GAO: U.S. has no plan to fight al Qaeda in Pakistan.
Filed Under: Terrorism
By on Apr 17th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
GAO: U.S. has no plan to fight al Qaeda in Pakistan.
The Government Accountability Office released a report today concluding that the United States has no plan to combat al Qaeda and other terrorist threats in Pakistan. The GAO found that “[t]errorists are still operating freely in Pakistan along the country’s Afghanistan border, despite the U.S. giving Pakistan more than $10.5 billion in military and economic aid.” In a glaring rebuke of President Bush’s terrorism policy, the report says that there is “no comprehensive plan” to “destroy the terrorist threat and close the safe haven in Pakistan,” and “al Qaeda had regenerated its ability to attack” the United States.
Sort Comments By: Top Rated | Date
40 Responses to “GAO: U.S. has no plan to fight al Qaeda in Pakistan.”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Register
RSSLogin
View Most Popular
Visit Our Affiliated Site
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
Reports
In depth studies on select topics
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Beck
Big Oil
Bolton
Bush
Cheney
Civil Rights
Dobbs
Drudge
Economy
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Feith
Fox News
GI Bill
Global Warming
Gore
Guantanamo
Hagee
Health Care
Immigration
Impeachment
Iran
Iraq
Justice
Kristol
LGBT
Lieberman
McCain
McClellan
Media
Military
O'Hanlon
O'Reilly
Obama
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Rove
Terrorism
Torture
Veterans
Wiretapping
Women's Rights
ArchivesBlog RollAbout Think ProgressContact Us
Donate
Quick, somebody pump oil into western Pakistan!
April 17th, 2008 at 2:41 pmMethinks our leaders believe that if they scream AL QAEDA IRAQ AL QAEDA IRAQ AL QAEDA IRAQ AL QAEDA
April 17th, 2008 at 2:42 pmOsama bin Forgotten
April 17th, 2008 at 2:46 pmLet’s try this again:
Methinks our leaders believe that if they scream AL QAEDA IRAQ AL QAEDA IRAQ AL QAEDA IRAQ AL QAEDA long enough and loud enough that Americans won’t notice that:
1) There WAS no Al Qaeda in Iraq before we invaded.
2) It was the Al Qaeda currently in the Afghanistan-Pakistan mountains that was responsible for 9/11.
3) Osama bin Laden isn’t anywhere near Iraq.
4) Al Qaeda Pakistan has regenerated its ability to attack the U.S. while we were busy making a mess of Iraq.
5) We are currently the best recruiting tool Al Qaeda has, and will remain so as long as we are in Iraq and/or otherwise meddling in the Middle East.
I still have faith in my fellow Americans. Right now, most have woken up, realized they have been had by our leaders and cooperative media.
April 17th, 2008 at 2:46 pmthere is no oil right there, of course they dont give a shlt…
remember gw doesnt give a rats-ass about obl…
April 17th, 2008 at 2:47 pmWhy am I sooooooo not surprised…?
OBL + GDUB BFF’S 4EVER
April 17th, 2008 at 2:51 pmThey need those Al Qaeda terrorists to keep the sheeple scared, plus who are they going to blame when Bush and Cheney’s next planned attack on the USA happens?
And of course there is the old, “Do they have Oil?” thing.
Bush/Cheney Destroying American One Step At A Time.
April 17th, 2008 at 2:51 pmFrom the article:
“al Qaeda had effectively found replacements for many of its senior operational planners over the years. The NIE stated that, in the past 2 years, al Qaeda’s central leadership regenerated the core operational capabilities needed to conduct attacks against the United States. It also found that al Qaeda’s central leadership, based in the border area of Pakistan, is and will remain the most serious terrorist threat to the United States.”
So, basically, every time we kill their #2 man, or Bin Laden’s roomate’s cousin-in-law, another one just springs right back up. And in the meantime, AQ’s leadership is laughig at our mess in Iraq.
April 17th, 2008 at 2:53 pmWe don’t reprimand Saudi Arabia or Pakistan, in fact we give them money and sell them weapons.
Are we trying to stop terrorism, or just have a War on Terror?
This will go down with Hirohito being “divine” and other heinous “leadership.”
April 17th, 2008 at 2:54 pmAnd in other news today:
KABUL (AFP) - NATO admitted on Thursday that a helicopter mistakenly dropped military supplies in the wrong place in southern Afghanistan and that they had subsequently disappeared.
