“Is it ours?” he was told, “no sir, it’s not ours”. He called DG-MO. “Is it yours?

I sit beside my lonely fire
And pray for wisdom yet:
For calmness to remember
Or courage to forget.  
                Remember or Forget,

Ok control ..must learn self control ... Still I can't resist, these links are just too good to be ignored.

First up is Pakistani journalist Najam Sethis writing in The Friday Times (which thankfully is now free to access after many years) on Operation: Geronimo

Shortly after reports of a helicopter mishap in Abbotabad hit the media around 1.20 am, not so far away in Rawalpindi, the DG-ISI was woken up by a phone call about a crashed helicopter. He called his people to ask: “Is it ours?” After a brief check, he was told, “no sir, it’s not ours”. He called up DG-MO. “Is it yours?” After a brief check he was told, “no sir, it’s not ours”. He called up his boys and told them to rush to the scene of the incident. He also called up the COAS General Kayani to brief him. The COAS called up the top military man in Abbotabad who ordered forces to rush to the area. The COAS also called up the PAF Air Chief. The Air Chief checked, explained that radar hadn’t picked up any intruders, and ordered two F-16s to scramble. When the ISI team arrived at the compound, they reported the burning wreckage of the chopper and the markings on its fin. They reported three dead men and one woman. They reported a wounded woman who spoke Arabic and halting English, and two other women who were unharmed. They noted there were sixteen children aged six to eight years approximately. The woman said she was OBL’s wife, along with two other women, and confirmed that OBL and his family had been living in the compound for six years. She said the Americans had attacked them, killed OBL and taken his corpse. Soon thereafter, the army arrived to seal off the area and whisk away the occupants and dead bodies in the compound.

Around 3 am, Admiral Mullen called General Kayani, and CIA chief, Leon Panetta, called DG-ISI, General Pasha. They explained the nature of the operation and why it had been kept a secret from them. President Obama called President Zardari at 7 am to acquaint him with the facts. They thanked the Pakistanis for providing the initial clues that led the CIA to the compound. 


Just so you know the Military establishment is hard at work taking responsibility for all this:

Shah Mahmood Qureshi?

They are struggling with their public relations work ...luckily fellow blogger kaalakawa has offered his expert services here


Last link Kamran Bokhari, Middle East and South Asia director for global intelligence firm STRATFOR, discusses Pakistan & the ISI here: