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CIA/Indian/Afghan Involvement in WoT in Pakistan

I do find it interesting that these raids have occurred almost immediately after the meeting between Adm. Mullen and Gen. Kiyani, which by all accounts seemed to have gone quite well.
AM,
Do you know where this meeting took place?
On a floating USN CVBG.
Read between the lines and the timings.
This was General Kiyani's trade off against a full invasion of the ISAF/NATO into the tribal areas.
 
AM,
Do you know where this meeting took place?
On a floating USN CVBG.
Read between the lines and the timings.
This was General Kiyani's trade off against a full invasion of the ISAF/NATO into the tribal areas.

Sir,

This is speculation and you know it! The meeting took place aboard the carrier Abraham Lincoln were Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top American commander in Iraq (who will soon become the senior officer in the Middle East); Gen. David D. McKiernan, NATO’s top officer in Afghanistan; Adm. Eric T. Olson, head of the Special Operations Command; Lt. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, acting commander of American forces in the Middle East; and Rear Adm. Michael A. LeFever, the senior American military liaison to Pakistan. General Kayani was accompanied by ranking officers from Pakistan.

“The meeting was mainly to continue to discuss ongoing operations against extremists in the border region and to work together to find better ways to solve those problems,” said one American military official who was briefed on the talks. Admiral Mullen met with General Kayani just a month ago in Islamabad, Pakistan. It was then that this week’s meeting was scheduled.
It was one of those meetings to help clear up the situation, get an understanding of the issues, and look for a way forward.
 
Sir Icecold, what about an idea of letting tribesmen handling this whole situation. Let them fight US and Pak withdraws it's troops from FATA. US will soon learn a lesson. Provide tribesmen with stinger missile & then rock n roll. I will see once US knows that tribesmen are having stringer missle or any other of that kind, how many helicopters violate our territory.

This is absurd, I'm quite offended by reading this. Not only is our own military unprepared for a full assault by the US, but the same goes for "tribesman". Of course nothing will get near that stage without nuclear arms becoming a key factor.
 
This is absurd, I'm quite offended by reading this. Not only is our own military unprepared for a full assault by the US, but the same goes for "tribesman". Of course nothing will get near that stage without nuclear arms becoming a key factor.

:) If US has been forced to run away from Iraq with its tail between the legs, it wont be much difficult to make her run from our tribal areas.

The air might is not going to make US capture Pakistan that easily while on grounds she is going to suffer more.
 
:) If US has been forced to run away from Iraq with its tail between the legs, it wont be much difficult to make her run from our tribal areas.

The air might is not going to make US capture Pakistan that easily while on grounds she is going to suffer more.

I don't see them running anywhere, I see the Iraqi president publically executed and the countryside ablaze in civil war aka full blown espionage activity. Even if the ground troops are repulsed the sea and air will be controlled by the haramis, and that is much more important in a modern day combat zone.
 
I don't see them running anywhere, I see the Iraqi president publically executed and the countryside ablaze in civil war aka full blown espionage activity. Even if the ground troops are repulsed the sea and air will be controlled by the haramis, and that is much more important in a modern day combat zone.

hmmm :))) im thinking about the espinoage activity.

You are right about sea and air, but still is US going to sustain that in the face of opposition and counter plans by other players in the reigion??

If shez going to controle sea and air isnt it going to affect Iran, Russia and China ??
 
hmmm :))) im thinking about the espinoage activity.

You are right about sea and air, but still is US going to sustain that in the face of opposition and counter plans by other players in the reigion??

If shez going to controle sea and air isnt it going to affect Iran, Russia and China ??

Undoubtedly it will, though count on China being kept far away from any conflict. If indeed Iran and Pakistan are on the same radar then I will use a memorable quote from a certain someone,

"Bring it on".

Realistically our enemies are pushing for a limited yet damaging war between US and Pak.
 
Undoubtedly it will, though count on China being kept far away from any conflict. If indeed Iran and Pakistan are on the same radar then I will use a memorable quote from a certain someone,

"Bring it on".

