Barack Obama accused of exaggerating terror threat for political gain

[alienlovechild 75]

A US terror alert issued this week about al-Qaida plots to attack targets in western Europe was politically motivated and not based on credible new information, senior Pakistani diplomats and European intelligence officials have told the Guardian.

The non-specific US warning, which despite its vagueness led Britain, France and other countries to raise their overseas terror alert levels, was an attempt to justify a recent escalation in US drone and helicopter attacks inside Pakistan that have "set the country on fire", said Wajid Shamsul Hasan, the high commissioner to Britain.

Hasan, a veteran diplomat who is close to Pakistan's president, suggested the Obama administration was playing politics with the terror threat before next month's midterm congressional elections, in which the Republicans are expected to make big gains.

He also claimed President Obama was reacting to pressure to demonstrate that his Afghan war strategy and this year's troop surge, which are unpopular with the American public, were necessary.

"I will not deny the fact that there may be internal political dynamics, including the forthcoming midterm American elections. If the Americans have definite information about terrorists and al-Qaida people, we should be provided [with] that and we could go after them ourselves," Hasan said.

Dismissing claims of a developed, co-ordinated plot aimed at Britain, France and Germany, European intelligence officials also pointed the finger at the US, and specifically at the White House. "To stitch together [the terror plot claims] in a seamless narrative is nonsensical," said one well-placed official.

While Abdul Jabbar, a Briton, and others killed by an American drone strike on 8 September in North Waziristan, in Pakistan's tribal areas, were heard discussing co-ordinated plots, including possible "commando-style" attacks on prominent buildings and tourist sites in European capitals, security and intelligence officials said the plots were nowhere near fruition.

The officials did not deny the men, and other foreign-born jihadi recruits who travel to the tribal areas for indoctrination and training, represented a potentially serious threat. "You have discussions about all sorts of things – that does not necessarily mean there is anything concrete. It is not easy to set up groups," said one counter-terrorism official.

By making it clear that the US drone strikes were pre-emptive, and were not in any way combating an imminent threat, European officials raised fresh questions – this time directly involving a British national – about the legality of the attacks, which could be viewed as assassinations.

The plot claims, which western intelligence agencies were aware of for months, were leaked last week to the American media.

Thomas de Maizière, Germany's interior minister, publicly expressed his scepticism about the US terror warning, saying he saw no sign of an imminent attack on Germany. He described the danger to Germany as "hypothetical".

The sharp rise in US unmanned drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas, coupled with several cross-border raids by American helicopter gunships that culminated in the killing of two Frontier Corps soldiers last week, was destabilising Pakistan, Hasan said.

"Why are they putting so much pressure on us? It is a threat to the democratic system … But people in Pakistan feel Washington does not care." American actions were "obviously" linked to Obama's decision to set a timetable for leaving Afghanistan. The US leader had "jumped the gun" and now "the Americans are in a hurry".

Hasan said American personnel stationed at the Pakistani air force base at Jacobabad, on the border between Sindh and Baluchistan provinces, could be vulnerable if the situation deteriorated further. The US requested the use of Jacobabad, and other bases at Dalbandin and Pasni, after the 9/11 attacks, and has maintained a military presence there ever since.

The drone operations began in June 2004 with the tacit, reluctant agreement and involvement of the Pakistani authorities but were now in effect running beyond Pakistan's control, the diplomat suggested. "We have always denied it in the past. But everybody knows this is happening. We need to wake up," the official said.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/oct/07/barack-obama-terror-threat-claims

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Yes because if you can't trust a Pakistani who can you trust?

[Saddle Bronc 124]

IMO, Hasan's statement is more politically-motivated--as it very much appears an attempt to divert attention from the fact that the 7/7 bombers and Faisal Shahzad (the failed Times Square bomber) were Pakistani-origin (7/7 were born in UK and Shahzad a newly-naturalised Pak-American with loyalty only to the perverted past misrulers such as Zia ul-Haq and their toadies such as Hamid Gul, Siddiq Salik--all unremorseful 1971-war-criminals¹) and trained in Pakistan, a substantial portion of whose "military"² is deeply-involved with Taliban and other terror-orgs.

