Pakistan, Saudi Arabia agree on strengthening ties

[Desert Fox]

Can we please STAY ON TOPIC!!!

 

[Desert Fox]

Pakistan's bomb and Saudi Arabia

Western intelligence officials believe that Pakistan has pledged to provide nuclear weapons to Saudi Arabia in a Middle East crisis, but would Islamabad keep its end of the bargain?



The great anxiety underpinning this month's NPT talks in New York, and the deepening crisis over Iranian nuclear aspirations, is the fear that if and when Iran crosses the nuclear threshold, it would trigger an arms race across the Middle East. Israel already has an arsenal of course, but over a dozen other countries in the region have recently announced plans to pursue or explore civilian nuclear energy programmes, in what is seen as a hedge against future threats. But which states, if any, would be prepared to go the whole way?

The Centre for European Studies and the German Marshall Fund of the United States has just held a small conference in Brussels called "Transatlantic test: What should the West do with Iran?" There were a bunch of Nato types there and some diplomats from Europe and the Middle East, and some very interesting talk. What struck me were the relatively sanguine views on the knock-on effect of Iran going nuclear (or achieving break-out capacity).

Putting it briefly: Turkey would not jeopardise the Nato umbrella by going nuclear unilaterally. Egypt has considered its options and decided it cannot afford to go nuclear and risk losing its annual US grant. The biggest worry is Saudi Arabia, which cannot rely on a US nuclear umbrella for reasons of domestic and regional politics.

According to western intelligence sources (the meeting was under Chatham House rules so I am not allowed to be more specific) the Saudi monarchy paid for up to 60% of the Pakistani nuclear programme, and in return has the option to buy a small nuclear arsenal ('five to six warheads) off the shelf if things got tough in the neighbourhood.

There has been much reporting about this alleged deal over recent years, notably by The Guardian back in 2003, when Ewen MacAskill and Ian Traynor wrote about a Saudi strategic review to weigh the kingdom's nuclear options.

A report by Mark Fitzpatrick at the IISS in 2008 on Nuclear Programmes in the Middle East, found the Guardian article was "an accurate representation of what had emerged from the Saudi side during discussions" at a symposium in Britain attended by several members of the Saudi royal family.

The Saudis and the Pakistanis have consistently denied any such deal, but what I heard in Brussels was billed by an official as being from intelligence sources. Whether or not anything has been signed, however, there are real questions on whether Pakistan would deliver when it came to the crunch.

There is a third partner in the relationship, the US, who might have something to say about it and the means to exert pressure to make sure it did not happen. Still, it remains one of the more likely dominoes to fall in a worst-case scenario.

Another interesting point to come out of the Brussels meeting was how difficult it is inside Nato to make policy or even to talk about policy towards Iran, because Turkey will not allow it. That makes it a bit awkward when it comes to framing the alliance's New Strategic Concept later this year.

Pakistan's bomb and Saudi Arabia | World news | guardian.co.uk

 

[Desert Fox]

Pakistan poised to dispatch army to Saudi Arabia (2 Div)

Pakistan is prepared to move two army divisions into Saudi Arabia to protect the kingdom in the event of any outbreak of trouble, such as what has happened in Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, Libya and other Middle East and North African nations, informed sources say in a report from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.

It also is ready to help recruit ex-Pakistani military personnel for Bahrain's national guard, the sources report.

The sources said the decision was reached reluctantly, but it puts Sunni Islam-majority Pakistan alongside other Sunni Muslim partners, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, in a move that apparently is intended to assure that Sunni Islam remains dominant in the Arab world.

The perception is that the influence of Shiite Islam-dominated Iran is on the rise.

Read more: Pakistan poised to dispatch army to Saudi Arabia Pakistan poised to dispatch army to Saudi Arabia

Ironically, Pakistan and Iran have had a history of close political, economic and military relations. Their relationship was so close that Pakistan's A.Q. Khan, known as the father of the Pakistani nuclear bomb, provided nuclear assistance to Iran.

Given Iran's nuclear ambitions, sources say the alignment of nuclear-armed Pakistan with a broad Sunni Muslim bloc of countries by offering the two army divisions to Saudi Arabia is designed to blunt the "emerging Shiite crescent in the Middle East."

As a further show of support to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan has organized and recruited some 1,000 ex-army personnel for service in the national guard of Bahrain.

Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa recently requested troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to put down increasingly violent demonstrations by the Shiites, who make up some 70 percent of the population. Saudi Arabia and the UAE each recently sent some 1,000 troops and logistical support to Bahrain.

Khalifa and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz accuse Iran of fomenting the demonstrations with the idea of taking over the island country between Iran and Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf.

"The recent political upheaval in the Arab world from North Africa and now engulfing the Gulf region monarchial kingdoms has shaken the very fundamentals of the underpinnings of United States security framework in the Gulf region," according to Subhash Kapila of the South Asia Analysis Group.

"The United States security architecture in the Gulf region rested on the continuance of existing autocratic U.S.-friendly monarchies presiding over the oil riches of this region," he said.

"Herein emerges Pakistan army's strategic indispensability and strategic utility to both the United States and Saudi Arabia in securing the status-quo in the Gulf region for all of them," he added.

Keep in touch with the most important breaking news stories about critical developments around the globe with Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, the premium, online intelligence news source edited and published by the founder of WND.

For the complete report and full immediate access to Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, subscribe now.

Read more: Pakistan poised to dispatch army to Saudi Arabia Pakistan poised to dispatch army to Saudi Arabia
Pakistan poised to dispatch army to Saudi Arabia

 

[Desert Fox]

Does that mean you are willing to invite mohajirs to settle in K-P on an equal basis with Pushtuns?

Nice try Troll!!!! I have reported your off topic post, as it has nothing to do with TOPIC at hand.

 

[Sinnerman108]

Does that mean you are willing to invite mohajirs to settle in K-P on an equal basis with Pushtuns?

Only you were capable of such mischief !

Let this be an example to all, how your type is such an expert at dividing Muslims.

 

[yusufzoi]

Does that mean you are willing to invite mohajirs to settle in K-P on an equal basis with Pushtuns?

I have no problem with any ethnic group of pakistan settling and working in kp.

Why do you think otherwise, have you ever been to kp you will see in peshawar sikhs who own businesses and live in peace and harmony. You even got even sikhs in fata so why not muhajir.

However those muhajirs that have anti pak, anti pushtoon feelings are not welcome, also they prefer living in uk if you get my drift.

You asked that question because you like to see friction and division in pakistani community but I won't take the bait.

those muhajirs in karachi who are anti pak and anti pushtoon are feeling the wrath of the khans and soon insha allah will be pushed in to the sea, those who are law abiding and loyal to pak have nothing to fear.

Watan e aziz zindabad pakistan zindabad.

 

[Luftwaffe]

Assalam alaikum

Brother from where did u get this idea i think they r angels? Simply i want my country to win friends and making anemies specially if we sahre religion with them and top on it , it has our holy places. I want friendship with honor and not on the cost of interests of pakistan.
Regarding gawadar it is shame they beat us or hampered and why we allowed it to happen.
They r fat, thin it is none of mine or ur buissiness and if they wanna look for their interest why we blame them ( if we can't protect our interests others should do the same ?)
They invested in u.s coz it has a friendly environment who is stopping u from making it ? and 1st ask ur countrymen to bring the loot to pakistan and stop the flight of capital from pakistan is that hard or we need some other ppl to make those changes?TARIQ

You did not picked it the right way. fatmen royals as to fattening themselves with currencies. I am merely stating the fact saying that Pakistan need to get to these arabian regimes that there are anti-Pakistan elements with-in who needs to be cornered off curbed.

Do you see the environment in US being friendly since day of of 9/11 I say never again.
Who is disrupting and destabilizing the environment in Pakistan, arabian brethren royals.

No regardless we bring in the looted money time is money you do not wait for the looted money to get back home and then you kick off with investment.

 

[Luftwaffe]

Don't be entrapped with this "mohajir" term being elevated and reused to serve its purpose by MQM/westwen media and member of like minded to malign Pakistan's name. There is absolutely no mohajir concept in Pakistan the term is being used politically by MQM to endeavor their objectives.

