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Subscribe to RSSPakistan wants to dramatically overhaul the rules of engagement with the U.S. in an attempt to clarify relations that have deteriorated dramatically since the Osama bin Laden raid last year. In an exclusive Andrea Mitchell Reports interview, Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar explains the country's response if the U.S. refuses to ends its drone attacks.
Pakistan lawmakers have demanded the United States end drone strikes and offer an "unconditional apology" for an airstrike last year in which 24 local soldiers were killed.
A parliamentary committee reviewing ties with the United States proposed 13 new "rules of engagement" Tuesday – a move likely to deepen the political divide between Washington and Islamabad.
The NATO airstrike in November, near the Afghanistan border, left 24 Pakistani soldiers dead and prompted a crisis in the relationship between the two countries.
Miscommunication, bad maps led to deadly NATO attack on Pakistan border post
If the new rules are approved, it could significantly alter the future relationship between the United States and its regional ally, seen as a vital source of access to neighboring Afghanistan.
The rules, seen by NBC News, seek an "unconditional apology" for the Nov. 26 strike and for those responsible to be "brought to justice."
'Greater market access'
The lawmakers also demanded "greater market access" for Pakistani exports to the U.S. and that NATO countries provide compensation for Pakistan's "human and economic losses" from the war on terror; a "deepened" and "strengthened" relationship with China and Russia; and a recommendation to "actively pursue” a joint gas pipeline project with Iran.
“Pakistan is sending the message to the U.S -- please respect our sovereignty and listen to the voice of the people. Let wait for the recommendations to be heard and discussed by the Parliament, whatever they decide, we'll abide by," Rehman Malik, Pakistan’s interior minister, told NBC News.
Muhammed Muheisen / AP
Images of daily life, political pursuits, religious rites and deadly violence.
Senator Tahir Mashadi, a member of the ruling coalition party, said that any agreements with the United States must "be based on national integrity, national sovereignty, national honor and mutual respect."
"As far as the United States is concerned, the free lunch is over! If they want to use our roads, if they want to use our transit facilities, they'll have to pay for them," he said.
“The drone attacks are counter-productive, and the anti-American feeling is aroused here because of them, so it's really in the American interest to stop them," he added.
Curbs on Afghan night raids?
Meanwhile, Afghan President Hamid Karzai may have won a major concession from the United States following a deadly shooting spree by U.S. soldier Sgt Robert Bales, with the Obama administration considering curbs on contentious night raids.
NYT: From 'our Bobby' to war crime suspect
With Karzai demanding a stop to night raids hated by Afghans -- but seen by NATO as one of their most effective anti-insurgent tactics -- a U.S. official said the United States was looking at modifying them and giving Afghans more oversight.
That would help seal agreement on a strategic pact with Karzai's government for a long-term U.S. presence in Afghanistan beyond a 2014 deadline for most NATO combat forces to withdraw, allowing advisers and possibly some special forces to stay on.
Karzai at 'end of the rope' with US over massacre
The Obama government was discussing options with the Afghans including a warrant-based approach or possibly allowing Afghan judges to review raids before they took place, the U.S. official said on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations.
Afghan president: Get US troops out of our villages
Karzai this month said not only must night raids by foreign forces halt, but Afghan security forces training to take over their conduct would "not be allowed to enter private homes unless their operations were according to the state law".
That would mean applying for a warrant, he said.
NBC News and Reuters contributed to this report.
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Here's our apology right here Pakistan: ,,|,,
Now you won't be mad when we stop giving you millions / billions of dollars and we pull out of the region.
Oh and by the way, where's our apology for you harboring Osama Bin Laden for years?
BINGO!
True That!
Yeah Pakistan, don't you know who we are? We are the United States of friggin America, land of the free dictator to the rest of the world. How dare you expect an apology from a country that has every right to fly drones in your country and kill as many civilians as we want to. We are a proud country who has been around for 236 years and been at war for 215 of those years. We have bombed over 65 countries and have military bases in 136 countries. How dare you think we are a warmongering country who don't respect other countries sovereignty!
