What Should We Do with Pakistan?

wcbiv

Posted: Nov 4, 07 9:14am

The most dangerous news in the past 5 years is not 911, not Iraq but, the most recent events in Pakistan.

Musharraf has been forced to declare marshal law in a country where his popularity is at an all time low and we have seen how impotently meek Islamic moderates respond when their bullying extremist get riled up.

Pakistan (Osama's new address) has nukes, they have missiles that work and the Pakistani/Indian flash point of Kashmir is still a powder keg.

In one sense, we all hope Musharraf can maintain his tenuous lid on the boiling pot but, pragmatism and history suggests that this is the beginning of the end for him.

I think Iraq was the most ill conceived, ill advised, and ill executed intervention in USA history (worse than Vietnam due to the larger scope of the consequences).

That said, I think our intervention in Pakistan may be a sad, dangerous but a strategically necessary imperative!!!

What do you think?

http://adelphia.net/news/read.php?ps=1018&id=14134146&_LT=HOME_LARSDCCLM_UNEWS

141 Comments // 35 Members

Posted: Nov 4, 07 9:51am

The most dangerous news in the past 5 years is not 911, not Iraq but, the most recent events in Pakistan.

Musharraf h...

Hey,

Couldn't agree more. I'd like to elaborate on my thoughts on this, but,

a) I, for as mental self-defense mechanism, have intentionally been ignoring the latest on that.....there is precious little that I can, personally, do about it, and......

b) NFL kickoff is in like 11 minutes.....hahahahaha..

yea, I know, burying my head in the sand, but, I if the proverbial shit is gonna hit the fan, at least I can get one more Sunday's worth of enjoyment of my favorite sport .

BUT, again, I DO feel the same as you.

Posted: Nov 4, 07 10:15am

The most dangerous news in the past 5 years is not 911, not Iraq but, the most recent events in Pakistan.

Musharraf h...

Gosh, we are living in some crazy times, hopefully things will workout.

Posted: Nov 4, 07 10:27am

The most dangerous news in the past 5 years is not 911, not Iraq but, the most recent events in Pakistan.

Musharraf h...

We are the most hated Country in the world. WHY? Because we get too involved in other people's affairs. We already blew it in Iraq. It's time to let some other Country play peace keeper (or image wrecker). PROTECT OUR OWN.

Posted: Nov 4, 07 10:41am

We are the most hated Country in the world. WHY? Because we get too involved in other people's affairs. We already blew ...

"PROTECT OUR OWN"?

Contrary to the farce that is Iraq,...KOOKS WITH NUKES is a REAL PROBLEM.

Had GWB listened to Powell and at least when in with 500K troops, instead of Rumsfled charge of the light brigade; Osama would not have escaped Afghanistan into Pakistan which ironically places him in the most dangerous and real WMD opportunity in the region.

(post postig edit)...someone pointed out that I didnt connect the dots above well. Rumsfeld was building a lighter-faster-more tech oriented army, then we get into these major "re-building/occupying projects". We invaded Afghanistan and have less than 22K troops their and an assortment of varyingly committed NATO troops. Our light force made it possible for Bin Laden and company to "walk out" into Pakistan.

Yes, we are hated, by better hated than having LA glowing.

Were hated due to our incompetence, not our assertiveness.

Posted: Nov 4, 07 10:48am

Gosh, we are living in some crazy times, hopefully things will workout....

Yea, It IS crazy, huh? Sometimes it overwelms me, and I have to retreat into something else, (e.g.: today's football games). But other times, which is more like my personality, I DO NOT let 'confrontation' go without a fight......and this IS a fight......just not sure what to do at this point !!

Posted: Nov 4, 07 12:08pm

The most dangerous news in the past 5 years is not 911, not Iraq but, the most recent events in Pakistan.

Musharraf h...

This whole thing really scares me. I'm not sure what we can do, and I'm not in favor of any military intervention there - that never seems to work out well.

One thing we must do is keep informed. Here's the latest from cnn.com (although by the time I cut and paste and submit, there might be more latest).

Rice: U.S. to review financial aid to Pakistan; 'disappointed' in Musharraf's decision to impose state of emergency

(CNN) -- The United States will review its financial aid package to its key anti-terrorism ally Pakistan after President Gen. Pervez Musharraf imposed a state of emergency there on Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday.

"Obviously the situation has changed and we have to review where we are," she said, noting that it is a complicated matter because much of the aid goes to counterterrorism measures.

Earlier, Rice said Washington had not been consulted about Musharraf's plan to declare the emergency measure.

"I'm disappointed in his decision," she said, noting that the last time she spoke to the Pakistani leader was on Tuesday. (Posted 10:45 a.m.)

Pakistani PM: State of emergency imposed 'as long as necessary'

(CNN) -- The state of emergency declared in Pakistan will be imposed for "as long as it is necessary," Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told reporters Sunday, a day after President Pervez Musharraf's declaration.

Aziz said no decision had yet been made as to whether parliamentary elections scheduled for January would go ahead as planned, but earlier Information Minister Tariq Azim Khan on Dubai-based GEO TV said parliamentary elections would be delayed indefinitely.

The political turmoil comes ahead of a Supreme Court ruling on whether Musharraf's recent re-election is legal. (Posted 7:30 a.m.)

Posted: Nov 4, 07 1:22pm

This whole thing really scares me. I'm not sure what we can do, and I'm not in favor of any military intervention there...

We're hated because we've behaved badly, because we work with whoever'll play ball with us and we don't care about democracy.

Back to topic, Musharraf's never been a good guy,( Bhuto is brave but she was a poor leader) The opponents to the government may have some legitimate complaints in spite of the fact they're radicals. Osama's supposed to be in Pakistan but is the Taliban threatening to take the country? I thought it was Pakistani factions goin' at it.

We should stay out of it. If we had the troops to deploy we should still stay out of it. What would our troops do? Support military law? Hunt Pakistan rebels or the Taliban? Fight Musharraf, help the rebels fight another oppressor we've backed out of necessity? What intervention are you suggesting? We haven't been invited , shall we invade from Afghanistan?