ISI DG - 'Terror Is Our Enemy, Not India'

[RescueRanger]

The problem is how we express this to our friends across the border. This is our WAR too. Ask me, I have lost many close to me at the hand of these fundamentalist dogs!

If anything I would like to see all these Radical idiots all hung! Anyone who exhumes a corpse only to hang in it public is not a Muslim, anyone who teaches a 10 year old how to execute and behead a fellow man is not a Muslim.

Anyone who forces women to a life of illiteracy and confinement to their homes, to be treated as a mere chattel is no human, let alone a musilman. Do these so called “Talib’s” forget that Bibi Ayesha (the prophet’s wife) herself was an independent women, a business women in her day and age.

These so called Jihadi's are using mosques/madrassah and the title of "Talib" to cover their true intentions, I don’t think any Pakistani in their right mind is in doubt that this is our war.

Sure some of the western policies that the US/EU etc which to see applied on Pakistan are unrealistic and create further problems, but this is a WAR that we have to fight within.

And if anyone thinks its easy fighting holding areas like Shakai let along fighting in that area, and if you think "YOU" can do it better then most welcome. All I can say is just be prepared for a bloody nose well in advance.

 

[phoenix80]

My Boring Post

Religion, as a whole, has risen from beliefs. Be it the Koran, the Testaments or the Geeta, they all are the collections of stories which beautify the life that the almighty may or may not have created. Is there a God? That is something I believe is a personal perspective and opinion and each is entitled to find his/her own god and be at peace. What religion gave to mankind, was a set of principles to abide by, to live with and to honor. It gave human race something to believe in, for human race by instinct seeks comfort, security and solace, something that can give it the strength to carry on in the darkest of hours and direst of moments, it gives it the convictions that life is a gift.

The evolution of religion into a tool for terrorism has badly tainted this personal affair of human race. The hunger for power in men saw the rise of devils in guise of priests who used this belief of man to achieve greater power over them. The misuse of religion to kill, rape, loot, plunder in name of god has been going on for years. Be it the egyptians subduing the jews, the crusades where christians fought Salahuddin for Jerusalem, or the islamic invasion of europe, everytime there was loot, rape and plunder in name of religion in which killing was done to justify the existence of god and gods will. This was amply put to test in Afghanistan post-1979 Soviet invasion, where the communist (by nature and belief agnostic) were portrayed as infidels and disbelievers and the general masses motivated in name of holy war and god to fight. That same policy was used to raise the Taliban, and to control the country. The same policy was used to instigate insurrection in J&K. The effect of the same is today in name of religion terrorism is spreading where people have perceived religion to mean to dominate others and kill all who dont follow your path or belief.

In germany there were not many who believed in nazis. In fact many took them to be a bunch of cartoons and something to laugh at. but they gave the masses something to rally on in times of despair. The same is existing in regions all over today. Those who follow this path must be eliminated but those who tolerate it are the biggest sinners.

Terrorism is the biggest challenge to Pakistan today. As an extension of Afghan war, ISI indoctrinated thousands of afghan refugees (who had lost 10 years of education and socio-economic development due to afghan war) to fight in name of religion. It unknowingly opened a monster.These trainees trained others to think like them and as a result degeneration of social struture took place and things are where they are today.

Pakistani society, once one of the most modern and educated ones in South Asia, today is suffering terribly. With treatment of hardcore fundamentalists as saviours and their free movement in social structure, a slow radicalisation of grassroot society is taking place. The educational systems are closing and pakistan itself is now target of taleban thinking which is enforcing laws which have nothing to do with islam or koran. with lack of development due to prolonged war in afghanistan and its effect in poorly governened and developed FATA and NWFP, the taleban has had free hand to entrench itself there and as a result we see Pakistani authority being challeneged successfully there. Infact Pakistan today itself is facing more attacks than any other nation for the simple reason that they are no more able to control the monster they created. The only option is either for them to let taleban re-establish its control in afghanistan and so move out of pakistan or to defeat it permanently. The latter is not possible as the majority of paramilitary and military conscripts are from the same grassroots which has huge sympathy for the talebani school of thought (all misguided in name of true islam). So the option is to ease pressure by moving them out of Pakistan and that means defeatin the NATO troops in Afghanistan. That is what we are seeing now, with a resurgent Taliban (now you may argue Pakistan has no contact with them) now winning. How do these Taliban militia get their weapons/arms/ammuinition and training? From thin air? The only place is NWFP and FATA and there has to be logistical supply system in place and if so, it has to be in knowledge of GoP and PA and ISI.

