WASHINGTON: US Senate Intelligence Committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein charged Monday that slain al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden could not have lived as he did in Pakistan without some official complicity. I just dont believe it was done without some form of complicity, Feinstein told reporters as she delivered a stark and scathing warning to the troubled US ally to do more to battle extremists or risk souring ties.
I think either were going to be allies in fighting terror, or the relationship makes less and less sense to me, said the senator, who indicated she foresaw cuts in billions in US aid absent a course correction in Islamabad.
While some US lawmakers have called for stepping up help to Pakistan, I feel a little differently, said Feinstein who complained that we provide funds, we try to help the government wherever we can and get little in return.
Its becoming increasingly problematic, she said. I thoroughly agree with the administrations request that Pakistan take a good look at what the support services were for bin Laden. Feinstein said it was incomprehensible that bin Laden could live unperturbed for six years in a military community in Pakistan before the May 2 raid in which elite US commandos shot dead the elusive al Qaeda leader.
While Pakistan has denied knowingly allowing the worlds most hunted man to live in relative luxury, I just dont believe it, said Feinstein, who stressed that level of complicity is really a problem. Feinstein charged that Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) have been essentially favoring the Haqqani network, which attacks our troops in Afghanistan, while denying US forces access to their bases in remote North Waziristan.
You have them not turning over both the inspirational head and the operational head of LeT, following the Mumbai bombing, to India, she said, referring Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Now you have this, she said, referring to bin Laden.
I think either were going to be allies in fighting terror, or the relationship makes less and less sense to me, said the senator, who indicated she foresaw cuts in billions in US aid absent a course correction in Islamabad.
While some US lawmakers have called for stepping up help to Pakistan, I feel a little differently, said Feinstein who complained that we provide funds, we try to help the government wherever we can and get little in return.
Its becoming increasingly problematic, she said. I thoroughly agree with the administrations request that Pakistan take a good look at what the support services were for bin Laden. Feinstein said it was incomprehensible that bin Laden could live unperturbed for six years in a military community in Pakistan before the May 2 raid in which elite US commandos shot dead the elusive al Qaeda leader.
While Pakistan has denied knowingly allowing the worlds most hunted man to live in relative luxury, I just dont believe it, said Feinstein, who stressed that level of complicity is really a problem. Feinstein charged that Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) have been essentially favoring the Haqqani network, which attacks our troops in Afghanistan, while denying US forces access to their bases in remote North Waziristan.
You have them not turning over both the inspirational head and the operational head of LeT, following the Mumbai bombing, to India, she said, referring Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Now you have this, she said, referring to bin Laden.