April 17th, 2008 at 2:56 pmAfghan media said the ammunition including rocket-propelled grenades as well as food and water was seized by Taliban militants, but NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) did not say who took the supplies.
“On March 25, a private helicopter company was contracted, on behalf of an ISAF unit, to resupply an Afghan National Police (ANP) outpost located in a remote mountain area” of Zabul provine, an ISAF statement said.
People keep saying that there was no Al-Queda in Iraq before America invade. There was also no Al-Queda in Pakistan or anywhere else for that matter untill the CIA created them in the 1960’s to give them an enemy for their new oil wars and to justify the goals of the Project for the New American Century. Bin Laden is CIA trained and armed. Why must we succumb to mainstream media fallacies when discussing issues of such vital importance.
April 17th, 2008 at 2:57 pmOf course they aren’t going after AQ in Pakistan. They rely on that boogeyman to keep the masses in FEAR!
April 17th, 2008 at 3:00 pmLong Live Emmanuel Goldstein!
Further proof that this is not a war on terror. (Rather a war of terror.)
April 17th, 2008 at 3:01 pmNo US plan to fight Al Qaeda in Pakistan?
This is the best news I’ve heard in the past seven years!
Bush Administration Plans 2001-2008:
Defend Nation
April 17th, 2008 at 3:04 pmHunt Down Bin Laden
Establish Democracy In Afghanistan
Rebuild Afghanistan
Destroy Taliban
Defeat Al Qaeda
Liberate Iraqis
Establish Democracy in Middle East
Make World Safer Place
Create More Jobs
Improve Economy
Reduce Oil Dependence
Expand Ownership Society re: House Ownership
Reduce Cost of Health Care
Strengthen US Military
Mission To Mars
Improve Education
Reduce Poverty
Increase Individual Liberty
Reduce Government Waste
Restore Honor and Dignity to The White House
Why bother, there are plenty of Iraqis to kill and torture.
April 17th, 2008 at 3:04 pmJust out of curiosity, what is the Progressive solution to AQ in Pakistan? Currently we use sporadic predator strikes and I suspect some very small SF ops. Would an increase in military activity make you happy? Bear in mind, Musharef has no control whatsoever over Waziristan, his army has gotten trashed several times trying to tame it….what should we do about this situation?
April 17th, 2008 at 3:12 pmAt some point doesn’t abdication of your duties as President and (oddly enough) CiC amount to treason?
April 17th, 2008 at 3:13 pmWell, how appropriate. From their own actions, it looks like this administration has had no plan to fight them in Afghanistan or Iraq, either.
April 17th, 2008 at 3:15 pmYou don’t fight the bogeyman - you use him to scare children.
Bush has no plan?
WTF? You have to be kidding us.
Bush has no plan?
April 17th, 2008 at 3:19 pm“Just out of curiosity, what is the Progressive solution to AQ in Pakistan? Currently we use sporadic predator strikes and I suspect some very small SF ops. Would an increase in military activity make you happy? Bear in mind, Musharef has no control whatsoever over Waziristan, his army has gotten trashed several times trying to tame it….what should we do about this situation?”
The progress solution AQ in Pakistan? How about figuring out who the heck AQ in Pakistan are? How about then finding them and bringing them to justice instead of blindly bombing the crap out of a sovereign country? These are just the ideas off the top of my head.
April 17th, 2008 at 3:20 pmKeltoi Says:
what should we do about this situation?
####
Well, I think a good first step would be to re-open Shahbaz Air Base in Jacobabad, Pakistan. It was closed in 2004. This would give us a good base of operations to work from. Secondly, we need to seriously start pulling from Iraq to focus on Afghanistan. We have no clear enemy in Iraq, we are simply regulating a civil war between various factions, all of which oppose us. Without our resources being seriously tied up in Iraq, we would actually be able to fight Al-Qaeda.
That’s a start.
April 17th, 2008 at 3:22 pmKeltoi Says:
——————————————————————————–
Just out of curiosity, what is the Progressive solution to AQ in Pakistan? Currently we use sporadic predator strikes and I suspect some very small SF ops. Would an increase in military activity make you happy? Bear in mind, Musharef has no control whatsoever over Waziristan, his army has gotten trashed several times trying to tame it….what should we do about this situation?
Stop sending our money to Musharef (BILLIONS & BILLIONS). Leave Iraq NOW, redeploy in border region and kill OBL. Once done, come home. NEXT!
