*Offer not valid in PAK

UPDATE 05:00 9/6/05 - My head is spinning on this one. As poorly as I regard our current methods in the GWOT, I find it hard to believe this story doesn't have kinks somewhere, somehow. Of course, I still blame Clinton. But something's hinky with the vaporators.

AP/IHT is running a late story with Shaukat Sultan Khan claiming "This is absolutely fabricated, absurd. I never said this." Problem is, ABC's Ross has someone on tape saying the "this" Khan calls an orphan. And they are saying, if true, some volatile things that from an effectiveness standpoint makes our talk of alliances, progress and such far worse than a bad punchline. Was ABC suckered? Did they walk Khan out of his context? Are they that dumb or careless, even after the Texas Air Guard/Col. Killian mess that tanked Rather? Were they spooked into turfing up a goofball negative-Bush story to counterbalance the gathering storm about Cyrus Nowrasteh's dubious "Path to 9-11"?

The fact of a treaty isn't in dispute: NYT, Wapo. The fact that the treaty happened under auspices of a tribal confab, a jirga (think Pirates Parley with odd protocols but not Roberts Rules) means PAK was there to smile, sign and save face. And to smile some more when told, "We know of no foreign fighters here. Thanks for coming."

Like I said, a headspinner. Stranger still, none of the usual suspects on the righthand bank of the series of tubes have posted a word this evening which means:

1. It's a "give 'em enough rope" plant a la Segretti
2. They're too busy circling wagons and checking for typos in Rove's response
3. It's all-you-can-eat night at the The Sizzler

Near as I remember, Thursday is Sizzler nite. So.... odd day tomorrow, I'm betting. See you at the salad bar. Now back to our original post...




I blame Clinton. All three of em. (3 1/2 if you count Roger.)

Here's the ABCblog with some of the details of tonite's broadcast.

Bin Laden Gets a Pass from Pakistan

Osama bin Laden, America's most wanted man, will not face capture in Pakistan if he agrees to lead a "peaceful life," Pakistani officials tell ABC News.

The surprising announcement comes as Pakistani army officials announced they were pulling their troops out of the North Waziristan region as part of a "peace deal" with the Taliban.

If he is in Pakistan, bin Laden "would not be taken into custody," Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan told ABC News in a telephone interview, "as long as one is being like a peaceful citizen."

Bin Laden is believed to be hiding somewhere in the tribal areas of Pakistan, near the Afghanistan border, but U.S. officials say his precise location is unknown.

In addition to the pullout of Pakistani troops, the "peace agreement" between Pakistan and the Taliban also provides for the Pakistani army to return captured Taliban weapons and prisoners.

"What this means is that the Taliban and al Qaeda leadership have effectively carved out a sanctuary inside Pakistan," said ABC News consultant Richard Clarke, the former White House counter-terrorism director.

The agreement was signed on the same day President Bush said the United States was working with its allies "to deny terrorists the enclaves they seek to establish in ungoverned areas across the world."

The Pakistani Army had gone into Waziristan, under heavy pressure from the United States, but faced a series of humiliating defeats at the hands of the Taliban and al Qaeda fighters.

"They're throwing the towel," said Alexis Debat, who is a Senior Fellow at the Nixon Center and an ABC News consultant. "They're giving al Qaeda and the Taliban a blank check and saying essentially make yourselves at home in the tribal areas," Debat said.

Now, if you'll pardon me, I have to go to redstate and LGF to learn me some proper co-lishin buildin and terra-fightin skillz.