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DE RUEHIL #3008/01 2561127
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O 121127Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8771
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 9104
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 8661
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3750
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 0294
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 6036
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 4846
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 003008 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MILITARY DECLARES IT HAS ORDERS TO 
RETALIATE AGAINST ACTION BY FOREIGN TROOPS 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  Summary.  GOP leaders are falling beyond Chief of 
Army Staff General Kayani's September 10 statement defending 
Pakistan's sovereignty and denying the agreed rules of 
engagement allow U.S. forces to conduct operations inside 
Pakistan.  The Pakistani military spokesman declared that the 
Pakistan Army had been ordered to retaliate against any 
action by foreign troops inside the country.  The media noted 
that UK PM Brown and Afghan President Karzai supported the 
U.S. change in approach and that NATO was distancing itself 
from this new strategy.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  All Pakistani media continued to be dominated 
September 12 by stories about the September 3 attack in South 
Waziristan.  The English-language Daily Times front page told 
the story of increasing Pakistani defensiveness with 
side-by-side headlines:  "Boots on the Ground: Bush" -- "No 
Way, Kayani."  MG Abbas, spokesman for the Pakistani military 
told the press that the "Pakistan Army has been ordered to 
retaliate against any action by foreign troops inside the 
country."  Abbas told BBC news that a decision on any 
retaliatory action would be taken "when the time came" and 
"in accordance with the degree of intervention." 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  In remarks to the press, Prime Minister Gilani 
fully endorsed the September 10 statement of Chief of Army 
Staff General Kayani ("The sovereignty and territorial 
integrity of the country will be defended at all costs, and 
no external force is allowed to conduct operations inside 
Pakistan...The right to conduct operations against militants 
inside (Pakistan's) territory is solely the responsibility of 
the respective armed forces...There is no question of any 
agreement or understanding with the coalition forces whereby 
they are allowed to conduct operations on our side of the 
border.").  Gilani added that "The nation should not be upset 
by the statement of US Admiral Mike Mullen who threatened 
more strikes inside Pakistan" because "the government was 
capable of protecting the country's borders." 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  President Zardari echoed Gilani saying "The army 
chief has reiterated government policy.  The prime minister 
and myself have already condemned cross-border strikes into 
tribal areas and the two Houses of Parliament have already 
spoken through unanimous resolutions."  Zardari added that no 
external force will be allowed to conduct military operations 
inside Pakistan. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) FM Qureshi also expressed support for Kayani's 
statement.  The press notes Qureshi "emphatically dispelled 
the impression that the government and the military 
establishment had divergent views on this key national 
security issue." 
 
¶6. (SBU)  In a BBC interview, Interior Minister Malik noted 
the unanimous Pakistani parliamentary resolutions condemning 
the attack and again urged the international community to 
respect the sentiments of the people of Pakistan and not to 
violate its territorial integrity. 
 
¶7. (C) We have no readouts as yet of an ongoing Corps 
Commanders meeting (a regularly scheduled event with COAS 
Kayani) but the media is speculating the commanders also will 
fully endorse Kayani's views. 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  Other stories noted that NATO, via its spokesman 
in Brussels, announced that NATO would not take part in a 
proposed U.S. strategy of conducting raids into Pakistan from 
Afghanistan.  UK PM Gordon Brown is quoted as saying he would 
press Pakistan to allow the U.S. and NATO troops in 
Afghanistan to take "a new approach" in the hunt for Taliban 
and al-Qaida militants and would discuss this with President 
Zardari in London next week.  Saying "change is essential," 
Afghan President Karzai is quoted as supporting a proposed 
U.S. strategy that would involve hitting al-Qaida and Taliban 
militants in Pakistan. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Editorials: 
 
"Unwise U.S. Policy," an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 
55,000) (09/12) 
 
ISLAMABAD 00003008  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
"There has been a regime change in Islamabad, but the basic 
misunderstanding between Pakistan and the United States on 
how to conduct the war on terror seems not only to persist 
but grow... What the American strategists do not realize is 
that by flaunting their power to attack in FATA they are 
undermining Pakistan's democratic government." 
 
"Enough, Uncle Sam," an editorial in the centrist national 
English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (09/12) 
 
"America is daily deepening the well of resentment against 
itself that no amount of aid input or pious diplomatic 
platitudes will ever fill; and Uncle Sam should not be 
surprised if his interests and assets within Pakistan become 
the target of extremists -- because at least some of those 
extremists will be the product of his own actions, his very 
own recruits." 
 
"New American Policy: Decision To Make Pakistan A Theater Of 
War," an editorial in the Karachi-based, pro Taliban Jihadi 
Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) (09/12) 
 
"The more Pakistan is cooperating with the United States in 
the war on terror, the more it is damaging Pakistan.  This is 
the high time for Pakistan to revise its policies, or else 
the situation will get worse with every passing day.  If the 
U.S. can change its strategy and policies, Pakistan too has 
every right to do so." 
 
"Allies Must Show Restraint," and editorial in the leading 
mass circulation centrist Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) 
(09/12) 
 
"It is important to work out a new policy immediately so that 
the Pakistan Army may review its strategy accordingly.  In 
any case, the Allies in Afghanistan must show extreme 
restrain and share intelligence with Pakistan if they find 
any clue about militants.  Such operation and military 
actions are not appropriate that spawn the sentiments of 
sympathy for the militants among the local population and 
raise troubles for the government." 
 
PATTERSON