Posted on 05/20/2002 2:50:15 PM PDT by AM2000
Seriously, though, I can imagine the reaction of soldiers who find their wives and children killed. Vengance with no quarter given comes to mind.
It seems that the Israeli model is that which the powers that be wish to impose, i.e. limitless restraint. I suppose there's a lot more swallowing required by countries with nukes, but during our standoff with the USSR, there was enough rationality on both sides not to push it.
There were actually few incidents, but then, we didn't share a border, or a history.
The disturbing aspect is that Mussharef is likely to be the best as can be expected in this era. What follows, in the event that the festering issues there are not dealt with, will likely bring the curtain down in South Asia.
Speaking of Animal Farm, I've got a first edition.
Depends to be seen if India does move ahead. It's time for them to call the Pakistani nuclear bluff.
The constant low level war is degrading and debilitating on a variety of levels.
My feeling is that the US will urge strong restraint on India to not do anything and unfortunately, India will more or less obey. It'll end up being an inconsequential action designed to let India let off a little steam but not make Pakistan nervous.
In order not to upset Musharraf! Why anybody still believes in him is beyond me. If he cannot deliver for the US, what kind of a military dictator is he? If he's so weak, why are we counting on him to do the dirty work.
I would like to see a full military engagement and a decisive victory for India; destruction of Pakistan as a state. Partition of Pakistan with some choosing India, others being a US protectorate. This will allow the US complete leeway in dealing militarily with the threat without consideration of Pakistan sensitivities. Eventually, the jihadis can be squeezed into Pakistan Kashmir and eliminated.
Gee, thanks a lot !! What are we going to do with all that real estate ?
We ususally turn our protectorates into tourist areas or entertainment centers. Jihadland anybody ?
At the human level, however, it is sad that these people have a culture which has led to a developmental dead-end. Would Pakistan allow itself to be colonized again, or would it be an ongoing occupation problem like the West Bank and Gaza ?
The only plus for the U.S. would be a base for overseeing interests in Central Asia as the oil there comes online.
But that could be another replay of the Middle East.
On the other hand, we could give it to Russia; they've always craved a warm weather port.
Americans do not make very good imperialists.
Administered by a combination of indian/pakistani civil servants allowing the US to conduct military operations in freedom. Eventually, either independence or unification with India(Punjab, sindh) or independence (pashtunistan, kashmir) depending on the people's choice and Indian, US, and Afghani geopolitical and strategic considerations.
Now we face a similar geopolitical situation. The US, now 58 years into an OVERALL path of appeasement and accomodation of aggressors, having drawn down our forces to 1930s levels (in other words, near an historical low relative to population and GNP%) and apparently lacking the political will to fight and win wars resulting in unconditional surrender of aggressors (even our BEST effort since 1945, Desert Storm, ended in a self imposed draw) stand at a key decision point. Do we overcome our innate aversion to grand strategy, bold military moves, and proactive battle, and avert the coming next great powers conflict? Or, like the UK prior to WW-II, will we simply continue to wait until we are so hard put upon by our enemies that we have no choice but to fight defensively for our mere existance? This is ALL about breaking out of our comfort zone, and perhaps doing some fairly unpallatable things such as leaving the UN, taking unprecedented action against subversives currently undermining war preparation, and striking directly at what are becoming the obvious aggressor states of the next global conflagaration. Very much OUT of our comfort zone, and, irony of ironies, perhaps really the ONLY proactive way forward. This discussion requires much greater levels of moral and political honesty than perhaps current leaders, media pundits and self proclaimed intellectuals can muster. Very challenging...
1. Punish the past leaders and KGB agents (many of whom, if still alive, are in positions of either political or economic power).
2. Stop providing military technology and other aid to the PRC, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Congo, Cuba, and other enemy nations.
3. Stop cheating on arms control agreements.
4. Allow our inspectors to go over the guts of Yamantau Mt. with a fine toothed comb.
5. Stop developing weapons that are for the sole purpose of long range, intercontinental mass destruction. Even warfare with the PRC (claimed by the Russia apologists to be the reason for Russian nukes) does not justify these weapons. They are for one purpose only - a 1st strike attack against the USA.
Then I would trust the Russians.
Okey, swarthyguy, whatever you say.
You're nominated to be President Bush's Special Advisor for South Asia.
Not including the fact that the sexual revolutionaries that were in college back then are now in our state department and media. They hogue completely the air-waves.
Radical Islam and socialist/nationalist doctrine are inherently ideological. America is jurisdictional. America is a threat to the fantasies of either group.
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