WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush secretly approved
orders in July that for the first time allow U.S. special forces to
carry out ground assaults inside Pakistan without the approval of the
Pakistani government, The New York Times reported on Thursday.
The new orders reflect concern about safe havens for Al Qaeda and
the Taliban inside Pakistan, as well as an American view that Pakistan
lacks the will and ability to combat militants, the paper said.
"The situation in the tribal areas is not tolerable," said a
senior U.S. official who spoke to the Times on condition of anonymity.
"We have to be more assertive. Orders have been issued."
The newspaper said the orders also illustrated lingering distrust
of the Pakistani military and intelligence agencies and a belief some
U.S. operations had been compromised once Pakistanis were advised of
the details. - http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N10491207.htm
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