Pakistan army orders cut in US military personnel (as apparent retaliation)

[steve2470]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g6WwLJGT080vLSwJC7w3jsBOR9ug?docId=febbe352ebd04d2782e0b39d58045f3d

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan's army ordered a reduction in U.S. military personnel operating inside the country on Thursday in apparent protest at a unilateral American commando raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

The army has been heavily criticized at home for allowing the country's sovereignty to be violated during Monday's operation in a busy garrison town not far from the capital, Islamabad. It is also facing international charges it may have been harboring the al-Qaida chief, given his location.

The army statement, the first since the raid, appeared aimed at countering both charges.

It said a decision had been made to reduce the number of U.S. military personnel to the "minimum essential" levels, but gave no more details and a spokesman declined to elaborate. U.S. officials were not immediately available for comment

[damntexdem]

1. Good. Wonderful form of retaliation.

I hope that Afghanistan and Iraq follow suit.

"Hey, we didn't desert them -- they asked us to leave."

;-)

[RC]

2. Is that "minimum essential" levels zero?

I think it is, if not it should be. Maybe stop with the money flow to them also. It's needed here far worse.

[laylah]

3. +1