Out On A Limb

We don't really think it's a reach of any kind to say that the government of the United States, as well as many Americans, do not trust the government of Pakistan.

They have good reason. The most wanted terrorist in the world was discovered, captured and killed less than three days ago in a fortress that dwarfed the houses of his neighbors, that was built specifically for him. It was in a suburban area of one of Pakistan's largest cities that also happens to be home to a large contingent of retired Pakistani military and intelligence officers, a stone's throw from Pakistan's version of West Point.

To say that in Bin Laden's neighborhood, town, or region, there was no one who knew that he lived there is stretching credulity farther than even the most gullible person could withstand.

Many current and former intelligence personnel have said - some for years now - that Bin Laden wasn't holed up in a cave in the Waziristan border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Even a group of college geographers predicted - with surprising accuracy - where Osama Bin Laden was hiding back in 2009.

Yet, officials of both the current and previous governments of Pakistan insisted that they had no knowledge of the location of Mr. Bin Laden.

Leon Panetta, current CIA chief, said in an interview on Tuesday that U.S. cooperation with Pakistan on the Bin Laden takedown didn't really even exist, because of the lack of trust between the U.S. and Pakistan.

This lack of trust in Pakistan - a nominal ally in Southern Asia - stretches across both major political parties in the U.S. It's also hastened the call by some U.S. lawmakers for President Obama to make a rapid retreat of all forces from Afghanistan, and the Middle East in general.

We're well aware of the sacrifices made by Americans, and by other countries that have helped and supported the U.S. in it's military and diplomatic efforts in that region of the world. We'd certainly love to see our American service members back in the U.S. sooner, rather than later.

All this may lead you, dear reader, to think we also support an immediate and rapid withdrawal of American forces.

You'd be wrong.

Much as we wish it were true, just because Osama Bin Laden is dead doesn't mean the terrorist organization he began, Al Qaeda, is also dead. Most Americans also feel Al Qaeda isn't gone - and we trust their lack of faith on this issue, as much as we trust the opinion of terrorism experts who agree with them.

As we've said a million times, anything worth doing is worth doing well.

That includes UN-doing things that were done poorly when they were began. Leaving the Afghanistan/Pakistan region should be done carefully and correctly - much as our nominal allies, the Pakistanis, continue to test both our relationship and our national patience.