Tuesday, February 17, 2009 11:55:42 AM · by PurpleMan · 4 replies · 42+ views
LA Times ^ | February 17, 2009 | Zulfiqar Ali and Laura King
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Catherine Moy
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Posted on 02/17/2009 11:13:50 AM PST by Syncro
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Taliban now have safe haven in Pakistan
It’s tough to tell who’s a friend or foe, especially in the Middle East. Pakistan, which was (kind of) an ally during the Bush Adminstration, has now created a safe area for Taliban, the monstrous terrorists whom our troops are fighting.
Here’s the story from FOX News.com:
MINGORA, Pakistan — NATO warned Tuesday that Pakistan risked creating a safe haven for Islamist extremists after it struck a deal to impose Islamic law and suspend a military offensive in the former tourist haven of Swat.
Criticism of the truce mounted as a hardline cleric dispatched by the government to convince the Taliban to stop fighting as part of the deal arrived in the Swat Valley’s main city of Mingora to a hero’s welcome.
NATO says it has 55,000 troops across the border in Afghanistan, and many of them have come under attack by Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters believed to have sought refuge in pockets of Pakistan’s northwest.
“It is certainly reason for concern,” NATO spokesman James Appathurai said in Brussels about the latest deal. “We should all be concerned by a situation in which extremists would have a safe haven. Without doubting the good faith of the Pakistani government, it is clear that the region is suffering very badly from extremists and we would not want it to get worse.”
Britain also weighed in with reservations.
“Previous peace deals have not provided a comprehensive and long-term solution to Swat’s problems,” said a statement from the British High Commission in Islamabad. “We need to be confident that they will end violence — not create space for further violence.”
In Japan, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Pakistani move still needed to be “thoroughly understood.” She was on her first visit to Asia since taking up the post. A senior U.S. defense department official described the deal as a “negative development.”
In Swat, the dispatched cleric, Sufi Muhammad, said he was hopeful the Taliban would cooperate with the agreement.
“We will soon open dialogue with the Taliban. We will ask them to lay down their weapons. We are hopeful that they will not let us down,” Muhammad told reporters. “We will stay here in the valley until peace is restored.”
Residents lined the route as his caravan of 300 people drove through, waving and shouting “Long live peace! Long live Islam!”
Extremists in Swat have beheaded opponents and torched scores of girls schools in recent months, while gunbattles between security forces and militants have killed hundreds. Up to a third of the valley’s 1.5 million people have fled and the scenic area is now believed to be mostly under militant control.
Read the rest at MoveAmericaForward.Com
"Earth to President Obama: You all better get to talking with Pakistan before we further endanger the thousands of troops you aim to send into Afghanistan. "
“Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Pakistani move still needed to be “thoroughly understood.”
Damn, Hillary, even you can’t be that stupid! What is yet to be understood about Pakistan ceding control of 25% of its real estate to terrorists? How many brain cells have to be used to understand it’s just a down payment on a future, total transference of power there??
The idiocy of this leftist American regime is beyond words. Get a f***ing clue, Hillary.
“Earth to President Obama: You all better get to talking with Pakistan before we further endanger the thousands of troops you aim to send into Afghanistan.”
THE ONE is not to be bothered with such trivialities, as HE is basking in the glow of adoration in Denver.
Yes and after that he will be in Air Force #@$#$ One again for his next field trip to Phoenix.
Hillary better read up on what a truce actually means in Islam.
Pakistan officials allow Sharia in volatile region
Lovely. Just lovely.
These missile attacks on Pakistan may be a ruse by Obama.
I am tired of everyone saying that Paskistan is one our side. Hell, they are NOT!!! How much more obvious can it get? What we need to do, and I doubt traitor Obama will do it, is to give Pakistan an ultimatum. Either they crack down on terror and radical Islam in their country, or we will invade Waziristan and destroy the Taliban once and for all.
That would solve two problems, actually.
Truce...you mean a Hubcap...I mean Hudna? Only lies and confabulation until the next volley. Onward Christian Soldiers!!
Exactly.
With “friends” like the Pakis, who needs enemies?
It is high time for someone—us, NATO, or India—to send some troops in and clean out Waziristan. The Pakis are not on our side and they won’t get the job done.
And neither will 0bama.
Which BTW Pakistan has had removed for google maps!
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