VZCZCXRO7051
OO RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHIL #3071/01 2631537
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 191537Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8891
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 9161
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 8723
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3795
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 0356
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 6098
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 4909
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHWSMRC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 003071 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS PK
SUBJECT: PAKISTANIS REMAIN DEFENSIVE 
 
REF: ISLAMABAD 3053 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The September 3 raid into South Waziristan 
has drawn greater attention to alleged U.S. drone strikes in 
Pakistan's border areas.  Strikes that previously generated 
regular but tepid press now prompt bold headlines.  Pakistani 
papers and political statements have focused on the September 
17 strikes that coincided with the visit of U.S. Chairman of 
the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen. 
Politicians across the spectrum and the local media are 
calling for the defense of Pakistan's sovereignty.  Many 
argue that unilateral U.S. military action on Pakistani soil 
is counterproductive and could destabilize Pakistan and its 
counterterrorism efforts. Some media criticized the GOP's 
"helplessness" to prevent U.S. military action.  Continued 
coverage of U.S. military action forced an announcement that 
the U.S. was providing USD 8.4 million in food assistance to 
the back pages.  End summary. 
 
Air Strikes Overshadow U.S. Assurances 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Reaction to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 
Admiral Michael Mullen's September 16-17 visit to Pakistan 
was generally positive, with papers September 17 favorably 
reporting on Mullen's commitment to respect Pakistan's 
sovereignty (reftel).  At a September 18 press conference, 
Foreign Minister Qureshi said the contradiction revealed an 
"institutional disconnect" within the U.S. government. 
Newspapers carried conflicting reports on whether the air 
strikes were unilateral or a result of intelligence-sharing 
between the U.S. and Pakistan.  Qureshi conceded the 
Pakistani government was not informed in advance.  He warned 
that border violations were damaging U.S.-Pakistan relations 
and stressed the need to work together. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Prime Minister Gilani also balanced his appeals for 
sovereignty with a focus on cooperation.  In Urdu-language 
media, Gilani promised "no compromise" on the sovereignty and 
territorial integrity of Pakistan.  He warned that U.S. 
unilateral action was counterproductive because it stoked 
anti-U.S. sentiment and sympathy for militants.  This could 
destabilize Pakistan, he added.  But he also reiterated his 
stance that the war on terror was in Pakistan's own national 
interest and stressed the need for greater bilateral 
cooperation and intelligence sharing.  Interior Minister 
Malik said September 18 that there was no agreement between 
Pakistan and the U.S that allows the foreign troops in 
Afghanistan to operate in Pakistani territory.  He urged the 
government to use diplomatic as well as other channels to 
ensure the territorial sovereignty of the country.  Defense 
Minister Mukhtar told reporters that the U.S. had violated 
Pakistan's sovereignty despite promising it would not and 
indicated the GOP would protest continued attacks.  Both the 
Islamabad and Karachi City Councils adopted resolutions 
condemning airstrikes in Pakistani territory. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Opposition leaders and the media have criticized the 
government for not clearly explaining the GOP's policy on 
U.S. incursions.  Speaking to the press, National Assembly 
Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan (Pakistan Muslim 
League-Nawaz) called the strikes "unprecedented" and 
"unacceptable."  "We demand that President Zardari scrap" any 
former agreement to allow U.S. strikes inside Pakistan, Khan 
said. 
 
Sovereignty: Not a One-way Street 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU)  The GOP continued to ensure the media is briefed on 
how drone attacks are killing foreign militants.  A September 
19 "Daily Times" editorial enjoined readers to focus on the 
"real land invasion by foreign terrorists."  At his September 
18 press conference, Qureshi expanded his criticism beyond 
the U.S. to say, "As far as sovereignty is concerned, there 
is responsibility on Pakistan as well to ensure there is no 
incident to violate Afghanistan's territory."  Furthermore, 
English daily "The News" observed that civilian and military 
decision-makers "must accept that the best means to keep the 
U.S. at bay is to act ourselves." 
 
 
ISLAMABAD 00003071  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) The front page of the September 18 English-language 
"Daily Times" highlighted Deputy Secretary Negroponte's call 
for cooperation.  His statement that unilateral action in 
Pakistani territory was not a viable long-term solution for 
border security was well-received.  Media lauded Negroponte's 
suggestion that trilateral cooperation - U.S., Pakistan, and 
Afghanistan - was the best way forward. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  A "Daily Times" editorial September 19 also noted 
that "Those who recommend that Pakistan should stop 
logistical support to the 70,000-odd NATO/ISAF forces in 
Afghanistan -- 'without fuel they can't last a day' -- should 
also know that this reimbursable logistics and fuel supply 
arrangement, which has accounted for a significant fraction 
of the USD 11 billion of 'military assistance' to Pakistan 
for the last nine years, is also needed by us to fight the 
real 'land invasion' by foreign terrorists." 
PATTERSON