Muradk
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Americas War Will Continue till The Last Pakistani Alive
The Americans are preparing the ground for an invasion bypassing Islamabad. This new PPP-led government is more pro-U.S. than the Musharraf-led government of PML-Q. Such is the irony of democracy in Pakistan. U.S. has developed its own plans for FATA and this government is giving it full access no questions asked. The parliament is NOT on board on these new developments. The ANP is opposing on the surface while giving the Americans full access on the ground. U.S. is building the case that FATA is the most dangerous region in the world and so Washington has the right to have its own policy for our tribal region bypassing Islamabad
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan"The United States, for generations, has sustained two parallel but opposed states of mind about military atrocities and human rights: one of U.S. benevolence, generally held by the public, and the other of ends-justify-the-means brutality sponsored by counterinsurgency specialists. Normally the specialists carry out their actions in remote locations with little notice in the national press. That allows the public to sustain its faith in a just America, while hard-nosed security and economic interests are still protected in secret. "- Robert Parry, investigative reporter and author.
To understand how the U.S. game plan in Pakistan lies exposed, you need to know what the game plan in Pakistan is in the first place.
First, some facts. Something seriously crazy and dangerous is happening in Pakistani politics.
All politicians are busy in self preservation which can best be described as taken out of Machiavellis text book but surely suicidal in nature for the coalition government and dangerous for the State.
While the politicians and lawyers as well as media continue to kick dust in the eyes of ordinary Pakistanis, U.S. is fast-tracking its global, regional and national agenda silently in the background, bypassing the federal government in Islamabad and taking advantage of the confusion which is reigning at the moment. These are perhaps the most serious and dangerous U.S. moves for Pakistans sovereignty, security and defense. U.S. is making use of its assets in coalition government to bypass Pakistani parliament and State organs to directly implement its designs especially in tribal regions and in Balochistan. I will come back to explain, but let us see first how the internal actors within the country are behaving.
PPP and PML
The alliance is already under stress after the collapse after the withdrawal of Nawaz Sharifs ministers from the federal government. The issue of restoration of judges is forcing Zardari to play games with Sharif and create embarrassing moments for the man who has overcommitted himself on the issue of the judges and the President.
PPP and MQM
Sensing serious trouble within the coalition partners and under severe U.S. pressure, Zardari has already engaged MQM in Sindh and in the Center to the utter dismay of NS. The U.S.-backed alliance of PPP-MQM-ANP-JUI has been formed to bypass or sideline NS. This almost impossible feat has been achieved through some very heavy duty U.S. arm twisting of both parties which want to create a larger secular alliance.
President Musharraf
President Musharraf is now in a desperate situation. He now faces either a humiliating position as a toothless President or he will have to exit the scene to save some grace, whatever is left of it. He is at the mercy of his arch rivals and now becoming more and more irrelevant by the day. A sorry state of affairs for him. Americans are keeping him but even they want to take his teeth out to turn him into a ceremonial circus lion.
FATA and Balochistan
In both FATA and Balochistan, the new PPP government is moving ahead fast in appeasing all terrorists and sub-nationalists who are still waging their war against the State and Pakistan.
With no serious re-conciliation, no terms of engagement and no guarantee from the sub-nationalists and the BLA to stop violence, the government is rapidly giving them relief, protection and breathing space to regroup and re-launch their militant campaign in the country.
This is simple a suicide recipe for the State and the PPP government is fast tracking it without taking any security or peace guarantees from the Indian backed BLA terrorists. He so called all parties conference is already rejected by the BLA and sub-nationalists but the government is still going ahead with it to give its ridiculous moves some aura of respectability.
This new PPP led government is more pro-U.S. than the Musharraf-led government of PML(Q) despite the fact that people had voted for change. Such is the irony of democracy in Pakistan. U.S. has developed its own plans for FATA and this government is giving them full access no questions asked. The parliament is NOT on board on these new developments and plans which the U.S. is deploying using the ANP-led government. The resistance being shown to the U.S. on the surface on a few issues is for the gallery only and for public consumption alone. U.S. is building the case that FATA is the most dangerous region in the world and thus have a right to have its own policy for US national security bypassing Islamabad!
Americans are building a case for attack on tribal regions and even though their assessments are comical for professional and serious analysts, they are preparing grounds for an attack bypassing Islamabad. The militants in tribal areas are 99% local Pakistanis and they pose no threat to U.S. or E.U. The Arab connection in these regions is totally shattered and dispersed with less than 100 desperate Arabs who are on the run and pose no threat to U.S. or E.U. The assessments of U.S. and Interpol are ridiculous to say the least but their implications are very serious for Pakistan..
Pakistan-India relations
The PPP government is also quickly giving in to the Indian game plan as per U.S. instructions to the new government in Islamabad. Zardari is on record saying that he wants to bypass and ignore Kashmir for future generations to resolve! Now, the new PM is implementing this policy which is neither approved by the parliament nor debated anywhere in media. So much for democracy once again.
Food, Fuel and Power issues
If nothing else hastens the collapse of this government, the issue of food, fuel and power would. Meanwhile, they can continue haggling over judges, the future of coalition and betrayal by coalition partners. With the summer already setting in and massive power cuts expected, this government is totally not ready to handle these issues while its own focus remains fixed on survival and on fast-tracking the U.S. game plan which we will explain below.
The bottom line is that this political coalition is stillbirth from its inception and now the entire political drama is falling apart on all fours despite some last minute desperate efforts by partners as well as the United States to save the situation.
The U.S. is extremely weary of Nawaz Sharif and wants to create an alternate alliance of MQM, PPP, ANP to keep him out of power. There are two factions within the PPP as well.
1. The first faction is the nationalist faction that is kept for public consumption and PR purposes. This faction consists of PM Gilani and his likes.
2. The second crooked faction is already sold to the Americans and is playing the game for them behind the scenes along with MQM, ANP and JUI. This faction consists of Asif Zardari, Hussain Haqqani, Rehman Malik, Wajid Shams ul Hasan, General Durrani and Sherry Rehman.
U.S. has made it clear that it will continue to interfere in Pakistani political and security affairs to shape and re-shape the arena of its choice irrespective of the cost which the Pakistani State or the government has to pay. Americans wish to fight to the last Pakistani it seems in their war for the greater Middle East. Under no circumstances the U.S. would give a breathing space to the new government.
Pakistan too important to be ignored: US
WASHINGTON, May 6: The United States still regrets its decision in the 1990s to disengage itself from Pakistan and plans to stay engaged with a country it regards as too important to ignore, says a senior US official. Deputy Secretary of State John Negropontes policy statement on Pakistan at a briefing in Washington on Monday underlined several areas of concerns but he backed every complaint with a strong expression of desire to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries.
Pakistan too important to be ignored: US -DAWN - National; May 07, 2008
---------------------------------------------------
US Tightens Its Grip On Pakistan
Rarely does a top diplomat speak so openly from a public forum as Negroponte did on the centrality of Pakistan for the US's national security.
US tightens its grip on Pakistan : Information Clearing House - ICH
Nawaz Sharif is a powerful figure in the country and controls the largest province of Punjab. He can be a serious pain in the neck for U.S.-backed, Zardari-driven PPP government if he decides to part ways with the coalition. Obviously the Americans are extremely concerned at this prospect which is going to increase the stature of NS in the country if he decides to take an anti-US stand. Americans are now seriously working on him as well.
There are more problems for U.S. than just handling a difficult NS. The emotions in the country are now getting stronger against the U.S. foreign policy in the region and these elections were a vote against the pro-U.S. policies of the previous Musharraf led government. The people and the nation expect some change in the policies while the U.S. wants to use the Zardari axis to penetrate more into the society and the State. The confrontation is already simmering. The demands even within nationalist elements of the PPP led government that Pakistan should be protecting its own interests are now louder than ever.
Call in Senate for change in pro-US foreign policy
ISLAMABAD, May 8: Both friends and foes of the new government urged it during a Senate debate on Thursday to review what many saw as a pro-US foreign policy charted by a military-led establishment, which the coalition-leading Pakistan Peoples Party said it would not become part of. Senators from Islamic parties, majority of whom are allies of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilanis 40-day-old coalition government, were most vehement in demanding that Pakistan withdraw from the US-led so-called war against terrorism while most of others who spoke in the inconclusive debate wanted changes to make the foreign policy independent of American dictation and for initiatives to end the scourge of pro-Taliban militancy in the country, particularly in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
Call in Senate for change in pro-US foreign policy -DAWN - Top Stories; May 09, 2008
Time for look-East policy, Qureshi tells Senate
ISLAMABAD, May 9: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the Senate on Friday it was time for Pakistan to follow a look-East policy while reassuring the West the new government would honour its international obligations like the ones about the war on terror without compromising national interests.
Time for look-East policy, Qureshi tells Senate -DAWN - Top Stories; May 10, 2008
These anti-U.S. trends are so visible in the mainstream that now they have become a major crisis for U.S. planners. Even the strongly pro-PPP government could not agree to the choice of U.S. diplomats like Jay Hood due to the extreme reaction generated in the country over his posting to Islamabad. U.S. had to cancel his appointment due to protest from Pakistani society and government, an unprecedented event in the history of Pakistan-U.S. relations.
Anti-Americanism in Pakistan upsets envoy
KARACHI, May 8: U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson has said that the depth of anti-Americanism in Pakistan, especially in the middle class, has surprised her because Pakistans long-term interests are aligned with ours and with those of other western countries.
Anti-Americanism in Pakistan upsets envoy -DAWN - National; May 09, 2008
Controversial U.S. generals posting put on hold
ISLAMABAD, May 8: The United States has agreed not to post the controversial ex-Guantanamo Bay prison chief, Maj-Gen Jay W. Hood, in Pakistan after a public uproar in the country against his appointment. The U.S. government has taken note of the sensitivities of Pakistan government and the public regarding the posting of Gen Hood and it (the posting) would not materialize now, a diplomatic source told Dawn on Thursday.
Controversial US generals posting put on hold -DAWN - Top Stories; May 09, 2008
U.S. is rather going too fast within the coalition of the sub-nationalists which it has cobbled up. But the pace and the secrecy of their involvement with Pakistani political leaders is creating serious doubts within the mainstream politicians as well as in the national security establishment. When sub-nationalist leaders are taken secretly to U.S. for meetings with senior U.S. officials and the details are not made public, the levels of suspicion and doubts are bound to grow within the mainland.
ANP has a history of working to break Pakistan into smaller provinces especially separation of NWFP into an independent or Afghanistan aligned region of Pashtunistan. This game is now on big time as U.S. feels that region should be separated on blood lines and a larger Pashtun region of Afghan and Pakistani Pashtuns should be created under the umbrella of U.S. just as they are trying in Kurdistan.
Both the Americans as well as the sub-nationalists in ANP and MQM are playing their hands very suspiciously and it is all going to explode on their faces. U.S. is now directly trying to buy and recruit major players in Pakistani politics bypassing Islamabad and the national security establishment. Many Nazims, prominent Pakistanis, media men and strategic players in the country are being invited to U.S. secretly and lavishly treated.
Champions of separate Pashtun State. Achakzai and Asfandyar Wali laughing their hearts out as they find U.S. backers for the cause. Wali was on a secret visit to U.S. MQMs mayor of Karachi was also invited to Washington and received State guest status in U.S.
US silent on visit of Asfandyar
WASHINGTON, May 9: ANP president Asfandyar Wali spent Friday with American military officials at the U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Florida, diplomatic sources told Dawn. Earlier, he spent a week in Washington where he met senior officials at the State Department, the White House and the vice presidents office.
US silent on visit of Asfandyar -DAWN - National; May 10, 2008
Kamal says he is in US to seek investment
WASHINGTON, May 5: Karachi City Nazim Mustafa Kamal said on Monday that he had come to the United States to urge American businessmen to invest in his city.
We have built the infrastructure. We have created facilities. Now we need investment, the mayor told Dawn. Yes, there is a risk factor but we are here to convince the businessmen that it is a risk worth taking.
Kamal says he is in US to seek investment -DAWN - Top Stories; May 06, 2008
Similarly, on the front of war against militants in tribal areas, ANP has been tasked by the U.S. to try to create assets within the tribal areas. No serious analysts believe that this approach is going to work especially when ANP has zero credibility within the militants and are themselves seen as U.S. assets in the region. While the ANP government has always been against the presence of military in the tribal areas, now pragmatism has swept them as well and they know that in the absence of the military, the ruthless militants would sweep the tribal regions clean of all ANP assets. ANP wants to create a larger Pashtun alliance and for that it is going overboard even cutting deals with terrorists and criminals. U.S. does not mind peace deals in Swat but is sensitive about the same in tribal areas and wants the ANP to be selective.
But in contrast to the sensitivities in the tribal areas, U.S. has no problem in arranging pardon for all sub-nationalists who belong to Balochistan Liberation Army who want to separate Balochistan from Pakistan. They are friends of U.S. in the great game. The BLA still maintains a terrorist profile and war plans and remains engaged in insurgency but the U.S.-backed PPP government is almost going overboard to pardon all those involved in hundreds of cases of sabotage, terrorism, insurgency and murders. Knowing fully well that the tide is in their favor, the sub-nationalist terrorists are feeling the change in tide in their favor and now are talking tough themselves. The government has already started to oblige them by withdrawing troops from various sensitive locations.
Obviously, Pakistans national security managers especially the army are not amused at the developments. Akhtar Mengal was involved in serious crimes against military men and many officers and troops have died in Balochistan fighting BLA terrorists. It was time for the military chief to step in and put things in perspective for the new PM who appears to not know a thing about the real Indian/Afghan backed insurgency of the BLA in Balochistan. While the army is going along with the government, the military chief has made his point.
Kayani briefs Gilani on Balochistan situation
ISLAMABAD, May 9: Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani briefed Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday on the security situation in Balochistan.
The briefing was ostensibly held against the backdrop of prime ministers announcement that the government wanted to end military operation in the province and resolve the issue through dialogue and political means.
Kayani briefs Gilani on Balochistan situation -DAWN - Top Stories; May 10, 2008
This government is committing suicide on more than one count. While it continues to play hide and seek on judges issue, the real ticking time bomb is now on hairline trigger. The food, fuel and power crisis and the artificial depreciation of local currency against a crashing dollar are all multiple crises which have a serious potential of getting out of hand causing a major street rumpus. Already the levels of social unrest, frustrations and suicides have touched alarming levels. The government is now desperate but has no clue how to solve the crisis.
The crisis is being fully exploited by the sub-nationalists to create further divisions within the provinces on provincial, ethnic and linguistic lines. Already some dangerous threats are being hurled in the senate and the same are being promoted on ground levels. Punjab is the target by sub-nationalists in NWFP and Balochistan. The NWFP cartels are smuggling wheat to Afghanistan creating a shortage in the country. The sub-nationalists are exploiting this opportunity to create crisis of trust within the provinces. A sinister game plan indeed and part of the overall U.S. strategy which we have mentioned above.
These are testing times for the government, the State and the nation while the political leadership squabbles over petty distractions. If the government does not wake up soon, they will find themselves in a mess they wont be able to untangle. Already it seems that this experiment of democracy is going to fail sooner than later.
The Americans are preparing the ground for an invasion bypassing Islamabad. This new PPP-led government is more pro-U.S. than the Musharraf-led government of PML-Q. Such is the irony of democracy in Pakistan. U.S. has developed its own plans for FATA and this government is giving it full access no questions asked. The parliament is NOT on board on these new developments. The ANP is opposing on the surface while giving the Americans full access on the ground. U.S. is building the case that FATA is the most dangerous region in the world and so Washington has the right to have its own policy for our tribal region bypassing Islamabad
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan"The United States, for generations, has sustained two parallel but opposed states of mind about military atrocities and human rights: one of U.S. benevolence, generally held by the public, and the other of ends-justify-the-means brutality sponsored by counterinsurgency specialists. Normally the specialists carry out their actions in remote locations with little notice in the national press. That allows the public to sustain its faith in a just America, while hard-nosed security and economic interests are still protected in secret. "- Robert Parry, investigative reporter and author.
To understand how the U.S. game plan in Pakistan lies exposed, you need to know what the game plan in Pakistan is in the first place.
First, some facts. Something seriously crazy and dangerous is happening in Pakistani politics.
All politicians are busy in self preservation which can best be described as taken out of Machiavellis text book but surely suicidal in nature for the coalition government and dangerous for the State.
While the politicians and lawyers as well as media continue to kick dust in the eyes of ordinary Pakistanis, U.S. is fast-tracking its global, regional and national agenda silently in the background, bypassing the federal government in Islamabad and taking advantage of the confusion which is reigning at the moment. These are perhaps the most serious and dangerous U.S. moves for Pakistans sovereignty, security and defense. U.S. is making use of its assets in coalition government to bypass Pakistani parliament and State organs to directly implement its designs especially in tribal regions and in Balochistan. I will come back to explain, but let us see first how the internal actors within the country are behaving.
PPP and PML
The alliance is already under stress after the collapse after the withdrawal of Nawaz Sharifs ministers from the federal government. The issue of restoration of judges is forcing Zardari to play games with Sharif and create embarrassing moments for the man who has overcommitted himself on the issue of the judges and the President.
PPP and MQM
Sensing serious trouble within the coalition partners and under severe U.S. pressure, Zardari has already engaged MQM in Sindh and in the Center to the utter dismay of NS. The U.S.-backed alliance of PPP-MQM-ANP-JUI has been formed to bypass or sideline NS. This almost impossible feat has been achieved through some very heavy duty U.S. arm twisting of both parties which want to create a larger secular alliance.
President Musharraf
President Musharraf is now in a desperate situation. He now faces either a humiliating position as a toothless President or he will have to exit the scene to save some grace, whatever is left of it. He is at the mercy of his arch rivals and now becoming more and more irrelevant by the day. A sorry state of affairs for him. Americans are keeping him but even they want to take his teeth out to turn him into a ceremonial circus lion.
FATA and Balochistan
In both FATA and Balochistan, the new PPP government is moving ahead fast in appeasing all terrorists and sub-nationalists who are still waging their war against the State and Pakistan.
With no serious re-conciliation, no terms of engagement and no guarantee from the sub-nationalists and the BLA to stop violence, the government is rapidly giving them relief, protection and breathing space to regroup and re-launch their militant campaign in the country.
This is simple a suicide recipe for the State and the PPP government is fast tracking it without taking any security or peace guarantees from the Indian backed BLA terrorists. He so called all parties conference is already rejected by the BLA and sub-nationalists but the government is still going ahead with it to give its ridiculous moves some aura of respectability.
This new PPP led government is more pro-U.S. than the Musharraf-led government of PML(Q) despite the fact that people had voted for change. Such is the irony of democracy in Pakistan. U.S. has developed its own plans for FATA and this government is giving them full access no questions asked. The parliament is NOT on board on these new developments and plans which the U.S. is deploying using the ANP-led government. The resistance being shown to the U.S. on the surface on a few issues is for the gallery only and for public consumption alone. U.S. is building the case that FATA is the most dangerous region in the world and thus have a right to have its own policy for US national security bypassing Islamabad!
