We have troops being killed in Pakistan?? wtf?

[Breeze54]

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=10880

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Maj. Larry J. Bauguess Jr., 36, of Moravian Falls, N.C., died May 14 in Teri Mengel, Pakistan,
of wounds sustained from enemy small arms fire. He was assigned to the 4th Brigade Special
Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

For more information on this soldier, contact the 82nd Airborne Division

------------------------

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-pakistan15may15,1,6460841.story?coll=la-news-a_section">Gunmen kill U.S., Pakistani soldiers

Talks near the Afghan border are targeted.
In Islamabad, the wife of a court official suggests his slaying was political.

By Zulfiqar Ali and Laura King, Special to The Times
May 15, 2007

PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN —

Gunmen opened fire Monday on U.S., Pakistani and Afghan officials meeting near the volatile Afghan-Pakistani frontier.
An American soldier and a Pakistani soldier were killed and several others wounded, officials said.....

[RL3AO]

1. I think we've had troops crossing a few miles into Pakistan for a while now. Nothing but mountains.

[Breeze54]

3. Well; it seems it always says they're 'near' the border

but not actually crossing into Pakistan, although I know it's all Mtns. and very desolate terrain.

Just reminding me of Cambodia....

[Monkeyman]

2. What has been said is this meeting happens all the time

Wonder who Fired

[BushOut06]

4. It's time to get the hell out of there also

We're accomplishing absolutely nothing, other than inflaming the anti-American sentiment in the region. The ones that we went there to capture are STILL on the loose. This should have always been handled through diplomatic and legal methods.

[cliss]

5. That was exactly my thought

when I read the article.

"What, we have US troops in Pakistan? Since when? Why have I not heard about this previously?

At first I thought they were mercenaries, like Black Water. But the article does say, 'Major'.

Major Mystery, if you ask me.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. They were (just) inside Pakistan for talks

which itself isn't that worrying - it would be the equivalent of US Customs officers going to a meeting in Tijuana, and getting ambushed by drug smugglers, or something.

But the details of what went on are far more concerning. This wasn't just a meeting between the Pakistani army and the Americans/'official Afghans' to discuss how to patrol the border; Afghanistan (by which I presume they mean Karzai's lot) and Pakistan are shooting at each other - from theLA Times story:

Both Pakistani and Afghan officials said they were investigating the incident, which came a day after Afghan and Pakistani troops exchanged fire across the frontier, killing at least two Afghans.

Afghan officials put the toll at more than a dozen.
...
Afghanistan condemned the border strife, calling it an "invasion" by Pakistani forces. One report, denied by Pakistani officials, said a gunman disguised as a Pakistani soldier set off Monday's gun battle.
...
A statement by Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry said Sunday's border clash was "contrary to all international norms."

Troops of countries that are nominally allies are killing each other? :scared: