3.+Compulsory+Readings

Compulsory Resources:

Displayed below are three news articles, which will cover multiple perspectives regarding Operation Neptune Spear, and will hopefully shed some light on both sides of the argument.

**__Operation Neptune Spear and the U.S.-Pakistani Rift __** May 12, 2011 | From theTrumpet.com The Spear deepened the wound already afflicting U.S.-Pakistani relations. By [|Jeremiah Jacques] ==== Before dawn on May 2, a pair of Blackhawk helicopters carrying two dozen Navy seal s left Jalalabad, Afghanistan, and entered Pakistani airspace using stealth technology to evade Pakistan’s radar systems. ====

Why?
==== In the words of cia director Leon Panetta, “It was decided that any effort to work with the Pakistanis could jeopardize the mission. They might alert the targets.” ==== ==== So the U.S. doesn’t trust Pakistan, and believed Islamabad might help bin Laden escape the attack if it knew about the planned operation. The U.S.’s decision to raid bin Laden without telling Pakistan exemplifies the deep distrust that already existed between the U.S. and Pakistan, and the nature of the assault is further aggravating the tensions. ====

Strains have been building between the U.S. and Pakistan for years.
==== The Afghan War not only dragged the two nations into an uncomfortable but essential embrace, but it also revealed profound differences between the two sides. At the heart of these differences lies Pakistan’s double game: On one hand, Islamabad gives vital intelligence support to Washington; on the other, it willingly ignores the U.S.’s enemies in Pakistan. ==== ==== The rising tensions between Washington and Islamabad became public in December after a lawsuit filed in Pakistan exposed the identity of the man who was then station chief of the cia. The blown cover forced the organization to pull the vital agent out of Pakistan. Some interpreted the move as a calculated act of revenge by Pakistan after its chief, Ahmad Shuja Pasha, was named in a U.S. lawsuit concerning the Mumbai terrorist attacks. Since then, Washington and Islamabad have groused over a cia contractor’s killing of two armed Pakistani men under disputed circumstances. ====

Who Was Hiding Bin Laden?
==== From 2006 until his death last week, bin Laden lived in a compound in the Abbottabad district, a location not even a mile away from the Pakistan Military Academy. It is only around 31 miles from the center of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. Philip Klein of the //Washington Examiner// described bin Laden’s compound in Bilal as “eight times larger than any other home in the area. It was surrounded by walls measuring 12 feet to 18 feet that were topped with barbed wire. There were additional inner walls that sectioned off parts of the compound and entry was restricted by two security gates.” ==== ==== The residence was suspicious for other reasons as well. It had no Internet or phone lines, its residents were known to have burned their own trash, and the barbed wire atop the walls is unusual for the homes in the area. Stratfor notes additional odd details about bin Laden’s compound (May 5): ==== ====Security guards would also pay children who accidentally threw cricket balls into the compound rather than simply returning them. Its inhabitants avoided outside contact by not contributing to charity (thereby violating a Muslim custom) and by not allowing health care workers to administer polio vaccines to the children who lived in the compound, instead administering the vaccine themselves. Locals thought someone on the run from a tribal feud in Waziristan owned the compound, but they also noticed that its residents spoke Arabic. ==== ==== Could local police have failed to notice the suspicious details of this compound? What about Pakistani military officials? How much did Pakistan’s most influential man, military head Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, know about bin Laden’s whereabouts? ==== ==== These are the questions Washington is asking after having pumped over $18 billion in military and civilian aid into Pakistan over the last decade in the U.S.-Pakistani collaboration against terrorism. ====

Pakistan Will Respond With “Full Force” to Future Raids
==== The U.S.’s decision to strike bin Laden without informing Islamabad deeply embarrassed the Pakistani government. The embarrassment intensified on May 9, when U.S. military officials said President Obama had insisted that the assault team be large enough to battle its way out of Pakistan in the event of confrontation from hostile Pakistani troops or police officers. ==== ==== On May 3, Pakistani officials released a statement labeling the attack that killed the al Qaeda chief as “an unauthorized unilateral action.” The statement voices Islamabad’s “deep concerns and reservations” over Washington’s decision to conduct the operation “without prior information or authorization from Islamabad.” ====

The rhetoric has steadily escalated since then.
==== On May 9, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told Washington that Pakistan could react to future U.S. raids on its soil with “full force.” Any “overt or covert” attack would be met by a “matching response,” Gilani said. “Pakistan reserves the right to retaliate with full force. No one should underestimate the resolve and capability of our nation and armed forces to defend our sacred homeland.” ====

