"We
have created Intelligence Fusion cells with embedded U.S. Special Forces with
both the SSG and Frontier Corps" at Bala Hissar, Peshawar, the 2009 cable says. "But we
have not been given Pakistani military permission to accompany the Pakistani
forces on deployments as yet. Through these embeds, we are assisting the
Pakistanis [to] collect and coordinate existing intelligence assets."
Another
U.S. Embassy cable said that a "U.S. Special Operations Command
Force" was providing the Frontier Corps with "imagery, target
packages and operational planning" in a campaign against Taliban
insurgents in Lower Dir, an area of northwest Pakistan considered an insurgent
stronghold.
In
September 2009, then U.S.
ambassador, Anne W. Patterson, wrote in another classified message that the
fusion cells provided "enhanced capacity to share real-time intelligence
with units engaged in counter-insurgency operations" and were "a
significant step forward for the Pakistan military."
On June 10,
the United States said that
it had 'nearly withdrawn' troops from Pakistan after it was asked to
reduce their number due to tensions over the Osama bin Laden episode. Vice
Admiral Michael LeFever, US
defence representative in Pakistan,
said that the decision to pull out troops was taken after a request from Islamabad. 'We recently
received a written request from the government of Pakistan to reduce the number of US
military personnel here, and we have nearly completed that reduction,' said
LeFever.
Controversy over the
Shamsi air base
In another
twist in US-Pakistan relations, the United States
is reluctant to comply with Pakistan's
demands that American personnel abandon the Shamsi air base used by the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA) to stage drone attacks. The Washington Post has
reported that that US
personnel and Predator drones still remain at the air base.
American
officials have also made clear that they have no plans to wind down the drone
campaign against targets inside Pakistan.
Unmanned CIA Predator drones carried out at least 12 strikes inside Pakistan in
June, the highest monthly total of the year, according to Long War Journal, a
Web site tracking the campaign. So far this year, the CIA has carried out at
least 40 such strikes, killing an estimated 269 people, according to the site.
Last year, the U.S. carried
out a record 117 drone strikes inside Pakistan, double the 2009 level.
Shamsi was
reportedly built by Arab sheikhs for falcon hunting trips in early nineties.,
but has been occupied by the CIA since at least 2004, when Google Earth images
showed Predator drones parked on the runway. The base infrastructure has been
expanded with new constructions like aircraft hangars coming up in last few
years.
According
to Retired Brigadier Farooq Hameed Khan, if there is one truth about Shamsi, it
is PAF's startling revelation in the 13th May in- camera joint parliament
session that this airbase was under UAE Government's authority and not under PAF's control. If Shamsi is a "no
go' area for PAF and out of Pakistan's
jurisdiction, then question arises, who owns Shamsi airbase, UAE or Pakistan?
The US occupation of Shamsi air base reminds us of
the infamous American facility
established in Badaber known as
Peshawar Air Station, 16 km from Peshawar, that was a cover
for a major communications intercept operation run by the United States
National Security Agency . Because of its proximity to Soviet central Asia, the
Badaber base enabled the US to monitor
Soviet ballistic missiles and nuclear test sites, key infrastructure and
communications.
The U-2 high altitude" spy-in-the-sky" plane was allowed to operate from Peshawar air base to gain vital photo intelligence in an era before satellite observation. US President Eisenhower reportedly also authorized few U- 2 flights from Lahore airbase in 1957. These spy flights were suspended after a U-2 aircraft piloted by Gary Powers, that took off from Peshawar was shot down over Soviet Union on first May 1960.
Peshawar Air Station was established under a ten year agreement between USA and Government of Pakistan in July 1958. Known as "Little USA', Badaber base's complete infrastructure including technical facilities, residential accommodation, sports facilities etc were constructed by US government. The US ultimately vacated Badaber base in July 1970 after failure of US efforts to get the agreement renewed amidst increased anti US public sentiments after the post 1965 Indo-Pak war US arms embargo on Pakistan.
Brigadier Hameed argued, if the then military led Government of Pakistan could get the Badaber spy base vacated by US in 1970, then why cannot the current democratic leadership show the political will and courage to formally ask US to leave Shamsi air base? With the US drawing down its forces from Afghanistan, there remains no US justification to keep occupying Shamsi.
What
strategic advantages do US derive from Shamsi? This airfield provides a
discreet launch pad, 200 miles south west of Quetta,
where the US
believes hides the Afghan Taliban shura. Shamsi lies about 100 miles south of
the Afghan border overlooking Taliban
infiltration routes into Afghanistan and
100 miles east of the Iranian border enabling US to conduct covert intelligence
missions into Iran. But most importantly, Shamsi is not too far from Pakistan's
nuclear testing sites in Chagai mountain ranges. Few hundred kilometers in the
south lays the Balochistan coast, and off its shores remains stationed a US
Naval and amphibious landing force!
In the final analysis, US Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, has described the US-Pakistan relationship as a difficult challenge. "The relationship with Pakistan is at the same time one of the most critical and yet one of the most complicated and frustrating relationships that we have," He told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing.
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