Just because we don't speak about things publicly...

The recent back and forth from Washington and Islamabad--sparked by White House statements that it would unilaterally strike Al Qaeda in Pakistan's territory if necessary--has been one whirlwind of a show. A string of spokesmen have made each side's position absolutely clear (depending, of course, upon which audience that particular message is intended for...) Frances Townsend, a White House homeland security adviser, summed it up when she fielded a question on FOX about why the US wasn't already engaged in operations in Pakistan: "Just because we don't speak about things publicly doesn't mean we're not doing things you talk about."

Pakistan responded that such operations would be an inconceivable infringement of sovereignty (wink, wink) and that it's in a better position to shut down AQ--if only the US would pass along its intel.

Bill Arkin, writing for the Washington Post's Early Warning blog, gets to the heart of the matter: "lost amid the back and forth is an interesting question: If Pakistan is indeed not getting intelligence information from the United States, why not?" He suggests "Is it because we found it was making its way back to the bad guys?" MORE 

Photo: Source: White House. Frances Townsend (right) meets with President Bush and the Homeland Security Team at the National Counterterrorism Center in McLean, Virginia.