The US military has already completed “dry exercises” for a unilateral strike in Pakistan, in the event an attack on the American soil is traced to that country, diplomatic sources told Dawn on Saturday.
Also known as a dry run, this trial exercise is a rehe-arsal of a military’s combat skills without the use of live ammunition. The trial run for a unilateral strike in Pakistan, however, did not involve US troops. Instead, it projected computer simulations of such an attack with an assessment of a possible counterattack and of the potential resistance US tro-ops might face if they ent-ered the Pakistani soil.
Diplomatic sources said the Americans had already informed Pakistan of their intention to conduct such an exercise before conducting the computer simulations.
The Bush government had also planned live exercises close to the Pakistan border after the Mumbai attacks and conveyed its decision to Islamabad. This caused the-then national security adviser, Mahmud Ali Durrani, to fly to US for convincing the Americans that such exercises would not help the fight against terrorism.
By arrangement with Dawn
***
Pak forces kill 18 militants
Islamabad : The Pakistani forces on Sunday killed 18 militants in the tribal Orakzai Agency, officials said, reports our correspondent. “Eighteen Militants were killed and over 20 others injured,” a security official said as jet planes pounded militant hideouts in Orakzai Agency.
***
Toronto recalls commander
Toronto : The commander of Canadian troops in Afghanistan, Brigadier-General Daniel Menard, has been sacked and ordered home immediately following allegations that he had an “inappropriate” personal relationship with a female soldier.
—PTI