Attacks in Pakistan. Here's Why: Bush Puts New Focus On Bin Laden, Wants Him by Nov.4

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94575902

Pakistan Raid Start Of Concerted Bid To Hit Al-Qaida

by Tom Gjelten and Tom Bowman

NPR has learned that the raid by helicopter-borne U.S. Special Operations forces in Pakistan last week was not an isolated incident but part of a three-phase plan, approved by President Bush, to strike at Osama bin Laden and top al-Qaida leadership.

The plan calls for a much more aggressive military campaign, said one source, familiar with the presidential order, which gives the green light for the military to take part in the operations. The plan represents an 11th-hour effort to hammer al-Qaida until the Bush administration leaves office, two government officials told NPR.

"Definitely, the gloves have come off," said a source who has been briefed on the plan. "This was only Phase 1 of three phases."

Pentagon and White House officials have declined to discuss the new plan.

The intelligence community already had approval from the president to carry out operations inside Pakistan, which included attacks by Predator drones, which can carry 100-pound Hellfire missiles.

Additional authority came from the president just recently that allowed incursions by U.S. Special Operations forces, the source said.

A second source said that lawmakers on Capitol Hill were briefed on the new plan shortly before The New York Times broke the story this week about the Special Operations raid from Afghanistan into Pakistan. The source also said that CIA personnel from around the world were being pulled into the Afghan-Pakistan border area, an intelligence-community "surge" to go after bin Laden and other al-Qaida figures.

There was concern by some lawmakers about the political ramifications in Pakistan. The Pakistan government is offering some cooperation in halting the cross-border attacks by Islamist fighters from the tribal areas into Afghanistan. And Pakistan is a key logistics route for U.S. equipment heading into Afghanistan.

Should the U.S. raids continue on Pakistani soil, there is fear that the Pakistani government may halt — or at least curtail — its cooperation with American counterterrorist efforts in the border area. A military source says that the Pakistani government side is given little prior notice of the American military activity.

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are transparent for those with any independent thought process (the others who watch Palin and McCain and deny they're lying through their teeth are hopeless).

For the independent/undecided voters, I believe they'll see any October Surprise for what it is and actually hold it against the Republicans.

I've come to believe that only the revelation of Bushco unequivocally allowing or engineering 9/11 would wake "the ones who sleep" up.

Or Bush and Cheney being gay.

wasn't politically motivated. Karl Rove is still bossing Bushco.

but run government into the ground, which is their sole intent" more frequently.

It's all so damned apparent to anyone not brainwashed. So apparent, and it's pathetic, on so many levels.

"The question is," said one of the sources, "Why wasn't this done a year ago?"

I think anyone with critical thinking skills can figure that one out...

I agree anyone with critical thinking skills can figure that one out...

Maybe Freepers will buy the story when they kill a dead man.