The significance of the rising tensions between Pakistan and the U.S. cannot be overstated.
==== The //Trumpet// has often warned of the danger of Pakistan and its nuclear arsenal falling under the control of radical Islamism and Iran. For example, in January 2008, editor in chief [|Gerald Flurry] wrote that “Pakistan also has the nuclear bomb and could be taken over by radical Islam, with plenty of help from Iran.” This nation, the world’s seventh-most powerful military power, could soon become a “proxy of the Iranian mullahs,” he warned, and “ this would be the worst possible disaster!” ==== ==== Operation Neptune Spear exposed the fractious U.S.-Pakistan relationship, and made the wound even deeper. Islamists in Pakistan already hold great sway over the country’s shaky government, and Islamabad’s growing ire toward Washington will bolster their power. With much of the Muslim world blazing with uprisings, the time may be ripe for a coup that could ally nuclear Pakistan with Iran. ==== ==== Jesus Christ specifically forewarned of the age of nuclear proliferation we are living in and showed that this time of peril points to the imminence of His return! To understand how events unfolding in Pakistan tie in to that hope-filled event, read “Pakistan and the Shah of Iran.” **•** ====

=__**A Hoax or a Triumph? – Operation “Neptune Spear” Uncovered **__= =June 14, 2011 • Juliana Tobin '13 =

=Filed under [|Opinion] = On May 2nd, 2011, the United States Navy SEALs carried out Operation Neptune Spear, a “kill or capture mission” targeting Osama bin Laden and ordered by President Barack Obama. In August 2010, Obama was informed of a possible lead that bin Laden was allegedly hiding in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in a mansion known locally as Waziristan Haveli. It was soon discovered that the compound was not even one mile away from the Pakistan Military Academy. Airborne Navy SEALs in two groups of 12, as well as a Belgian Shephard war dog named Cairo, raided the compound and were able to strategically avoid the killing of innocent civilians as well as successfully locate and execute the “Jackpot,” a code name for bin Laden. Out of the 18 residents of the compound, five were killed and two were injured. Those killed in addition to bin Laden, include his son Khaled bin Laden, his courier, his courier’s wife, and his courier’s brother or cousin. The only two residents to be injured were bin Laden’s fifth wife, Amal Ahmed Abdul Fatah, and their daughter, Safia bin Laden, who is currently 12. The entire mission was reported to be a total of 38 minutes in length, but the exact events that unfolded have been more ambiguously described, it seems that none of the local reports match, each contradicting a foregoing assertion. For instance, John Brennan, the White House Chief Security Adviser, told reporters that bin Laden died in a firefight, and that his wife had died after being used as a human shield. Inconsistent with the initial reporting, Jay Carney, the President’s Spokesman, said at a White House briefing the following day that, “[bin Laden’s wife] rushed the US assaulter and was shot in the leg but not killed. Bin Laden was then shot and killed. He was not armed.” The United States government was said to have been following the events as they unfolded, but there was a 25-minute period where they had no idea as to what was happening, until a SEAL shouted “Geronimo,” the code name for the death or capture of bin Laden. As announced to Time Magazine by the organization’s director, Leon Panetta, the CIA was only 60-80% sure that bin Laden was even in the compound before following through with the operation. Bin Laden’s body was taken into US custody immediately after the conclusion of the mission, and brought to Afghanistan for testing; the remaining bodies were taken into Pakistani custody. During the identification tests preformed, the body was measured by comparison to a Navy SEAL of the same height as bin Laden, 6’4”, as there was apparently no tape measure. It is also known that one of bin Laden’s wives who was residing in the compound identified the body in the aftermath, and a DNA test was preformed using samples of Osama bin Laden’s deceased sister’s brain to make a comparison. The results of the DNA test have not been release, nor has any photographic evidence been released to the public eye. Within 24 hours of the death of bin Laden, he was given a burial at sea. Initially it was viewed as a way to prevent a creation of a shrine in his name, but it seems that the public eye has not perceived it as so. The fact that the United States government has denied the release of the evidence has made many wonder whether or not it really was Osama bin Laden that was killed. Many of the news reports have heard varying accounts from the local residents; these contradictory assertions have also contributed to the skepticism. The fact that no concrete evidence has been released has caused political suspicions, tension, and resentment at the alleged operation. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">Online, countless blogs have had heated discussions, debating whether or not the actual event occurred. Those who are not reluctant to believe the recent news of the operation have been dubbed “deathers” or “proofers” by the media. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">The suspicion has spread internationally, dividing the political mainstream of the media. While the United States has formulated doubts about Pakistan’s role in the hiding of bin Laden, some Pakistani also wonder whether or not he was actually killed. The American government officials believe that it is inconceivable that no one in the Pakistani government knew his whereabouts, as he was staying in a mansion in the neighborhood of their military academy. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">Leon Panetta, the CIA director, said, “either they are involved or incompetent” in regards to Pakistan. He also believes it is necessary to reveal the photos in order to disprove the conspiracy theorists, but that is President Obama’s decision to make. Obama feels strongly that the images are too graphic for the public eye, and that it would be disrespectful to have them swarm across the international media. The government officials who have seen the pictures say that he had a gunshot wound above the left eye, and it is in fact a gruesome sight to see. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"> The perplexing part of this decision is that in 2006, when Saddam Hussein was convicted and executed, not only were images released, but actual videos were shown across digital media of the actual execution. On top of that, the bodies of Saddam Hussein and his two sons, Uday and Qusay Hussein, were held for 11 days before being released for burial, while the body of bin Laden was released within 24 hours, as per the Islamic tradition. Osama bin Laden was responsible for the death of nearly 3,000 American civilians on September 11th, 2001; after hearing the reports of the mission, many of the victims of the tragedy are not satisfied with the ambiguous conclusion. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">Amnesty International has been very vocal in stating their belief that bin Laden should have been captured instead of killed. As an offender of crimes against humanity, the organization firmly believes he should have been punished according to international law. On behalf of Amnesty International’s Ridge High School chapter, junior Alex Liao states, “given uncertainties surrounding the operation, we believe the Obama Administration should release documents justifying the killing in the frame of international law. We strongly condemn any instances of American exceptionalism and hope that this operation does not discredit the international legal apparatus that Obama has worked so hard to support. Since Osama bin Laden was reportedly unarmed, we believe an international court would have provided a more respectable forum for bringing this man to justice.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">After reaching international attention, Operation Neptune Spear has been perceived nationally as well as in foreign nations, especially in the Muslim world, as a hoax and a political ploy to secure Obama’s reelection. Hamid Gul, former head of the ISI, the Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan, stated, “They must have known that he had died some years ago so they were waiting. They were keeping this story on the ice, and looking for an appropriate moment…President Obama had to fight off his first salvo in his election as he runs for President.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">While Al Qaeda has officially recognized the death of bin Laden, the Taliban have not been inclined to draw suspicious conclusions, and many will not believe the recent headline until they are presented with evidence. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">Another accusation, advanced by many journalists in Pakistan, was that the entire ordeal was a deception created to bring the war to Pakistan. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal; margin: 0.1pt 0in;"> Mrs. Raphaels, Honors World History and Sociology teacher at Ridge, has discussed that she can understand the viewpoint of those who are skeptical of the mission. Although there was a significant lack of evidence, she doesn’t believe that the United States government would have created such an extravagant hoax. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">Ridge High School sophomore, Caroline Margiotta, takes a very firm stance on the situation as well, stating, “The killing of Osama Bin Laden is a strategic accomplishment for the Obama administration. It is also a true relief not only for Americans, but also for people who have been threatened by Al Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations across the world. While I am quite relieved to hear that he has been killed, the fact that Osama Bin Laden had been living right under the noses of the Pakistani government just 35 miles away from the capitol brings into question the authenticity of our diplomatic relations with Pakistan. Recent news articles have suggested that the Pakistani government rejected former Afghan intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh’s claims four years ago that Bin Laden was in Pakistan. Moreover, Bin Laden was probably not isolated- Taliban leaders insist that, until his death, bin Laden continued to meet with terrorist groups on a regular basis. Because it is seriously dubious that the Pakistani people did not notice that Osama Bin Laden, number one on the United States’ most wanted list, was living in an upscale complex in Abbottabad, I think this signals a need for our nation to be less trusting of nations in the Middle East whom, in the past, we’ve called our allies. This is a step forward, but it also brings a new degree of haziness to our diplomatic relations.” <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">With the aforementioned misconceptions and lack of substantial evidence, numerous conspiracy theories have taken over international as well as American headlines. Although the Obama Administration has stated in defense that they have held off on releasing proof in effort to be respectful, it is not a tradition of the United States government to withhold such information. The secrecy has transcended any attempt at diplomacy, appearing to some an alleged hoax that proves to have captivated the eyes and ears of more Americans than those satisfied with the mission itself. It appears that the American triumph of capturing and killing the man behind the terror has been smothered by the cryptic confidentiality of the evidence, leaving many dissatisfied and confused by the operation, and whishing for a validated response to Al Qaeda’s crimes against humanity committed nearly a decade ago. =__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">Operation Neptune Spear is destabilizing Pakistan __=

