A little more than a week and counting, the "controversy" surrounding the killing of Osama bin Laden continues to unfold with "official" Pakistan seemingly the "dear in the headlights" at least from an "official" American perspective.
Pakistan is clearly embarrassed that bin Laden was ensconced in a fortress like mansion compound right "under their noses", within close proximity of Pakistani military facilities yet they continue to maintain they had no prior knowledge of his whereabouts until it became known after the American led raid that killed him.
They are also "red faced" that the American commando raid got done completely undetected and was not intercepted by their radar and security forces.
But Pakistan, in the words of its country's ambassador to the U.S. Husain Haqqani put it succinctly from their perspective when he told ABC's "This Week" we are "offended" at the violation of sovereignty by the U.S. raid.
On this key point of "sovereignty" Haqqani is quite right.
Two days after the killing of bin Laden was being reported 24/7 and hearing countless media reports on the raid, the triumphalism and pride in how it was done et al, this writer was clearly perplexed that nothing was being said regarding Pakistani sovereignty being violated and I wrote, "It's a Question of Pakistani Sovereignty", OPEDNEWS, May 3, 2011 to highlight that very point i.e. Pakistani sovereignty was being omitted, ignored and disregarded which was a reporting violation in itself. As I wrote in that piece, "Pakistan is after all a sovereign country."
Now, particularly from the Pakistani perspective, the question of its sovereignty being violated is being voiced by "official" Pakistan yet there seems to be no "official" American reaction or response on the question. Could this be because we KNOW we violated Pakistan's sovereignty by not getting their prior authorization and agreement BEFORE conducting the raid?
On this past Sunday President Obama went on "60 Minutes" to further explain his decision NOT to notify anyone (beyond his immediate national security team) of the Navy Seal raid including the Pakistani government, its army and its intelligence service (ISI).
Yet Obama and his administration say nothing on the issue of "sovereignty" and obviously see no need to apologize to the Pakistani's for this clear violation of international law.
One supposes this plays well in the American heartland and for domestic political purposes as Obama's approval ratings have jumped significantly higher over his decision to conduct the raid and the success it had in taking out America's # 1 nemesis. We saw that with all the jubilation and chanting "USA,USA", the night bin Laden was killed.
But just in case and if you're still wondering; America doesn't play by internationally approved rules and treaty's to which it is a signee. Not any more. We reign and we rule. Any questions?