Realistically our enemies are pushing for a limited yet damaging war between US and Pak
.


Yes that is. AGreed with you fully. The enemy is out giving helping hand to US in FATA. An officer of the enemy was also arrested in Swat now its another matter that it was not made public.

enemies want US to do their job against Pakistan.

unfortunatly our internal elements ranging from politicians to media are also directly or undirectly helping them.
 
By Gregory R. Copley

Thursday, 5 September 2008.

Ahmed Quraishi-Pakistan/Middle East politics, Iraq war, lebanon war, India Pakistan relations
Analysis. By Gregory R. Copley, President, ISSA. Wishful thinking, a failure to look at history, and a belief in their own propaganda is inducing Washington policymakers and NATO analysts to believe that the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is making major strides in the US-led campaign to create a Taliban-free society in Afghanistan.

Excellent article, very close to what I have been
saying.

I very strongly believe that Pakistan alone will not be able to achieve much, NATO and Afghans should do more, because I think 80% of the problem lies inside Afghanistan.

Unfortunately no one solution will completely resolve this conflict.

Here are some:

1. Border fencing and mining between Afghanistan and Pakistan’s 2,500km long border.

Karzai has opposed it, saying that “the fence will not prevent militants crossing the border, but will only separate Pashtun tribes and families”. Karzai is wrong, several other countries have successfully erected security fences to tackle terrorism and illegal migration, India has successfully erected a security fence along its border with Pakistan and Bangladesh, Israel with Palestine, Saudi Arabia with Yemen and EU with Morocco.

2. All Afghan refugees (2.5 million) must be repatriated without any further delay.

It’s a known fact that Taliban recruit many of them for terrorism inside Afghanistan.

3. Biometrics system at all border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Around 50,000 people cross the border on a daily basis through the checkpoints, so this will help check their movement.


NATO must do their part:

4. Increase their troop levels from the present 55,000 to at least 2, 00,000 thousands.

5. Increase funding and expedite the reconstruction efforts.

The status quo only benefits Taliban terrorists, the drug barons who continue their lucrative trade and the corrupt Afghan political elite.

6. Immediately eradicate the poppy fields.

The drug trade provided income for Afghan warlords, Afghan and Pakistani Taliban. In my opinion, this is the number one issue, without resolving it, Afghanistan and Pakistan’s Tribal areas (FATA) will never become stable.

7. Afghanistan must purge warlords and drug barons from the government.

8. Completely seal the Pak/Afghan border.

Controlling the border is a two way street. Pakistan has deployed more than 120,000 forces to monitor its 2,500km long border with Afghanistan. The troops have set up more than 900 check posts to prevent the cross-border movement of the terrorists.

9. Open dialogue with Taliban who are willing to lay down their arms.

Bottom-line is that we (US, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia) created this monster together and we have to work together to eliminate it.

Will anyone listen…..I doubt it. I think US and NATO are more interested in attacking a ally rather than cleaning up the mess in Afghanistan.
 
AM,

This was General Kiyani's trade off against a full invasion of the ISAF/NATO into the tribal areas.

With what army?

But seriously, even assuming a massive relocation of forces from Iraq to Afghanistan, if the only two options US defense planners have left themselves with are limited raids into FATA and a 'full invasion', then my 'imbeciles' and/or 'neo-con ideologues' description of the US defense establishment stands.

The only realistic option is bolstering Pakistani capabilities, civilian and military (COIN), and addressing Pakistan's strategic concerns, which does not necessarily have to be exclusive of India's own strategic concerns.
 
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With what army?

Quite honestly, if the only two options US defense planners have left themselves with are limited raids into FATA and a 'full invasion', then my 'imbeciles' and/or 'neo-con ideologues' description of the US defense establishment stands.

Exactly, is it just me or are the blatant weakness of the US becoming disturbingly apparent? Oh well, just let their politics collapse on their ambitions, America will take care of America.

If not, solutions exist.
 
Neighbours supporting, financing militants: Rehman
Saturday, September 06, 2008
By our correspondent

NOWSHERA: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik on Friday held the neighbouring countries responsible for the prevailing unrest and violence in Swat and parts of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).

He expressed these views while talking to reporters following his meeting with Maulana Samiul Haq, chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-S), to seek support for Asif Ali Zardari in Saturday's presidential election.

"We want cordial and friendly relations with Afghanistan," Rehman said, adding that both the countries could play a vital role to get rid of extremism and terrorism. Rehman Malik warned the neighbouring countries to stop supporting and financing the militants. He said Pakistan was capable of dealing with miscreants in the troubled areas.

Commenting on the ongoing operation in the Bajaur Agency, Rehman Malik said the operation will continue in Swat and the Bajaur Agency until the writ of the government was established in these areas.

"The government will not allow anybody to challenge its writ," he maintained. He said the situation in Bajaur was now returning to normalcy and advised the internally displaced persons (IDPs) to go back to their respective areas. He added that the country was going through a critical situation and urged all the political forces to unite and help the country steer out of crises. About the ongoing clashes between the warring groups in the Kurram Agency, Rehman Malik said the rival groups had been given the last warning to halt attacking each other.

why he doesn,t accuse directly india like they do everytime :hitwall::angry:
 
Neighbouring countries involved in terrorist activities: sources
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
By Javed Aziz Khan

PESHAWAR: Investigation into the terrorist incidents across the country has established the involvement of a spy agency of a neighbouring country in most of the bloody incidents, official sources told The News.

"There are proofs that many of the terrorist gangs operating in the Frontier, the Fata and other parts of the country are being funded and provided explosives and weapons by the spy agency of a neighbouring country," a senior investigator said while requesting anonymity.

The official added that secret agents and some individuals of another neighbouring country were facilitating contacts between agents of the aforesaid spy agency and members of the criminal rings that were bombing and rocketing places all over the country.

"The make of the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used in different blasts is a clear indication that these bombs were made by properly skilled military people and not untrained locals, working for different rings," the official disclosed.

The official said the spy agency transported explosives and money to the criminals through another neighbouring country. "The DTMF (Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency) circuits, the RDX (explosive) material and plastic explosives that are being used in roadside IEDs are purely of the latest technology that is coming from abroad. The detonators and the latest model remote control system are also being provided from a foreign country," the official disclosed.

Sources said criminals, as members of their rings, operating in Peshawar and Charsadda were being paid monthly salary and huge share in booty. Money for this purpose, these sources continued, is being provided by the spy agency of the neighbouring country.

"Police had got incontrovertible evidence that apart from bomb blasts in different districts and tribal agencies of the country, the aforesaid spy agency was involved in the killing of three Chinese technicians in suburban Daudzai village of Peshawar last year. The purpose was to affect the ideal Sino-Pak relationship," the official claimed.

In that case, people in Afghanistan, the source disclosed, gave the accused persons a huge amount in dollars. The source added that another such connection was found about three persons who were killed in a blast in Yakatoot area while handling their own IED. "One of the deceased was an Afghan, having connections with a foreign spy agency," the source revealed.


http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=133510
 
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Zardari, Karzai vow for joint efforts against terrorism
ISLAMABAD, Sep 9 (APP): President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghan President Hamid Karzai on uesday expressed their commitment to jointly fight the menace of terrorism and extremism from the region and ensure peace. The two leader vowed to fight the “same evils” the two countries were suffering, at a joint press conference held at Aiwan-e-Sadr soon after President Zardari took oath of his office.

President Zardari, in his maiden press briefing after swearing-in said today the democracy had completed its circle and Pakistan could now proudly stand in the league of nations.

He said Pakistan would stand with Afghanistan in every situation. “Pakistan intends to work with you, along with you,” Zardari told the Afghan President. President Zardari said from today and tomorrow, the government would deal with the issues in regional perspective.

He assured that Pakistan can withstand various problems effectively which it was suffering at the moment.

“We are bigger than the problems are. We are Pakistanis,” Zardari categorically added. President Karzai, who especially arrived here to attend the President Zardari’s oath-taking ceremony, congratulated the new President and expressed “warmth and depth” for the invitation extended to him.

