August 25, 2007	Saturday	Sha’aban 11, 1428

WASHINGTON, Aug 24: Documents obtained by the Associated Press news agency show that American troops can enter Pakistani territory while pursuing suspected terrorists but a Pentagon official told Dawn that they work closely with the Pakistani authorities in whatever operations they undertake along the Afghan border.

“What is important to understand — and is not there in the AP story — is that we work closely with both Pakistan and Afghanistan regarding the border areas,” said Lt. Col Todd Vician, a spokesman for the US Department of Defence.

“And we are continuing to look for ways to work more effectively in that area,” the colonel said.

Asked to explain the rule of engagement for the area, Col Vician said: “Our area of operation is, of course, Afghanistan but as a general rule, we are cooperating closely with Pakistan.”

He noted that Pakistan has many troops in the area and has successfully disrupted Taliban and Al Qaeda extremists trying to enter Afghanistan form Pakistan’s tribal belt.

“Yes, yes, of course,” said the DOD official when asked if the US Department of Defence was satisfied with Pakistan’s efforts to fight terrorists hiding in the tribal belt. “All sides agree that more work can be done regarding the insurgents. But generally we are satisfied.”

He said the US has a strategic partnership with Pakistan and will continue to work with them.

Asked if the US was concerned that the insurgents had established a safe haven in the tribal belt and were sending extremists into Afghanistan, Col Vician said: “That’s accurate. We are concerned, as is the government of Pakistan.”

Meanwhile, AP reported that newly uncovered “rules of engagement” show the US military gave elite units broad authority more than three years ago to pursue suspected terrorists into Pakistan, with no mention of telling the Pakistanis in advance. The documents obtained by AP offer a detailed glimpse at what Army Rangers and other terrorist-hunting units were authorised to do earlier in the war on terror. And interviews with military officials suggest some of those same guidelines have remained in place, such as the right to “hot pursuit” across the border.

Pakistan regards such incursions as a threat to its sovereignty and Washington has repeatedly assured Islamabad it would consult before any such incursions.

But summaries of the rules of engagement on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in April 2004 say chasing Al Qaeda leaders across the frontier was fair game.

One summary says that “Entry into PAK authorized for” the following reasons:

“Hot pursuit” of Al Qaeda, Taliban and terrorist command-and control targets “from AFG into Pakistan (must be continuous and uninterrupted).”

If the head of US Central Command, which oversees American forces in the Middle East and Central Asia, approved direct action “against The Big 3,” listed as Osama bin Laden; his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri; and Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar. The three are still believed to be hiding in the border region.

If the defence secretary approved such an incursion.

Other grounds for incursions into Pakistan, according to this summary, were “personnel recovery,” including rescuing troops after the downing of aircraft; and troops “in contact with” the enemy, meaning under fire.

As for “geographic limits,” the memo states: “General rule: penetrate no deeper than 10 km,” or 6.2 miles.

Told of the guidelines, Pakistani military spokesman Maj. Gen Waheed Arshad said: “This is all nonsense. Pakistan never allowed the coalition forces to enter into our territory while chasing militants. There was no such agreement, there was no such understanding.”