Pakistan's army ridiculed after Bin Laden raid

abercrombie clothingA text message doing the rounds in Pakistan reads: "For Sale: Obsolete Pakistan army radar; can't detect US 'copters but can receive Star Plus; only 999 rupees."Star Plus is a popular television channel from India. Another message says: "What a country! Even Osama is not safe here."These messages are a reflection of the growing frustration among Pakistanis over Monday's raid in which a team of US Navy Seals flew by helicopter from Afghanistan to a compound in the northern town of Abbottabad, killed Osama Bin Laden and then whisked away his body.For the first time in decades, the powerful Pakistani military establishment has failed to find an excuse to pin the blame on the "bloody civilians" who now control political power.The army is not only suspected of having sheltered Bin Laden, it is also under fire for having failed to detect the raid. So while few people in Pakistan are really in love with the civilian government, everybody knows that this time an explanation must come from the military.Media 'complicity' The military took three days to issue a response, and the most prominent part of its statement from the Pakistani point of view is the admission that it did not know about the raid.There are few takers for its contention that it also did not know about Bin Laden's presence in Abbottabad. The raid, and the army's admission, have given rise to a flurry of questions."Why do we spend more than $6bn (￡3.65bn) annually on the army when it can't do its job," says Mohammad Ruum, a resident of Swat.Mr Ruum's view reflects comments normally not heard on Pakistani television channels. Pakistani media, though extremely critical of the civilian government, have traditionally steered clear of controversies surrounding the powerful security establishment.

abercrombie and fitch ukMany even blame them of complicity with the military to destabilise the country's nascent democracy.The military's role was first questioned in March in the aftermath of the release of Raymond Davis.A CIA contractor, Mr Davis was acquitted by a Pakistani court after paying blood money to the relatives of two men he had killed in the city of Lahore.While the civilian government made a few meek noises that Mr Davis enjoyed diplomatic immunity, the general impression was that his continued detention was due to the army's intervention.To many, his release came as a shock, and as evidence that even the military had bowed to American wishes.Bin Laden's death has put the icing on the cake.I spoke to a number of people to find out who they blamed for the security lapse on Monday, and why.One ex-army officer in Islamabad said the fault lay with the civilian authorities."They are the ones who issue orders; the army only obeys. They are the ones who were caught sleeping," he said.Military-militant link? Others, while equally disillusioned with the civilian government, said detecting the raid and countering it was the military's job."This is what they are paid for, to defend the borders, not to run bakeries and banks and real-estate empires," says Nasir Khan, a resident of the north-western town of Nowshera.Many people in Pakistan suspect a link between the military and the Islamist militant groups operating in Pakistan and Afghanistan.Those who live in areas overrun by Taliban militants over the last few years are sure there is such a link, though they may not have a tangible proof."In Swat, there was a time when we saw the army and the Taliban running their respective checkpoints literally yards away from each other," says Abdur Rab, a resident of Mingora. "People used to say, where there is army, there would be Taliban."

 abercrombie ukIn the north-western tribal region, people have seen Taliban militants setting up bases close to military installations.In 2005, when I was working for a local monthly magazine, Herald, we sent a reporter from Peshawar to cover a drone strike on a militant training camp in North Waziristan - a rare occurrence back then.He came back with a picture that showed the destroyed camp at the foot of a small hill. At the top of the hill was an outpost of the paramilitary Frontier Corps.Humiliation Last year, local people in the Kurram tribal region led me to the remains of the Taliban's main command-and-control centre at a village called Bugzai, which tribesmen had overrun and destroyed.For years prior to its destruction, Bugzai served as the permanent base of militant leader, Hakimullah Mehsud. It was from there that he ordered the continuing blockade of the main Kurram road. Bugzai was barely 1km (0.62 miles) down the hill from the main Frontier Corps base, inside a British-era fort, which was responsible for security in the lower Kurram valley.Few of these people are surprised that Bin Laden was found in a military cantonment, not far from Pakistan's top military academy, in Abbottabad.These feelings are now gaining currency in other segments of the population, who are equally shocked that the Americans had found Bin Laden right under the nose of the military and defied Pakistan's seemingly impregnable defences to whisk him away.There is no sense of loss or bereavement - few among the teeming Pakistani masses loved Bin Laden. The feeling is one of humiliation.Most people dislike the US, and they feel their own army has let them down. The Pentagon has released five home video clips of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, seized at the secret compound in northern Pakistan where he was shot dead by US special forces this week.It is the first film of Bin Laden to emerge since al-Qaeda released a video address by him in 2007. The Pentagon released the video with the audio removed.

abercrombie sale ukHere is what the clips show:A relatively long clip of Bin Laden making a statement to camera. He is wearing a white headcovering, a white shirt and a golden robe, and his delivery is in a style similar to that of previous video addresses by the al-Qaeda leader.He is reading from notes on the table in front of him. He has his hands laid flat on the table, though he occasionally raises his right index finger for emphasis. He is wearing a ring on the little finger of his right hand.Pentagon officials said it was a message to the United States. There is no confirmation it was shot at the compound in Abbottabad where Bin Laden was found, but that is where he is said to have been living for the last few years.Shows Osama Bin Laden watching footage of himself on television. The television is on a small table with what looks like a satellite box next to it. The al-Qaeda leader is seen sitting in front of the table, apparently cross-legged on a carpeted floor, using a remote control. He has a blanket over his shoulders and is wearing a black woolen hat. He strokes his beard, which looks grey - not black as in the other video clips.Two other monitors, both switched off, can be seen in the room. There is what looks like a black sheet to the left of the TV, possibly covering a window.At the start of the clip a list of channels come up, and it appears that Al-Jazeera is selected.The images playing on the TV seem to be old footage of the al-Qaeda leader, including shots of him walking in the mountains. There is also an image of the twin towers in New York in flames on 11 September 2001, with a still photo of Bin Laden superimposed on top of it and Arabic script.The first of three videos in which Bin Laden appears to be rehearsing for a video message. He is wearing the same clothes as in the first video, but with a bare wooden panel or door as a backdrop.

 abercrombie saleA white sleeveless vest is visible under his white shirt. Here too, Bin Laden seems to be rehearsing. He starts to talk, then glances to his right uncertainly before continuing to speak to the camera. He is again wearing a white shirt and hat, though not the gold robe. The backdrop is plain and dark brown.Another short clip of Bin Laden dressed in white shirt, hat and golden robe, speaking to camera. This time the backdrop is what looks like a crumpled blue sheet.As in the previous videos, he occasionally looks down to read from notes. "We do it all for our people, club members and supporters," he tells the BBC. "I'm from Catalonia, and I have grown up as a Barcelona supporter. We give people enjoyment, and we have given a good image of the club in Europe in these years, so for me there is nothing better in the world." Two European Champions' League triumphs have augmented the Guardiola legend. He leaves a world of uncertainty behind for Catalans and Barcelona supporters throughout the country. "It will be a long time before they find someone so culturally well-matched to the club," says Richard Fitzpatrick, who lives in Barcelona and is the author of El Clasico, a book on the rivalry between the two most successful clubs in Spanish football. "Guardiola is a former ballboy, captain, winner of six league medals and a member of the club's most mythical side, the Dream Team, and an intelligent, sensitive man, with electricity in his eyes, whose love of Catalan national sentiment goes as far as a penchant for regularly quoting mawkish verse from Lluis Lach, a Catalan separatist troubadour."There is a connection between the well-being of the people and football, he says. "It's never a good time when an iconic coach like Guardiola leaves. There is certainly a lot of uncertainty in the region at the moment economically. And the club itself has also got a large amount of debt on its hands. But this does not have to be the end of the road for FC Barcelona's successful era."