Just as long as the TAPI pipeline goes through and starts pumping by 2014. The US should just not issue any apologies. The Pakistani political wolves are just grand standing for their voters showing that they can wag the big dog which is protecting all their interests and investments. Not complying with this 'demand' will meet with no response what so ever.
It is time the American people demand an apology from our government for having duped the tax payers and soldiers as to the real reason for this private war paid for by public blood and funds.
Well said! Let's cut ties with that region, there is nothing left to be gained. Let them have Russia, China, & Iran
Ruken...well stated...not another dime to those corrupt, liars and cheats. Never apologize to this muslim scum, get out people out of there, let India deal with this worthless failed excuse for a nation.
@TrustVerify ... You know where the borders are. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.
+1 Ruken. Voted up!
This says a lot about the people we're dealing with over there and I, for one, look forward to the day where we can tell that entire country to go screw. How quickly they forget about the billions of dollars that are being pumped into that country for what amounts to a highway toll fee, all of the training their standard military & special forces have received (not to mention equipment) and all of the aid & disaster relief that was sent over after they suffered a massive earthquake in 2005. Aid and assistance that continues to this day via the USAID.
Meanwhile, they were harboring Bin Laden and playing patty-cake with the militants living in the tribal areas right in their back yard. Nothing would make me happier than to see our idiotic leaders gtfo of Afghanistan and tell Pakistan to go pound sand the next time they need help with anything.
Ruken- hit the nail on the head. But watch, they'll get what they're after based on the example of the koran burnings
Knowing Obama, he's penning an apology now.
Yea, we only used their country and ruined it while they helped us win the Cold War against the Soviets in Afghanistan. They are such false friends, getting upset over such a little thing like that and expecting us to make amends. Who do they think they are?
Such demands are nothing more or less than a bald-faced an attempt to get us to leave Pakistan altogether, so that the Taliban can operate unfettered.
Ruken, we need Pakistan in order to maintain and stabilize that part of the world to ensure our national security interests. Pakistan will be MUCH more easier to work with than Iraq and Afghanistan ( If only we could realize that Iran would be even more easier to work with diplomatically).
It's pointless to attempt to give stability to a region that refuses to overcome their primal tribal hatreds. Just look at what happened to Iraq after we left.
There's a difference between eradicating an international threat (Al-Qaida) and attempting to bring peace and democracy to a region which clearly isn't ready for it. Since Al-Qaida is seemingly moving into countries like Yemen, Somalia, etc. I say we use intelligence and small strike operations to continue to pursue them, but we can leave the Afghans to fight for their own peace if they truly want it.
Pakistan on the other hand, is a snake pit. They take millions / billions of dollars, then preach hate towards us. Not only that, they harbor Osama for years. It's time we let that whole region go to Hell, and only interfere to protect our own interests.
Exactly what national integrity or national sovereignty do they have? In many parts of the country the national government doesn't exist and dares not tread. There are many parts of the country that the police dare not tread. There are many places in the country that the army dares not tread. They have had one military coup after another ever since the Muslims founded the country. People give their allegiance to there sect of Islam or tribe over the national government. Honor? What do they know of honor? It sure isn't their treatment of women that is honorable. Respect? How does one show respect to a uneducated, illiterate, filthy, impoverished, tribal, backward, and duplicitous people?
Hey pakistan FA-Q, I say we pull all our bases, aid and troops out of pakistan and move them where we should have gone in the first place, our only real ally in the region, and of course they are enemies with pakistan, India. Then turn islamabad to glass, just as a warning. For every American soldier or civilian killed we should carpet bomb a random city or town.
FA-Q pakistan you bin laden lovers
No more Drones Huh?...............................How about a few ICBM launched MIRVs.......say, in the 20 Megaton range each? We promise that we won't turn your country's clock back to Bronze Age........NOT!
Kiss my tush you back stabbing liars.
Hey pakistan 'leaders', it is those exact same drones that are going to patrol your extension of the TAPI pipeline. The US will pull out after the pipeline is installed, up and running, and not a moment sooner.
We should keep up the drone attacks. Since Pakistan is too afraid to go after the figure heads living peacefully in their land. Bin Laden was helped by the government and ISI. That is a fact. They knew he was there. They were caught and now they still expect us to hand over millions of dollars. No way. If we are going to help any country over there it should be India. We should completely destroy the access points between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Tactical nukes and make the whole area unlivable for the next 20 years. Seal them up with radiation and napalm.
