...they are 30 years away from a nuke!!!!!

ballz2wallz · 09-05-2006, 11:49 PM

if he agrees to lead a "peaceful life,"

do you think bin laden is just gonna come out of hiding and say 'oh thanks guys! i knew we could forgive and forget, let's live peacefully together, in harmony'

the CIA will have him knocked off in no time.

Ardentfrost · 09-05-2006, 11:51 PM

I really just don't see how this matters though. No matter where OBL is, he's not going to come out of hiding. And if he did, Pakistan giving him verbal refuge doesn't help him at all.

sj23 · 09-05-2006, 11:55 PM

Looks like they're "against us" now, because they certainly aren't "with us".

motivez · 09-05-2006, 11:57 PM

What happens if Musharef is overthrown by the radicals in that country?

It's pretty bad honestly..

ballz2wallz · 09-05-2006, 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

What happens if Musharef is overthrown by the radicals in that country?

It's pretty bad honestly..

he'll have the support of the US

Ardentfrost · 09-05-2006, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

What happens if Musharef is overthrown by the radicals in that country?

It's pretty bad honestly..

Then we'll force him back into power and he'll be viewed as a puppet of the US... *COUGH*iran*COUGH*

6SpeedTA95 · 09-06-2006, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

What happens if Musharef is overthrown by the radicals in that country?

It's pretty bad honestly..

Which seems somewhat plausible given the isntability in that country. I would like to know the administrations reaction to this (the bush admin that is) and I'd also like to know just what pakistan is thinking because this doesn't make a lot of sense especially given our recent diplomatic "successes" with them.

Thorgrim · 09-06-2006, 12:10 AM

I've read (no links) that pakistani intelligence services by in large were helping bin laden from capture, because they feared the shockwave if he was...power vacuum

6SpeedTA95 · 09-06-2006, 12:14 AM

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

I've read (no links) that pakistani intelligence services by in large were helping bin laden from capture, because they feared the shockwave if he was...power vacuum

I've read an op-ed or two about that same thing...so do you think this is because they're tired of hiding/covering for him?

Thorgrim · 09-06-2006, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

I've read an op-ed or two about that same thing...so do you think this is because they're tired of hiding/covering for him?

I think the US was pushing them for a hard offensive and this is their way to quit, but instead of admitting defeat they are turning it into a rallying point for the many extremists in their government

im very disappointed the MSM isn't picking it up yet

ballz2wallz · 09-06-2006, 10:32 AM

Pakistan Denies Bin Laden Gets a Pass

The government of Pakistan today denied it would allow Osama bin Laden to avoid capture under terms of a peace agreement it signed with Taliban leaders in the country's North Waziristan area.

"If he is in Pakistan, today or any time later, he will be taken into custody and brought to justice," the Pakistani ambassador to the United States, Mahmud Ali Durrani, said in a statement.

so what is this, more faux news?

anyway, /thread

6SpeedTA95 · 09-06-2006, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

Pakistan Denies Bin Laden Gets a Pass

The government of Pakistan today denied it would allow Osama bin Laden to avoid capture under terms of a peace agreement it signed with Taliban leaders in the country's North Waziristan area.

"If he is in Pakistan, today or any time later, he will be taken into custody and brought to justice," the Pakistani ambassador to the United States, Mahmud Ali Durrani, said in a statement.

so what is this, more faux news?

anyway, /thread

It looks like it may have been a bad piece, the link is dead in thorgrims first thread, so maybe ABC pulled it? If so thats good news...

Stylerod · 09-06-2006, 10:36 AM

None of this matters since OBL is already dead

Stylerod · 09-06-2006, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

Pakistan Denies Bin Laden Gets a Pass

The government of Pakistan today denied it would allow Osama bin Laden to avoid capture under terms of a peace agreement it signed with Taliban leaders in the country's North Waziristan area.

"If he is in Pakistan, today or any time later, he will be taken into custody and brought to justice," the Pakistani ambassador to the United States, Mahmud Ali Durrani, said in a statement.

so what is this, more faux news?

anyway, /thread

Oh hell. Thors link wasn't even from a real ABC news story. It was from a blog :doh:

ballz2wallz · 09-06-2006, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Oh hell. Thors link wasn't even from a real ABC news story. It was from a blog :doh: