The US was at the center of a new diplomatic row yesterday after refusing to rule out military action against al-Qaeda leaders sheltering inside Pakistan, one of its closest "war on terror" allies.
The US director of national intelligence, Mike McConnell, said al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was in all likelihood alive and sheltering in a frontier zone where pro-Taliban Pakistani tribal leaders hold sway.
"My personal view is that he's alive, but we don't know because we can't confirm it for over a year," he told NBC television on Sunday. "I believe he is in the tribal region of Pakistan."
Senior US officials maintained that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf remained a linchpin of the campaign against terrorism.
But their comments signaled frustration over what US intelligence chiefs say is al-Qaeda's resurgence in lawless parts of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan.
Asked if the US could take action inside Pakistan, Homeland Security Adviser Frances Townsend said: "There are no tools off the table and we use all our instruments of national power to be effective."
Fighting along the frontier has intensified amid a countrywide wave of bloodshed that has killed more than 200 people, sparked by the army's storming of the Red Mosque in Islamabad this month.
"Instead of pushing al-Qaeda out, the people who live in these federally administered tribal areas, they made a safe haven for training and recruiting," McConnell said.
The US administration's latest remarks sparked a curt response from Islamabad.
"Our stance is that Osama bin Laden is not present in Pakistan," Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao said in Islamabad. "If anyone has the information he should give it to us, so that we can apprehend him.
Also see story:
US spy chief insists CIA does not torture suspects
SECURITY: The purpose for giving Hong Kong and Macau residents more lenient paths to permanent residency no longer applies due to China’s policies, a source said The government is considering removing an optional path to citizenship for residents from Hong Kong and Macau, and lengthening the terms for permanent residence eligibility, a source said yesterday. In a bid to prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from infiltrating Taiwan through immigration from Hong Kong and Macau, the government could amend immigration laws for residents of the territories who currently receive preferential treatment, an official familiar with the matter speaking on condition of anonymity said. The move was part of “national security-related legislative reform,” they added. Under the amendments, arrivals from the Chinese territories would have to reside in Taiwan for
CRITICAL MOVE: TSMC’s plan to invest another US$100 billion in US chipmaking would boost Taiwan’s competitive edge in the global market, the premier said The government would ensure that the most advanced chipmaking technology stays in Taiwan while assisting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in investing overseas, the Presidential Office said yesterday. The statement follows a joint announcement by the world’s largest contract chipmaker and US President Donald Trump on Monday that TSMC would invest an additional US$100 billion over the next four years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the US, which would include construction of three new chip fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities, and a research and development center. The government knew about the deal in advance and would assist, Presidential
‘DANGEROUS GAME’: Legislative Yuan budget cuts have already become a point of discussion for Democrats and Republicans in Washington, Elbridge Colby said Taiwan’s fall to China “would be a disaster for American interests” and Taipei must raise defense spending to deter Beijing, US President Donald Trump’s pick to lead Pentagon policy, Elbridge Colby, said on Tuesday during his US Senate confirmation hearing. The nominee for US undersecretary of defense for policy told the Armed Services Committee that Washington needs to motivate Taiwan to avoid a conflict with China and that he is “profoundly disturbed” about its perceived reluctance to raise defense spending closer to 10 percent of GDP. Colby, a China hawk who also served in the Pentagon in Trump’s first team,
The arrival of a cold front tomorrow could plunge temperatures into the mid-teens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Temperatures yesterday rose to 28°C to 30°C in northern and eastern Taiwan, and 32°C to 33°C in central and southern Taiwan, CWA data showed. Similar but mostly cloudy weather is expected today, the CWA said. However, the arrival of a cold air mass tomorrow would cause a rapid drop in temperatures to 15°C cooler than the previous day’s highs. The cold front, which is expected to last through the weekend, would bring steady rainfall tomorrow, along with multiple waves of showers
RSS