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The U.S. threatened to bomb Pakistan in 2001
In 2001, the U.S. threatened to bomb Pakistan if Pakistan’s authorities do not cooperate with the U.S. in their struggle against terrorism, said Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.
Musharraf, in his interview given to 60 Minutes program to come out on US channel CBS on Sunday, said that a few days after the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, Richard Armitage who was Deputy US Secretary of State then, contacted head of Pakistan’s intelligence service.
“Armitage told him: ‘Get ready for bombings. Get ready to return to the stone age’.” – Musharraf said in the interview.
According to Pakistani President, he took Armitage’s words as a serious threat. “In this situation,” Musharraf said, “I have to think and act to protect my nation’s interests, and so I did.”
Soon after September 11, 2001, Pakistan announced it will stop giving any help to Taliban movement that supported Al-Qaeda leaders, and became one of the major allies of the U.S. in the struggle against terrorism.
Moreover, Pakistani authorities arrested several top members of Al-Qaeda, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who is considered one of the organizers of September 11.
Pakistan also sent nearly 80,000 soldiers to the border with Afghanistan to prevent Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants from entering Pakistan.
However, said Musharraf, Armitage insisted on stronger actions, demanding that Pakistan allow US troops to use its military bases and frontier outposts during the war in Afghanistan.
Musharraf said Armitage made other “ridiculous” demands, for instance a demand that Pakistani authorities forbid the people to express support to militants who attack US military facilities during the war in Afghanistan.
Both demands were declined, said Musharraf. “We cannot deprive our people of their freedom of speech,” said Pakistani president.
www.kommersant.com
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