Originally posted by: GrGr
Originally posted by: palehorse74
Originally posted by: GrGr
Originally posted by: Braznor
Originally posted by: Lemon law
The problem Musharrif is facing involves democracy. Musharrif for his first two terms was able to play half military dictator and half democratically elected leader. But his third term will shred the Pakistani constitution and this is what much of the fight is about as Musharrif has packed the courts to avoid being ruled as unconstitutional.
And Musharrif has been forced to resign his head of the army status. It was clear to all that Musharrif had to broaden his political support and with the death of Bhutto, thats not going to be possible. And now Musharrif has made dangerous enemies in both the Pakistani military and in the broader moderate political community.
The main danger to the US is that Msuharrif will be deposed or assassinated, and the next leader likely to come from the military could make the Afghani occupation swiftly untenable.
How about the fact of Pakistani nuke weapons getting lost in the chaos?
Heh, the battlefield has moved to Pakistan from Iraq. Looks like the US will have to 'surge' in Pakistan too. Just read an article that says the US will send more Special Forces to Pakistan next year.
"more Special Forces
to Pakistan"... link?
U.S. Troops to Head to Pakistan
WaPo
Beginning early next year, U.S. Special Forces are expected to vastly expand their presence in Pakistan, as part of an effort to train and support indigenous counter-insurgency forces and clandestine counterterrorism units, according to defense officials involved with the planning.
These Pakistan-centric operations will mark a shift for the U.S. military and for U.S. Pakistan relations. In the aftermath of Sept. 11, the U.S. used Pakistani bases to stage movements into Afghanistan. Yet once the U.S. deposed the Taliban government and established its main operating base at Bagram, north of Kabul, U.S. forces left Pakistan almost entirely. Since then, Pakistan has restricted U.S. involvement in cross-border military operations as well as paramilitary operations on its soil.
But the Pentagon has been frustrated by the inability of Pakistani national forces to control the borders or the frontier area. And Pakistan's political instability has heightened U.S. concern about Islamic extremists there.
According to Pentagon sources, reaching a different agreement with Pakistan became a priority for the new head of the U.S. Special Operations Command, Adm. Eric T. Olson. Olson visited Pakistan in August, November and again this month, meeting with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, Pakistani Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman Gen. Tariq Majid and Lt. Gen. Muhammad Masood Aslam, commander of the military and paramilitary troops in northwest Pakistan. Olson also visited the headquarters of the Frontier Corps, a separate paramilitary force recruited from Pakistan's border tribes.
Now, a new agreement, reported when it was still being negotiated last month, has been finalized. And the first U.S. personnel could be on the ground in Pakistan by early in the new year, according to Pentagon sources.
U.S. Central Command Commander Adm. William Fallon alluded to the agreement and spoke approvingly of Pakistan's recent counterterrorism efforts in an interview with Voice of America last week.
"What we've seen in the last several months is more of a willingness to use their regular army units," along the Afghan border, Fallon said. "And this is where, I think, we can help a lot from the U.S. in providing the kind of training and assistance and mentoring based on our experience with insurgencies recently and with the terrorist problem in Iraq and Afghanistan, I think we share a lot with them, and we'll look forward to doing that."
If Pakistan actually follows through, perhaps 2008 will be a better year.
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I remember reading an article too when the surge in Iraq was just starting. Some US general was saying the top Al Qaeda guys were no longer there. Obviously they get out of the way when a major offensive is incoming. But the US cannot surge everywhere at once.
Benazir Bhutto was just a pawn, not a Player. I remember reading in the Guardian an article with her where she said she she was having dinner with family and friends when out of nowhere Jack Straw called her and basically said she was back in from the cold. The Brits/US had decided to roll out the red carpet for her return to Pakistan... I suppose Musharaf was supposed to be tickled pink by the opportunity to share power with her. Bhutto was a pawn that was sacrificed, but by whom and for what I do wonder.
Edit: Ah, ze Nukes. Will be interesting to see what comes of this.
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