April 17th, 2008 at 3:23 pmBecause of our foray into Iraq, we are unable to provide the necessary resources to fight the Real Global War On Terror.
April 17th, 2008 at 3:25 pmJust think how much better things would be now if BushCo had done what was right all these years instead of doing what diverted our national treasury into their pockets and their friends pockets. EVERYTHING they do is designed to generate profits for the few at the expense of the many.
April 17th, 2008 at 3:26 pmPakistan, herr dubyah’s ally, is a safe haven for terrorists and reich-wingers do not care.
April 17th, 2008 at 3:28 pmThe Government Accountability Office released a report today concluding that the United States has no plan to combat al Qaeda and other terrorist threats in Pakistan.
Well of course not. Why would they actually engage the known enemy of the mythical “war on terror”?
April 17th, 2008 at 3:30 pmWouldn’t it be easier just to overtake a middle eastern country, wholly unprepared for an assault? With oil, to boot.
Why, why, I ask of thee, why do the 28%ers still support this administration?
Exley?
COMBATING TERRORISM
The United States Lacks Comprehensive Plan to Destroy the Terrorist Threat and Close the Safe Haven in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas
The report finds that Al Qaeda is now able to attack the United States and represents the “most serious” threat to this country. The United States has not met its national security goals to destroy the terrorist threat and close the safe haven in Pakistan…
No comprehensive plan for meeting U.S. national security goals in the FATA has been developed, as stipulated by the National Strategy for Combating Terrorism (2003), called for by an independent commission (2004), and mandated by congressional legislation (2007). Furthermore, Congress created the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) in 2004 specifically to develop comprehensive plans to combat terrorism.
Bush says we are combatting terrorists, but the GAO says we have No comprehensive plan in place for meeting this national security goal. I’m impressed the Government Accountability Office: 1. Named the document appropriately 2. Did the report in the first place 3. Actually admitted the US has not met it’s National Security Goals 4. Admitted Al Qaeda is able to be a “most serious” threat 5. That there isn’t a plan in place to meet this goal.
We found an office that Bush doesn’t completely control. WOW
April 17th, 2008 at 3:35 pmAfter all the money we have invested in this war; it is no surprise that there isn’t any game plan whatsoever. That would require someone with experience and intellegence. That leaves out Georgie & co out. He is only good at being a cowboy, taking vacations and pretending to have been a fighter pilot.
Well if they catch OBL then they can’t make fake threatening tapes to use when they need to duck some other dastardly deed they’re getting busted for.
April 17th, 2008 at 3:35 pmrobertoroberto Says:
The progress solution AQ in Pakistan? How about figuring out who the heck AQ in Pakistan are? How about then finding them and bringing them to justice instead of blindly bombing the crap out of a sovereign country? These are just the ideas off the top of my head.
How do you intend to “find them and bring them to justice”? They aren’t going to surrender. And we are not “blindly bombing the crap” out of Pakistan.
Chris L Says:
Well, I think a good first step would be to re-open Shahbaz Air Base in Jacobabad, Pakistan. It was closed in 2004. This would give us a good base of operations to work from. Secondly, we need to seriously start pulling from Iraq to focus on Afghanistan. We have no clear enemy in Iraq, we are simply regulating a civil war between various factions, all of which oppose us. Without our resources being seriously tied up in Iraq, we would actually be able to fight Al-Qaeda.
This sounds very reasonable. I was wondering the other day when that rarest of creatures, a story about Iraq, crossed my TV screen, would the MSM remain as disinterested in Iraq as it is now after we pulled out? Would they hurry to cover the mayhem and violence that resulted from our leaving or would they ignore it like the current mayhem and violence with us there? It will make a big political difference to whoever is the next President.
April 17th, 2008 at 3:38 pmIf elected president, I promise to fight the corruption in Darfur by invading Finland ?
April 17th, 2008 at 3:39 pmWonder when we will fight Al-Qaeda in Yemen?
April 17th, 2008 at 3:41 pmKeltoi Says:
Would they hurry to cover the mayhem and violence that resulted from our leaving or would they ignore it like the current mayhem and violence with us there?
