U.S. threatened to bomb Pakistan after 9/11: Musharraf

**Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн** · 09-21-2006

U.S. threatened to bomb Pakistan after 9/11: Musharraf

NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan said that after the September 11 attacks the United States threatened to bomb his country if it did not cooperate with America's campaign against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Musharraf, in an interview with CBS news magazine show "60 Minutes" that will air on Sunday, said the threat came from Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and was given to Musharraf's intelligence director.

"The intelligence director told me that (Armitage) said, 'Be prepared to be bombed. Be prepared to go back to the Stone Age,"' Musharraf said. "I think it was a very rude remark."

Armitage was not immediately available to comment and a Bush administration official said there would be no comment on a "reported conversation between Mr. Armitage and a Pakistani official."

But the official said: "After 9/11, Pakistan made a strategic decision to join the war on terror and has since been

a steadfast partner in that effort. Pakistan's commitment to this important endeavor has not wavered and our partnership has widened as a result."

Musharraf is now in Washington and is due to meet President George W. Bush in the White House on Friday.

The Pakistani leader, whose remarks were distributed to the media by CBS, said he reacted to the threat in a responsible way. "One has to think and take actions in the interest of the nation, and that's what I did," Musharraf said.

Before the Sept 11, 2001 attacks, Pakistan was one of the only countries in the world to maintain relations with the Taliban, which was harboring al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, and many Pakistanis were sympathetic with the neighboring Islamic state.

But within days of the attacks Musharraf cut his government's ties to the Taliban regime and cooperated with U.S. efforts to track and capture Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces that sought refuge in Pakistan.

The official 9/11 Commission report on the attacks and their aftermath, based largely on government documents, said U.S. national security officials focused immediately on securing Pakistani cooperation as they planned a response.

Documents showed Armitage met the Pakistani ambassador and the visiting head of Pakistan's military intelligence service in Washington on September 13 and asked Pakistan to take seven steps.

SUPPORT FOR BIN LADEN

They included ending logistical support for bin Laden and giving the United States blanket overflight and landing rights for military and intelligence flights.

The report did not discuss any threat the United States may have made, but it said Musharraf agreed to all seven U.S. requests the same day.

Musharraf said in the CBS interview he was irked by U.S. demands that Pakistan turn over its border posts and bases for the U.S. military to use.

He said some demands were "ludicrous," including one insisting he suppress domestic expression of support for terrorism against the United States. "If somebody's expressing views, we cannot curb the expression of views," Musharraf said.

With Taliban fighters still fighting in Afghanistan and statements by the Afghan government that Pakistan must do more to crack down on militants in its rugged border area, the issue is again a sensitive one between Islamabad and Washington.

Musharraf reacted with displeasure to comments by Bush on Wednesday that if he had firm intelligence bin Laden was in Pakistan, he would issue the order to go into that country.

"We wouldn't like to allow that. We'd like to do that ourselves," Musharraf told a news conference.

Musharraf's comments came days ahead of the publication by New York-based Free Press of his memoir "In the Line of Fire." Advance copies of the memoir have not been released to the media for review before its September 25 publication.

**Keltoi** · 09-21-2006

Interesting article. Not really surprising though. After 9-11 the U.S. intended to end Al-Qaeda's safe haven in Afghanistan. That is hard to do if a nearby country is willing to aid the enemy. It was important to make sure Pakistan was on the same page as the U.S. on the issue of fighting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Seems things worked out for the best, for both the U.S. and Pakistan.

**MTAFFI** · 09-21-2006

wow

**Isaac** · 09-21-2006

Theres a saying i once i heard. A dance with the devil may last you for ever. So when the devil asks you to dance say never!!!

**Keltoi** · 09-21-2006

Originally Posted by Isaac

Theres a saying i once i heard. A dance with the devil may last you for ever. So when the devil asks you to dance say never!!!

..and I'll go out on a limb here and assume you are calling the U.S. the "devil"?
Can we at least attempt to have a sensible discussion about something without falling back on the old tired cliches?

**DaNgErOuS MiNdS** · 09-21-2006

Why didn't Musharaaf mention this before? or did he?

**Ghazi** · 09-21-2006

So let me get this straight some dude who lives thousands of miles away says he'll bomb pakistan then the pakistan goverment ally with them in their agenda, and on the other hand allah says people who don't rule by his decree are kafir yet the Pakistani Goverment don't complay and become awliya of allah.

Simple word Cowardice.

**Keltoi** · 09-21-2006

Originally Posted by Ghazi

So let me get this straight some dude who lives thousands of miles away says he'll bomb pakistan then the pakistan goverment ally with them in their agenda, and on the other hand allah says people who don't rule by his decree are kafir yet the Pakistani Goverment don't complay and become awliya of allah.

Simple word Cowardice.

...so being an ally against terrorism and the Taliban regime equates turning against Allah and being a coward?

**Ghazi** · 09-21-2006

Originally Posted by Keltoi

...so being an ally against terrorism and the Taliban regime equates turning against Allah and being a coward?

