Posted on 02/17/2009 9:47:26 AM PST by NormsRevenge
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 hard-line 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-Qaida fighters believed to have sought refuge in pockets of Pakistan's northwest.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Paramedic staff provides treatment to a victim of a bomb blast at a local hospital in Peshawar February 17, 2009. A car bomb killed five people and wounded 16 on Tuesday outside the home of an official who was raising a militia to fight Islamist militants in northwestern Pakistan, witnesses and police said. REUTERS/Ali Imam (PAKISTAN)
Coincidentally, it's where the 'brain trust' of the Taliban and Al Qaeda like to hide, that and deep caves.
.
Students sit in a classroom after schools reopened in Swat Valley February 17, 2009. Pakistan has gambled that an offer to introduce Islamic law to parts of the northwest will bring peace to the troubled Swat valley, but analysts fear any lull won't last long and appeasement will embolden the Taliban. REUTERS/Abdul Rehman (PAKISTAN)
They have agreed to a de facto partition of the country, and the creation of a rump state on the northwest frontier. In effect, there is now a new nation called Shariistan.
This bodes very ill for Pakistan's survival as a nation, and for our strategic situation in the region.
“They have agreed to a de facto partition of the country”
I believe — if it hasn’t happened already — contingency plans need to be worked up to safeguard Paki nukes, because it’s looking like Pakistan is heading inexorably toward a total takeover by the Taliban or some other islamic extremist entity. It’s going to get very, very ugly there.
” contingency plans need to be worked up to safeguard Paki nukes, “
They’ve been on file for years; Diane Fienstien will be publishing the details shortly.
“...Pakistan risked creating a safe haven for Islamist extremists...”
Huh? It’s been that for years already. Wake up, you idiots.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.