Well-get the apoligizer in chief to do another one of his digusting subservient apoligies, then.
It is the only thing he does better than lying.
Tom,
I'm not sure you are correct...I think he's actully a better liar than apologizer (but it's close).
If it's a liar you want, vote for Romney. Obama pretty much says what he means and means what he says, like it or not.
Then again, if you get your 'news' from a drug-addicted college dropout like Rush Limbaugh, you can't be expected to know what's going on in the world.
Common-
Can't argue with you on Push Limbaugh...he's an embarrassment to both the right and left BUT do you seriously think Obama doesn't speak with a "forked tongue"? I could wear out a keyboard telling you his outright lies.
Commonsense - Obama is a politician which means, just like Romney, Santorum, Gingrich, Biden, ad nauseam, he virtually never says what he means or means what he says. Lips moving = telling lies. They are all the same.
You mean LIE like George "mission accomplished" Bush told the FBI to lie about the connection between the terrorists of 9/11 contacting Saudi agents here in the U.S. just before their planes killed 3,000 innocent civilians on U.S. soil?
I don't know where you Republican "Stepford wives" get your one sided information but sentient people do notice your blow harded attempts to promote your one sided views. ........keep going, it's been entertaining.....................
What else is new. Obama will be on his knees kissing their butts. Our trade with them is 90-10. They import only 10% of our goods and we import 90% of theirs.
They were rioting in the streets just a couple of months ago, even though they harbor the worst killers since WW11 and THEY want an apology!
Well why not. Obama has been kissing the middle east butts for 4 years, it what they have come to expect and believe they deserve.
Pakistan is not in the middle east, but that is the least stupid thing you have said here...
Exactly what does Pakistan manufacture that YOU would buy? I can't think on one thing they manufacture in Pakistan that any American buys?
Well they are a big player in the drug trade and there are plenty of idiot Americans who buy the product
The ignorance on this site is quickly approaching the level of the NY Post commenters.
Just 1 inaccuracy as an example - textiles from Pakistan, read the labels on you underwear, towels, sheets, etc.
pathetic. Obama will of course apologize.. even after almost all of the 911 attackers were of pakistani decent, they harbored bin Laden all these years..
Your one dim bulb there. 15 of the 19 came from SA. Read a book, don't wipe your butt with it.
Pat-"even after almost all of the 911 attackers were of pakistani decent,"
Pick up a history book before posting.NONE of the 9/11 attackers were of Pakistani descent. Not a single one. Of the 19 men involved,15 were Saudi,2 from the UAE,1 Egyptian,and 1 Lebanese.
lmao Pat - fail
Where in the world do you guys get your 'facts'?
Why are there sooooo many misinformed people these days who adamantly 'know' all kinds of false nonsense to be 'true'?
Too much TV and talk radio, and too little schooling.
Typical GOP blather. Claim something even if it is obviously a lie and then call others liers. Just a couple of Oxycontin using drug addled ditto heads.
They probably get their news from MSNBC that would explain it.
"Typical GOP blather"? I've never heard any Republican claim that the 9/11 hijackers were Pakistani. George Bush did lots for Pakistan. Obama's the one that poked them in the eye by nabbing Bin Laden.
We gotta change the name of that country to $hitistan.
Give them $1.25 and tell them to go F&*K themselves...
Jon,
Be careful there! You just might upset them and cause them to harbor thoughts of "not-niceness" towards us. Leave it to our illustrious acting president; he knows just how low to bow.
Richard....you forgot the L after the B in "bow"
Please get us out of the region and let it collapse on itself. The Pakistanis and Afghanistanis do not observe life as we do and there is no mixing of oil and water. Leave them to destroy themselves.
Here's our nuke right here America(lol) : ,,|,,
Now you won't be mad when we stop giving you millions / billions of dollars and we pull out of the world.
Osama Bin Laden is not Dead
"Pull out of the world"? What, are you going to space or something?
That kind of mentality would explain why you think Bin Laden is still alive, though.
let me fix that for you Pakistan, that should read:
"The Obama government was discussing options with the Afghans..."