Now India is in a precarious position. If it attacks Pakistan, forget nuclear war (its not happening and say what you want, you are not going to use a nuke) the fear of GoP losing grip over power coupled with army facing two sided pressure, may lead to civil war like situation with taliban gaining more ground, something that may lead to erosion of state authority and that is a nightmare none can imagine.

In all true assesments, India can not and WILL NOT EVER attack Pakistan. A preoccupied Pakistan is in its interests. India would want PA to fight with all its might against this Taliban and a unified strong Pakistan to be its buffer.
As long as a strong Pakistan stays, India is at ease, the day its gone, we will have to fight a war that will be worse than hell

 

[RabzonKhan]

We are not ‘crazy in Pakistan’

By Kamran Shafi

WHETHER it be Baroness Manningham-Buller, former director general of Britain’s MI5, or Jonathan Evans, the present DG; whether it be George Tenet, former director of the American CIA or Gen Mike Hayden, the present director, no spy chief has ever said anything even halfway controversial to the press. Their interviews, if any, are completely innocuous in content.

Indeed, this is what the Independent newspaper had to say about the press interview that Evans gave on Jan 6, 2008: “The head of MI5, Jonathan Evans, was on display yesterday after he had invited selected journalists to visit him in his office in Millbank, overlooking the Thames, so that he could make a few uncontroversial comments to mark the centenary of the spy network.

“It was the first time in MI5’s 100-year history that a serving head of MI5 had met the press — and even on this occasion, Mr Evans was cautious about which journalists were invited. He gave nothing away.”

I have often made the case that we Pakistanis are a most unique people and our country a most unique place where anything goes. Where, most critically, no cognisance is taken of what anyone in authority says or does, the country be damned.

Those that rule us think it their absolute right to say what they jolly well please; to be utterly loquacious when it takes their fancy; to show off and preen themselves as if the light shone out of their left ears alone and from nowhere else.

Here is what our DG of the ISI said in so many words — if you don’t believe me, please go to the Der Spiegel site — in an interview published in this most respected of Germany’s highest brow print-media journals: “We may be crazy in Pakistan, but not completely out of our minds!”

I ask you! Is this how the chief of an agency accused of much chicanery by most of the world should address a question of this magnitude? Especially when there is every evidence that hard-core and cruel extremists, albeit very few in number, have been allowed to hold this country and its good people by the throat for too long?

Der Spiegel goes on: “However, it is worth listening closely when the general explains why he too is unwilling to apprehend the Taliban leadership, even though many claim that Taliban leader Mullah Omar, for example, is in Quetta….

“‘Shouldn’t they be allowed to think and say what they please? They believe that jihad is their obligation. Isn’t that freedom of opinion?’ he asks, defending extremist rabble-rousers, who are sending more and more Quran school students to Afghanistan to fight in the war there. Such words from Pasha arouse the old suspicion that the ISI is playing a double game.”

As it should arouse suspicion, because the Taliban don’t only say what they “please”; they also behead and shoot as they “please”, and cut off other people’s ears as they “please”. Just as they cut off the ears of five tribal elders belonging to a peace committee in Khar the other day.

It is hardly a matter of their “freedom of opinion”, because their freedom of opinion extends to blowing up schools, in recent weeks not only girls schools but ALL schools in Swat. And effectively taking over completely, that once peaceful and very lovely place. Ask the poor Swatis.

The Taliban’s “freedom of opinion” extends to kidnapping senior and well-guarded government officials such as on Jan 11, when they took the Additional Political Agent of South Waziristan in broad daylight. We must note that whilst he was protected by “more than 20 heavily-armed” guards, just five masked men spirited him away. What in God’s name is going on? Chills you to the bone does it not, this interview by the head of Pakistan’s Mother of All Agencies?

There is much more that is completely inexplicable. One of our English language newspapers had this story in its Jan 11 publication: “militants affiliated with the Swat chapter of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacked the house of former federal minister and ANP leader Muhammad Afzal Khan ‘Lala’, burnt another government school, and lashed two drug addicts publicly.”The news report goes on to say that the militants invited the townspeople (no, not women, who are not even allowed into Swat bazaars any longer on pain of death, remember) to witness the flogging of the addicts in the main bazaar of Matta Town which they duly carried out a few hours after making the public announcement.

We are also told by the newspaper that when Lala’s house was attacked the security forces “in an unusual move” engaged the attackers and “made them flee”. What in heaven’s name is going on, sirs?

Afzal ‘Lala’ is a well-known and respected politician of Swat who has courageously refused to leave his home in that ravaged part of our country because, simply, he will not be cowed; will not leave his home. My deepest respects to him.But why did the “security forces” act “unusually” in his case only? Why don’t they act “usually” when parliamentarians’ houses are blown up, when ordinary people are abducted in the dead of night and butchered, their headless bodies hung on electricity poles in public squares in Swat’s major towns like Mingora itself? And when schools are blown up?

Reportedly, there are 30,000 or so regular army soldiers stationed in Swat, apart from the civil armed forces and whatever police that have not deserted out of fear of beheading, what else. Are there more Taliban than these “security forces”? Is the army out-gunned by the Taliban? Do the Taliban have tanks and artillery and helicopter gunships and an air force too? What the devil is going on there for God’s sake?

Visitors to Swat tell of Pakistan Army and Taliban check posts a few hundred metres apart, army vehicles passing through Taliban check posts too. Why? Are they cooperating to strike the fear of God into our hearts? And for telling their paymaster, Amreeka Bahadur, that the problem is far bigger than it really is, so go on coughing up those luscious dollars?

Let me caution the powers that be in this tortured and unfortunate country: Barack Obama will soon be in the White House. Beware, sirs, for he is a highly intelligent man who will very quickly see through all of the charade and the subterfuge that seemingly is on shameful display in the citadel of Islam. He is not a duffer like your ‘tight buddy’ Dubya! So beware, if not for your own sakes, then for this poor country’s and its hapless people’s. I beg you.

Bushism of the week: “So I analysed that and decided I didn’t want to be the president during a depression greater than the Great Depression, or the beginning of a depression greater than the Great Depression” — President George W Bush; Washington D.C., Dec. 18, 2008.

 

[Screaming Skull]

'Pakistan still considers India as its principal enemy'

Aziz Haniffa in Washington, DC

April 02, 2009

Although Pakistan faces an 'existential' threat from terrorists within its borders, many of its leaders are still hung up on India as that country's principal enemy, the chief of United States Central Command has informed the US Congress.

This observation was made by Army General David Petraeus, who was addressing the Senate Armed Services Committee to sell President Barack Obama's comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, which he unveiled last week. Petraeus feels that not only do Pakistan's leaders consider India as the principal threat, but believe these terrorist groups can be used against India as a potential strategic asset.

"The Pakistan state faces a rising -- indeed, an existential -- threat from extremists such as al Qaeda and other transnational terrorist organisation, which have developed in safe havens and support bases in ungoverned spaces in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border regions," the United States Central Command head said.

Petraeus bemoaned, "Many Pakistani leaders remain focused on India as Pakistan's principal threat, and some may even continue to regard Islamist extremist groups as a potential strategic asset against India."

Even though he did not name Pakistan or Iran, he cautioned that, "Some countries in the AOR (area of operation) play a dangerous game of allowing or accepting extremist networks and terrorist facilitators to operate from or through their territory, believing that their own people and governments will be immune from the threat."

Petraeus also defended the Obama administration's strategy in considering Afghanistan and Pakistan jointly in its fight against terrorism, although Washington clearly recognises the clear differences between the two nations, and the funds and troops levels requested by the administration will be applied in different ways.

"Although the additional resources will be applied in different ways on either side of the border, Afghanistan and Pakistan comprise a single theater that requires comprehensive 'whole-of-governments' approaches that are closely coordinated," he said.

Petraeus said that Pakistan requires particular and specialised handling, which is quite different from that of Afghanistan, and pointed out that democratic institutions in that country 'are fragile'. He added that Pakistan has suffered significant losses in civilian and military lives in its operations against the extremists.

Al Qaeda and the Taliban had established safe areas in the Federally Administered Tribal Area and North West Frontier Province areas, said Petraeus, adding that they "not only contribute to the deterioration of security in eastern and southern Afghanistan, they also pose an ever more serious threat to Pakistan's very existence."

"It is in Pakistan that al Qaeda senior leadership and other transnational extremist elements are located. Operations there are imperative, and we need to provide the support and assistance to the Pakistani military that can enable them to confront the extremists who pose a truly existential threat to their country," he said.

Navy Admiral Eric T Olson, the commander of the US Special Operations Command, also appearing before the Committee with Petraeus, warned of the 'increasingly dire' situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He said that President's Obama's comprehensive strategy was the right one because it "includes a clear focus on al Qaeda as the enemy, and that a whole-of-government approach is directed."

"Our units have been conducting both counterterrorism and counterinsurgency for several years," he said, and added, "We will continue to provide our broad capabilities to our fullest capacity in order to meet the needs of our elected and appointed civilian leaders and our military operational commanders."

Olson said that even though al Qaeda has suffered significant losses in Afghanistan and Pakistan, its "surviving leaders have proven adept at hiding, communicating, and inspiring."

Operating from remote bases in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, al Qaeda remained "a draw for local and foreign fighters who subscribe to its extremist ideology and criminality," he said.

Meanwhile, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Michele Flournoy, who was one of the architects of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Strategy that she co-chaired with Bruce Riedel, acknowledged that for the strategy to be successful it is imperative that Pakistan "must move to dismantle the safe havens on its territory and defeat the terror and insurgent networks within its borders."

Flournoy told the lawmakers that doing this is "absolutely critical to the security and stability of that nuclear armed state."

Indicating that the US will conduct its own operations when actionable evidence is found, Flournoy asserted, "We have learned in the past, at too high a price, the danger of allowing al Qaeda and its extremist supporters to have safe havens and access to resources to plan their attacks."

"This is why we have troops in Afghanistan and why we are going to heavily engage and intensify our efforts in Pakistan," she said.

Making it clear that the US will persuade Pakistan to rid itself of its paranoia of India as the principal threat, Flournoy said, Washington would "encourage and enable it to shift its focus from conventional war preparations to counterinsurgency and counterterrorism preparations."

 

[BaburCM]

^^ India will be considered no. 1 enemy until they don't stop their terror activities from across the border. Period.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

^^^^^^

political wing of ISI has been dis-banded. But indian show no sign of stopping illicit nefarious designs.

BLA/TTP etc. Blame our weak pansy govt. and media. india has the jingoistic/sensationalist media, therefore they spend all day dreaming and writing about mighty mighty ISI.

Despite indian size, it seems they are the barking ferocious poodle ---and we are the calm doberman.

 

[RescueRanger]

Right now for me and those i know, Mr. Mehsud and his band of puppies are our No. 1 Enemy.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

Lt. Gen. Pasha is respected figure and from what I hear he is most professional --as a soldier and as an official.

He is known for staunch anti-taleban objectives......


the reason ISI is getting bad publicity is because the americans are frustrated in Afghanistan. Afghan taleban and Pak taleban are different (for the most part) organizations.

USA has been losing in 2008-2009 --given the surge of violence even in Kabul and Kandahar. Therefore, when they talk of dialogue with ''moderate taleban'' ---we still get chastized for doing the same thing.

To alienate the taleban, we should use lashkars and moderate taleban and have them go at the throats of militant taleban elements. Rather than allow them to create power vaccuum, we should be the ones creating inner-taleban power reverse-vacuum.


meanwhile --guerilla training is a must.....cut the drugs/weapons/financial chain, and invest in local infrastructure.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

The problem is how we express this to our friends across the border. This is our WAR too. Ask me, I have lost many close to me at the hand of these fundamentalist dogs!

If anything I would like to see all these Radical idiots all hung! Anyone who exhumes a corpse only to hang in it public is not a Muslim, anyone who teaches a 10 year old how to execute and behead a fellow man is not a Muslim.

Anyone who forces women to a life of illiteracy and confinement to their homes, to be treated as a mere chattel is no human, let alone a musilman. Do these so called “Talib’s” forget that Bibi Ayesha (the prophet’s wife) herself was an independent women, a business women in her day and age.

These so called Jihadi's are using mosques/madrassah and the title of "Talib" to cover their true intentions, I don’t think any Pakistani in their right mind is in doubt that this is our war.

Sure some of the western policies that the US/EU etc which to see applied on Pakistan are unrealistic and create further problems, but this is a WAR that we have to fight within.

And if anyone thinks its easy fighting holding areas like Shakai let along fighting in that area, and if you think "YOU" can do it better then most welcome. All I can say is just be prepared for a bloody nose well in advance.

your post had impact on me...very well said


what bothers me especially --is the imagery of young village boys among bystanders ---as the taleban carry out their ''justice'' using whip.


should these kids (our future) be watching this bullshıt, or instead learning how to actually be productive. Allah didnt give us brain for us to be lazy and braindead people lying on prayer mats all day.

How can these kids realize their potential? Theyve seen nothing but war and misery since the campaign of terror began.