The United States, beginning with President George W. Bush himself, has this past two weeks trained its crosshairs on Pakistan, warning that another Sept. 11, if it were to happen, would most likely not be plotted out of Iraq, Afghanistan or even Iran, but Pakistan.
Like the steady drumbeat that has often preceded major moves by the administration, the threat from Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas, considered the home of the top ranks of al Qaeda, has been articulated from the White House, at Congressional hearings and abroad.
Al Qaeda “won’t go away quietly in the night”, having found sanctuaries in ungoverned places, tribal areas and the Frontier Province of Pakistan, FBI director Robert Mueller said in the latest remarks on the matter, according to Pakistan’s Daily Times.
The issue is starting to create ripples, both at home in America and quite obviously in Pakistan, although for different reasons. For Bush critics at home, the barrage of statements is an admission, at the very least, that America is tied down in Iraq when it should be focusing on the threat along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. At worst, it’s an admission that American blood and treasure have been spent in the wrong place.
In Pakistan, the reaction is measured but concern over U.S. intentions is unmistakable.
“That the Americans are up to mischief is also evident from their extraordinary interest in the internal politics of Pakistan and formation of the government, which they are desperately trying to influence to suit their own objectives,” Pakistan Defence says in a posting arguing that Washington, faced with a strong new national coalition government in Islamabad, had stepped up covert and public pressure.
Raids in Pakistan’s tribal areas have already been carried out by U.S. drones, the News said, warning that any further U.S. intervention in region will aggravate the considerable problems there, including the legacy of the militant armies set up to fight the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
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It’s all very well and good to say Pakistan is our friend but the terrorists seem always to come from there some terrorist training camp in Pakistan why would we not target them. On the other hand there is more than enough evidence that people who come from the Madrases are learning their hatred from Saudi textbooks and I have yet to hear any type of targeting of Saudi Arabia. I think Pakistan is getting a bum rap the Saudis can have their cake and eat it too our corrupt government will make sure of that.
- Posted by AlanWell all the statements regarding terrorism and Pakistan, have any one thought about the sacrifices Pakistan has made fighting America’s holy war. How many innocent Pakistanis died in suicide bombing. How many soldiers we lost against terrorists. no one wants to do the statistics……..
- Posted by WAZThe article is very interesting. For a Pakistan based journalist like myself, I find it very informative. The posts that follow it try to defend US or Pakistan. This is not the issue. I think what the writer has written is quite an incisive analysis of what is happening. A wake up call for us all
- Posted by Kamal SiddiqiCIA did not sponsor no one they all asked for help.
- Posted by AustinPakistan is receiving millions of dollars from US in Aid,Pakistani should utilize this aid to be successful and friendly state instead of creating terrorist sanctuaries in tribal area’s and radicalization of their younger generation to hate NON Muslims of world,US and the west
In 60s, CIA sponsorded Leopoldo Galtieri.
- Posted by zyIn 70s, CIA sponsorded Bin Laden.
In 80s, CIA sponsorded Saddam.
Now CIA sponsorded Dala Lama.
In the UK and Canada, most of the Pakistanis and Bangladeshis seem to hate the US. But I think most Pakistanis and Bangladeshis would run to the US in a heartbeat if given a green card. Therein lies the hypocrisy.
- Posted by barryI think that quite a few of the comments are by Pakistanis posing as Americans or Brits. But they should not fear criticism in any case. Pakistan may irrevocably become a failed state, like Afghanistan and Iraq, if it makes no attempt to embrace modernity and civility.
