U.S. rejects demands to vacate Shamsi Air Base

[Lodhi]

(Reuters) - The United States is rejecting demands from Pakistani officials that American personnel abandon a military base used by the CIA to stage drone strikes against suspected militants, U.S. officials told Reuters.
U.S. personnel have not left the remote Pakistani military installation known as Shamsi Air Base and there is no plan for them to do so, said a U.S. official familiar with the matter, who asked for anonymity to discuss sensitive material.
"That base is neither vacated nor being vacated," the official said. The information was confirmed by a second U.S. official.
The U.S. declaration that drone operations in Pakistan will continue unabated is the latest twist in a fraught relationship between security authorities in Washington and Islamabad, which has been under increasing strain for months.
Regarding the Shamsi base in particular, Pakistani officials have frequently suggested it is being shuttered, comments that may be aimed at quieting domestic opposition to U.S. military operations using Pakistani soil.
Earlier this week, Pakistani Defense Minister Ahmed Mukhtar told the Financial Times that Pakistan had already stopped U.S. drone operations there.
On Thursday, Mukhtar told Reuters: "When they (U.S. forces) will not operate from there, no drone attacks will be carried out."
He said Islamabad had been pressuring the U.S. to vacate the base even before the May 2 commando raid in which U.S. Navy SEAL commandos killed Osama bin Laden. After the raid, Mukhtar said, "We told them again."
A senior Pakistani military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that when U.S. forces first launched counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan "provided Americans two bases in Jacobabad and Shamsi. Jacobabad base has been vacated for long time ago, but Shamsi is still with them."
"They are vacating it," the official insisted. "Shamsi base was for logistic purpose. They also used it for drones for some time but no drones have been flown from there."
DIFFERENT STORIES
The official said no base in Pakistan was presently used by the Americans for drone operations. But he did not give a precise date for when drones supposedly stopped operating from Shamsi.
The U.S. officials disputed that account. If anything, the Obama administration is moving to a counter-terrorism strategy based more on drone strikes and other covert operations than on deploying large numbers of troops.
On Wednesday, John Brennan, president Barack Obama's top counter-terrorism advisor, promised that in the tribal regions along the Afghan/Pakistan border, the U.S. would continue to "deliver precise and overwhelming force against al Qaeda."
"And when necessary, as the President has said repeatedly, if we have information about the whereabouts of al Qaeda, we will do what is required to protect the United States -- as we did with bin Laden," Brennan said in a speech.
Pakistani officials have faced fierce criticism for tacitly allowing the CIA to conduct drone operations on Pakistani soil. Allegations that civilian bystanders have been killed in drone attacks have only compounded the political problems facing Pakistani authorities.
Brennan rejected suggestions that U.S. drone attacks had caused numerous civilian casualties, claiming that the U.S. had been "exceptionally precise and surgical" in its operations. "Not a single collateral death" had been caused by U.S. counter-terrorism operations over the last year, he said.
U.S. officials have said that since the United States in July 2008 greatly increased the rate of drone-borne missile strikes against suspected militants along the Afghan/Pakistan border, the number of civilian deaths caused by such attacks has totaled under 40. Some Pakistani officials and human rights activists have claimed the death toll is much higher.
(Additional reporting by Sanjeev Miglani and Chris Allbritton; Editing by Warren Strobel and Anthony Boadle)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...topNews&rpc=71

[gazoomartian]

