The New York Times is reporting President Bush has secretly approved US ground attacks in Pakistan without the Pakistani government’s prior approval. The order came in in July — less than two months before last week’s deadly assault that killed some twenty civilians. In what would have been the first attack under the new policy, US forces are said to have fired inside three homes containing women and children. On Wednesday, Pakistan’s top military chief harshly criticized the US ground attack, saying Pakistan will defend its sovereignty “at all costs.” The military chief, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, said no external army is allowed to conduct operations inside Pakistan.