Pakistan -- an exception to Bush's threat: "If you're not with us, you're against us!"

As long as the Taliban and the al-Qaida personnel (the terrorists who pulled off 9/11) lead "peaceful lives," the Pakistan Army will not go after them. In fact, Pakistan is pulling its troops out of North Waziristan where Osama bin Laden is thought to be hiding ... and won't return as long as Osama and his cadre "continue" to live peaceful lives.

This statement was given to ABC News by Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan, although Pakistan's President, Pervez Musharraf (above right) has been either quiet or ambivalent on the specific disposition of his armies. He has said that he believed Osama bin Laden to be dead despite videos that suggest otherwise.

Also, he continues to insist that US Forces remain off of Pakistan soil."

Meanwhile, we continue to occupy and fight in a country (Iraq) that had "nothing" (quote from President Bush) to do with 9/11 while we stay clear of the country where we believe Osama and his terrorist band are situated, safe and well taken care of -- in fact, well protected!

George Bush only yesterday made an interesting speech to the men and women of the Military Officers Association of America that included the following:

“After September 11, I laid out a clear doctrine: America makes no distinction between those who commit acts of terror and those that harbor and support them. Because they're equally guilty of murder.” -- George W. Bush, Sept. 5, 2006 -- [reminder: September 5, 2006 was yesterday]

He also slyly implied that persons like myself are Nazi appeasers (grrrr ...) in that same speech and I recommend that you all read the full text. The connection he makes between his War on Terror and the invasion/occupation of Iraq is interesting ... especially since there had been no terrorist attacks, nor even an al-Qaida cell in Iraq before we invaded. But worse yet, we followed up the invasion and capture of Baghdad with poor decisions that opened up an entirely new front for bin Laden and his ilk.

Crazy world, no?