(Reuters) - The United States is rejecting demands from Pakistani officials that American personnel abandon a military base used by the CIA to stage drone strikes against suspected militants, U.S. officials told Reuters.
U.S. personnel have not left the remote Pakistani military installation known as Shamsi Air Base and there is no plan for them to do so, said a U.S. official familiar with the matter, who asked for anonymity to discuss sensitive material.
"That base is neither vacated nor being vacated," the official said. The information was confirmed by a second U.S. official.
The U.S. declaration that drone operations in Pakistan will continue unabated is the latest twist in a fraught relationship between security authorities in Washington and Islamabad, which has been under increasing strain for months.
Regarding the Shamsi base in particular, Pakistani officials have frequently suggested it is being shuttered, comments that may be aimed at quieting domestic opposition to U.S. military operations using Pakistani soil.
Earlier this week, Pakistani Defense Minister Ahmed Mukhtar told the Financial Times that Pakistan had already stopped U.S. drone operations there.
On Thursday, Mukhtar told Reuters: "When they (U.S. forces) will not operate from there, no drone attacks will be carried out."
He said Islamabad had been pressuring the U.S. to vacate the base even before the May 2 commando raid in which U.S. Navy SEAL commandos killed Osama bin Laden. After the raid, Mukhtar said, "We told them again."
A senior Pakistani military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that when U.S. forces first launched counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan "provided Americans two bases in Jacobabad and Shamsi. Jacobabad base has been vacated for long time ago, but Shamsi is still with them."
"They are vacating it," the official insisted. "Shamsi base was for logistic purpose. They also used it for drones for some time but no drones have been flown from there."
DIFFERENT STORIES
The official said no base in Pakistan was presently used by the Americans for drone operations. But he did not give a precise date for when drones supposedly stopped operating from Shamsi.
The U.S. officials disputed that account. If anything, the Obama administration is moving to a counter-terrorism strategy based more on drone strikes and other covert operations than on deploying large numbers of troops.
On Wednesday, John Brennan, president Barack Obama's top counter-terrorism advisor, promised that in the tribal regions along the Afghan/Pakistan border, the U.S. would continue to "deliver precise and overwhelming force against al Qaeda."
"And when necessary, as the President has said repeatedly, if we have information about the whereabouts of al Qaeda, we will do what is required to protect the United States -- as we did with bin Laden," Brennan said in a speech.
Pakistani officials have faced fierce criticism for tacitly allowing the CIA to conduct drone operations on Pakistani soil. Allegations that civilian bystanders have been killed in drone attacks have only compounded the political problems facing Pakistani authorities.
Brennan rejected suggestions that U.S. drone attacks had caused numerous civilian casualties, claiming that the U.S. had been "exceptionally precise and surgical" in its operations. "Not a single collateral death" had been caused by U.S. counter-terrorism operations over the last year, he said.
U.S. officials have said that since the United States in July 2008 greatly increased the rate of drone-borne missile strikes against suspected militants along the Afghan/Pakistan border, the number of civilian deaths caused by such attacks has totaled under 40. Some Pakistani officials and human rights activists have claimed the death toll is much higher.
(Additional reporting by Sanjeev Miglani and Chris Allbritton; Editing by Warren Strobel and Anthony Boadle)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...topNews&rpc=71

Wars have confused Americans because other than the WWII, Americans have NOT YET won any war any where. YES they have destroyed and left but not won any war.

Because of defeat everywhere, they do not know how to react when a Pak official tells them to move out of the airbase.

I am wiling to bet there will be a news out soon from another official that 'we have moved out fore most part, on the condition of anonymity.

On the other hand Pakistani officials are exasperated because nothing they say is taken by the US with their mouth shut.

[Mullah Omar]

Jootay maar kay nikalo.

[sngilani]

[zeshaan]

Abb kia kehtay hain apnay muhtaram WAZEER E DIFAA?

[niazi]

laaton kay bhoot batoin say nahee mantee

[canadian]

That's a serious issue.How can they refuse to vacate unless Mush signed some illegal agreement with them about which nation doesn't know.

[saliaz]

Nothing will happen, americans wont leave that easily. At the moment we dont know how many other basis are under US control.
Where it Basharaf now to answer these questions and what was his vision to save Pakistan by letting thousands of innocents killed.

[United4Pak]

yeh bhee ajeeb hai, khala jee ka ghar hai jo nahin choRain gay.

waisay, air martial sahib kia kar rahay hein jab unki ek base kissi aur ke pass hai. doob marnay ka muqam hai un ke liye bhee

[kapadias]

I have a question in my mind. If War starts on these issues between Pakistan and U.S.A. then from which side our Army will fight. They will fight from Pakistan side or will defend Americans ????

[Star Gazer]

That's a serious issue.How can they refuse to vacate unless Mush signed some illegal agreement with them about which nation doesn't know.

Even if Mush.signed an agreement current Democratic government can revoke it on the basis of the demands of the public, and that will be very very democratic. If we can be deprived of the F16s even after the payment for their national reasons then so can this be effective. Zara mardanigy chaheeya, daikhain kis ki himmat hoti hai.

[zeshaan]

That's a serious issue.How can they refuse to vacate unless Mush signed some illegal agreement with them about which nation doesn't know.

http://www.nawaiwaqt.com.pk/E-Paper/...ge-1/detail-13

[Unicorn]

Maybe military official are asking them to stay and political officials are asking them to leave or vice verse anything is possible.

[zeshaan]

yeh bhee ajeeb hai, khala jee ka ghar hai jo nahin choRain gay.

waisay, air martial sahib kia kar rahay hein jab unki ek base kissi aur ke pass hai. doob marnay ka muqam hai un ke liye bhee

Yeh MUSHAF MIR too naheen hain joo jan daydain Magar?

[Scorpion]

Our Ministry of defense and Armed forces have become bloody munafiqs in there greediness for Dollars . . . . Now see their worth . . . .

America na dikha dia Thinga . . . . . . .

Call taliban as they will do it for you . . . . . .