Americans are building a case for attack on tribal regions and even though their assessments are comical for professional and serious analysts, they are preparing grounds for an attack bypassing Islamabad. The militants in tribal areas are 99% local Pakistanis and they pose no threat to U.S. or E.U. The Arab connection in these regions is totally shattered and dispersed with less than 100 desperate Arabs who are on the run and pose no threat to U.S. or E.U. The assessments of U.S. and Interpol are ridiculous to say the least but their implications are very serious for Pakistan..
Pakistan-India relations
The PPP government is also quickly giving in to the Indian game plan as per U.S. instructions to the new government in Islamabad. Zardari is on record saying that he wants to bypass and ignore Kashmir for future generations to resolve! Now, the new PM is implementing this policy which is neither approved by the parliament nor debated anywhere in media. So much for democracy once again.
Food, Fuel and Power issues
If nothing else hastens the collapse of this government, the issue of food, fuel and power would. Meanwhile, they can continue haggling over judges, the future of coalition and betrayal by coalition partners. With the summer already setting in and massive power cuts expected, this government is totally not ready to handle these issues while its own focus remains fixed on survival and on fast-tracking the U.S. game plan which we will explain below.
The bottom line is that this political coalition is stillbirth from its inception and now the entire political drama is falling apart on all fours despite some last minute desperate efforts by partners as well as the United States to save the situation.
The U.S. is extremely weary of Nawaz Sharif and wants to create an alternate alliance of MQM, PPP, ANP to keep him out of power. There are two factions within the PPP as well.
1. The first faction is the nationalist faction that is kept for public consumption and PR purposes. This faction consists of PM Gilani and his likes.
2. The second crooked faction is already sold to the Americans and is playing the game for them behind the scenes along with MQM, ANP and JUI. This faction consists of Asif Zardari, Hussain Haqqani, Rehman Malik, Wajid Shams ul Hasan, General Durrani and Sherry Rehman.
U.S. has made it clear that it will continue to interfere in Pakistani political and security affairs to shape and re-shape the arena of its choice irrespective of the cost which the Pakistani State or the government has to pay. Americans wish to fight to the last Pakistani it seems in their war for the greater Middle East. Under no circumstances the U.S. would give a breathing space to the new government.
Pakistan too important to be ignored: US
WASHINGTON, May 6: The United States still regrets its decision in the 1990s to disengage itself from Pakistan and plans to stay engaged with a country it regards as too important to ignore, says a senior US official. Deputy Secretary of State John Negropontes policy statement on Pakistan at a briefing in Washington on Monday underlined several areas of concerns but he backed every complaint with a strong expression of desire to further strengthen the relationship between the two countries.
Pakistan too important to be ignored: US -DAWN - National; May 07, 2008
---------------------------------------------------
US Tightens Its Grip On Pakistan
Rarely does a top diplomat speak so openly from a public forum as Negroponte did on the centrality of Pakistan for the US's national security.
US tightens its grip on Pakistan : Information Clearing House - ICH
Nawaz Sharif is a powerful figure in the country and controls the largest province of Punjab. He can be a serious pain in the neck for U.S.-backed, Zardari-driven PPP government if he decides to part ways with the coalition. Obviously the Americans are extremely concerned at this prospect which is going to increase the stature of NS in the country if he decides to take an anti-US stand. Americans are now seriously working on him as well.
There are more problems for U.S. than just handling a difficult NS. The emotions in the country are now getting stronger against the U.S. foreign policy in the region and these elections were a vote against the pro-U.S. policies of the previous Musharraf led government. The people and the nation expect some change in the policies while the U.S. wants to use the Zardari axis to penetrate more into the society and the State. The confrontation is already simmering. The demands even within nationalist elements of the PPP led government that Pakistan should be protecting its own interests are now louder than ever.
Call in Senate for change in pro-US foreign policy
ISLAMABAD, May 8: Both friends and foes of the new government urged it during a Senate debate on Thursday to review what many saw as a pro-US foreign policy charted by a military-led establishment, which the coalition-leading Pakistan Peoples Party said it would not become part of. Senators from Islamic parties, majority of whom are allies of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilanis 40-day-old coalition government, were most vehement in demanding that Pakistan withdraw from the US-led so-called war against terrorism while most of others who spoke in the inconclusive debate wanted changes to make the foreign policy independent of American dictation and for initiatives to end the scourge of pro-Taliban militancy in the country, particularly in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
Call in Senate for change in pro-US foreign policy -DAWN - Top Stories; May 09, 2008
Time for look-East policy, Qureshi tells Senate
ISLAMABAD, May 9: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the Senate on Friday it was time for Pakistan to follow a look-East policy while reassuring the West the new government would honour its international obligations like the ones about the war on terror without compromising national interests.
Time for look-East policy, Qureshi tells Senate -DAWN - Top Stories; May 10, 2008
These anti-U.S. trends are so visible in the mainstream that now they have become a major crisis for U.S. planners. Even the strongly pro-PPP government could not agree to the choice of U.S. diplomats like Jay Hood due to the extreme reaction generated in the country over his posting to Islamabad. U.S. had to cancel his appointment due to protest from Pakistani society and government, an unprecedented event in the history of Pakistan-U.S. relations.
Anti-Americanism in Pakistan upsets envoy
KARACHI, May 8: U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson has said that the depth of anti-Americanism in Pakistan, especially in the middle class, has surprised her because Pakistans long-term interests are aligned with ours and with those of other western countries.
Anti-Americanism in Pakistan upsets envoy -DAWN - National; May 09, 2008
Controversial U.S. generals posting put on hold
ISLAMABAD, May 8: The United States has agreed not to post the controversial ex-Guantanamo Bay prison chief, Maj-Gen Jay W. Hood, in Pakistan after a public uproar in the country against his appointment. The U.S. government has taken note of the sensitivities of Pakistan government and the public regarding the posting of Gen Hood and it (the posting) would not materialize now, a diplomatic source told Dawn on Thursday.
Controversial US generals posting put on hold -DAWN - Top Stories; May 09, 2008
U.S. is rather going too fast within the coalition of the sub-nationalists which it has cobbled up. But the pace and the secrecy of their involvement with Pakistani political leaders is creating serious doubts within the mainstream politicians as well as in the national security establishment. When sub-nationalist leaders are taken secretly to U.S. for meetings with senior U.S. officials and the details are not made public, the levels of suspicion and doubts are bound to grow within the mainland.
ANP has a history of working to break Pakistan into smaller provinces especially separation of NWFP into an independent or Afghanistan aligned region of Pashtunistan. This game is now on big time as U.S. feels that region should be separated on blood lines and a larger Pashtun region of Afghan and Pakistani Pashtuns should be created under the umbrella of U.S. just as they are trying in Kurdistan.
Both the Americans as well as the sub-nationalists in ANP and MQM are playing their hands very suspiciously and it is all going to explode on their faces. U.S. is now directly trying to buy and recruit major players in Pakistani politics bypassing Islamabad and the national security establishment. Many Nazims, prominent Pakistanis, media men and strategic players in the country are being invited to U.S. secretly and lavishly treated.
Champions of separate Pashtun State. Achakzai and Asfandyar Wali laughing their hearts out as they find U.S. backers for the cause. Wali was on a secret visit to U.S. MQMs mayor of Karachi was also invited to Washington and received State guest status in U.S.