###
I honestly don’t think our leaving will result in mayhem and violence. We aren’t doing anything to stop Iraqis from killing each other now. If we see a group of Iraqis attack another group of Iraqis, we don’t jump in on either side. It is a 6 way civil war that we are not taking part in. However, we are arming, training, and funding the Badr Corps, and providing a lot of funding to the Iraqi Islamic Party, both of which hate each other. So there is the possibility that after we leave, there will be less sectarian violence. And most of AQI will be killed off (either by Fadhilla, the Mahdi Army, or Badr Corps), or they will be driven back to Saudi. The only reason the Iraqis are even tolerating the Saudis and the Syrians in their country is because they are fighting against us. But I digress, this thread is about Afghanistan/Pakistan.
April 17th, 2008 at 3:49 pmIgnoranceIsNotBliss Says:
Wonder when we will fight Al-Qaeda in Yemen?
There have been several Predator strikes in Yemen. It is also much harder to hide in Yemen than it is in Waziristan.
April 17th, 2008 at 3:52 pmBy the way, where is Osama?
April 17th, 2008 at 3:52 pmThe question should not be WHERE is Osama Bin Laden but Whom.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:05 pmIn order for there to be a perpetual war on terror…
April 17th, 2008 at 4:05 pmyou have to let terrorists take root and grow somewhere.
The Taliban Runs on POPPIES. The WAR on Drugs funds the Terrorists.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:59 pmMaybe we should just BUY the Whole Crop, and run our cars on POPPYNOL.
Badger Says:
The Taliban Runs on POPPIES. The WAR on Drugs funds the Terrorists.
Maybe we should just BUY the Whole Crop, and run our cars on POPPYNOL.
Yeah! And we could retrofit our rigs so the tailpipe feeds into the air conditioner…so many efficiencies, Badger!
April 17th, 2008 at 5:26 pmmisshusseinmolly Says:
Let’s try this again:
Methinks our leaders believe that if they scream AL QAEDA IRAQ AL QAEDA IRAQ AL QAEDA IRAQ AL QAEDA long enough and loud enough that Americans won’t notice that:
1) There WAS no Al Qaeda in Iraq before we invaded.
2) It was the Al Qaeda currently in the Afghanistan-Pakistan mountains that was responsible for 9/11.
3) Osama bin Laden isn’t anywhere near Iraq.
4) Al Qaeda Pakistan has regenerated its ability to attack the U.S. while we were busy making a mess of Iraq.
5) We are currently the best recruiting tool Al Qaeda has, and will remain so as long as we are in Iraq and/or otherwise meddling in the Middle East.
I still have faith in my fellow Americans. Right now, most have woken up, realized they have been had by our leaders and cooperative media.
April 17th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
6. Don’t forget #6, the most important one:
We invaded Iraq on the THREAT of Hussein having nukes.
Pakistan HAS nukes.
Bin Laden, the 9/11 mastermind, is in Pakistan.
The GAO says we aren’t going ro budget Pakistan.
More TREASON against the USA from the Bin Laden family azlicker Bush family, the TREASONOUS OIL WHORES (TM).
April 17th, 2008 at 6:44 pm>Just out of curiosity, what is the Progressive solution to >AQ in Pakistan?
My guess? Stop wasting resources in Iraq that could be used along the porous Pak/Afgh border. Not make random enemies out of the entire world so we will have more people in the region willing to help us.
April 17th, 2008 at 10:29 pmAlso, honestly..AQ in any country is about as much of a threat to this country as lightning. It ludicrious to spend so much time worrying about it, unless your a republican with nothing better to talk about because tax breaks for the rich don’t make very good soundbytes. Flying a few planes into a few buildings is the worst, absolute worst, they could do. 3000 dead americans is like a bad week on americas highways. AQ have no access, nor technological facilities or abilities to create or even to maintain smallpox or nuclear devices, the only two things that could cause this country serious problems. Athrax is laughably difficult if not impossible to disperse widely. Its not contagious in humans. Dirty bombs are logisitcally unfeasible devices as any nuclear expert will attest to. Suitcase nukes are a coldwar myth, and even if they actually existed, anything involving nuclear devices required constant maintence, upkeep and repair, by highly educated scientists with access to state of the art, immobile equipment.
All this stuff are things which no stateless organization will ever have. Also, for what its worth, I would contend that the only people who would ever release the smallpox virus were those seeking to whipe out humanity, because anyone with the technological knowhow to create or even store smallpox knows it would spread throughout the entire world into todays globalized society. I’m sure there are many bad things one can say about AQ, but I do not beleive they are seeking the death of every human being on this planet, even if they had the ability to do so, which they dont and never will.