Pakistan

[sugarpop]

it is ridiculous to outlaw a plant, any plant.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Any plant?

[sugarpop]

bwahahahaha

[classicman]

Pakistan rejects U.S. plan

U.S. envoys met with Pakistani leaders on Tuesday to ensure that the $7.5 billion that President Obama plans to send their way over the next five years will be used to achieve common goals in the fight against extremism.

But according to a Pakistani newspaper, regional envoy Richard Holbrooke and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen came up empty-handed and received a "rude shock" when a proposal for joint operations against al Qaeda and Taliban forces in the volatile tribal regions was rejected.

Dawn newspaper reported that Pakistan also asked the U.S. to turn over the unmanned drone missions over the territory to them, saying that the drone strikes were fueling extremism.

And The Independent published an interview with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday in which he said Pakistan would go after high-value targets on their own if the U.S. would hand over its drone technology and intelligence.

"President Obama once said that he would act if we weren't willing and able," Zardari said. "We certainly are willing and with international support we will become even more able."

President Obama's plan to battle extremism in Afghanistan includes sinking $1.5 billion each year for the next five years into neighboring Pakistan, up from the current aid of $500 million. But the plan is being watched with a skeptical eye by legislators who doubt the ability of Pakistan — which recently brokered a deal with Taliban in the North-West Frontier Province that allows the militants to impose their brutal interpretation of Islamic law on the populace — to use that money as intended.

Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said during a hearing last week that there was "ambivalent evidence" to suggest that Pakistan would rein in extremism to America's satisfaction.

[sugarpop]

I do not think we can turn over that technology. I think we need other nations involved in this process.

[classicman]

What do we need other nations for? I'm not sure what you mean?

[sugarpop]

Because. We do not want to "go it alone" again. That has caused us enough trouble in the world community, so having other countries involved in negotiations and with whatever other kinds of actions (including diplomacy) we take in Pakistan and Afghanistan is key to success. Personally, I think we should get the hell out, but we won't, so since we are staying, this is what we need to do. We can't turn our technology over to a nation that is allowing the Taliban and al qaeda santuary in their country when they are supposed to be helping us catch them. That is just not acceptable. But since Pakistan wants that, we need help negotiating some other outcome that is acceptable to everyone.

[TheMercenary]

36min long.

http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/st...deo_index.html

PBS Frontline shows are all on line now. Better video feeds than in the past.

[TheMercenary]

Another, this one about the moderates struggle.

http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/st...deo_index.html

[sugarpop]

yea, Frontline has been online for ages Merc. I really like and respect that show.

[footfootfoot]

How come the Pakistani football team has never won the world cup?


Every time they get a corner, they open up a corner shop.

You may continue.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by sugarpop

yea, Frontline has been online for ages Merc. I really like and respect that show.

Yes it has. I have been watching it on line at least since 2000-01. What has changed is the quality of the feed and the fact that the video is now embeded in the website.

[ZenGum]

Meanwhile, back in Pakistan, the Swat valley is getting very dodgy.

About a month ago, the Islamabad government made a very dangerous deal to allow talleban to control the Swat valley and have sharia law there, provided they behaved themselves externally - not helping their buddies over in Afghansitan or destabilising the rest of Pakistan.
Surprise surprise, the deal has collapsed, there is significant fighting. I've seen conflicting media reports, but the central govt is sending in forces, there is fighting 100 km from the capital, civilians are trying to flee.
I really don't know what is going on but it looks a bit dodgy. I just hope they keep their nukes locked up really really tightly!

[classicman]

Al Qaeda says would use Pakistani nuclear weapons

DUBAI (Reuters) - If it were in a position to do so, Al Qaeda would use Pakistan's nuclear weapons in its fight against the United States, a top leader of the group said in remarks aired Sunday.

Pakistan has been battling al Qaeda's Taliban allies in the Swat Valley since April after their thrust into a district 100 km (60 miles) northwest of the capital raised fears the nuclear-armed country could slowly slip into militant hands.

"God willing, the nuclear weapons will not fall into the hands of the Americans and the mujahideen would take them and use them against the Americans," Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, the leader of al Qaeda's in Afghanistan, said in an interview with Al Jazeera television.

Asked about the group's plans, the Egyptian militant leader said: "The strategy of the (al Qaeda) organization in the coming period is the same as in the previous period: to hit the head of the snake, the head of tyranny -- the United States.

"That can be achieved through continued work on the open fronts and also by opening new fronts in a manner that achieves the interests of Islam and Muslims and by increasing military operations that drain the enemy financially."

The militant leader suggested that naming a new leader for the group's unit in the Arabian Peninsula, Abu Basir al-Wahayshi, could revive its campaign in Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter.

"Our goals have been the Americans ... and the oil targets which they are stealing to gain power to strike the mujahideen and Muslims."

"There was a setback in work there for reasons that there is no room to state now, but as of late, efforts have been united and there is unity around a single leader."

Abu al-Yazid, also known as Abu Saeed al-Masri, said al Qaeda will continue "with large scale operations against the enemy" -- by which he meant the United States.

[sugarpop]

That is a very good reason to switch over to alternatives as soon as possible. Republicans only want to drill for oil though, which would take too much time, or build nuclear plants. We need something that we can do much faster. The sooner we can get out of those countries, the better.