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SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OIIP OPRC PGOV PREL PK
SUBJECT:  PAKISTAN MEDIA REACTION: DECEMBER 10, 2009 
 
Summary:  Wide coverage of a variety of public statements by U.S. 
military officials dominated today's Pakistan press - U.S. CENTCOM 
Commander General Petraeus' statement that "Pakistan Army has no 
desire to imperil civilian rule" received extensive coverage. 
Newspapers also highlighted Admiral Mullen's remarks that "U.S. took 
up Pakistan concerns over Balochistan with India."  "The News" 
quoted Foreign Minister Qureshi as saying that "Pakistan (is) being 
consulted on new U.S. Afghan strategy." Nearly every major newspaper 
reported that security forces arrested five foreigners, including 
two Pakistani-Americans, for their alleged links with banned 
militant outfit Jaish-i-Muhammad in Sargodha.  Newspapers published 
U.S. Embassy's clarifications of mischievous stories published in 
'The Pakistan Observer' and 'The Nation' alleging Embassy blockage 
of an Islamabad road and suggestions of improper activities by 
American diplomats (allegedly "Blackwater operatives") in Lahore. 
All TV networks reported on Thursday morning a drone attack in South 
Waziristan that killed six militants including four foreigners.  End 
Summary. 
 
News Story: Drone Attack Kills 6 In South Waziristan "The News" 
(12/10) 
 
"Six militants including four foreigners have been killed in US 
drone attack in South Waziristan. According to sources, drone fired 
two missiles at militants' hideouts in Tanga area of tehsil Lada in 
South Waziristan. Eyewitnesses said the toll could be mount." 
 
News Story: Zardari Not Facing Threat Of Army Coup: Petraeus "Dawn" 
(12/10) 
 
"Pakistani Generals had no desire to wrap up the civilian 
administration, a senior American commander responsible for his 
country's military strategy for the Pak-Afghan region told a 
congressional panel on Wednesday. But a senior State Department 
official told the same panel that the United States was trying to 
build institutions in Pakistan so that a change in leadership did 
not affect relations between the two countries. 'I don't think that 
the current challenges imperil civilian rule,' Gen. David Petraeus 
told the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations." 
 
News Story: U.S. Took Up Pak Concerns On Balochistan With India: 
Mullen "The News" (12/10) 
 
"Admiral Michael Mullen, U.S. chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, has 
said the U.S. was aware of Pakistan's concerns in Balochistan and 
this subject was a constant part of his conversations with 
Pakistan's Army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and his Indian 
counterpart Gen Kapoor. In an exclusive interview with 'The 
News/Jang and Geo News in Washington on Tuesday afternoon, Admiral 
Mullen also acknowledged the importance of Kashmir issue and said 
resolution of this longstanding dispute between India and Pakistan 
would have a positive impact on the overall regional stability." 
 
News Story: Five Americans Held In Sargodha Raid "Daily Times" 
(12/10) 
 
"Police on Wednesday arrested five American nationals believed to 
have gone missing from the Washington DC area last month, officials 
from both countries said. The five were arrested at the house of a 
member of the banned terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad in Sargodha, 
District Police Officer Usman Anwar told AFP.... U.S. Embassy 
spokesman Rick Snelsire said officials there were aware of the 
reported arrests, but could not confirm them." (Story also covered 
in all newspapers) 
 
News Story: U.S. Embassy Rejects Reports Of 'Chaos' Due To 
Construction "Daily Times" (12/10) 
 
"The U.S. Embassy on Wednesday rejected news reports alleging that 
it was "causing chaos for locals" due to construction work at the 
embassy. 'There is no large-scale construction project going on at 
the U.S. Embassy,' a statement by the embassy said." (Story also 
covered in 'The News," "Jang," "Express," "Ausaf," "Pakistan," and 
"Al-Akhbar") 
 
News Story: U.S. Rejects Reports Of Blackwater Personnel's Arrest 
"Daily Times" (12/10) 
 
"The U.S. Embassy on Wednesday rejected news reports stating that 
four 'Blackwater personnel' were arrested while trying to force 
their entry into the Lahore Cantonment. 'The U.S. Embassy in 
Islamabad rejects these allegations as false,' according to a 
statement by the Embassy." (Story also covered in 'Business 
Recorder," "Nawa-i-Waqt," "Islam," "Aaj-Kal," "Ausaf" and Pakistan) 
 
 
TERRORISM/MILITARY ISSUES 
 
News Story: Militants Dynamite Two Schools In Khyber: Official "The 
Nation" (12/10) 
 
