 Visiting Pakistani Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani walks past a guard of honor at the Sri Lankan Air Force headquarters in the capital Colombo on January 20, 2011. How much did he know about bin Laden's whereabouts and the U.S. plan to kill him? Spitzer: What role did Pakistan play in the killing of Osama bin Laden? Today’s Number of the Day is 800. U.S. forces killed Osama bin Laden on Monday. The terrorist was hiding in a huge compound just 800 yards from the Pakistan Military Academy near Abbottabad—which is just 30 miles north of the Pakistani capital of Islamabad. On April 23, Pakistani Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani claimed during an address at the academy—home to thousands of army personnel–that the "terrorist backbone had been broken." This is the same general who told Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that U.S. drone attacks in his country’s tribal areas were undermining the war on terrorism. It’s unclear so far how long bin Laden inhabited the compound or the role that Pakistan may have played in his capture. There’s a good chance that the operation that killed bin Laden was a surprise to Pakistan. I wage it also surprised most Americans. The number of Americans who said it was unlikely bin Laden would be captured or killed rose to 67 percent by September of last year—that’s the most recent time the question was asked in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation national poll. But it’s clear that getting bin Laden was high on the list of President Obama’s priorities. On Sunday night, from the East Room of the White House, the president said, "Let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11, that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores," he said. "And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today's achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people." The role of the ISI –(Inter-Services Intelligence) Pakistan’s security system– will no doubt become a focus of inquiry in the days ahead. Stay tuned. For more on the story: CLICK HERE to read about the CNN/ORC poll.
|
  Don’t miss tonight’s show!
President Obama will travel to New York City today (Thursday, May 5) to visit ground zero and meet with families of victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, four days after the death of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden. We will have full coverage. Join Eliot Spitzer along with E.D. Hill "In The Arena" weeknights at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CNN. And follow "In The Arena" on Facebook and Twitter!  |
© 2011 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| 
We have have finally got are man for the first time in ten years ben Laden is dead, but I think what the Presdent did and the and the CIA did was the most greates move they could have ever done to tell the other counrtys that they knew where Ben Laden was would have been a fool hardy move. But the real qestion I have is this what roll did the Pakistain goverment play in hidding Ben Laden which he was just a few miles down the road near a milatary accdemy and just two to three miles down the road from the capitail of Pakistian
Pakistan has a lot to answer for – peddling nukes, supporting ant-indian terrorists and allowing bin laden safe heven. The US needs to condemn Pakistan and it should be booted out of the Commonwealth. Pakistan should be labeled one of the axis of evil nations, right up there with Iran, Syria, North Korea.
Proof that going to Iraq was misguided. Instead they should have gone to Pakistan! They would have found Bin Laden and stopped many other acts of terror long time ago. Makes me wonder what is the deal between the Pakistan and US gvt!!
Do you really believe people in around Osama's home knew he lived there?
Do you really believe those people would pass on a $25MM reward to turn him in?
The whole notion is absurd. Those people knew nothing.
The Pakistani military was sympathetic to Bin Laden, beyond a doubt, and here's the proof, which as far as I can tell everyone has been ignoring. The question is not whether the Pakistani military knew about Bin Laden, the question is why would Bin Laden have chosen to hide 750 yards from the Pakistani equivalent of West Point? Unless he is an adrenaline junkie and hiding anonymously in the tribal regions just didn't give him enough of a rush, he chose Abbottabad because he felt safe there, either due to perceived or actual accomodation by the Pakistani military....and let's not be naive....it was actual. Now, whether anyone in their government knew, most likely, but who knows. As fractured as their country is, it's not a stretch think that the right and left hands don't know what the other's got going on.
Pakistan, to which degree is unknown, certainly was in on it. That is why they are mad at the US for conducting the mission.