Pakistan: We're scapegoats for US frustration over Afghan war

[The Northerner]

Pakistan's prime minister warned on Tuesday that if the US didn't stop lobbing accusations at Pakistan, it would be difficult to tamp down anti-American sentiment in his country.

A top Pakistani official has warned that public anger toward the US is getting beyond the government's control, and blamed the recent spike in tensions on a US administration increasingly anxious to fulfill its mission in Afghanistan ahead of a planned 2014 withdrawal.

Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani told Reuters yesterday that a top US military official's accusation of Pakistani government complicity in terrorist activity was increasing anti-American sentiment – already on the rise after the controversial Navy Seals raid on Osama bin Laden's compound this spring.

"The negative messaging, naturally that is disturbing my people," Gilani said in the interview. "If there is messaging that is not appropriate to our friendship, then naturally it is extremely difficult to convince my public. Therefore they should be sending positive messages."

Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2011/0928/Pakistan-We-re-scapegoats-for-US-frustration-over-Afghan-war

[Rex]

1. No...you housed fed and protected OBL all these years.

Though I guess we should officially declare war and stop all this pussyfooting around with drones.

[truebrit71]

2. Bullshit. Your intelligence service is in bed with Al-Q....

...and you happen to be where most of the senior members of that organization have been found living unmolested...But yeah, we're the ones making you guys look bad...

[Aryo]

3. This saber rattling with Pakistan

has me pretty freaked out. We are already at war with them (deadly drone attacks daily), but this latest talk has me wondering if we will end up sending in ground troops.

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. Well, it would put an end to the idea that we only attack countries

that don't have nukes.

It is incumbent upon us to prove that we are an equal opportunity aggressor.

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Good point.

[gratuitous]

6. We're finally winding down operations in Iraq

Those troops have to go somewhere, and why waste all that training? Just move 'em a little further east for the next war. Unka Dick gots to get paid!

[MicaelS]

7. The biggest problem with Pakistan is the US took this long

To finally publicly admit we were being fucked over by them.

[Kurmudgeon]

8. I'm curious what China may think/do.

Will they lay back and let us clean up the mess, or will they get involved either politically or militarily like they did so long ago in Korea with whom they also share a border.