1. Zia and Salik were blown-up 1988/08/17 by Aslam Beg (himself another 1971-war-criminal), Gul (still alive) was identified as a west-side-only (meaning he never set foot in then East Pakistan) war-crimes planner by late Dhaka Daily Star founder Syed Muhammed Ali
2. Taliban and L-e-T were CREATED/MENTORED by these uniformed goondas

Edited October 8, 2010 by Saddle Bronc

[Ban Hammer 13,858]

Yes because if you can't trust a Pakistani who can you trust?

i happen to know this nigerian via email........

[alienlovechild 75]

Yes because if you can't trust a Pakistani who can you trust?

Can't trust you to read an article properly. There were multiple references to western intelligence agencies nad not just the Pakistani sources.

A US terror alert issued this week about al-Qaida plots to attack targets in western Europe was politically motivated and not based on credible new information, senior Pakistani diplomats and European intelligence officials have told the Guardian.

Dismissing claims of a developed, co-ordinated plot aimed at Britain, France and Germany, European intelligence officials also pointed the finger at the US, and specifically at the White House. "To stitch together [the terror plot claims] in a seamless narrative is nonsensical," said one well-placed official.

The plot claims, which western intelligence agencies were aware of for months, were leaked last week to the American media.

Thomas de Maizière, Germany's interior minister, publicly expressed his scepticism about the US terror warning, saying he saw no sign of an imminent attack on Germany. He described the danger to Germany as "hypothetical".

If this had been the Bush Administration, we'd get the usual line about how Bush is using terror alerts to keep the public afraid and voting for the GOP. But since this info has but known for months, the warning right before an election about a vague threat to multiple nations doesn't raise eyebrows because hey, it's Obama.

Edited October 8, 2010 by alienlovechild

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Throw is a few bogus WMD's, invade a country, and then make up your own NAZI Gestapo and call it "Homeland Security". Don't forget while your at it, make sure your buddy's get billions of dollars in no bid contracts.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

A politician using the media for political gain. No! Say it isn't so! In October? In an election year?

[alienlovechild 75]

Throw is a few bogus WMD's, invade a country, and then make up your own NAZI Gestapo and call it "Homeland Security". Don't forget while your at it, make sure your buddy's get billions of dollars in no bid contracts.

Homeland Security? You may be frightened out of your mind by them but they're the keystone cops to me.

Thank you, Pres. Obama:

"KBR Inc. was selected for a no-bid contract worth as much as $568 million through 2011 for military support services in Iraq, the Army said."

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-06/kbr-to-get-no-bid-army-work-as-u-s-alleges-kickbacks-update1-.html

[lostinblue 1,989]

A politician using the media for political gain. No! Say it isn't so! In October? In an election year?

All politicans have done it. some however are more masterfull at it than others.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Can't trust you to read an article properly. There were multiple references to western intelligence agencies nad not just the Pakistani sources.

If this had been the Bush Administration, we'd get the usual line about how Bush is using terror alerts to keep the public afraid and voting for the GOP. But since this info has but known for months, the warning right before an election about a vague threat to multiple nations doesn't raise eyebrows because hey, it's Obama.

Can always count on you to misread/misconstrue my posts. The article gives mixed signals vis a vis European reaction to these terror threats, initially indicating the truth, that France and Britain took them seriously enough to raise their terrorist alerts as well, but the Pakistani official has the most to say, mostly "Don't worry, things are fine here in Pakistan, just forget Mumbai, 7/7, bombed out convoys, etc etc etc."

[Heracles 417]

Homeland Security? You may be frightened out of your mind by them but they're the keystone cops to me.

Thank you, Pres. Obama:

"KBR Inc. was selected for a no-bid contract worth as much as $568 million through 2011 for military support services in Iraq, the Army said."

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-06/kbr-to-get-no-bid-army-work-as-u-s-alleges-kickbacks-update1-.html

That is the doing of the US Army, not Obama.

The US army has been provided with a blank check book, with the checks signed for years now. Wastage is now synonymous with the US army. Their budget should have been reduced from the annual $1+ trillion to $200 Billion; with half of that spent on R&D. $577,000,000,000 was wasted on operations, procurement and personnel alone this year, while only $79 billion is going to R&D and $50 billion on intelligence.

The following is interesting:

The yellow section is BS, as we all know the money is all going to welfare period.

Edited October 10, 2010 by Heracles