Taliban vow to avenge US attack that killed 11 Pakistani soldiers

Islamabad - Taliban militants on Thursday pledged to take revenge for the US airstrike that destroyed a Pakistani army post near the Afghan border and killed 11 paramilitary troops this week. 'We have the right to defend our country. Any aggression by NATO forces inside Pakistan will be responded with full force,' said Dr Asad, a spokesman for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. The Pakistani border post came under fire in the remote tribal district of Mohmand Agency when US planes targeted Taliban fighters fleeing after an attack on Afghan and NATO forces late Tuesday. Eleven troops from paramilitary Frontier Corps were killed and 13 more were injured. According to Taliban's claim, eight of their comrades also died in the airstrike that was strongly condemned by Pakistani officials. Denying that Taliban fighters had attacked NATO forces from Pakistani soil, Islamabad condemned the US bombardment as a 'cowardly attack,' using the harshest tones since the country joined US in its fight against Islamic extremists after the 2001 attacks in New York and Washington. The government also summoned US Ambassador Anne Patterson to the foreign office to receive Pakistan's formal protest. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said such attacks were totally 'unacceptable' for Pakistan, a key US ally in the fight against extremists. The US Defence Department called the airstrike near the border a legitimate act of self-defence. 'US forces, operating on the border of Pakistan in Afghanistan territory, came under attack from hostile forces and, in self-defence they called in an airstrike, which took out those forces that were attacking them,' Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Analysts said the bombing would further complicate US-Pakistan relations already strained since March, when the new Pakistani government opened peace talks with local Taliban who launch cross-border attacks on NATO-led international forces in Afghanistan. Owais Ghani, governor of the North-West Frontier Province that borders Afghanistan, warned that Pakistan would be left 'with no choice but to review (its) policy on war on terror if such attacks continue in future.' Meanwhile, local media reported Thursday that US planes bombed some areas in tribal areas for the second straight night Wednesday. No casualties were reported in the bombing on Zeba Mountain in South Waziristan by two US planes. The continuing strikes and violation of Pakistani airspace have drawn heavy criticism in the South Asian nuclear-armed country. Hundreds of people from Mosakhel and Safi tribes in Mohmand Agency said they would raise an army of local fighters to defend the border. 'Our forces did not give a timely response to NATO attack on our soil, so we are compelled to organize an army of our own fighters to defend our borders,' Geo news channel quoted a tribal elder as saying.

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Strength and HonourJul 11th, 2008 - 19:10:36

The attitude of the US led NATO Forces towards Pakistan is quite unexpected. It does appeal to common sense however that US is ore desperate to achieve their ends than they ought. It makes one really wonder that how can a country's sovereignity be disrespected especially when the same country has been (and still is) a front ally in the so called war on terror.
And more importantly, Pakistan is not a country like Afghanistan or Iraq: Pakistan is a nuclear power. Not only that but also with a proven history of being unbeatable when stood togather as one nation. As a matter of fact, US' unpopularity in Pakistan is more than 99% (as per the report by an internation agency) that speaks about the predictable reteliation from Pakistani Forces if decided by the newly enacted Democracy in Pakistan.
US should be very careful in their treatment to Pakistan and should quit these perilous pursuits that can ultimately result into a predictable downfall of their glory in the war on terror.

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