Pakistan troop fire turns back U.S. helicopters

I remember when I heard on the news that we (the US GOVT) said we were going to go to Pakistan and go after insurgents and we weren't going to ask Pakistan for permission it reminded me of 2 things. 1) Are we crazy? I know there are bad people we are trying to go after but we can't go into another country without asking or at least advising them. and 2) I guess it is easier to say I'm sorry than to ask for permission.

At this point in time the US doesn't shock me with much, but this did. We haven't declared war on Pakistan, so far they have been somewhat of an ally. I realize they have insurgents in their country hiding and planning our downfall, but if anyone came here and said what we said the USA would be up in arms.

For awhile we were letting IRA members/terrorists into the US( 1970's) much to the chagrin of Ireland. Imagine if Ireland had said that to us. I realize by the time we got done laughing we'd try to work it out but this is insane, and we can't afford another war or an extension of the one we have going on now. Not to mention the loss of life.

Hi There,

I find the following quotes incredibly naive, extremley narrow-minded, and just utterly repugnant...

OxO:

I'm sure the Pakistani troops know what 'raptorian hellfire' will come down on them if they hit one of our assets.

Anonymous:

While I respect their territorial rights,they are talking to the U.S. out of both sides of their mouths.

Theblunttruth:

There was a warning, but not a Pakistani one. It's the US warning, "if you don't tackle the problem, we will".

and further...

I think you'll find it's the terrorists who conform to that assertion. Hence the US taking all measures to stop them.

You seem to condemn innocent killing, yet condone the Pakistanis for doing nothing to tackle those responible for it. Do you not see your own hypocrisy?

WatchNLearn:

This story is absolute propaganda full stop. Pakistan does not have the army, nor the finances to engage in a war with the US. So there is no way in hell that they would deliberately risk a US retaliation over such a trivial matter.

Not one of these posters mention the victims whose deaths sparked the anger of the Pakistanis. US ordinance killed innocent civilians, not once but on several acts of insurgency, and each of them during non-authorised, non-advisory occasions. It seems to these posters that such (well, let's sanitize the term...) 'collateral' damage is not only acceptable, but is 'innocent' for one poster, 'trivial' for another, whilst another thinks..."Let them try and retaliate...we'll raptor them."

Each of the posters display such a naive confidence in their country's military might, that they think no-one can or dare hit back. For these, the means justifies the end...death and destruction is their entertainment, their pride, and their comfort. They wallow in the gory aftermath with shrugged smiles upon faces wearing indifference like a badge of honour. I pity them and their sickening mentality.

If the US invaded Pakistan the only thing it would achieve would be to truly unite the Muslim nations. You would not just have a few thousand belligerent and indoctrinated would-be-terrorists, you would have millions ready to fight and die for a cause you could not snuff out. The world would be plunged into a racist war, and wherever, and in whichever country Muslims have assembled, there the war would equally be...and that includes mainland America. I can tell you now, the people's of Europe would wash their hands of America and Americans...the politicians may dance to the politics of America, but the people do not. When war erupts on the street of the cities across Europe because the US invaded Pakistan, the backlash against Americans (be under no illusion) will be of phenomenal proportions...and it won't be just the Muslims who'll deliver it.

Each unauthorised incursion into Pakistan by American troops and remote American weaponry was/is technically a declaration of war. Pakistani troops had every legal right to fire on those troops and to kill everyone them...personally, I think they showed remarkable restraint and diplomacy. It was not fear of American might or retribution that held their killing instincts, but 'right' thinking. I hear now that any more unauthorised incursions are to be met with lethal force. So when you see on the news that a whole shed load of American troops have been slaughtered or captured because of their unauthorised incursion into Pakistan, no doubt for the posters quoted above, their daily entertainment will have been met.

Boy is this one ever getting old... Yet _again_, we try to violate Pakistan's boarder.
While I am not shocked they haven't simply declared war on us yet, they seem to have a right to at this point.

BBC Article

Pakistani troops have fired warning shots at two US helicopters forcing them back into Afghanistan, local Pakistani intelligence officials say.

At first, I thought the BBC were just really late in reporting one of the previous incidents until I read:

The incident comes amid mounting security fears after a militant bomb attack on the Islamabad Marriott hotel.

reply to post by elysiumfire


I doubt many could have expressed their feelings and thoughts any better than you have done for them with your comment above.

I think many American politicians might be about to learn they cannot keep stepping on the toes of others without getting a bloody nose when they do it too many times.

That wasn't aimed at the American people, just the(ir) politicians. We have them in every country. A riddle comes to mind here:

What is greater than God, the rich want it, the poor have it, if you eat it you'll die?

The actual answer is "Nothing" but I think many politicians might answer "Politics!"


[edit on 22/9/08 by Rapacity]

This may be yet another incident. Apparently in this one the American helicopters fired back.

www.thestar.com...

U.S. Central Command spokesman Rear Adm. Greg Smith said Pakistan and American ground troops exchanged fire after Pakistani forces shot at the helicopters.

He said a joint patrol of Americans and Afghan border police was moving about a mile and a half inside Afghanistan with the helicopters above them. The ground troops reported that Pakistani forces fired toward the helicopters and when they saw that happen, they fired off suppression rounds toward the hilltop.

They did so, Smith said from Centcom headquarters in Tampa, Fla., "to make certain that they (the Pakistanis) realized they should stop shooting.''

The Pakistani border patrol forces then shot back down on the joint location of the U.S.-Afghan patrol. "The whole thing lasted five minutes," Smith said.

The Pakistani military, however, said its troops fired warning shots after the helicopters crossed "well within" Pakistani territory.

"On this, the helicopters returned fire and flew back," the Pakistani military said in an English-language statement.

And in New York, Pakistan's new president, Asif Ali Zardari, said his military fired only "flares" at foreign helicopters that he claimed strayed across the border from Afghanistan.

Zardari said his forces fired only as a way "to make sure that they know that they crossed the border line.''