"Taliban militants on Wednesday dynamited two boys' schools in 
Khyber district, where troops are pressing an offensive against 
Islamist insurgents, an official said. The attacks took place in 
Bara town, about 20 kilometers (13 miles) south of the regional 
capital Peshawar." (Story also covered in all newspapers) 
 
News Story: Obama Urged To Visit Pakistan To Allay Concerns Over 
U.S. Strategy "The Nation" (12/10) 
 
"An influential American newspaper Tuesday urged President Barack 
Obama to visit Pakistan and explain to the Pakistani people his 
strategy for the region that has raised concerns in the country. 
'Presuming security needs can be met, President Obama should visit 
Pakistan so he can tell Pakistanis directly that their fears of 
abandonment - or domination - are unfounded,' The New York Times 
said in an editorial: 'Pakistan and the War.'" 
 
News Story: Gates Tells NATO Troops Afghan Success In Reach "The 
Nation" (12/10) 
 
"U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday toured the nerve 
centre of NATO command in Afghanistan, telling officers an imminent 
troop surge will turn around the eight-year war against the Taliban. 
Gates visited the NATO-run International Security Assistance Force 
(ISAF) joint operation centre of 170 staff from 42 nations, saying 
improved allied cooperation and the sweeping new strategy put 
success within reach, while speaking to reporters en route to 
Afghanistan." 
 
News Story: Afghan War - We're Starting 'From Scratch': Holbrooke 
"Dawn" (12/10) 
 
"U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke has acknowledged that 
institution-building in Afghanistan would have to start 'from 
scratch' in the ninth year of engagement, in an interview published 
on Wednesday. Mr. Holbrooke, special envoy for Afghanistan and 
Pakistan, told Germany's daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung that 
international cooperation since the deployment in Afghanistan in 
2001 had often been chaotic." 
 
News Story: Kerry Says U.S. Cannot Ignore Pakistan In War Policy 
"The Frontier Post," "The News" (12/10) 
 
"Speaking at the start of a hearing, Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee Chairman John Kerry says what happens in Pakistan is as 
critical to American success in South Asia as what happens on the 
ground in Afghanistan. Kerry said 'it would be a mistake in Pakistan 
or anywhere to believe' that President Barack Obama's statement 
about drawing down forces by mid-2011 in Afghanistan means the 
United States would be withdrawing from the region." 
 
News Story: Pakistan Being Consulted On New U.S. Afghan Strategy: FM 
"The News" (12/10) 
 
"Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednesday that 
Pakistan was being consulted on the new U.S. Afghan policy and the 
recent visits of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. 
National Security Advisor were a part of this process." (Story not 
available online) 
 
News Story: FBI Team Visits Moon Market? "Daily Times" (12/10) 
 
"A four-member team of investigators from the U.S. Federal Bureau of 
Investigation (FBI) visited the site of the Moon Market bombings in 
Iqbal Town, Lahore, a private TV channel reported Wednesday." 
 
News Story: U.S., Not Taliban, Real Threat: JI "Dawn" (12/10) 
 
"America and India were hatching conspiracies to destabilize 
Pakistan and announce a unilateral solution to the Kashmir issue 
against the will of Pakistanis, alleged Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Chief 
Syed Munnawar Hassan. Addressing a Jirga of tribesmen in Peshawar on 
Wednesday, he said that real threat to their country was not Taliban 
but India and American security agency Blackwater." 
 
News Story: 589 Terrorists Killed In S. Waziristan, Says ISPR "Dawn" 
(12/10) 
 
"Security forces have so far killed 589 terrorists and arrested 45 
militants during the ongoing operation in South Waziristan. Military 
spokesman Maj-Gen. Athar Abbas told Dawn that 79 security personnel 
lost their lives and 240 were injured." (Story also covered in all 
newspapers) 
 
News Story: Three Taliban killed in Bajaur "Daily Times" (12/10) 
 
"Political administration officials told 'Daily Times' that three 
Taliban were killed in clashes between security forces and the 
Taliban in the Chinar area in Nawagai tehsil of the Bajaur Agency on 
Wednesday." 
 
POLITICAL ISSUES 
 
News Story: U.S. Envoy's Clandestine Canvassing "The Nation" (12/10) 
 
 
"In an unscheduled and secret meeting, U.S. Ambassador Patterson 
suddenly left the U.S. Embassy on Wednesday evening to visit the 
home of Dr. Donia Aziz and her parents where a meeting had been 
arranged with Chaudhry Shujaat and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.... The 
U.S. Ambassador sought support from the Chaudhrys for President 
Zardari and the U.S. Afghan policy." 
 
