U.S. was prepared to fight Pakistani forces

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/05/10/pakistan.us.military.fight/index.html?hpt=T2

The two U.S. officials also told CNN about the plan if bin Laden had been captured alive, which included taking him to Afghanistan and then out to the USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea. All of the senior U.S. officials in the White House Situation Room during the assault were prepared to call their Pakistani counterparts if fighting between U.S. and Pakistani forces appeared imminent, one of the officials told CNN. The SEALs at all times retained the right of self-defense, and they could have fired at the Pakistanis to defend themselves. As the assault on bin Laden's compound commenced, the United States had a number of aircraft flying protective missions. None of the aircraft entered Pakistani airspace, but they were prepared to do so if needed. These included fixed wing fighter jets that would have provided firepower if the team came under opposition fire it could not handle. Additionally, the Air Force had a full team of combat search and rescue helicopters including MH-53 Pave Low and HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters flying. The plan was for bin Laden to be flown back to Afghanistan aboard U.S. military helicopters and then flown out to the USS Carl Vinson in the north Arabian Sea. There was a team of lawyers, medical personnel, interrogators and translators standing by to deal with bin Laden if that was the scenario that unfolded. A major concern was to immediately "preserve evidence" and put bin Laden into a legal framework that would ensure he could be charged and tried some day, the official said. "We didn't want to have some case thrown out on a technicality."


Starr, Barbara. "U.S. Was Prepared to Fight Pakistani Forces, Officials Say - CNN.com."CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. Web. 11 May 2011.