Pakistan frees al Qaeda helpers

[conjur]

http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/04/25/pakistan.alqaeda.sweep.ap/

 

[tallest1]

Reading the title, I'd think Pakistan were completely nuts for doing such a thing but given the formalities behind the action, I'm not quite sure what to think. On one hand, doing this may be counterproductive with everyone crossing their fingers, but then again, it could be a serious attempt at bringing peace by Islamic methods instead of the palestinian (eye for an eye), Israeli (divide and conquer) or the American (bomb 'em till they love us) ways. I wouldn't suggest this action for Bin Laden of course, but I'm not gonna be some uptight republican who thinks something is wrong because American's don't do it

EDIT: This does not factor in my general mistrust of Pakistan

 

[Sultan]

Is it just me or do some of the people here really have an issue with countries with Muslim majorities? Now Pakistan is also being mistrusted? I think the Pakistani government has proven itself to be on the right side on the war against terrorism. They've lost the lives of many soldiers in the ongoing hunt for Al-Qaeda remnants.
Atleast *try* to be fair in your judgments.

 

[drewshin]

sultan, fair would also include that pakistan has given nuclear secrets away to rogue states for years, is currently harboring al-qaeda terrorists and terrorists in kashmir (it is true that they are going after them now), but does that forgive them all the harm they've done before this and are continuing to do now?
as of even one or two years ago, they were helping us go after al-qaeda, while simultaneously trading or giving away nuclear secrets to countries like north korea...the question is, why treat pakistan differently than iraq? their leader wasn't even elected, he came into power similarly to how saddam came into power.

 

[tallest1]

Originally posted by: Sultan
Is it just me or do some of the people here really have an issue with countries with Muslim majorities? Now Pakistan is also being mistrusted? I think the Pakistani government has proven itself to be on the right side on the war against terrorism. They've lost the lives of many soldiers in the ongoing hunt for Al-Qaeda remnants.
Atleast *try* to be fair in your judgments.

How quickly we forget that at one point Sadaam and the Bin Laden used to be on the right side of our wars.

Even Rice lays blame on Pakstan for underming the war on terrorism Text

But in answer with your first question, I have no issue with Muslim-majority countries. In fact, I think conservatives have more an issue with them than liberals do, but Pakistan has had a track record worthy enough to gain suspicion from me.

 

[Sultan]

Originally posted by: drewshin
sultan, fair would also include that pakistan has given nuclear secrets away to rogue states for years, is currently harboring al-qaeda terrorists and terrorists in kashmir (it is true that they are going after them now), but does that forgive them all the harm they've done before this and are continuing to do now?
as of even one or two years ago, they were helping us go after al-qaeda, while simultaneously trading or giving away nuclear secrets to countries like north korea...the question is, why treat pakistan differently than iraq? their leader wasn't even elected, he came into power similarly to how saddam came into power.

drewshin
Yes, fair to say in the PAST, Pakistan gave nuclear secrets to states declared as *rogue* by the US. Ever considered the point made by the President of Pakistan about where Pakistan obtained the equipment for its nuclear program? The parts obtained came from Europe. Did I hear you saying you mistrusted the European nations?
Pakistan has soldiers on the ground fighting the Al-Qaeda terrorists, which the US State Department itself mentioned. Thats completely contradictory to your claim of Al-Qaeda terrorists being harbored. Not every Afghan is an Al-Qaeda terrorist. Not every Afghan holding a weapon is a terrorist. And Al-Qaeda terrorists dont carry badges around to identify themselves as such. Osama bin Laden himself was funded and supported by the United States. Does that imply the US is responsible for the harm that happened on 9/11? Please be sensible.
If over half a million Indian troops on Kashmir's border cannot stop the (what you refer to as) 'terrorists', the Indian army is really very poorly trained. I would give credit to Pakistan for training the 'terrorists' so well that they can cause such widespread chaos in a pretty big state.

tallest1

How quickly we forget that at one point Sadaam and the Bin Laden used to be on the right side of our wars.

Even Rice lays blame on Pakstan for underming the war on terrorism Text

But in answer with your first question, I have no issue with Muslim-majority countries. In fact, I think conservatives have more an issue with them than liberals do, but Pakistan has had a track record worthy enough to gain suspicion from me.

so as long as any country or leader or person bends over, the country or the leader deserves your trust, and as soon as they do or say anything against the interests of the United States, they're either terrorists or you shouldnt trust them? well put. i wonder if Pakistanis think of the US the same way. Bin Laden certainly did.
as for Condilicious what can be said

edit: btw, Saddam didnt even do anything against the United States. it invaded Kuwait, after seeking due approval of the US (read Saddam's conversation with the then US ambassador to Iraq). that converted a *friend* of the US within a week to a monstrous, brutal, murderous dictator.