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NATO Apologizes to Pakistan for Border-Breaching Attack

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Posted on Oct 6, 2010
AP / Mohammad Sajjad

A Pakistani firefighter looks at burning trucks allegedly attacked by militants in Nowshera near Peshawar, Pakistan, on Wednesday.

The Sept. 30 incident in which NATO aircraft fired across the border of Pakistan, killing two Pakistani soldiers, has not been forgotten in that country, and the fiery retaliatory strikes that have ensued compelled the American ambassador to Pakistan, Anne Patterson, to apologize Wednesday.  —KA

Los Angeles Times:

The government’s decision to shut down a border crossing used by trucks and tankers ferrying fuel and supplies to NATO troops in Afghanistan has created a massive logjam that Islamic militants have exploited with devastating ferocity.

Since Islamabad ordered the closure of the Torkham border crossing in retaliation for a missile strike that killed two Pakistani soldiers, dozens of fuel tankers have been torched across the country. In some of the attacks, militants rode up on motorcycles to clusters of poorly guarded tankers and firebombed the vehicles, filling the sky with massive plumes of flames and black smoke.

Militants have carried out seven attacks on tankers and trucks with supplies for North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces in the past seven days, destroying or damaging more than 90 vehicles and killing at least six people.

U.S. Ambassador Anne Patterson apologized to Pakistan on Wednesday for the Sept. 30 NATO helicopter incursion that led to the soldiers’ deaths, prompting analysts to predict Islamabad may soon reopen the crossing.

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By Martin, October 8, 2010 at 8:19 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

This war so reeks of incompetence and corruption that it is a grave testimony to the apathy and mental rot of the American people. The most expensive military in world falls apart in wars with two poor, undeveloped nations. The military brass is inept, the politician don’t dare to tell the American people that they just lost two wars and Snooky rules the headlines.
When I hear “NATO” saying that the burnt trucks don’t cause the slightest supply shortage on one side and that a gallon of gas delivered in Afghanistan costs $400 on the other, I just see defeat.
The Pashtuns have just learned what it takes to defeat the US. The Pakistani ruling elites will not use their military to protect “NATO” supply convoys and the US forces are not allowed into Pakistani territory. We will not start an invasion and protect our ‘interests’ a la Cambodia. Not with a nuclear power.
How will this look in a month? in two? Let winter come and we have the makings of a true military disaster in the making.
As someone who had great hopes of Obama I am horrified to see the rats leaving the sinking ship in his administration while we he only utters platitudes.

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Tesla's avatar

By Tesla, October 7, 2010 at 6:49 pm Link to this comment

Case closed! If you want the respect of the U.S. you
have to cause kick them in the nads.

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By the worm, October 7, 2010 at 2:03 pm Link to this comment

One of the most inept and incompetent administrations followed by yet another
inept and incompetent administration.

The ‘coalition of the willing’ followed by ‘Nato’.

A need for health care reform followed by non-reform of health care.

A need for reform of the financial industry followed by non-reform of the
financial industry.

A need to assist homeowners concurrent with record profits for banks and
record bonuses for the financial industry.

I dont understand why voters are angry, do you?

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A Khokar's avatar

By A Khokar, October 7, 2010 at 1:55 pm Link to this comment

US is eagerly looking for some military action before it parts Af-Pak, where by US may claim or declare——her victory before US withdrawal from Afghanistan by July next year commences.

Al Qaeda and Pakistani Taliban; TTP are readily placed as decoy targets in Northern Waziristan—- sooner they will be overrun by US mega forces as their lost ditch. The increased bombing by drones and series of helicopters attack on Pak military outposts is sure a sign of escalation of this war and so is the rhetoric coming out in aid from the friendly US camps of Osama Bin laden of would be retaliation; the heat of battle is building up.

Pakistani public is well aware of all such US moves. There are wide spread violent protests against US incursion all over the country; in which over 100 NATO fuel tankers have been torched.Pak government is also forced to lauunch a protest.
 
After eliminating two previous US proxies—-Musharraf and Miss Bhutto; Ironically US could find a gem of all the proxies—- Zardari (the president) who is sure all set to extend full cooperation; even may keep mum on US forces over run of the northern part of country; simply to turn the tables of war of US defeat in Afghanistan into a big Victory.

To gain victory and to have it translated into a form of Peace is Obama ‘s compulsion that man has already been handed over a Noble peace prize before hand for his would be efforts to be put toward peace in the world and——Zardari is likely to make all that peace possible.

There is sure an invasion of FATA on the table where a well wished victory for US in the field of ‘War against Terror’ is in reach.

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PatrickHenry's avatar

By PatrickHenry, October 7, 2010 at 2:57 am Link to this comment

No doubt the apology was sent on the NATO standard form letter.

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By coleslaw, October 6, 2010 at 9:02 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

thanks goodness pakistanis for closing this supply line…keep the suppressive and criminal regime of usa out…

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Arabian Sinbad's avatar

By Arabian Sinbad, October 6, 2010 at 7:41 pm Link to this comment

This so-called apology of NATO to Pakistan smells foul on two accounts:

One, it’s issued in the name of NATO to fool people that the US is not the criminal party that it is, but that this is the unintended consequences of the NATO so-called civilizing and nation-building effort in that part of the “uncivilized” Islamic world!

Two, this is an apology coming on the wake of the killing of two Pakistani soldiers, who are supposedly the American and NATO allies in their colonizing criminal efforts. However, for months now American drones have been killing hundreds of civilians, with no empty apologies even attempted.

Just think about the level of hypocrisy the Western Powers, led by the US, have been exhibiting in dealing with this part of the world! And yet you can still hear the words of people with little brains and no hearts who still echo the old worn words of the evil ones who would say, “They hate us for our democracy and freedoms!” At least, there was one voice of reason coming from Benjamin Barber who said, “It is finally hypocrisy rather than democracy that is the target of their rage.”

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By gerard, October 6, 2010 at 7:14 pm Link to this comment

Such apologies are insulting because they are hypocrital, insincere and meaningless.

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By FRTothus, October 6, 2010 at 5:31 pm Link to this comment

I wish the Pakistanis well and every success in their
efforts to disrupt and cut off US (not NATO, who is
kidding who?) military supply lines.  Let’s hope the US
sends in troops, so Americans can see their sons get
killed and their grand-childrens’ money spent for
private oil and heroin and war and lending (bank)
interests.  Not since Nazi Germany have we seen the
murder and torture of alleged suspects so widely
practiced and accepted by people who consider
themselves civilized and enlightened.

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