PAKISTAN MILITARY DECLARES IT HAS ORDERS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ISLAMABAD 003014 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/13/2018 TAGS: PREL PTER PGOV PK SUBJECT: PAKISTAN MILITARY DECLARES IT HAS ORDERS TO RETALIATE AGAINST ACTION BY FOREIGN TROOPS Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, for reasons 1.4 (b)(d) ¶1. (SBU) Summary. GOP leaders are falling beyond Chief of Army Staff General Kayani's September 10 statement defending Pakistan's sovereignty and denying the agreed rules of engagement allow U.S. forces to conduct operations inside Pakistan. The Pakistani military spokesman declared that the Pakistan Army had been ordered to retaliate against any action by foreign troops inside the country. The media noted that UK PM Brown and Afghan President Karzai supported the U.S. change in approach and that NATO was distancing itself from this new strategy. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) All Pakistani media continued to be dominated September 12 by stories about the September 3 attack in South Waziristan. The English-language Daily Times front page told the story of increasing Pakistani defensiveness with side-by-side headlines: "Boots on the Ground: Bush" -- "No Way, Kayani." MG Abbas, spokesman for the Pakistani military told the press that the "Pakistan Army has been ordered to retaliate against any action by foreign troops inside the country." Abbas told BBC news that a decision on any retaliatory action would be taken "when the time came" and "in accordance with the degree of intervention." ¶3. (SBU) In remarks to the press, Prime Minister Gilani fully endorsed the September 10 statement of Chief of Army Staff General Kayani ("The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country will be defended at all costs, and no external force is allowed to conduct operations inside Pakistan...The right to conduct operations against militants inside (Pakistan's) territory is solely the responsibility of the respective armed forces...There is no question of any agreement or understanding with the coalition forces whereby they are allowed to conduct operations on our side of the border."). Gilani added that "The nation should not be upset by the statement of US Admiral Mike Mullen who threatened more strikes inside Pakistan" because "the government was capable of protecting the country's borders." ¶4. (SBU) President Zardari echoed Gilani saying "The army chief has reiterated government policy. The prime minister and myself have already condemned cross-border strikes into tribal areas and the two Houses of Parliament have already spoken through unanimous resolutions." Zardari added that no external force will be allowed to conduct military operations inside Pakistan. ¶5. (SBU) FM Qureshi also expressed support for Kayani's statement. The press notes Qureshi "emphatically dispelled the impression that the government and the military establishment had divergent views on this key national security issue." ¶6. (SBU) In a BBC interview, Interior Minister Malik noted the unanimous Pakistani parliamentary resolutions condemning the attack and again urged the international community to respect the sentiments of the people of Pakistan and not to violate its territorial integrity. ¶7. (C) We have no readouts as yet of an ongoing Corps Commanders meeting (a regularly scheduled event with COAS Kayani) but the media is speculating the commanders also will fully endorse Kayani's views. ¶8. (SBU) Other stories noted that NATO, via its spokesman in Brussels, announced that NATO would not take part in a proposed U.S. strategy of conducting raids into Pakistan from Afghanistan. UK PM Gordon Brown is quoted as saying he would press Pakistan to allow the U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan to take "a new approach" in the hunt for Taliban and al-Qaida militants and would discuss this with President Zardari in London next week. Saying "change is essential," Afghan President Karzai is quoted as supporting a proposed U.S. strategy that would involve hitting al-Qaida and Taliban militants in Pakistan. ¶9. (SBU) Editorials: "Unwise U.S. Policy," an editorial in the Karachi-based ISLAMABAD 00003014 002 OF 002 center-left independent national English daily "Dawn" (cir. 55,000) (09/12) "There has been a regime change in Islamabad, but the basic misunderstanding between Pakistan and the United States on how to conduct the war on terror seems not only to persist but grow... What the American strategists do not realize is that by flaunting their power to attack in FATA they are undermining Pakistan's democratic government." "Enough, Uncle Sam," an editorial in the centrist national English daily "The News" (cir. 55,000) (09/12) "America is daily deepening the well of resentment against itself that no amount of aid input or pious diplomatic platitudes will ever fill; and Uncle Sam should not be surprised if his interests and assets within Pakistan become the target of extremists -- because at least some of those extremists will be the product of his own actions, his very own recruits." "New American Policy: Decision To Make Pakistan A Theater Of War," an editorial in the Karachi-based, pro Taliban Jihadi Urdu daily "Islam" (cir. 15,000) (09/12) "The more Pakistan is cooperating with the United States in the war on terror, the more it is damaging Pakistan. This is the high time for Pakistan to revise its policies, or else the situation will get worse with every passing day. If the U.S. can change its strategy and policies, Pakistan too has every right to do so." "Allies Must Show Restraint," and editorial in the leading mass circulation centrist Urdu daily "Jang" (cir. 300,000) (09/12) "It is important to work out a new policy immediately so that the Pakistan Army may review its strategy accordingly. In any case, the Allies in Afghanistan must show extreme restrain and share intelligence with Pakistan if they find any clue about militants. Such operation and military actions are not appropriate that spawn the sentiments of sympathy for the militants among the local population and raise troubles for the government." PATTERSON