Musharraf's tough warning against attack

[Spring Onion]

Pakistan warns against unilateral action on rebels


SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said any unilateral action by U.S.-led coalition forces against militants in the border region with Afghanistan will be regarded as an invasion, a newspaper reported on Friday.

Musharraf told Singapore's The Straits Times that Islamabad will resist any entry by coalition forces in the tribal areas to hunt down Islamic militants, regarding that as a breach of Pakistan's sovereignty.

"I challenge anybody coming into our mountains. They would regret the day," he told the newspaper in an interview conducted in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

Musharraf also told the newspaper he would resign if a government that emerged from elections, now scheduled for next month, sought his impeachment.

Pakistan has been under pressure from Washington to stamp out al Qaeda and pro-Taliban militants U.S. officials believe are hiding in remote regions along the border with Afghanistan and fomenting violence there.

The New York Times said earlier this month the U.S. government was considering expanding the authority of the CIA and the military to conduct aggressive covert operations in Pakistan.

Pakistan officials dismissed the report at the time and said Islamabad would not permit any such action.

Musharraf also criticized U.S. Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton's proposal to deploy a U.S., and possibly a British, team to safeguard Pakistan's nuclear assets.

Her statement, Musharraf said, was an "intrusion into our privacy, into our sensitivity ... She doesn't seem to understand how well-guarded these assets are."

International concern about the safety of Pakistan's nuclear weapons has been increasing, and earlier this week, Mohamed Elbaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, was quoted as saying he feared the nuclear arsenal could pass into the hands of extremists.

Musharraf is also under fire at home.

The Pakistan People's Party led by Benazir Bhutto until her assassination last month has been attacking him over her killing while Nawaz Sharif, another former premier, has demanded his immediate resignation and the formation of an all-party government to conduct free and fair elections.

"If impeachment were their intention and they don't want to go along in a harmonious manner, I would like to quit the scene," Musharraf said when asked what would happen if Bhutto's party emerged a winner in the elections and mounted a bid to oust him with the support of Sharif's party.

"If that happens, let me assure you that I would be leaving office before they would do anything."


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080111/wl_nm/...an_musharraf_dc

 

[Spring Onion]

Thats the way :tub:

this time this strong statment was much needed besides his comment about resignation well i think all those who were trying to remove him would regret if he stepped down.

 

[Energon]

I don't think Musharraf is realistically in a position to bring immediate harm to coalition forces. The most he can do is offer further refuge to the tribal fighters operating in Afghanistan. But then this too will have severe consequences to the nation at large.

He is between a rock and a hard place.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

It was expected.

There was too much of pressure from the West, wherein for everything going wrong, he was being blamed.

Like Musharraf or dislike Musharraf, one cannot deny that he has taken some actions which are not popular with the majority of the Pakistani people. Whether he did it out of conviction or other reasons is a moot point. But the fact is, he did!

Therefore, in his own opinion, and also having put his life on line with the terrorists, he did expect some support, which was not coming and instead only brickbats.

Anyone, in his position, would do the same and say enough is enough!

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

It will sell well at home, regardless of the absurdity of taking on NATO.

However NATO itself, regardless of its military might, will not want the situation to get to that point, because wiping out the Pakistan military if such an exchange were to take place only magnifies its problems, and creates monstrous new ones.

NATO does not have the manpower, at this point, or at any point in the near future, to take on the complete challenge of Afghanistan - let alone FATA. They can bomb suspected sites, and civilian weddings, make more enemies, but that is pretty much it. They need the PA to do the job on this side, and with Kiyani in charge, they will wait to see whether his approach is working differently than before.

Salim,

I agree. His frustration with the West has been evident since his first conference after being sworn in as President.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

It will sell well at home, regardless of the absurdity of taking on NATO.

However NATO itself, regardless of its military might, will not want the situation to get to that point, because wiping out the Pakistan military if such an exchange were to take place only magnifies its problems, and creates monstrous new ones.

NATO does not have the manpower, at this point, or at any point in the near future, to take on the complete challenge of Afghanistan - let alone FATA. They can bomb suspected sites, and civilian weddings, make more enemies, but that is pretty much it. They need the PA to do the job on this side, and with Kiyani in charge, they will wait to see whether his approach is working differently than before.

Agnostic,

No one is insane to feel that Pakistan can be wiped out, unless it is a nuclear attack and Pakistan's retaliatory mechanism totally disabled.

While these are all rhetoric, yet the cross border actions and the US politician's baying for Musharraf and Pakistan's blood is indeed incongruous to the intent and extent Musharraf has put his own life on line. He is, after all, a human being! He has emotions and he is as good a man as you or me or anyone else in the world. His anger is justifiable.

Not only he is being sorted out by the West, but also by people within Pakistan - the Opposition, the Judges, the lawyers, the terrorists, you name it, and they are against Musharraf. Who knows if people in the military and ISI are not against him. The Governor of NWFP resigned because of differences of opinion.

It appears that most within and without Pakistan is gunning for him.

I do not find a better option for Pakistan or for the international comity of Nations than Musharraf and I do understand Musharraf's anguish and anger.

The only silver lining I find is that India is being matured (so far) over the situation and I really hope that India just takes it easy and looks busy!

It is correct that ISAF cannot take on the problem and will have to depend on the Pakistan Army.

 

[Spring Onion]

Energone its not the point that he is in army or not or he has power of Gen now or not. The stance is very clear and it will set well with the ordinary public, the forces and even those who are fighing against forces at the moment.
When it comes to common "enemy" its duty of all and we are very good at that duty.



Agno= well its not for selling well in the country the Media is as much hostile and harsh towards him as the US.
Sir Ray is righ the US and West has been over critical in pressurizing him for everything.

And i Believe they will suffer more by bringing down Musharraf, at the moment they are in an ilussion that by pressurizing or removing they will get some soft person towards their every action and they would get benefit well it will Rebound i believe.
Musharraf is the best to work for softening things specially neutralizing extremist views

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

When it comes to common "enemy" its duty of all and we are very good at that duty.

Not quite.

Ask the clerics of Red Mosque and the terrorist and even the Opposition, lawyers, t6he Chief Justice, and a host of other Pakistanis.

The common enemy is there, but to each of the entities, the "common enemy" has a different connotation!

It is not an unique Pakistani phenomenon. It is a disease that is prevalent worldwide!

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Any idea on what Amin Fahim's views on the Wot are Jana? He is being tipped as the future PM, if the PPP wins - and will he operate independently enough of Zardari to move the country beyond petty finger pointing?

My memory of him is that he is a pragmatic individual, and had it not been for BB's stranglehold on the PPP, he may well have been the coalition PM in Musharraf's govt.

 

[Spring Onion]

Not quite.

Ask the clerics of Red Mosque and the terrorist and even the Opposition, lawyers, t6he Chief Justice, and a host of other Pakistanis.

The common enemy is there, but to each of the entities, the "common enemy" has a different connotation!

It is not an unique Pakistani phenomenon. It is a disease that is prevalent worldwide!

well sir there is big difference when you are having difference of opinion with your own people and when some outside force attack you and in that situation when the one from your own side is also against that foreign attack.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Jana,

One can always tackle the outsiders.

It is the insiders who are the real scoundrels and enemy.

That is what I feel is the bane of my country.


But, if you feel the outsiders are the sole people responsible for the bane of Pakistan, so be it!

 

[Spring Onion]

Any idea on what Amin Fahim's views on the Wot are Jana? He is being tipped as the future PM, if the PPP wins - and will he operate independently enough of Zardari to move the country beyond petty finger pointing?

My memory of him is that he is a pragmatic individual, and had it not been for BB's stranglehold on the PPP, he may well have been the coalition PM in Musharraf's govt.

i do not know what his views on WoT are
but Agno i felt that he is not an emotional man. He chooses words very very carfully unlike Atizaz Ahsan.

So i think if they make him PM after getting into power it would be wise decision BUT i do not see that Zardari is going to let that.
Zardari has been tipped as candidate for PM from PPP.
Even if Zardari makes Fahim as PM and sit back like Sonia Gandhi and pull the strings well it wont work as corruption of Zardari had crumbled BB's govt so Fahim i do not think can walk him for far

 

[Spring Onion]

Jana,

One can always tackle the outsiders.

It is the insiders who are the real scoundrels and enemy.

That is what I feel is the bane of my country.


But, if you feel the outsiders are the sole people responsible for the bane of Pakistan, so be it!

Sir why dont you read carefully instead of critisizing for the sake of critisizing .

Where did i say outsiders are the sole people responsible for all our problems??????????????

I think You need some almonds and Dabur Honey Lokeseva k lia

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

i do not know what his views on WoT are
but Agno i felt that he is not an emotional man. He chooses words very very carfully unlike Atizaz Ahsan.

So i think if they make him PM after getting into power it would be wise decision BUT i do not see that Zardari is going to let that.
Zardari has been tipped as candidate for PM from PPP.
Even if Zardari makes Fahim as PM and sit back like Sonia Gandhi and pull the strings well it wont work as corruption of Zardari had crumbled BB's govt so Fahim i do not think can walk him for far

So Zardari becoming PM might alienate the senior leadership - Or will he use Billawal to keep everyone in line, by playing up his mother?

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Sir why dont you read carefully instead of critisizing for the sake of critisizing .

Where did i say outsiders are the sole people responsible for all our problems??????????????

I think You need some almonds and Dabur Honey Lokeseva k lia

That is because I have an analytical mind beyond the baggage of emotions, sentiments and religion. I want to know issues bareboned.

You may not say things upfront, thanks to your training as a journalist, but then you suggest and leave it for utmost confusion, so that you have your 'escape route".