"The Obama government"
I didn't know he had his own government.
He likes to think he does.
What's the difference between God and Obama?
God doesn't think he's Obama.
Kind of telling of MSNBC and Obama eh?
MSNBC has officially designated the U.S. government as "Obama's government" since the day he was elected. Some poor souls actually believe it.
MSNBC is the official back pocket media of the Obama administration and dim witted converts are believing everything that they publish is gospel. Sad commentary on the gullibility of many tweet-happy morons.
The U.S. blames the attack on poor communication and bad maps... what a pathetic excuse for murdering innocent people in a foreign country!
B.,
Unfortunately it is not a pathitic excuse. Too many times in the past unintentional errors like this happen dispite the best precautions people take.
I make maps (GIS) and yes it does happen like the mars rover we smashed into the planet because someone forgot to convert metric and standard.. same thing happened when we bombed the Chinese embassy way back when.. People get in a hurry and make mistakes that's why i don't sign my Metadata cause I'm human as well. Failure of Communication can even start full out wars as past history has proven.
B.T.C.
"innocent people" don't fire on American troops...they were neutralized because they were firing on our troops...anything wrong with that
It's not a pathetic excuse, the US forces asked the Pakistani's government if they had any forces in that area before returning fire, they said no.
As for "innocent people", they were soldiers, not civilians. It doesn't excuse the friendly fire (although some other aspects of the incident might), but this was an operational risk that all military men understand and take, including our own.
Funny how you don't see of Obama's supporters spewing their garbage about how great and glorious he is on this type of story.
@Ruken
You couldn't have put it any better - well said!!!
Did it ever occur to any of you that Shamsi Airbase is owned by Qatar? That's were the drone attacks on Pakistan's Federally Administered Territories Agency (FATA) originated. Do you remember that OBL was once upon a time an American US asset in the fight against the Soviets in Afghanistan? That US/CIA gave then Stinger missiles? Remember any of that? The 9/11 terrorists were 17 Saudis,1 Egyptian and 1 Lebanese -did you check? Clinton adm.left Afghanistan/Pakistan -while issuing express visas to Saudis and bestowing dislomatic immunity to the fundamentalist wahhabi/salafi imams to sermonize in US? Or that Saudi Arabia built so many mosques/cultural centers around US? Pakistan has lost more soldiers in the FATA area in its fight against foreign (means Arab,European,Turkish,American,Canadian,Aussie) jihadist wannabes. FATA just now in the Kashgmir area had an avalanche with 10 people so far declared having died in Kashmir/Chitral area. FATA has had horrible floods, over 1 mill. Afghani refugees from the Soviet era wars, polio cases,dungue cases and other infectious diseases. US Amb. is telling in front of Pakistanis that it is not a good idea to have a pipeline thru Baluchistan with Iranian oil (Baluchistan is divided between Pakistan,Afghanistan,Iran). In the meanwhile US Congress introduced a bill for an independent Baluchistan- clear violation on national sovereingty as written in UN Charter. Imran Khan is the candidate who does not want any US money for anything- and he is right.
Hello mimi, great informative post. Unfortunately for many on this particular blog historical facts are not a calculation in their comments. It only takes one candle to light up a room and thank you for that!
A significant number of posters on this board are committed xenophobes. But I am not worried. I doubt any of the people I am referring to even know what xenophobe means.
Or to burn down a house...
and leave it to Logic4U to piss on the candle and turn out the light.
Ahhh, so now there's a total of 4 of you Obamanations...enjoy it while it lasts.
All of you who voted for Obama to prove you weren't racists have to vote against him to prove you aren't stupid.
Logic4U: Make that 5 and really that line is so overused. To vote for any of the GOP contenders would be beyond stupid.
Okay, so?
He doesn't want American money, great. We don't want to give him our money.
While interesting, I'm not sure what any of that has to do with this story or the greater problem. Yeah, Bin Laden was once a US asset. That sort of fell apart. So what? He turned on us, we capped him, that intrigue story is over. And the US regularly supports its own interests despite issues of national sovereignty, and I'm not sure why we shouldn't; sovereignty itself is not a good excuse for anything, it's just a complex term for "mind your own business!"