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; margin: 0.1pt 0in;">[|Glenn Wright]
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">, Political Buzz Examiner <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;">May 8, 2011 While the USA may have viewed last Sunday night's Neptune Spear raid to eliminate Osama bin Laden as a success, the side-effects are becoming more apparent every day and the chief one of these is the destabilizing of the government of Pakistan. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">While complaining about the Pakistani government is not uncommon for its citizens, the critiques are coming now from mainstream media outlets, and are largely focusing on serious questions the nation has about its intelligence service, the ISI, and its military. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal;">These institutions are usually off-base for open and serious criticism in Pakistan. But the level of humiliation and self-questioning, even by those in the ISI and military, is unprecedented. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal;">After the US raid exposed not only the vulnerability of Pakistan to commando attacks of this sort, but also raised questions about the potential complicity of the Pakistan government in harboring Osama bin Laden, the people and the media have lost much faith in their leaders. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal;">Calls are increasing in Pakistan for investigations and resignations of government principals. For example, [|Imran Khan], chairman of the Movement for Justice Party, has called upon Prime Minister Gilani and President Zardari to resign. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal;">In Washington, President Obama has stated the United States is concerned to learn the nature of the "support network" used by Osama bin Laden during his years of residence in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad. Obama said it was the responsibility of the Pakistani government to investigate the depth and nature of any assistance coming to to the al-Qaeda chief from Pakistani officials. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 19px; line-height: normal;">Promises from Pakistan are that "heads will roll" if any complicity with Osama bin Laden is found within its government.