Barack Obama told: help Pakistan or risk a repeat of 9/11 in America or Britain

telegraph.co.uk ^ | March 14, 2009 | Tim Shipman

[Tailgunner Joe]

A team headed by Bruce Riedel, a former CIA Middle East expert, asked to overhaul US policy on Afghanistan and Pakistan, has concluded that stabilising Pakistan is now the higher priority, a source familiar with the discussions has revealed.

The report, prepared in conjunction with the National Security Council, will focus on the need to co-opt moderate Taliban elements and shut down militant safe havens in Pakistan's he lawless northwest border region. It will also urge a sharp increase in military and civil assistance. ....

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph in January Mr Riedel argued that British al-Qaeda or Lakshar-e-Taiba militants, trained in Pakistan, are the likeliest source of a new terrorist spectacular in America.

The threat from Pakistan was a centrepiece of discussions between Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, and US Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano in Washington on Friday. Ms Smith also met Robert Mueller, the head of the FBI, who has publicly voiced fears about British-born Pakistani militants entering the US under the visa waiver scheme.

Amid fears that Pakistani militants have already entered the US to radicalise and recruit terrorist cells, US officials have been invited to visit the UK to observe the Home Office's anti-radicalisation programme. ....

The Riedel review will conclude that seven out of 10 Taliban and other militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan are "reconcilables" who might be bribed, cajoled and persuaded to turn away from extremism. ....

The review, due to be circulated to senior officials early this week, will recommend that non-military aid to Pakistan quadruple. In return, the Pakistani government will be expected to agree to a wholesale overhaul of its military which will see US special forces re-train Pakistani soldiers in counter insurgency warfare.

[kabar]

This just confirms Laurie Mylroie’s thesis made years ago.

[BGHater]

‘stabilising Pakistan’

Yeah, that will happen. Might as well use Gov’t to ‘fix’ the economy as well.

[SteamShovel]

Barack Obama told: help Pakistan or risk a repeat of 9/11 in America or Britain

I say stuff the assistance.....

.....The only help they should get is to help them become a non-nuclear country again.

[cripplecreek]

OK but it’s going to cost 1 trillion US dollars paid upfront in $20, $50, and $100 denominations.

[truthguy]

A team headed by Bruce Riedel, a former CIA Middle East expert, asked to overhaul US policy on Afghanistan and Pakistan, has concluded that stabilizing Pakistan is now the higher priority

As if the US had the ability to stabilize Pakistan.

[Renderofveils]

As if the US had the ability to stabilize Pakistan.

And they wouldn't accept the help even if we had the ability.

[SDShack]

Where is Perez Musharraf when we need him? He was the whipping boy for the world press because he was a strongman. He kept the military and intelligence circles in line, while keeping the weak past presidents like Bhutto out of power. Now the world has the democracy they wanted in Pakistan, just like Hammas democracy in Gaza, and Hezbollah democracy in Lebanon. Reminds me of when the Shah ran Iran, only to be stabbed in the back by Carter who paved the way for the return of the Ayatollah Khomeini.
It will be interesting to see how 0bama plays this.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From Flopping Aces:

The Af-Pak/Riedel Holy Sh** Report

************EXCERPT***************

As Jihad Watch warns:

The Taliban who might come to negotiate may think twice about dying in an airstrike, but not at all about the ultimate imperative to impose Islamic law by any means necessary.

“Moderate Taliban” sounds like an oxymoronic term. But yeah, if there are reconcilables amongst them, let’s bribe them off so that they can live to radicalize another day while we slaughter their dead-ender brothers-in-fanaticism.

The review, due to be circulated to senior officials early this week, will recommend that non-military aid to Pakistan quadruple.