General population of Sindh don't endorse this term mohajir (an obsolete term) except for these pro MQM voices.

Almost every american who is not native aboriginal is a mohajir what's up should I go on international forum to deliberately fiddle with this subject.

 

[TARIQ BN ZIYAAD]

Pakistan poised to dispatch army to Saudi Arabia (2 Div)

Pakistan is prepared to move two army divisions into Saudi Arabia to protect the kingdom in the event of any outbreak of trouble, such as what has happened in Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, Libya and other Middle East and North African nations, informed sources say in a report from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.

It also is ready to help recruit ex-Pakistani military personnel for Bahrain's national guard, the sources report.

The sources said the decision was reached reluctantly, but it puts Sunni Islam-majority Pakistan alongside other Sunni Muslim partners, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, in a move that apparently is intended to assure that Sunni Islam remains dominant in the Arab world.

The perception is that the influence of Shiite Islam-dominated Iran is on the rise.

Read more: Pakistan poised to dispatch army to Saudi Arabia Pakistan poised to dispatch army to Saudi Arabia

Ironically, Pakistan and Iran have had a history of close political, economic and military relations. Their relationship was so close that Pakistan's A.Q. Khan, known as the father of the Pakistani nuclear bomb, provided nuclear assistance to Iran.

Given Iran's nuclear ambitions, sources say the alignment of nuclear-armed Pakistan with a broad Sunni Muslim bloc of countries by offering the two army divisions to Saudi Arabia is designed to blunt the "emerging Shiite crescent in the Middle East."

As a further show of support to Saudi Arabia, Pakistan has organized and recruited some 1,000 ex-army personnel for service in the national guard of Bahrain.

Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa recently requested troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to put down increasingly violent demonstrations by the Shiites, who make up some 70 percent of the population. Saudi Arabia and the UAE each recently sent some 1,000 troops and logistical support to Bahrain.

Khalifa and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz accuse Iran of fomenting the demonstrations with the idea of taking over the island country between Iran and Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf.

"The recent political upheaval in the Arab world from North Africa and now engulfing the Gulf region monarchial kingdoms has shaken the very fundamentals of the underpinnings of United States security framework in the Gulf region," according to Subhash Kapila of the South Asia Analysis Group.

"The United States security architecture in the Gulf region rested on the continuance of existing autocratic U.S.-friendly monarchies presiding over the oil riches of this region," he said.

"Herein emerges Pakistan army's strategic indispensability and strategic utility to both the United States and Saudi Arabia in securing the status-quo in the Gulf region for all of them," he added.

Keep in touch with the most important breaking news stories about critical developments around the globe with Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, the premium, online intelligence news source edited and published by the founder of WND.

For the complete report and full immediate access to Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, subscribe now.

Read more: Pakistan poised to dispatch army to Saudi Arabia Pakistan poised to dispatch army to Saudi Arabia
Pakistan poised to dispatch army to Saudi Arabia

Assalam alaikum

Outside gulf, syria, lebanon arabs dont know anything about shias and the masses r out side of the gulf , so offcourse sunni muslims will remain the dominent in the arab world. Accept bahrain and iraq where is good percentage of shias along with lebanon rest of the gulf states and syria r snnies with high percentages

TARIQ

 

[EjazR]

An individuals actions cant make or break Islam neither yours nor any ones elses. And I have never said that Pakistan is what represents Islam you need to put your indian hate towards Pakistan on the side and chill.

Hate Pakistan??!!! Did you even read my posts? I have no need to waste my time and energy in responding or making hate posts against Pakistan or Pakistanis. I might criticize specific actions or policies but I have never made insults or slurs against Pakistan as a nation or people.

I did not bring in racial slurs, fantasy driven history and delusions of grandeur in the garb of "Islam and Pakistan", Some Pakistani posters did. Maybe you are above this but certainly posters here have no qualms in doing so. Instead of responding to my post, they feel the need to attack my being Indian or more specifically being an Indian Muslim. I guess this in itself shows their inferiority complex. I could trash such posters too highlighting that differentiating and glorifying race and ethinc ties is UnIslamic and more in line with the Hindu caste system which the posters seem mentally beholden too but I don't feel that they are worth any of my time.