The U.S. went over there to get Bin Laden. We got him. Time to leave. Mission accomplished. Let them all build their own nation. For the future, anytime you hear our lawmakers start talking about nation building as a reason for supporting a war, vote them out of offfice.
where is their apologize for bid laden???? obama u better not do unconditional apologz cause this is high price between their huge list of demands. Thats high price and obama better not appease them like he did with north korea and u know how that went they going to do another missle thing. Please obama for sake of our nation we have right to bomb those taliban because they cross border and kidnap or kill and murder civilians and soldiers and we have right to respond. Please obama dont be stupid and appease pakastand. They need apologize for bid laden
It's time ... no, it's long past time ... we tell that entire region to F**K OFF, including stopping the flow of every single penny we send them, and leave them to kill each other. And if anyone launches an attack on the US from there, then we level the entire F**king country. It is time for patience and understanding to come to an end.
And it's even more the time for Americans to vote out any politician, Republican, Democrat, or other, who doesn't start listening to the majority of us and do just that.
You can rest assured that an Obamapology is in the works along with some Obamamoney.
Screw Pakistan, Get OUT of their Country and stop ALL foreign aid TODAY
Senator Tahir Mashadi, a member of the ruling coalition party, said that any agreements with the United States must "be based on national integrity, national sovereignty, national honor and mutual respect."
They can have no 'national integrity' - they live in the 3rd century and the members of their government are uneducated and corrupt. They can have no national sovereignty - their entire lives are devoted to a worshipping a pedophile with no avenue for reasonable, logical discussions. They can have no national honor - they live in a sand pit.
And Mutual Respect - give us ONE good reason why we should RESPECT any nation that gave safe shelter to Osama Bin Laden and continued to lie to the USA about it.
I wish they could realize how stupid they sound asking for an apology. Their 'demands' are nothing but hot, sandy air being blown by the wind.
F you pakistan, you supported the F terrists that was killing our troops, and you want an apology from us I say GO FCK YOURSELF AND AND ALL THE REST OF THOSE SANDMONEKYS YOU WORTHLESS SESSPOOL OF A COUNTRY.
China, Russia and Iran won't put up with this BS. Let them deal with this Cluster F of a nation...
At one billion a year, we have been buying breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with ice cream for desert!
Dear Pakistan;
We're terribly sorry your people were keeping company with known terrorists. We're sorry your heads are so far up your asses your turbans are made by the Charmin company. And we're so, so terribly sorry we killed off your cash-cow Osama bin Ladin, who we realize you could not possibly have known was hiding right outside one of your premiere military installations, since he was signing the checks with a false name.
The United States
PS: We're also sorry we're going to have to raise the interest rates on the money we've been lending you all these years as well, and even more sorry to inform you your account is in arrears, and no further cash, food, weapons, training or supplies will be available until you can bring your account balance back in line.
To Indigo-Rago,
All that sounds nice.And wouldn't we love to be able to say that.But in reality,the government knows better.They know our interests in Central and South Asia depend on Pakistan.They know that to supply our troops we need Pakistani ports.They know that nuclear Pakistan is the weak link to nuclear non-proliferation.So all said,we need them as much as they need us.That;s why we give them the aid.You really don't think its done out of the goodness of our hearts,do you.
Of course not - I just want to know who the f--king idiot was that handed them our nation's b@lls in the first place. I have to grave to visit and a p!ss to take.
I'm surprised the Pakistan Parliament is organized enough to agree and enact anything. Ironically, this request/demand from the Pakistan Parliament is a good sign in and of itself that Pakistan is beginning to become organized with the potential to stabilize itself.
For as long as we are involved in Afghanistan we have to supply our troops.Any look at a map tells you almost the only way to supply them is through Pakistan. The other easy way is through Iran,good luck on that one,their not in the mood to be helpful to us right now. The only other way is shipping supplies by land through Russia,Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan or Tajikistan.Pretty much un-doable.
So we get out of Afghanistan...logistics problem solved...we stop giving Pakistan money... cash flow problem solved. Why can't "the Messiah" think of this? Do I have to think for him too?
(25.1) Sounds logical to me!