- Posted by davidI fully agree that Pakistan is the most dangerous country in the world, even more dangerous than Iraq. What makes it so, is the presence of all the elements/factors, including particularly the protection that the political combine of the ISI-Military-Mullahs-Terror Groups-Madrassas and the presence of nuclear weapons. This country was never a country in the first place, but was an elixir of hatred, revenge, failure, fanaticism, disappointment, jealousy, and purposelessness, of which Pakistanis have drunk deeply and that manifested itself as a country, hence clean drinking water, education, agriculture and food, commerce, and overall development - other than terrorist bases and training camps - are not priorities. They are bewildered at their lostness, and by their inability to define themselves other than their relationship with other countries, such as with China \’an all-weather friend\’ in whose trust the Chinese bask; with the US \’a vicious love-hate-fear relationship\’; with India \’hateful pagans that should be exterminated and which endeavor soaks the greatest part of their annual budget; with the Arab states coveting approval as \’great and loyal Muslims who developed the first Islamic bomb\’. But this is not nation building. Living at peace with neighbors is, not murdering hundreds of them in bombings in Bombay and New Delhi, New York, London, and then holding them up as heroes and giving to the murderers the highest seat in Pakistan. Today this country is ridden with so many terrorist organizations including al Qeada, ungovernable, uncivilized, and backward people most, not all, living in the federally administered territories, where the only schools that would be welcomed is a terrorist training camp and a madrassa. God forbid that someone would build an engineering school in these areas. Is this nation building? This is a suicide mission; the problem is that the bomb is nuclear, and is strapped around the whole nation and when it explodes, the blowback would be devastating to all, particularly Pakistan, which would enjoy a mandated splintering. This country lacks the moral stamina and just governance to hold, let alone use nuclear weapons. It has shown, however, that it has the collective will, as we have seen in Bhutto, to chart a new future and to foreswear terror, and wars against their neighbors and \’friends\’. Incidentally, Pakistan is China\’s gateway to the Middle East, and to the oil resources and markets there. It isn\’t in love with Pakistan; it is strictly a geopolitical and economic expedient. It has recruited Pakistan, for pretty cheap to secure and watch its western flank, but wait till the weather changes and we would be able to tell whether they are really all-weather friends. Oh, by the way, they are worse than pagans, because they don\’t even believe in God.
- Posted by NarineIt’s obvious that some of the people who responded to this topic, rode the little bus to school.
- Posted by Patrick HendricksonWe will stand alongside Iran and thrawt any US agression. US is the only modern politico-terrorist state.
- Posted by AsifThank you US for getting Al Qaeda a base in Pakistan. The mass in Pakistan is not essentailly for any bombing any innocent people even though thiers are being killed by drones. How come Iran, N Korea, and other US enemies. Cheney and those neo cons sitting out there plan to get Iran after Pakistan. Imagine the audacity of Pakistan offering China to pipe out gas from Iran. I guess that must have goy oily fatso Cheney mad. But I guess that is the plan. Now with Bush Mush team on the wane, bomb the crap out of FATA and what have you. With DEMS in, neo cons loose that leverage.
- Posted by DevinderJohn cooper:Kabura: did you read quran and what it means do you guys explain what is haram and halal
- Posted by AustinThis will explain why the whole region is blamed
for Pakistan there is no doubt will be the cause for IIIrd World War then we’ll see real war on Terror.
There is saying don’t hate the player hate the game.I love cricket!!!!
any suggestions
Oh, boy, a new war! I guess when you’re working up to a hundred years of war you can’t start too early.
- Posted by AnarcissieKabura writes: “So you blame the Pashtuns!
Was it also the Pashtuns who sold nuclear technology to the worst enemies of America and the rest of the peace loving free world?”
I am neither blaming them nor defending them, I am trying to shed light on the current situation. Neither sides are the angels nor neither of them are complete devils.
As I mentioned earlier which might not have been in clear words, the truth is that there are very few true terrorists out there who are very cunning at exploiting people. The tribal lords have the habit of defying authority and these Terrorists know that so they understand that they are quite safe among them.
I will try to give an example, the guy who went berserk in VT, he was wrong but do you start blaming his parents, and maybe start generalizing it to all Koreans or maybe even more extreme than that, all Asians??
If one is clever enough, then you would realize what I am trying to get at. There are a few handful of terrorists who have really caused a lot of damage, but what US is doing is generalizing the notion of terrorist applying it all to a certain region. There have been so many instances where there has been a lot of collateral damage. School kids, old people, women, have been killed during this war on terrorism and this is not being digested by these tribal people (there are several other factors too)
I can go on and on about how misconceptions have created a mess of situation, but at the end there are always certain groups of people who initially didn’t have anything to do with war or terror but because they were dragged into the whole mess, so now they have grudges against the US.
I am not sure how others would react but if cops invaded my house without proper protocol claiming that there was evidence that I had something/someone dangerous in my house and then they are unable to prove it later, I would be really really p***ed off.
- Posted by John Cooperchecks & balances
1. preach democracy but promote & support anti-democratic foreign despots
2. subvert foreign democratic processes if you don’t like the ballot results
3. pay the price
- Posted by Archivistangel