Dot-Connecting :: July 30th, 2004 ::
Here’s a little something from CNN this morning:
The official did note that the United States “has been working closely with the Pakistanis” and credited the Islamabad government with “stepping up things over the past few months” in its pursuit of terrorists.
Now, compare that with the story reported by the New Republic a couple of months ago:
This spring, the administration significantly increased its pressure on Pakistan to kill or capture Osama bin Laden, his deputy, Ayman Al Zawahiri, or the Taliban’s Mullah Mohammed Omar, all of whom are believed to be hiding in the lawless tribal areas of Pakistan.
And then this:
This public pressure would be appropriate, even laudable, had it not been accompanied by an unseemly private insistence that the Pakistanis deliver these high-value targets (HVTs) before Americans go to the polls in November.
Of course, CNN is unwilling to make the same assertion as The New Republic. But it will be interesting to see, as this story unfolds, how many news outlets start making a connection between the not-so-subtle push on the part of the Bush administration over the past few months, and the capture of Ghailani today.
Needless to say, this is not an issue about which I feel much optimism.
Oh, and incidentally, I do know that the DNC just wrapped up last night, and that my girlfried was there as a blogger. I plan on providing my thoughts on the whole matter sometime soon, most likely later today.
