US: Pakistan Tipped Off Militants Again

One begins to wonder if Pakistan isn't deliberately thumbing its nose at the United States: In its latest diplomatic blunder, sources tell the AP that it again tipped off—whether intentionally or accidentally—militants at two bomb-making factories, giving them time to flee with their weapons before an army raid. Two botched raids last month suggested that Pakistan was giving militants a head's up, sparking US outrage.

This time, US drones and satellites watched two locations after the US shared intel with the Pakistani government. In both cases, the militants packed up shop within a day of the US forking over the information—and long before Pakistan's army dropped by to find empty buildings. Pakistan insists on giving local tribal elders notice when they enter an area; the elders may be tipping off militants, or the tip may come directly from lower-level officials. Pakistan today said it's investigating, but said any allegations that it was colluding with militants were "totally false and malicious." (More Pakistan stories.)