On page one of today's NYT Carlotta Gall writes a long story on Pakistanis Tied to 2007 Border Ambush on Americans.

During spring 2007 and after some clashes over a border post between Afghan and Pakistani troops near the town of Teri Mangal a meeting took place with Afghan, Pakistani and U.S. officials to find a solution.

When the Afghans and U.S. officials left a tribal soldier from the Pakistani Frontier Corps opened fire on them and killed an U.S. Army Major. It was one of the frequent green on blue/blue on green incidents by a rogue soldier.

What is astonishing about today's NYT piece is that there is nothing new in it. Zero, nada, zilch. It is just a warmed up mixture of well known facts mixed with quotes from some Afghan officials who blame Pakistan.

The whole story was already reported back in 2007:

The US serviceman died Monday in the north-western town of Teri Mangal as military officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were fired upon after a trilateral meeting.

An ISAF statement said that following the meeting, an individual reported to be wearing a Pakistan Frontier Corps uniform, 'in a heinous and despicable act, fired as an assassin, into the group that had come with peaceful aims.'

The ISAF 'expects a full investigation of this incident by the Pakistani military', the statement said.

Administration officials in the Kurram Agency, where Teri Mangal is located, told Pakistan's Daily Times that the gunmen was a Pakistani trooper who was deployed for security.

'He shouted Allah-u-Akbar (God is great) and opened fire as he saw Americans,' an official told the newspaper on condition of anonymity. He was then shot dead in an exchange of fire with US forces.

The man came from the Bhittani tribe that inhabits areas flanking Pakistan's South Waziristan region, which has a long record of militancy, the official said.

Today's NYT piece asserts all along that there was something nefarious about the incident or something kept hidden by the Pakistanis.

Only down the 35th of 36 paragraphs, which hardly anyone will read, is it quoting high ranking U.S. officers who say there was nothing like that:

Both Generals Helmly and McNeill accept as plausible that a lone member of the Frontier Corps, whether connected to the militants or pressured by them, was responsible, but they also said it was possible that a larger group of soldiers was acting in concert. The two generals said there was no evidence that senior Pakistani officials had planned the attack.

So what please is the purpose of this piece but anti-Pakistani propaganda?

A four year old story of a tribal soldier who turned against some Americans rewarmed with some quotes but without any new facts. Why is this news on page one of the NYT? Who decided to re-issue this story? What is its function if not to prepare the public for the coming war on Pakistan?