Terrorism? whats your definiton, this is such an ambigious statement, I agree Al-Qida ect commit unislamic acts which ammounts to terrorism, but whats the wider definiton of the word the west connect it with? I'll tell you the ideology of Jihad, answer this would you call a mujahid who performs jihad according to authentic islamic teachings to be a terrorist?

**Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн** · 09-21-2006

I won't even attempt to identify them as terrorists. All u see is the media focus on the bad side. I dont trust humans because they aren't exactly flawless. So I can only trust Allah. If they truly are then they will be accountable.

**akulion** · 09-22-2006

well so much for the "oh we lost 3000 people" bull crap

this is supposed to make me feel happy as a pakistani?

that the us was willing to kill all and any pakistanis to get revenge?

Well to hell with them - i felt sorry before for 9-11 but no more

**Trumble** · 09-22-2006

Originally Posted by akulion

that the us was willing to kill all and any pakistanis to get revenge?

I very much doubt the "US" was willing to do any such thing. It was just extreme diplo-speak; Mushareff's comment that is was a "very rude remark" rather confirms that.

**Isaac** · 09-22-2006

people like him are representatives of his nation. what they say, has an impact on their nation. now different to a muslim saying he wants to bomb all british people in the trafford centre. he merely said it, he didnt really plan to, but where does that leave him and his religion. Ill tell you. it leaves him with charges of intoigitaionand conspiring to kill innocent people and it leaves his religion in the eyes of pathteic and uneduaction racist facists to distort the image of islam. so let me ask, whats s going to happen to this threat of terror that was made? Reminds me a bit of robin hood? If your clever you will understand what i mean.

And for it to be brought out now is pathtic, and for the president of pakistan to meet someone who thratned to kill his mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, to be honest i think he just needs to be little more careful.

And keltoi, now i was not referring to america as thed devil, it was just a saying, but you can feel free to link it to the usa.

**north_malaysian** · 09-22-2006

Originally Posted by Tayyaba

"The intelligence director told me that (Armitage) said, 'Be prepared to be bombed. Be prepared to go back to the Stone Age,"' Musharraf said. "I think it was a very rude remark."

Indeed it's a very RUDE REMARKS!!!!:grumbling :grumbling :grumbling

That Armitage must be happy as Afghanistan and Iraq have been went back to Stone Age...

**waji** · 09-22-2006

Originally Posted by Keltoi

...so being an ally against terrorism and the Taliban regime equates turning against Allah and being a coward?

Keltoi this proves that America was lacking evidance against Taliban and AlQaida
and Pakistan would give them help so they went wild with Pakistan
and yes it is cowardnace of a General who hold A-bomb and still feels he is unsafe

**Keltoi** · 09-22-2006

Originally Posted by wkas

Keltoi this proves that America was lacking evidance against Taliban and AlQaida
and Pakistan would give them help so they went wild with Pakistan
and yes it is cowardnace of a General who hold A-bomb and still feels he is unsafe

How exactly does this prove anything about lack of evidence? So Mushareff should have said "No, I support Al-Qaeda, so please take out your frustration on Pakistan, since I have an A-bomb I feel safe"? Mushareff can't afford to play games or provoke American action against him. He is a smart leader, and knew it was in the best interests of Pakistan to play ball with the U.S. on this issue. It actually took alot of guts for him to refuse the presence of American forces inside Pakistan.

**- Qatada -** · 09-22-2006

It is only Shaitan (Satan) that suggests to you the fear of his Auliya' [supporters and friends (polytheists, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger, Muhammad SAW)], so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true) believers. (Qur'an 3:175)

**IceQueen~** · 09-22-2006

america america america...

why can't anyone see through their rubbish talk about 'terrorism'
I mean america IS terrorism!!!!
why can't they leave alone what is NON OF THEIR BUSINESS!!
what is it to them with afghanistan, iraq, iran syria etc....(incl all the other bills of muslim countries on the list)

**waji** · 09-22-2006

Originally Posted by Keltoi

How exactly does this prove anything about lack of evidence? So Mushareff should have said "No, I support Al-Qaeda, so please take out your frustration on Pakistan, since I have an A-bomb I feel safe"? Mushareff can't afford to play games or provoke American action against him. He is a smart leader, and knew it was in the best interests of Pakistan to play ball with the U.S. on this issue. It actually took alot of guts for him to refuse the presence of American forces inside Pakistan.

u didn't got my point that if they had evidance that Al-Qaeda was after the 9/11 and Taliban are supporting them(which they haven't provided yet ), then why showed attitude of barbarian to get Pakistan support

**Keltoi** · 09-22-2006

Originally Posted by wkas

u didn't got my point that if they had evidance that Al-Qaeda was after the 9/11 and Taliban are supporting them(which they haven't provided yet ), then why showed attitude of barbarian to get Pakistan support

What do you mean it hasn't been proven yet? Al-Qaeda was living and setting up training grounds inside Afghanistan under the watchful eye of the Taliban. If you are referring to proof that Al-Qaeda committed 9-11, then I'm not sure what to tell you. How much "proof" do you need? I know it is easier to blame aliens, a U.S. conspiracy, or whatever, but anyone intellectually honest knows who was responsible for 9-11, and that was Al0Qaeda, who found refuge with the Taliban.