But I certainly want to clear away this misconception you had that my posts were a hate speech on Pakistan.

 

[muse]

Will Pakistan really send two divisions to Arabia, when it hesitates to send more troops to the Western border?? I really don't think that the 2 divisions thing is real, certainly not at this time and not with PPP in office -- on the other hand, I will make a wager that if Arabia needed those troops, the Islamist insurgency in Pakistan would, all of a sudden, be seeking to conclude peace with Pakistan

 

[superNova]

I have no problem with any ethnic group of pakistan settling and working in kp.

Why do you think otherwise, have you ever been to kp you will see in peshawar sikhs who own businesses and live in peace and harmony. You even got even sikhs in fata so why not muhajir.

However those muhajirs that have anti pak, anti pushtoon feelings are not welcome, also they prefer living in uk if you get my drift.

You asked that question because you like to see friction and division in pakistani community but I won't take the bait.

those muhajirs in karachi who are anti pak and anti pushtoon are feeling the wrath of the khans and soon insha allah will be pushed in to the sea, those who are law abiding and loyal to pak have nothing to fear.

Watan e aziz zindabad pakistan zindabad.

so you think you dont hhave anti pakistani pashtuns who are renaming peshawar airport to afghanistani airport or ghaddar bacha khan airport and dont have to be pushed to the sea

'anti pakistan muhajirs' are not renaming jinnah international to altaf international unlike you guys
speak about yourselves first before spewing anti urdu speaker hatred

 

[superNova]

I have no problem with any ethnic group of pakistan settling and working in kp.

Why do you think otherwise, have you ever been to kp you will see in peshawar sikhs who own businesses and live in peace and harmony. You even got even sikhs in fata so why not muhajir.

However those muhajirs that have anti pak, anti pushtoon feelings are not welcome, also they prefer living in uk if you get my drift.

You asked that question because you like to see friction and division in pakistani community but I won't take the bait.

those muhajirs in karachi who are anti pak and anti pushtoon are feeling the wrath of the khans and soon insha allah will be pushed in to the sea, those who are law abiding and loyal to pak have nothing to fear.

Watan e aziz zindabad pakistan zindabad.

so you think you dont hhave anti pakistani pashtuns who are renaming peshawar airport to afghanistani airport or ghaddar bacha khan airport and dont have to be pushed to the sea

'anti pakistan muhajirs' are not renaming jinnah international to altaf international unlike you guys
speak about yourselves first before spewing anti urdu speaker hatred

 

[Solomon2]

Only you were capable of such mischief ! Let this be an example to all, how your type is such an expert at dividing Muslims.

What good has it been to hold on to the idea of a highly centralized Pakistan? It's been grief for decades, and I had no part in that. The regions were originally supposed to be autonomous and Pakistani government officials reneged on that - probably, in my opinion, because they wished to keep the greater corrupt opportunities for money and glory that come with a centralized state.

A broad consensus was reached on enhancing Pakistan-Saudi Arabia partnership based on comprehensive cooperation. Modalities and mechanism for this purpose were also discussed.

What truth lies behind that mysterious statement? What power did Pakistani officials surrender to the Saudis? The Saudis already influence the education system of the militant madrassas whose graduates terrify Pakistanis. Do they now wish to strengthen their power of Pakistan by instituting a formal veto on high officials or proposed Pakistani policies in exchange for a reduction in domestic terrorism?

 

[Sinnerman108]

What good has it been to hold on to the idea of a highly centralized Pakistan? It's been grief for decades, and I had no part in that. The regions were originally supposed to be autonomous and Pakistani government officials reneged on that - probably, in my opinion, because they wished to keep the greater corrupt opportunities for money and glory that come with a centralized state.



What truth lies behind that mysterious statement? What power did Pakistani officials surrender to the Saudis? The Saudis already influence the education system of the militant madrassas whose graduates terrify Pakistanis. Do they now wish to strengthen their power of Pakistan by instituting a formal veto on high officials or proposed Pakistani policies in exchange for a reduction in domestic terrorism?

So you are going to talk about every thing, except for what you quoted !!
tch tch tch ... shameful