Islamabad has so far refused to take part in a US inquiry into air strikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, exacerbating fears on Saturday of a prolonged US-Pakistani crisis.
Pakistan was invited to cooperate in the probe into the November 26 strikes on the Afghan border, which has propelled US-Pakistani ties to their rockiest in years, but officials have declined to do so. “They have elected to date not to participate, but we would welcome their participation,” said Pentagon press secretary George Little.
Washington had expected a refusal, given the fury in Pakistan, which has already seen Islamabad shut down NATO’s vital supply into Afghanistan and boycott an international conference on the war in Bonn set for Monday. Pakistan also ordered American personnel to leave the Shamsi air base, understood to be a hub for a covert CIA drone war on Taliban and Al-Qaeda commanders.
The United States has voiced regret over the strikes but has stopped short of issuing an apology while the American military conducts the investigation. Press Secretary Jay Carney termed a New York Times report that Obama was refraining from making a formal apology to Pakistan due to domestic political considerations, as “utter nonsense”. “We have offered our condolences. We have called it what it is, a tragic loss of life. And we anticipate results of the investigation to come when they’re ready,” he said.
Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt John Kirby, told reporters, “What we aren’t going to do is get into fixing blame or fault right now. There’s an investigation going on. We certainly continue to invite Pakistan to participate in that investigation,” he said.
Responding to questions about Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani ordering his troops to respond with “full force” to any further “act of aggression” by NATO forces, Kirby said, “Every sovereign nation has the right of self-defense and the right to order their troops to defend themselves. We certainly respect that right. We have it as well.”
