Philocrites

Scheduling an assassination.

by Philocrites

This is outrageous:

The New Republic has learned that Pakistani security officials have been told they must produce [high-value targets like Osama bin Laden, his deputy, Ayman Al Zawahiri, or the Taliban's Mullah Mohammed Omar] by the election. . . .

A third source, an official who works under ISI's director, Lieutenant General Ehsan ul-Haq, informed TNR that the Pakistanis "have been told at every level that apprehension or killing of HVTs before [the] election is [an] absolute must." What's more, this source claims that Bush administration officials have told their Pakistani counterparts they have a date in mind for announcing this achievement: "The last ten days of July deadline has been given repeatedly by visitors to Islamabad and during [ul-Haq's] meetings in Washington." Says McCormack: "I'm aware of no such comment." But according to this ISI official, a White House aide told ul-Haq last spring that "it would be best if the arrest or killing of [any] HVT were announced on twenty-six, twenty-seven, or twenty-eight July"—the first three days of the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

("July Surprise?" John B. Judis, Spencer Ackerman, and Massoud Ansari, New Republic 7.19.04)

Copyright © 2004 by Philocrites | Posted 8 July 2004 at 5:49 PM

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