The U.S. Government Accountability Office, according to a McClatchy News/Miami Herald report, has reported that the government does not have a plan that includes all “elements of national power – diplomatic, military, intelligence, development assistance, economic and law enforcement support – called for by the various national security strategies and Congress” for eliminating Osama bin Laden’s sanctuary in Pakistan’s tribal region. Neither is there a plan to prevent that region from being used for launching terrorist attacks on the United States.

This report is seen as surprising in light of President Bush, and his advisors, claim that eradicating the threat to the U.S. from al Queda, the bin Laden terrorist group, is the U.S.’s top national-security priority.

The report also stated that no comprehensive strategy for meeting U.S. national security goals in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas has been developed even though the U.S. administration’s counter terrorism legislation and the mission of the National Counter-Terrorism Center mandate this approach. According to the GAO report the Bush administration has been relying on Pakistan’s military to deal with threats to American national security from bin Laden and al Queda.

In this accord, the U.S. has provided the Pakistan government over the past five years with over $5 billion as reimbursement for its military operations. Despite this massive expense the Pakistan military has failed to eliminate al Queda or locate bin Laden.