H15262
Headlines : "War on Terror"U.S. military bombards targets inside Pakistan
This isn’t the first time that American forces have attacked targets in Pakistan, nor is the first time that Bush administration officials have threatened to do so to achieve their strategic aims. In 2001, they threatened Pakistan with being returned to the “stone age” if Musharraf did not acquiesce in the invasion of Afghanistan. In January 2006, 18 people died when the U.S. bombed a Pakistani village.
But a flurry of recent statements from administration officials and Democrat contenders have suggested that there is a strong current of opinion arguing in American elite circles for an escalation in the north-west provinces of Pakistan.
As Peter Symonds argues here, this would massively weaken President Musharraf and destabilize huge areas of the frontier region. A democratic outcome in Islamabad is less likely than an extremist military coup, while nothing will be gained in terms of fighting Islamic fundamentalism
But that never stopped them in the past…
[Posted By Szamko]Republished from World Socialist Website
In an aggressive new step, the US military shelled and destroyed targets across the Afghan border inside Pakistan on Sunday. While it has received scant coverage in the American and international media, the attack foreshadows more extensive US cross-border operations that have the potential to further destabilise Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf’s uncertain grip on power.
The US-led coalition in Afghanistan issued a statement declaring that Pakistan had given permission for an attack on Taliban positions inside its borders. Occupation forces in the eastern province of Paktika used artillery and mortar fire to destroy six positions—three inside Afghanistan, and three across the border in Pakistan. According to the statement, at least 12 insurgents were killed in the barrage.
Pakistani officials emphatically denied giving approval for the assault.
Posted by Szamko
Just tries to tell the truth.
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Bound to happen. Oh, well.
Fantastic news if true, sadly, it comes from a media outfit that has the word socialist in its name rendering all of its content of little value.
If I see the events so describe by these far left propagandists in a mainstream media product, I, at that time, will be able to determine what significance if any, these events may have.
Pakistan Dawn
BBC
It happened, but not everyone wanted to report it.
So when Musharraf loses power and army becomes more pro-islamic US will have another war… cute
Only this time the enemy WILL have WMD!
And India wont mess with Pakistan, acctualy it will be a welcome news seeing their rival down in a fight with US, it would have nothing to gain and all to lose…
Maybe India would only go after Cashmir?
Using nukes by US in Pakistan is not advisable couse of Indias stance towards US (that would move india more to the SCO). China would also have something to say about nukes going off so close to them.
India probably wouldnt use nukes. Only pakistan would use nukes if threatened by India. Maybe even targeting some US targets (carrier group would be a nice target for example)
Dark days for Musharraf indeed. He’s suddenly surrounded with enemys and he’s own people dont like him. If he plays tough on US actions across border it would give him some credibility with the people.
This all could allign Pakistan more with Iran. Knowing or fearing that they would be next in the US crosshair.
But most probably this could lead Pakistan towards next civil war…
Pro-islam vs. pro-west forces.
If I see the events so describe by these far left propagandists in a mainstream media product, I, at that time, will be able to determine what significance if any, these events may have.
By mainstream, did you mean right-wing?
Only this time the enemy WILL have WMD!
Very scary indeed.
Obviously the solution in Central Asia, as in Mesopotamia, and frankly, the Levant, is to have an Islamic Peacekeeping Force on par with NATO and the SCO.
The Anglo-Saxons need to go home. They want to go home. Let the Anglo-Saxons go home. Where they are needed. And loved, surely.
The fear that the Anglo Saxons have of Islam is based on reactionary forces that were triggered, in the first place, by Anglo Saxon business practices. Those reactionary forces are not inherently a property of Islamic Culture and people should stop being so silly about what will happen when governments decide to abandon their desires to be like the Drunken Capitalists that can’t stop pushing the planet to extinction with their profligacy.
Here is an excellent example of deeply intelligent analyst committing just such a mistake.
Here also is an interesting analysis of The Cost of the War in Afghanistan
The most remarkable thing may be that no monies have been allocated for the care of vets. Perhaps because the Empire is set on replacing that ‘resource’ with robots.
on par with NATO and the SCO.
I wouldn’t say that NATO is anywhere near on a par with the SCO yet. The SCO is much weaker and vulnerable to division. NATO has a mature command structure, more advanced weaponry, richer economies and arguably a clearer sense of purpose (ie predatory capitalism). The SCO is very young in all of those senses, and it hasn’t been deployed in any “peacekeeping” situation, or intervention (not that NATO has ever kept much peace).
And the Islamic Peacekeeping Force will, obviously, be even younger. That’ll be for damn sure. But SCO didn’t extend membership to Iran last week. So I’d say it’s time to just bite the bullet, move on, and do what we have to.
Afghanistan and Iraq are not going to accept a non-Islamic peacekeeping force and the Empire is counting on it. We need to get an excuse for lights, camera and bright-eyed peacekeeping business into Basra and Karbala post haste and that is NO LIE.
Not everyone knows that NATO has never actually even remotely been a Peacekeeping Force. But if there’s one thing I know for sure, that’d be it.
There are a lot of screwed up people and cultures in the world, and Islamic fundamentalist women hating, sharist societies are probably the worst of them all.
Are they dangerous? Somewhat. But we in the West must do what we think is right. We must hear the vague voices of freedom from this religiously fanatical land and not be intimidated by the fanatics who insist we ignore them.
Like all religions, the Islamic God is a made up God which the fanatics think is a real, That God is one in which they feel obliged to kill for. If they believe in their hocus pocus God, yet are willing to live and let live, believe and let believe, then there is no problem, when they sharia and jihad people to death then we all have a problem. We must do what we think is just.
There’s no need for the Pashtun — or indeed Pakistan — to feel like it’s just them against the Anglo Saxon Imperial War Machine :
Trinkets and treasure: China tames the US
OPEN QUOTE
One hundred and fifty years ago, the West subjugated China by addicting it to opium. Today, it is the West, especially the United States, that has become addicted, to an equally or even more addictive substance, cheap consumer products and the profits they accrue. With trinkets and treasure, the communists are selling capitalists the rope with which they will hang themselves.
from today’s Amy Show (Democracy Now!)
In Pakistan, President Pervez Musharaf has reportedly struck a deal with opposition figures that will see him resign as army chief. The move would allow Musharaf to serve another term as President if re-elected. In return, the exiled former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto will return to Pakistan and run for her old post.