Karzai who called Zardari “my friend” said Pakistan and Afghanistan are like conjoined twins. “That’s why both are suffering with the same problems, by the same evils,” he said. He urged the need for a joint struggle for ensuring peace and prosperity in the two countries and the region. He said Afghanistan would continue to take steps for the eradication of terrorism from the area and would stand with Pakistan in its efforts for the same cause.
 
Can’t Win in Afhganistan, Blame Pakistan

Soon after the US invaded Afghanistan and overthrew the Taliban government in 2001, I predicted that Taliban resistance would resume in four years.

My fellow pundits, who were ****-a-hoop over the US military victory over a bunch of lightly-armed medieval tribesmen, became drunk on old-fashioned imperial triumphalism, and denounced me as “crazy,” or worse. But most of them had never been to Afghanistan and knew nothing about the Pashtun tribal people. I had covered the struggle against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan during the 1980’s and was well aware of the leisurely pace of warfare favored by Pashtun warriors.

“Do not stay in Afghanistan,” I warned in a 2001 article in the Los Angeles Times. The longer foreign forces remained in Afghanistan, the more the tribes would fight against their continued presence. Taliban resumed fighting in 2005.

Now, as resistance to the US-led occupation of Afghanistan has intensified, the increasingly frustrated Bush administration is venting its anger against Pakistan and its military intelligence agency, Inter-Service Intelligence, better known as ISI.

The White House just leaked claims ISI is in cahoots with pro-Taliban groups in Pakistan’s tribal agency along the Afghan border and warns them of impending US attacks. The New York Times, which allowed the Bush administration to use it as a mouthpiece for Iraq War propaganda, dutifully featured the leaks about ISI on front page. Other administration officials have been claiming that ISI may even be hiding Osama bin Laden and other senior al-Qaida leaders.

The Bush administration claims that CIA had electronic intercepts proving ISI was behind the bombing of India’s embassy in Kabul. India and Afghanistan echoed this charge. No hard evidence though was ever produced, but the US media has been lustily condemning Pakistan for pretending to be an ally of the US while acting like an enemy.

During a visit to the US by Pakistan’s newly elected Prime Minister, President George Bush angrily asked, Yousuf Gilani, “who’s in charge of ISI?” An interesting question, since all recent ISI director generals have been vetted and pre-approved by Washington.

I was one of the first western journalists invited into ISI HQ in 1986. ISI’s then director general, the fierce Lt. General Akhtar Abdul Rahman, personally briefed me on Pakistan’s secret role in fighting Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. ISI’s “boys” provided communications, logistics, training, heavy weapons, and direction in the Afghan War. I kept ISI’s role in Afghanistan a secret until the war ended in 1989.

ISI was primarily responsible for the victory over the Soviets, which hastened the collapse of the USSR. At war’s end, Gen. Akhtar and Pakistan’s leader, Zia ul Haq, both died in a sabotaged C-130 transport aircraft. Unfortunately, most Pakistanis blame the United States for this assassination, though the real malefactors have never been identified and the investigation long ago shelved.

On my subsequent trips to Pakistan I was routinely briefed by succeeding ISI chiefs, and joined ISI officers in the field, sometimes under fire.

ISI, which reports to Pakistan’s military and the prime minister, is accused of meddling in Pakistani politics. The late Benazir Bhutto, who often was thwarted and vexed by Pakistan’s spooks, always playfully scolded me, “you and your beloved generals at ISI.”

But before Gen. Pervez Musharraf took over as military dictator, ISI was the third world’s most efficient, professional intelligence agency. It still defends Pakistan against internal and external subversion by India’s powerful spy agency, RAW, and by Iran. ISI works closely with CIA and the Pentagon and was primarily responsible for the rapid ouster of Taliban from power in 2001. But ISI also must serve Pakistan’s interests which are often not identical to Washington’s, and sometimes in conflict.