Editorial: Airbases For U.S., an editorial in the center-right 
national English daily "The Nation" (cir. 20,000) (12/10) 
 
"The bases had not meant to be used for offensive operation, but 
logistic support for American forces in the area, including search 
and rescue missions. Mr. Mukhtar used this Pakistani ignorance at 
the time of the agreement as an excuse to justify present 
ignorance.... While he may not have known at the time, he cannot 
claim ignorance now, and it is the duty of the government to seek at 
least a new agreement, assuming that it cannot tell the Americans 
that they have overstayed their welcome and should leave. In any new 
agreement, it must demand the right of inspection, to the extent 
that it can determine itself whether or not the American air forces 
are using the bases for the purposes for which they have been given. 
The use of these bases without any agreement is a violation of 
sovereignty and must not be allowed to continue. It must be brought 
to an end as soon as possible." 
 
Editorial: Rude Behavior of Americans With Law-enforcers, an 
editorial in the popular rightist Urdu-language daily "Ausaf" (cir. 
10,000) (12/10) 
 
"The derogatory attitude adopted by the U.S. diplomats with the 
police in Lahore has once again proved that the Americans consider 
themselves above the law of the land. Ironically, the police 
released these people immediately after their arrest which itself 
tantamount to committing a crime." 
 
Editorial: U.S. Ambitions To Invade Pakistan In Chase Of Taliban, an 
editorial in the Peshawar-based Urdu-language daily "Mashriq" (cir. 
55,000) (12/10) 
 
"The ceaseless U.S. threats to launch drone attacks to kill the 
Taliban leaders and Al Qaeda operatives, allegedly hiding in Quetta, 
have caused widespread fear and panic throughout the country. 
Washington is using the 'carrot and stick' policy against Pakistan 
which is further fomenting the anti-U.S. sentiments among the local 
masses. We think that the time has come for our leadership to define 
new parameters of its friendship with the United States." 
 
Editorial: U.S. Still Wants Pakistan To Do More, an editorial in the 
Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan Observer" (cir. 
5,000) (12/10) 
 
"There were reports that the recent visit of U.S. National Security 
Advisor was aimed at arms twisting of Pakistan, now it has been 
confirmed by the 'New York Times' that General Jones asked Islamabad 
to ratchet up fight against Taliban or be prepared for U.S. 
incursions. This is indeed coercion of the highest order and an open 
 
 
insult of an ally that has staked its national security in pursuance 
of the U.S. goals in the region....The ground situation and American 
intentions and plans obviously mean more trouble for Pakistan...." 
 
Editorial: Understand The Real Ambitions of Terrorists' Objectives, 
an editorial in the leading mass circulation populist, often 
sensational Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (12/10) 
 
"After the 9/11 attacks in the U.S., the people, once crowned as 
heroes, were labeled as terrorists, and allowed to freely infiltrate 
into Pakistan's tribal areas after the occupation of Afghanistan by 
the American and NATO forces. Resultantly, today the inferno created 
in the neighboring country has reached Pakistan where these 
extremist elements have taken the local population hostage and are 
killing innocent people with sophisticated weapons. It seems that 
the terrorists are hell-bent to destroy our national economy through 
their activities. We think it is the need of the hour that the 
entire nation forge unity to foil the nefarious designs of these 
extremists." 
 
Editorial: Pak-India Relations, an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(12/10) 
 
"A Welcome message but nevertheless an expression of the obvious, 
that is how we would categorize the latest comments of Admiral Mike 
Mullen on the Kashmir issue. 'I really do believe that 
'de-tensioning' [the Kashmir border] is absolutely critical to the 
long-term stability of the region,' Admiral Mullen told a gathering 
of the foreign press in Washington on Tuesday.... Getting India to 
resume talks with Pakistan without those preconditions will not be 
easy - and maybe all but impossible for the U.S. Ultimately, what 
will drive a push towards a settlement on Kashmir are the bilateral 
dynamics between India and Pakistan and the internal political 
dynamics of the two countries." 
 
Editorial: Shifting Responsibility, an editorial in the Lahore-based 
liberal English language daily "Daily Times" (cir. 10,000) (12/10) 
 
"The best tactic for gaining political leverage is to shift 
responsibility for failure to pre-empt a terrorist attack by blaming 
India.... By blaming India, the establishment seeks a diversion of 
attention from the activities of organizations such as the Haqqani 
network, operating from North Waziristan, and other groups linked to 
the al Qaeda network and the local Taliban. This diversion paves the 
way for an indiscriminate military operation in the FATA region." 
 
