This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com.

U.S. was prepared to fight Pakistani forces

The Obama administration had “very detailed contingency plans” for military action against Pakistani forces if they had tried to stop the U.S. attack on Osama bin Laden’s compound. “No firepower option was off the table” during the operation, according to an unnamed US official. CNN

Osama bin Laden mission agreed in secret 10 years ago by US and Pakistan

The US and Pakistan struck a secret deal almost a decade ago permitting a US operation against Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil. The deal was struck between the military leader General Pervez Musharraf and President George Bush after Bin Laden escaped US forces in the mountains of Tora Bora in late 2001. Under its terms, Pakistan would allow US forces to conduct a unilateral raid inside Pakistan in search of Bin Laden, his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and the al-Qaida No3. Afterwards, both sides agreed, Pakistan would vociferously protest the incursion. Guardian

South Korea chooses between the U.S. and China

China’s growing military and economic power is causing the South Koreans to reevaluate their relationship with the United States. Ideally, they would prefer not to have to choose between China and the U.S., but circumstances force a choice. Under the current Lee Myung-bak administration, Seoul has been conspicuously leaning closer toward Washington, but that could change. Asia Times

Egypt’s Muslims may donate money instead of going to Mecca

The head of the Internationa Union for Muslim Scholars has issued a fatwa saying that Egyptian Muslims who had been planning to make a pligrimage to Mecca may, instead, donate the money reserved for the pilgrimage toward supporting the country’s economy, and this counts as if he has performed the pilgrimage. Muslims are required to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetimes, but this ruling relieves them of having to go even once. Memri

Palestinians may keep Fayyad as prime minister

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is leaning towards retaining his prime minister, Salam Fayyad, in the unity government that’s being formed as a result of the Fatah-Hamas reconciliation agreement. Hamas considers Fayyad to be a tool of the West, but he’s a U.S.-educated economist, and keeping him would improve the Palestinians’ chances of continue to receive Western aid. AP

Hizbollah’s leader Nasrallah caught in a vortex of confusion over Arab uprisings

Like almost everyone else, the political and terrorist group Hizbollah, and its leader Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, are having difficulty deciding which Arab uprisings to support. Nasrallah’s has vocally criticized the governments of Tunisia, Libya, Bahrain, Egypt and Yemen over their uprisings, but he’s been silent about the uprising directed against his own allies, Syria and Iran. This has cost him some credibility, but more important, it’s derailed his plans for greater prominence in the entire region. Asia Times

Questioning the numbers of China’s harvests

The Chinese authorities pointed to its seven consecutive years of grain harvests and huge grain reserves, but there are reasons to doubt that these claims are accurate. One reason for doubt is the increase in China’s imports of grains. Another reason is the explosive real estate boom of the last few years, reducing the size of its total arable land. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS)

Russia’s defense industry faces deep crisis

More than 20,000 servicement marched on Red Square in Moscow on May 9, to commemorate victory in the Great Patriotic War (WW II), but the amount of military hardware on display was much less than in previous years. The present day Russian military is indeed a pale shadow of the once awesome Red Army of the Cold War era. Jamestown

Man jumps from world’s tallest skyscraper

Dubai

A man has committed suicide by jumping from the world’s tallest skyscraper in Dubai. He fell from the 147th floor, landing on a deck on the 108th floor. He jumped following a dispute with his employer. BBC

Russian sect believes Putin is the reincarnation of St. Paul

A founder of a religious cult glorifying Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin believes that he’s the reincarnation of Saint Paul. The sect’s founder, Mother Fotinya, was quoted as saying that there were certain parallels between the life of former president Putin and St. Paul. “According to the Bible, Paul the Apostle used to be a warlord and the fierce persecutor of Christians, and then he began preaching the Gospel. Putin also was not a saint during his service in the KGB. But when he became president, the Holy Ghost descended on him.” Ria Novosti