No Proof Senior Pakistani Officials Knew Bin Laden Whereabouts, Gates Says

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he has seen no evidence that Pakistan’s senior leaders knew Osama bin Laden’s whereabouts before the U.S. raid on his compound.
Gates said he isn’t sure about lower-level or retired officials.
“I have seen no evidence at all that the senior leadership knew,” Gates told reporters at a Pentagon briefing. “In fact, I’ve seen some evidence to the contrary.”
Gates said it will take time to determine if any lower- ranking officials knew. “My supposition is, somebody knew,” he said.
Whether Pakistani government and intelligence officials shielded bin Laden has become an issue on Capitol Hill, where some senators have called for postponing any more U.S. financial aid until Pakistan’s commitment to fighting terrorism can be re- evaluated.
Gates opposed the idea of seeking retaliatory measures against Pakistan without evidence of Pakistani government officials’ complicity.
“If the senior leadership in Pakistan didn’t know, it’s hard to hold them accountable for it,” Gates said.
Gates said his “supposition” is that somebody, possibly retired Pakistani or low-level officials, knew of bin Laden’s whereabouts. Even so, he said, “it’s hard to go to them with an accusation when we have no proof that anybody knew.”
He said Pakistani leaders have already “paid a price” because they have been “humiliated” by the U.S. raid.

‘Price Paid’

“We have to recognize that they see a cost in that and a price that has been paid,” he said.
Gates, who plans to step down in July, also pushed back on congressional pleas to cut or postpone financial aid to Pakistan. President Barack Obama has proposed giving $1.2 billion to Pakistan next year, partly for counter-insurgency training for its military.
“We have to proceed with some caution,” Gates said. “We do have significant interests in Pakistan.”
He added, “We need to continue the assistance that we have provided.”
Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also voiced concern that too many U.S. government officials -- and retired military -- have revealed details of the raid that resulted in bin Laden’s death.
Since the initial government briefings on the raid, officials in and out of government have described the operation, including details of the SEALs’ equipment and how the CIA spied on the compound.
“We have talked far too much about this,” Mullen said. “We need to move on. It’s a story that, if we don’t stop talking, it will never end, and it needs to.”
Leaked details of the raid have “gotten to a point where we are close to jeopardizing this precious capability that we have, and we can’t afford to do that. This fight isn’t over.”
To contact the reporter on this story: David Lerman in Washington at Dlerman1@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Mark Silva at msilva34@bloomberg.net.