Editorial: American And Indian Hand In Terrorism, an editorial in 
the Karachi-based, pro-Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 
15,000) (12/10) 
 
"Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said that there are clear 
evidences that Indian ammunition was used in recent terrorist 
attacks in various cities of the country. But we think that this 
statement is a half-truth. Actually, not only Indian but the U.S., 
too, providing support to the terrorists with an aim to destabilize 
Pakistan. According to several media reports, the CIA is using the 
Blackwater agents to pursue its agenda in Pakistan. Washington has 
also hired some local elements to propagate that neither the U.S. 
nor India is involved in these terror activities." 
 
Editorial: The Battle Ahead, an editorial in the Karachi-based 
center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) 
(12/10) 
 
"The Taliban's claim that their fight lies solely with Pakistan's 
security apparatus is a pack of lies. Hundreds of civilians, 
including children, have been slaughtered in recent months and the 
toll is expected to rise now that the militants are being driven 
back by the military. As a result the Taliban have resorted, more 
than ever, to terrorizing the public at large by attacking bazaars, 
shopping plazas and mosques.... Lastly, it is shocking that 
Pakistan's religious parties have failed to condemn suicide bombings 
in one voice and without qualifiers that suggest they might be 
permissible in certain situations. The people of Pakistan do not 
support the Taliban. If the sympathies of our religio-political 
parties lie with the militants, they should have the courage to say 
so without mincing words." 
 
Editorial: Peace In South Asia, an editorial in the country's 
premier business newspaper, "Business Recorder" (cir. 25,000) 
(12/10) 
 
"Washington is in a position to pressure India to resolve its 
disputes with Pakistan, particularly the Kashmir dispute. It has to 
realize that unless there is a real move towards the resolution of 
the dispute, mistrust between the neighbors would continue to 
persist. Under the circumstances, there is little likelihood of the 
'de-tensioning' of the border between the two countries, considered 
absolutely critical to the long-term stability in the region by 
Admiral Mullen. It remains to be seen if the U.S. is really willing 
to play the role no other country can. The announcement by President 
Obama that his administration would begin to pull out its troops 
from Afghanistan after 18 months has given rise to apprehensions in 
Pakistan that he may install India as a proxy power to protect U.S. 
interests. This indicates the level of the prevailing mistrust. It 
is in United States' own interest to undertake moves aimed at 
restoring confidence between India and Pakistan." 
 
Editorial: U.S. Threats, Drone Strikes And Terrorism; Think Of 
Saving The Country's Integrity, an editorial in the second-largest, 
nationalist Urdu daily "Nawa-i-Waqt" (cir. 150,000) (12/10) 
 
"U.S. National Security Advisor James Jones and the White House 
anti-terrorism cell chief John Bonin have made it clear to Pakistan 
that American troops will resort to hot pursuit inside Pakistan if 
it did not take stringent action against the Taliban....  The other 
day, four Blackwater operatives with modern weapons were arrested in 
Lahore, but released later on the intervention of the American 
Embassy, notwithstanding the fact that Lahore's Moon Market became 
the target of worst terrorism a day earlier....  Defense Minister 
Ahmed Mukhtar has admitted in a TV talk show that American forces 
are using our Jacobabad and Pasni airfields sans any proper 
agreement.  American administration continues with the drone attacks 
inside Pakistan and is extending threats of action inside Pakistan. 
This is the doing of the rulers who have adopted policies 
subservient to America in return to alms of dollars." 
 
Editorial: Terrorists' Cruel Concept Of Jihad, an editorial in the 
independent  Urdu daily "Din" (circ. 5000) (12/10) 
 
"The Tehrik-i-Taliban has accepted responsibility for many of the 
attacks on mosques [in Pakistan]. The strategy of attacking 
worshippers at prayer time is a tactic that the Taliban is using as 
this way it succeeds in terrorizing the most number of people.... 
According to available facts and figures, there have been more than 
50 attacks of mosques since 9/11 - most attacks being carried out by 
the banned outfits like Tehrik-i-Taliban, Sipah-i-Sahaba, 
Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Harkatul Jihadi-i-Islami or Jamaatul Furqaan.... 
These people's concept of jihad is that all of Pakistan except for a 
few tribal areas has turned infidel so killing them is justified. 
More than two thousand [Jihadi] journals and newspapers are working 
night and day to promote this justification... There are also 
reports that many in the Taliban and it allied groups are working 
for the U.S. and India... These people - in adhering to their 
self-created concept of Islamic supremacy - have never thought that 
the billions of dollars they receive in secret foreign funding could 
also be used to build modern universities and technical training 
institutes, which would help Muslims lead honorable lives." 
 
