Can someone explain what the hell these guys in Pakistan want? The Taliban. Do they just want to live in the stone age? Maybe we can create a reservation for stone age people and give the Taliban a homeland. Unless they are like one of those African armies that just go around killing and terrorizing for no reason other than to do it. http://afpak.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/03/02/the_cost_of_cowardice
Californistan in the news http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lan...-arranged-marriage-in-protective-custody.html http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...ed_to_escape_arranged_marriage_in_pakist.html
Re: Californistan in the news Kind of selfish of the girl to jeopardize her step-fathers family honor.....that was sarcasm by the way. That's just messed up and yes the mom looks like a complete plank.
Re: Californistan in the news I have a feeling like the dude is thinking, "man I married this lady just to collect on her daughter being sold to some Pakistani dude. Now she runs away and I'm left with this..." *Looks at the wife*
Out of jail & out of the country: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/world/asia/17pakistan.html?_r=1&hp Article indicates more than $2 Million in 'blood money' was paid.
A friend sent me this 'investigation video' as a forward. Found it quite funny and shocking at the same time. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJN9fpylrkA&feature=player_embedded"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJN9fpylrkA&feature=player_embedded[/ame] One of the investigators asks Raymond what is his name is, to which he replies Raymond Davis. The investigator is slightly confused and someone in the back ground says " Damond ( Punjabi way of pronouncing Diamond) hi kar lo " , i.e write it down as Diamond. One of the officer asks him if he wants water. When Raymond says he wants bottled water. The officer retorts "No money, no pani ( water)" . I just love listening to Lahori Punjabi. Actually its pretty similar to Amritsari Punjabi.
Information about the occupants of the vehicle appears to have been accurate. Problems include the decision to target the vehicle at a point where it was in proximity to the jirga, as well as the possibility of faulty info that the militants were meeting fellow militants at the location. It's seems likely that the vehicle was transporting the militants to attend the meeting, either on their own action or upon invitation, compared with a coincidental passing at the exact time it was targeted. In any event, the tragic loss of civilian lives reflects poorly on the complete accuracy of information provided & does nothing to help or further the US cause. Of course, it's possible that some of the info came from official sources within Pakistan, as well as the recurring possibility that someone was settling scores by passing inaccurate or incomplete info.
This is exactly the thing that the US should be thinking about. Screw human rights and all that for a second, and consider whether these attacks are actually helping the US. It is just inflaming the situation over there. It's no surprise that there are elements supporting Al-Qaeda in the tribal areas - the US is killing them, and Al-Qaeda is helping them to strike back at the US.
Another reason, pardon the broken record, that we should get out and let the pakistanis deal with that.
The government appears to have little control or influence in the border tribal areas. IMO, they are willing to let the USA handle the dirty work, while they alternate between providing intelligence & tacit approval, and condemnation & disavowal when things go wrong.
Kayani has gone beyond the usual little routine with his severe condemnation. But yeah, if the Army are so upset they should start shooting down the drones instead of twiddling their thumbs and arranging press conferences. Pakistan has plenty of influence but very little control over the tribal areas. Nobody has effectively subdued the hinterlands, not even Alexander the Great or the British. That won't change for the foreseeable future.
Police having a tough time with Taliban: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-07-18-pakistan-taliban_n.htm Universities having a tough time with Islamic fundies: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationw...s/nationworld/world+(L.A.+Times+-+World+News)
http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_n...s-for-worst-case-scenario-with-pakistan-nukes I see this as one of the million "what-if?" folders in the Pentagon's cabinets. Presumbably, they have at least considered every possible scenario. This one seems as unlikely as seeking to seize North Korea's nukes.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/08/15/cronin.pakistan.china/index.html?iref=allsearch Boy with friends like that.....
No but the alternatives aren't great. You give money to Pakistan to fight the insurgent groups and they kind of sort of do it. Or you don't give money to Pakistan and they instead give their support to the insurgent groups who then use the peace in Pakistan to focus their attacks on US forces in Afghanistan. Paying countries to fight these insurgent groups doesn't work, but it works better than doing nothing at all.