Next attack is the Republicans’ fault. From ABC:
In testimony before Congress this week, U.S. intelligence officials were straightforward in saying they believe Osama bin Laden is in Pakistan and freely operating there.“It’s not that we lack the ability to go into that space,” said Tom Fingar of the office of the Director of National Intelligence.
“But we have chosen not to do so without the permission of the Pakistani government,” Fingar told members of Congress who demanded to know why the U.S. did not take more decisive action against a known enemy.
U.S. officials say Pakistan consistently denies the U.S. military permission to go after known al Qaeda training camps.
The situation has grown even worse since February, officials say, when Vice President Dick Cheney traveled to Islamabad to demand Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf take action.
“Their (al Qaeda’s) situation is actually better today than it was even then,” said the RAND Corporation’s Jones.
“The U.S. has provided $5.6 billion in coalition support funds to Pakistan over the past five years, with zero accountability,” said Congressman Patrick Murphy, D-Calif., at the hearing.
“Why is Pakistan still being paid these large sums of money, even after publicly declaring that it is significantly cutting back patrols in the most important border area?” he asked.
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