Editorial: U.S. Should Prove Its Friendship To Pakistan, an 
editorial in the Lahore-based populist center-right Urdu daily 
"Khabrain" (cir. 50,000) (12/10) 
 
"Newspapers are also publishing reports to the effect that U.S. 
weapons were also used along with other arms wherever there has been 
a suicide attack, or bomb blast. [In some instances] 
suspicious-looking Americans were also arrested from the crime 
scene... Just the other day, some Americans refused to let their 
vehicles be searched in Lahore when stopped by the police at Sherpao 
Bridge. The question is: what kind of sovereign and independent 
country are we that we cannot even search Americans in our own 
country; whereas when Pakistanis arrive in the U.S., Americans can 
get their clothes removed in the name of searching. Why did these 
Americans refuse to be checked? Did they have any suspicious 
material, or was there something else?  Instead of surrendering so 
easily, our government should act a little more boldly." 
 
Opinion: Looking Within, an op-ed by Hameed Akhtar in an op-ed in 
the liberal Urdu daily "Express" (circ.25,000) (12/10) 
 
"Whether it is an attack on the mosque in Rawalpindi or market in 
 
 
Lahore, the attackers are not Israelis or Indians or Americans; the 
attackers are Pakistani. Instead of blaming others, we need to find 
the perpetrators. No foreign power can carry out such an act without 
help from the locals. When our media and political leaders shift the 
blame for such acts onto outsiders, they are actually becoming a 
party in shielding the real criminals." 
 
Opinion: Pakistan's Window Of Hope, an op-ed by Syed Talat Hussain 
in the Lahore-based liberal English language daily "Daily Times" 
(cir. 10,000) (12/10) 
 
"The American road-ahead policy presents Pakistan with a unique 
all-round policy opportunity to shape the strategic environment in 
Afghanistan, close festering sources of terrorism in tribal areas, 
and most crucially, regain broad-based clout with Washington. In 
other words, the ambitious multiple agenda the U.S. has set for 
itself in Afghanistan, and partly also in the borders areas of 
Pakistan, provides exceptional room for Pakistan to make strong 
purposeful maneuvers to earn solid diplomatic gains.... It is in 
Pakistan's core national interest to ensure that safe havens do not 
become Washington's excuse for pinning the blame for poor 
performance in the battles with the Taliban on us.... A hard hit at 
these safe havens will also take the U.S. pressure off Pakistan and 
give Islamabad and Washington time to plan about the Quetta Shura." 
 
 
Opinion: Pakistan Is A Target, Not A U.S. Ally, an op-ed by Asif 
Haroon Raja in the Islamabad-based rightist English daily "Pakistan 
Observer" (cir. 5,000) (12/10) 
 
"The U.S. doesn't want Pakistan to sink, but it also doesn't want it 
to become politically, militarily and economically healthy and 
starts pursuing an independent foreign policy. The U.S. would prefer 
an unhealthy Pakistan, dependent upon oxygen provided by United 
States and subservient to India. Like Bush, Obama too is pursuing 
imperialist agenda. His decision to send additional U.S. troops to 
Afghanistan is a precursor for physical intervention into Pakistan 
so as to secure U.S. objectives in Middle East and Central Asia. For 
the attainment of vast energy resources, it is essential for United 
States to assert its military and geo-political ascendancy over 
these strategic regions. All those nurturing fond hopes that 
Pakistan is an ally of United States and hence out of danger should 
keep its finger crossed. Ongoing acts of terror are coordinated by 
invisible hands. Coming months are crucial for Pakistan." 
 
Opinion: Escalate And Expand, an op-ed by Asif Ezdi in the populist, 
often sensational national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) 
(12/10) 
 
"The 'Af-Pak' policy announced by Obama on Dec 1 can be summed up in 
two words: escalate and expand. Firstly, it signals an escalation of 
the war in Afghanistan and of pressure on Islamabad to take tougher 
action against terrorist groups allegedly enjoying safe havens in 
Pakistan. Secondly, it forebodes the expansion of drone attacks and 
other U.S. covert operations in Pakistan.... The more direct and far 
more serious threat facing Pakistan comes from the planned expansion 
of covert and not-so-covert operations by the U.S. on Pakistani 
soil, because they would destabilize not just the border areas but 
the entire country, with far-reaching consequences for the 
region.... Evidently, Pakistan has to do a better job of making the 
Americans grasp the disastrous consequences of such a military 
escalation in Pakistan." 
 
(All circulation figures are based on estimation) 
Patterson