US attempts to soothe tensions after an accidental NATO strike killed 24 Pakistani soldiers have been mostly rebuffed.
Pakistani lawyers rally to condemn NATO strikes on Pakistani troops, in Karachi, Pakistan, on Monday, Nov 28. The NATO airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers went on for almost two hours and continued even after Pakistani commanders had pleaded with coalition forces to stop, the army claimed Monday in charges that could further inflame anger in Pakistan. Placard on right reads " Go ahead Pakistan army we are with you."
Shakil Adil/AP
As further details about the NATO strike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers continue to trickle out, Pakistan has scoffed at US attempts to apologize and repair damage done to the US-Pakistan partnership and hinted that the Saturday attack could mark a point of no return. However, the two countries are still heavily dependent on one another, which could be enough to prevent a break.
In an interview with CNN Monday, Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said "Pakistan was re-evaluating its relationship with the United States," noting that Pakistan wanted to continue its relationship "as long as there was mutual respect and respect for Pakistan's sovereignty." The most recent attack was a violation of sovereignty, Mr. Gilani said.
The Washington Post reports that, according to Pakistan Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, the NATO attack at two border outposts lasted for almost two hours and Pakistani Army requests to NATO to bring an end to the fire were ignored. Mr. Abbas rejected Afghan claims that the Pakistani soldiers fired first and said that NATO and Afghanistan knew the exact border outpost locations, provided by Pakistan, and that the area had recently been cleared of militants.
He also said that the US failed to follow procedure and inform the Pakistani Army that they were receiving fire from the Pakistani side of the border. The Washington Post reports that US troops have repeatedly come under attack from the Pakistani side of the border, often within sight of Pakistani border posts and military bases, and that the proximity of Pakistani military positions does not necessarily mean that there are not militants operating in the area.
In a joint statement late Saturday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta offered their "deepest condolences." However, Pakistani newspapers, including The Nation, reported today that Abbas said, "NATO regret over the killing of Pakistani soldier is not enough. … We think this is not enough and we do not accept it. Such raids have also been conducted in the past. Such attacks are unacceptable."
The New York Times notes that the cycle of American apologies and initial righteous anger from Pakistan is one that has played out before – but it becomes harder to return to normal relations each time.
The reaction inside Pakistan nonetheless followed a now-familiar pattern of anger and tit-for-tat retaliation. So did the American response of regret laced with frustration and suspicion. Each side’s actions reflected a d
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