In my post earlier today, I didn’t mention anything about what the Obama Administration is trying to do inside Pakistan itself, but it’s quite important and extremely disconcerting. Jeremy Scahill has a very good rundown on the extent that we’re operating across Afghanistan’s southeastern border.
Can’t Bring Yourself to Type the Word “Ass”?
Eager to share our brilliant political commentary and blunt media criticism, but too genteel to link to horsesass.org? Well, good news, ladies: we also answer to HASeattle.com, because, you know, whatever. You're welcome!
does Pakistan object?
@1
You should read his post, there isn’t a simple answer to that question.
What a load of horseshit fear mongering that video is. I mean I understand the threat of a destabilized Pakistan, I worry about it all the time. But does anybody really believe that the nukes are anywhere near the Pahstoon reigons or under their potential control? If Pakistan crumbles China, India, and USA will all march right in and control the nukes. It is naive to think otherwise.
And if Pakistan fall apart it will break into pieces, it won’t consolidate power under Taliban.
The video makes a lot of good points but offers nothing in the way of solutions. Just a lot of blowhard, nervous nelly sky is falling rhetoric. I am sorry but that does no good.
These are just my impressions, I could be wrong.
@3 If India marches into Pakistan there’ll be a war that’ll make our fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan look like child’s play. Pakistanis and Indians hate each other as only neighbors can.
I agree with the president on this one. A major operation is underway in Afghanistan in which young Marines are fighting and dying as I type these words. Obama can’t let their enemies have sanctuaries in Pakistan.
In any case, the concept of “sovereignty” is an academic abstraction along that whole border. First of all, no one knows exactly where the border is. Second, no one respects it. Third, there is no government in that area; this is the lawless frontier region where an AK-47 is the only passport anyone has or needs. If the Pakistani government won’t and/or can’t enforce its authority there, why should our government be fastidious about an imaginary border when no one else is?
I say use the Marines to drive Taliban fighters toward the Pakistani Army, and when they’re neatly inside the sandwich, draw straws with the Pakistanis to see who gets to shoot ’em up.
Well this is one campaign promise Puddy remembers and “the messiah” is keeping. “the messiah” did say last year he was willing to launch cross-border military activity into Pakistan, a sovereign nation and United States ally. “the messiah” did say he was prepared to put U.S. military forces inside Pakistan without explicit consent. Puddy remembers Hillary castigating him. Well she’s SoS and “the messiah” can keep his promise now.
Golly Puddy is good. Here is what big mouth uhhh… VP Biden “The last thing you want to do is telegraph to the folks in Pakistan that we are about to violate their sovereignty.” – Joseph Biden droning on at the National Press Club.
Rather have “big mouth” Biden or flake Palin as VP?
Puddy
k’s question is most apt: who do you want as next in line to the presidency–Joe Biden or Sarah Palin? Say it, man, you want Palin. You guys really got no bench.
@3 After eight years of BushCo “intelligence” and the systematic purging of any and all high-ranking military and intelligence personnel who dared question the Great Master Plan, I don’t have the least bit of confidence that the new administration inherited a clear picture of where a fucking thing is. It’s probably going to take a long time before the spooks get the idea that it’s OK to tell the truth again instead of “cooking the books” to support the President’s (or the Vice President’s) whims.
So, perhaps the one thing the last gang did right was to at least start out to wrest Afghanistan from the Taliban and al Queda. Too damned bad we didn’t finish the job. Instead, while the neocons were showing what studs they were by jacking off all over Iraq, the Taliban have been coming back, this time no longer too proud to fund their shennagigans with opium money. At this point, Pakistan is the real show. Unfortunately, at this point Obama may have no choice eventually but to wage all-out war there. The claim that “we won’t send troops into Pakistan” sounds eerily like the run-up to Vietnam.
5 That might lead to a scene like when the Irish showed up in Braveheart.
re 9: The CIA has always lied. To whomever. That’s what they do.
“We don’t spy on American Citizens!!!”
Nig-ger, Please!!
@9
I agree with most of your points. And yes this does have “bombing runs over Cambodia” aspect to it.
As for American intelligence. I think you are right that it was degraded under Bush. But that doesn’t mean it has stood still. And don’t discount Indian and Chinese intelligence operations. After all they have a vested interest in the stability of the region, especially India. I suspect the whole Kashmir thing is mostly a useful stick to drum up the nationalists on both sides. But there is always more subtlety to the Realpolitik of any situation.
I agree with Roger that “the concept of “sovereignty” is an academic abstraction along that whole border.”
I just think the Pakistan as failed state is a little over played. And to some extent the video seems more bent on playing the fear card than offering any clear headed analysis of the region. I fear we are falling for the same old fallacy that the Taliban and the terrorists are somehow “irrational”. I think this not the case. There is a lot we read and hear that is primarily for domestic political consumption, and more politics of fear. Fortunately, I don’t think Obama is willing to play the same old political games. He cares about results and I think that we ultimately are going to tighten the net and will move into Pakistan if we have to. I am sure some feathers will be ruffled, but I don’t believe it means the automatic collapse of Pakistan.
Isn’t all a matter of trust?
I would not trust Chaney if he told me Tacoma was on fire.
Obama has a tough job. We are effin luckey.
Headless Fool@11:
You can’t even say it right moron!