Civil War breaks out in Pakistan

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

MINGORA, Pakistan – Helicopter gunships and mortar teams pounded militant strongholds, killing dozens outside emerald mines and in a district near the capital, the military said, as Taliban reinforcements poured down from their mountain hideouts.

As the army began taking the fight to militants entrenched about 60 miles (100 kilometers) from the capital, Pakistan's leader prepared to hear demands from President Barack Obama for forceful action from a struggling ally.

The army actions in the Swat Valley and Buner will please Washington, which is urging Pakistan to crack down on militants blamed for rising violence at home and in Afghanistan.

Since fighting broke out Tuesday, thousands of men, women and children have fled the region's main town of Mingora and surrounding districts, fearing an imminent major military operation. The government said it believes refugees could reach 500,000.

"It is an all-out war there. Rockets are landing everywhere," said Laiq Zada, a 33-year old who fled the valley late Tuesday and was now in a government-run tent camp out of the danger zone. "We have with us the clothes on our bodies and a hope in the house of God. Nothing else."

...

Fearing war could consume the region, thousands fled Mingora on Tuesday. Refugees clambered onto the roofs of buses after seats and floors filled up. Children and adults alike carried belongings on their heads and backs.

"I do not have any destination. I only have an aim — to escape from here," said Afzal Khan, 65, who was waiting for a bus with his wife and nine children. "It is like doomsday here. It is like hell."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090506/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I guess that is democracy, Pakistani style.

Umm...does Texas have rockets?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I guess that is democracy, Pakistani style.

Umm...does Texas have rockets?

Texas has Chuck Norris. They don't need rockets.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

‘Civil war if Taliban make further inroads’

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Karachi

If the Taliban encroach any further into Punjab and Karachi, there will be bloody civil war on account of existing ethnic and sectarian fault-lines, journalist and scholar Ahmed Rashid said on Monday.

He was delivering a lecture titled “Pakistan and Afghanistan: quest for peace or recipe for war?” at the Mohatta Palace. Rashid said that the Swat deal was made by the Awami National Party (ANP) government out of “desperation”, and had proved disastrous in terms of “expansion” of the Taliban, abrogating the Constitution, the reluctance of army to go there. It has also compounded the refugee crisis because the number of displaced persons has increased to one million.

There was no “Sharia” in Swat; it was, in fact, “Taliban law”, which was anti-women and anti-education, Rashid maintained. He said the Taliban now had a large pool of suicide bombers whose age was 15 years and they could turn potential extremists into suicide bombers within “four days”. Earlier, he said, it took them at least three months to groom a suicide bomber.

Talking from his personal research in Kohat, Rashid said that now the Taliban provided a package deal, containing Rs20,000 per month, a motorcycle and mobile phone to potential terrorists. He said that despite much talk of Madressah reforms during the Musharraf era, the number of seminaries had increased from 12,000 in 2001 to 18,000 now and many of these new religious schools were being run by Jihadi organisations.

He said in contrast to Afghanistan where the Taliban comprised mainly Pakhtoons, the Pakistan Taliban were emerging as a “multi-ethnic group”, having links in Punjab, Sindh, and other areas.

He said with the aligning of Kashmiri and Punjabi groups, which were anti-India and turned against Gen. (retd) Musharraf in 2006 when he made peace moves towards New Delhi, Tehrik-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) now comprised 40 militant groups. He said this movement had now developed its own agenda of imposing Shariah. Massive donations from charitable organisations inside the country and from the Gulf countries and drugs were the three major sources of funding for the Taliban.

Rashid termed the failure of the Pakistani state to protect lives of 300 Maliks (tribal heads) in FATA who were slaughtered by Taliban the biggest mistake. As a result, the government not only lost goodwill there but also support of the “tribal structure.” Rashid believed all problems emanated from lack of comprehensive policy of the Bush administration about Afghanistan, which diverted its focus on Iraq. Its main focus was to capture Osama bin Laden and similarly, Pakistan also ignored Taliban for its own reasons. Gen. Musharraf also did not touch Taliban and kept them in reserve in case US left Afghanistan alone and focus its attention on capturing Al-Qaeda leaders only. Elements in the army and the Intelligence agencies also remained in touch with them to preserve “Jihadi nexus” against India. He opined the Obama administration’s “regional strategy” was likely to put pressure on Pakistan, Iran and India and Central Asian States to resolve their disputes and rivalries and focus on the “terrorism” issue. He said as 80pc of US aid during the Musharraf regime went to the army, which was used against India, the Obama administration had now focused on civil programmes with conditionalities that may be difficult for Pakistan to meet. It is because of this reason that President Asif Zardari’s visit to USA would be critical.

He claimed the US government would not back a military coup in Pakistan because of perceived resistance by the “left wing” among the Democrats. Besides it would provide an excuse to the Republicans to say that there was no different between Obama and Bush.

About the Balochistan insurgency, he said it was for the first time that the Baloch elite were expressing their frustration, which, he added, could still have a solution. He said Pakistan needed to redefine its national security as India was focusing on its economy. —IA

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

He claimed the US government would not back a military coup in Pakistan because of perceived resistance by the “left wing” among the Democrats. Besides it would provide an excuse to the Republicans to say that there was no different between Obama and Bush.

Now, that is messed up!

[almaty 19]

Pakistan si totally f##ked up..time to start troubles with India and get the focus on them

[spookyturtle 9,466]

War is Hell.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

When has Pakistan ever been "civil" (in any of the multiple-entendre's meaning) in handling insurgencies? Anyway, it's more like an officious-only designation (the country was already in such state as of 2003).

He claimed the US government would not back a military coup in Pakistan because of perceived resistance by the “left wing” among the Democrats. Besides it would provide an excuse to the Republicans to say that there was no different between Obama and Bush.

Now, that is messed up!

I don't remember any of Pakistan's military/militant coup instigators asking for US government's permission, do you?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

When has Pakistan ever been "civil" (in any of the multiple-entendre's meaning) in handling insurgencies? Anyway, it's more like an officious-only designation (the country was already in such state as of 2003).

He claimed the US government would not back a military coup in Pakistan because of perceived resistance by the “left wing” among the Democrats. Besides it would provide an excuse to the Republicans to say that there was no different between Obama and Bush.

Now, that is messed up!

I don't remember any of Pakistan's military/militant coup instigators asking for US government's permission, do you?

Yes, and no. Not officially, but many would be dictators check with their CIA handlers, and other intelligence agencies, to make sure the new government would be recognized.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

He claimed the US government would not back a military coup in Pakistan because of perceived resistance by the “left wing” among the Democrats. Besides it would provide an excuse to the Republicans to say that there was no different between Obama and Bush.

Now, that is messed up!

I don't remember any of Pakistan's military/militant coup instigators asking for US government's permission, do you?

Yes, and no. Not officially, but many would be dictators check with their CIA handlers, and other intelligence agencies, to make sure the new government would be recognized.

That may have worked prior to 1977 when the last Brit-trained (actually, pre-Partition at Dehra Dun) dictator took over; all who've occupied the post of ACOS after that dictator's 1988 hell-journey have been locally trained at Kakul (for all-and-practical, no Western input). Edited May 6, 2009 by CherryXS

[Kar98 0]

War were declared.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Pakistan si totally f##ked up..time to start troubles with India and get the focus on them

"start", Dean? Pakistan's troubles with India are akin to navy (except Canadian) painting a ship--starts before ship is even launched (accurate enough, as Pakistan's troubles with India predate Partition) and never actually finishes.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Wow!

[almaty 19]

Pakistan si totally f##ked up..time to start troubles with India and get the focus on them

"start", Dean? Pakistan's troubles with India are akin to navy (except Canadian) painting a ship--starts before ship is even launched (accurate enough, as Pakistan's troubles with India predate Partition) and never actually finishes.

sad, brother sriniv,, that they never seem to get along

Pakistan si totally f##ked up..time to start troubles with India and get the focus on them

"start", Dean? Pakistan's troubles with India are akin to navy (except Canadian) painting a ship--starts before ship is even launched (accurate enough, as Pakistan's troubles with India predate Partition) and never actually finishes.

sad, brother sriniv,, that they never seem to get along

[sara..... 371]

i agree pakistan has a lot of problems but how many of you have been to kashmir india and seen what the indian army does to the muslims that are innocent in kashmir, both counties pakistan and india throw a lot of garbage at each other and both are guilty of the same thing they are blaming the other for.

sara