Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, cautioned against taking action that could worsen relations and interrupt the flow of US aid to Pakistan, Reuters reported on Wednesday. “I think we have to proceed with some caution,” Mullen told reporters at a Pentagon news conference.
“We do have significant interests in Pakistan. I think that my own view would be that… we need to continue the assistance that we have provided, the benefits to the Pakistani people,” he added. Mullen said it might take a while to find out if bin Laden had Pakistani protectors, as US intelligence agencies analyse notebooks, computer data and other material seized when bin Laden was killed, AFP reported.
Defence Secretary Robert Gates said he had seen “no evidence at all” that the senior Pakistani leadership knew the al Qaeda leader’s whereabouts before the raid and “in fact, I’ve seen some evidence to the contrary.” Gates noted Pakistan had already paid a significant price in embarrassment and damage to its reputation as a result of the raid. “If I were in Pakistani shoes, I would say I’ve already paid a price. I’ve been humiliated. I’ve been shown that the Americans can come in here and do this with impunity,” he said.
“And I think we have to… recognise that they see a cost in that and a price that has been paid.” Gates also said Pakistanis had indicated a willingness to go after al Qaeda or Afghan insurgent leaders, and it was important to give them an opportunity to do that. “The Pakistanis over the last couple of weeks have… expressed the view that they are willing to go after some of these people and… we should not repeat the bin Laden operation because… they will undertake this themselves,” he said.
As to whether Pakistani authorities knew the hiding place of bin Laden, Gates said: “It’s my supposition, I think it’s a supposition shared by a number in this government, that somebody had to know, but we have no idea who and no proof and no evidence.” He said he shared the “frustration” felt by US lawmakers towards Pakistan but stressed that President Barack Obama’s administration could not make allegations without evidence, AFP reported.
“It’s hard to go to them with an accusation when we have no proof that anybody knew,” he added.