US silent on visit of Asfandyar
WASHINGTON, May 9: ANP president Asfandyar Wali spent Friday with American military officials at the U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Florida, diplomatic sources told Dawn. Earlier, he spent a week in Washington where he met senior officials at the State Department, the White House and the vice presidents office.
US silent on visit of Asfandyar -DAWN - National; May 10, 2008
Kamal says he is in US to seek investment
WASHINGTON, May 5: Karachi City Nazim Mustafa Kamal said on Monday that he had come to the United States to urge American businessmen to invest in his city.
We have built the infrastructure. We have created facilities. Now we need investment, the mayor told Dawn. Yes, there is a risk factor but we are here to convince the businessmen that it is a risk worth taking.
Kamal says he is in US to seek investment -DAWN - Top Stories; May 06, 2008
Similarly, on the front of war against militants in tribal areas, ANP has been tasked by the U.S. to try to create assets within the tribal areas. No serious analysts believe that this approach is going to work especially when ANP has zero credibility within the militants and are themselves seen as U.S. assets in the region. While the ANP government has always been against the presence of military in the tribal areas, now pragmatism has swept them as well and they know that in the absence of the military, the ruthless militants would sweep the tribal regions clean of all ANP assets. ANP wants to create a larger Pashtun alliance and for that it is going overboard even cutting deals with terrorists and criminals. U.S. does not mind peace deals in Swat but is sensitive about the same in tribal areas and wants the ANP to be selective.
But in contrast to the sensitivities in the tribal areas, U.S. has no problem in arranging pardon for all sub-nationalists who belong to Balochistan Liberation Army who want to separate Balochistan from Pakistan. They are friends of U.S. in the great game. The BLA still maintains a terrorist profile and war plans and remains engaged in insurgency but the U.S.-backed PPP government is almost going overboard to pardon all those involved in hundreds of cases of sabotage, terrorism, insurgency and murders. Knowing fully well that the tide is in their favor, the sub-nationalist terrorists are feeling the change in tide in their favor and now are talking tough themselves. The government has already started to oblige them by withdrawing troops from various sensitive locations.
Obviously, Pakistans national security managers especially the army are not amused at the developments. Akhtar Mengal was involved in serious crimes against military men and many officers and troops have died in Balochistan fighting BLA terrorists. It was time for the military chief to step in and put things in perspective for the new PM who appears to not know a thing about the real Indian/Afghan backed insurgency of the BLA in Balochistan. While the army is going along with the government, the military chief has made his point.
Kayani briefs Gilani on Balochistan situation
ISLAMABAD, May 9: Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani briefed Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday on the security situation in Balochistan.
The briefing was ostensibly held against the backdrop of prime ministers announcement that the government wanted to end military operation in the province and resolve the issue through dialogue and political means.
Kayani briefs Gilani on Balochistan situation -DAWN - Top Stories; May 10, 2008
This government is committing suicide on more than one count. While it continues to play hide and seek on judges issue, the real ticking time bomb is now on hairline trigger. The food, fuel and power crisis and the artificial depreciation of local currency against a crashing dollar are all multiple crises which have a serious potential of getting out of hand causing a major street rumpus. Already the levels of social unrest, frustrations and suicides have touched alarming levels. The government is now desperate but has no clue how to solve the crisis.
The crisis is being fully exploited by the sub-nationalists to create further divisions within the provinces on provincial, ethnic and linguistic lines. Already some dangerous threats are being hurled in the senate and the same are being promoted on ground levels. Punjab is the target by sub-nationalists in NWFP and Balochistan. The NWFP cartels are smuggling wheat to Afghanistan creating a shortage in the country. The sub-nationalists are exploiting this opportunity to create crisis of trust within the provinces. A sinister game plan indeed and part of the overall U.S. strategy which we have mentioned above.
These are testing times for the government, the State and the nation while the political leadership squabbles over petty distractions. If the government does not wake up soon, they will find themselves in a mess they wont be able to untangle. Already it seems that this experiment of democracy is going to fail sooner than later.