[khawaja86]

as far as military and political leadership is concerned they both are lying again as they did before about drones to gain trust of people which they have lost but their own ''partner'' america says the Pak officials should stop puzzling their people regarding this matter. So truth has come out both militart and political leadership are lying

[WatanDost]

Maybe military official are asking them to stay and political officials are asking them to leave or vice verse anything is possible.

What a PIECE OF MIND you got.
Never forget to put a MATCH STICK in any case.
Why you dont post miseries of INDIA here so people
know what SH*T you people of INDIA are going through?

india is bleeding worst than PAKISTAN
But you are a pigeon with CLOSED EYES.

[Scorpion]

Americans have rejected the Pakistani demand for Vacating Shamsi Air Base

US rejects demand to vacate Shamsi base
(6 hours ago) Today
From the Newspaper (6 hours ago) Today

The Financial Times quoted Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar as saying that Pakistan has already stopped US drone flights from the Shamsi air base.—Reuters photo



WASHINGTON / ISLAMABAD: The US is rejecting demands from Pakistan that American personnel abandon a military base used by the CIA to stage drone strikes against militants, US officials told Reuters.

US personnel have not left the Shamsi air base and there is no plan for them to do so, said a US official familiar with the matter. “That base is neither vacated nor being vacated,” the official said. The information was confirmed by a second US official.

On Wednesday, federal Minister for Defence Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar said that US had been asked to stop using the base for drone strikes and vacate it.

Relations between the two uneasy allies deteriorated after the May 2 raid by US SEALs in Abbottabad that killed Osama bin Laden. Wednesday’s statement by Mr Mukhtar was the latest salvo.

“We have been talking to them (on the issue) for some time, but after May 2, we told them again,” he told Reuters on Thursday. “When they (US forces) will not operate from there (Shamsi base), no drone attacks will be carried out.”

Earlier, the Financial Times quoted Mr Mukhtar as saying that Pakistan had already stopped US drone flights from the air base. Despite the defence minister’s statements, it was unclear what the situation at Shamsi is.

A US military official said no American military personnel had ever been stationed at the base, but the drone programme in Pakistan is run by the CIA, and the official declined to comment on that.

Pakistani military officials confirmed that the US had been asked to vacate the base, but wouldn’t comment on when the request had been made or whether the Americans had complied.

“We have told them to leave, vacate our base. We cannot provide security to their people,” a senior air force official told Reuters.

But a member of parliament who represents the area, retired lieutenant general Abdul Qadir Baluch, said that US officials were still at the base.

A senior Pakistani military official added that when US forces first launched counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan “provided Americans two bases in Jaccobabad and Shamsi. Jacobabad base has been vacated for long time ago, but Shamsi is still with them.”

“They are vacating it,” the official insisted. “Shamsi base was for logistic purpose. They also used it for drones for some time but no drones have been flown from there.”

http://www.dawn.com/2011/07/01/us-re...amsi-base.html

Just see the Munafiqat of the ISPR/Ministry of Defence . . . .

Its time to call Taliban . . . . . They will vacate the base for you

[rakeem]

If Pak Army wants, it can push the US bas*ards into the Arabian Sea, but they won't, US is probably having operational issues with regards to Afghanistan where law and order issues are growing, so they are trying to hold onto the base, to keep their terrorist activities running. Probably the Base also provide US agents more support for infiltration from Afghanistan to use them against Pak civilians in car bombings, planted remote control blasts like the one in Ashura, and other forms of terrorism. Even if these US maadar***** move into East Afghanistan to continue their drone attacks, N*Pak Army won't deny them airspace access to bomb innocent Pakistanis.

[Scorpion]

If Pak Army wants, it can push the US bas*ards into the Arabian Sea, but they won't, US is probably having operational issues with regards to Afghanistan where law and order issues are growing, so they are trying to hold onto the base, to keep their terrorist activities running. Probably the Base also provide US agents more support for infiltration from Afghanistan to use them against Pak civilians in car bombings, planted remote control blasts like the one in Ashura, and other forms of terrorism. Even if these US maadar***** move into East Afghanistan to continue their drone attacks, N*Pak Army won't deny them airspace access to bomb innocent Pakistanis.

Dear you are right but the shifting of drones to Eastern Afghanistan will bring the technical hitch of violation of sovereignty . . . . As the drones than have to cross the international boundary in order to kill the innocents . . . . Biggest problem will be that it will than give Americans the Permission Cover to enter choppers/fighter aircrafts for hit and run commando operations and later to full flesh bombardment . . . .

Pakistani Armed Forces have put themselves into a situation where, Head the American Wins and the Tail the Pakistanis Loose . . . .
Munafiq ka beshak yahi injam hota hai . . .