Bush says he'd send troops to Pakistan--Pakistani newspaper reports US choppers there

These two reports from today are probably coincidental, but one never knows.

First from AP:

President Bush said Wednesday he would order military action inside Pakistan if intelligence indicated that Osama bin Laden or other top terror leaders were hiding there. "Absolutely," Bush said in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

Next, from the Pakistani newspaper Dawn:

Six US helicopters violated Pakistan's air space by intruding into Lawara Mandi area of the North Waziristan Agency on Tuesday morning, officials and residents said.

Eyewitnesses said that the US helicopter gunships had intruded into Lawara Mandi area, about 55 kilometers west of Miramshah after militants attacked allied forces in Pipali area of Afghanistan, close to Pakistani border.

They said that the helicopters violated Pakistan's air space more than six times in the area, but did not take action. Pakistani security forces did not react against helicopters.

The sources said that constant air space violations by US helicopters triggered tension and senior military officers flew in helicopters from Miramshah to assess the situation.

I can't find a story that corroborates this report, but it is an intriguing article when juxtaposed Bush's comments from earlier today.

Techorati tags: Pakistan War on Terror Bush Military Afghanistan