ISI was long and deeply involved in supporting the uprising by Kashmiri Muslims against Indian rule, and has been accused by India of abetting groups that have committed bombings and aircraft hijackings inside India, including a wave of terrorist bombings against civilians in Bangalore and Gujarat over recently weeks. For its part, India’s powerful intelligence service, RAW, has mounted bombing and shooting attacks inside Pakistan.

The reason it is often difficult to tell whether Pakistan is friend or foe is because Washington has been forcing Pakistan’s government, military and intelligence services into supporting the US-led war in Afghanistan and in the past, in rounding up and torturing opponents of Pakistan’s military dictatorship. Pakistan was forced to bend to Washington’s will through a combination of over $11 billion in payments and threats of war if Pakistan did not comply. The ongoing prosecution of the US-led war in Afghanistan depends entirely on Pakistan’s provision of bases and troops.

While Pakistan’s government, military and intelligence services were forced to follow Washington’s strategic plans, 90% of Pakistan’s people bitterly oppose these policies. President-dictator Musharraf was caught between the anger of Washington and his own angry people who branded him an American stooge.

Small wonder Pakistan’s leadership is so often accused of playing a double game.

The last ISI Director General I knew was the tough, highly capable Lt. Gen. Mahmood Ahmad. He was purged by Musharraf because Washington felt Mahmood was insufficiently responsive to US interests. Ever since 2001, ensuing ISI directors were all pre-approved by Washington. All senior ISI veterans deemed “Islamist” or too nationalistic by Washington were purged at Washington’s demand, leaving ISI’s upper ranks top-heavy with too many yes-men and paper-passers.

Even so, there is strong opposition inside ISI and the military to Washington’s bribing and arm-twisting the subservient Musharraf dictatorship into waging war against fellow Pakistanis and gravely damaging Pakistan’s national interests. After coming of the new civilian set up under Mr. Zardari as the new President, and Mr. Gilani, the prime minister, for most of the Pakistanis Pakistani people, there seems to be hardly any change in this policy.

ISI’s primary duty is defending Pakistan, not promote US interests. Pashtun tribesmen on the border sympathizing with their fellow Taliban Pashtun in Afghanistan are Pakistanis. Many, like the legendary Jalaluddin Haqqani, are old US allies and “freedom fighters” from the 1980’s. When the US and its western allies finally abandon Afghanistan, as they will inevitably do one day, Pakistan must go on living with its rambunctious tribals.

Violence and uprisings in these tribal areas are not caused by “terrorism,” as Washington and Musharraf falsely claimed. They directly result from the US-led occupation of Afghanistan and Washington’s forcing the regimes to attack theirown people.

ISI is trying to restrain pro-Taliban Pashtun tribesmen while dealing with growing US attacks into Pakistan that threaten a wider war. India, Pakistan’s bitter foe, has an army of agents in Afghanistan and is arming, backing and financing the Karzai puppet regime in Kabul in hopes of turning Afghanistan into a protectorate. Pakistan’s historic strategic interests in Afghanistan have been undermined by the US occupation. Now, the US and India are trying to eliminate Pakistani influence in Afghanistan.

ISI, many of whose officers are Pashtun, has every right to warn Pakistani citizens of impending US air attacks that kill large numbers of civilians. But ISI also has another vital mission. Preventing Pakistan’s Pashtun, 15-20% of the population of 165 million, from rekindling the old “Greater Pashtunistan” movement calling for union of the Pashtun tribes of Pakistan and Afghanistan into a new Pashtun nation. The Pashtun have never recognized the Durand Line (today’s Pakistan-Afghan border) drawn by British imperialists to sunder the world’s largest tribal people. Greater Pashtunistan would tear apart Pakistan and invite Indian military intervention.

Washington’s bull-in-a-china shop behavior pays no heeds to these realities. Instead, Washington demonizes faithful old allies ISI and Pakistan while supporting Afghanistan’s Communists and drug dealers, and allowing India to stir the Afghan pot - all for the sake of new energy pipelines.

As Henry Kissinger cynically noted, being America’s ally is more dangerous than being its enemy.

Eric Margolis, contributing foreign editor for Sun National Media Canada, is the author of War at the Top of the World..

Copyright © 2008 Eric Margolis

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