Pakistan's Costly 'Other War'

The Washington Post ^ | February 15, 2006 | Selig S. Harrison

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Musharraf's "other war" against the Baluch, an ethnic minority of 4.5 million, has become increasingly bloody in recent weeks. According to U.S. intelligence sources, six Pakistani army brigades, plus paramilitary forces totaling some 25,000 men, are battling Baluch Liberation Army guerrillas in the Kohlu mountains and surrounding areas.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Khuzestan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Waziristan just the ones I could find easily.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Eventually, the Gwadar port will be accessible for Chinese imports and exports through overland links that will stretch to and from Karakoram Highway in Pakistan's Northern Areas that border China's Muslim-majority Autonomous Region of Xinjiang.

[fallujah-nuker]

I kinda feel sorry for the guy. I don't know what more he could be doing for us and still survive. If he goes out in a coup or assassination OEF will suffer.

I think we need to be cold blooded and recall Gladstones maxim that "nations do not have permanent allies, only permanent interests." We will at some point need to deal with the Taliban/Al Qaeda areas along the border, in particular Waziristan. I do not have a "hearts and minds" campaign in mind, instead something more along Roman lines. If we are at at war our aim should be to win, whatever it takes. The people of Waziristan were given a choice, "with us, or against us," they've made their choice.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Musharaff serves the interest of the Taliban in that his alliance with us gives him an excuse to maintain a Taliban sanctuary by keeping us out while being unable to control it himself. The radicals (many in the ISI) could have his head anytime they want it. But then they would no longer have a sanctuary or someone building nukes and subs for them for when they do take over. With all the nukes they would ever have, they would have to use them or lose them to a Indo-US invasion whose main imperative would be to keep them out of the hands of terrorists. Things will move fast when Musharaff falls. Moving US troops out of the south and nearer the Khyber could be prep for that inevitability - get the nukes and encircle Waziristan.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

The people of Waziristan are kin to the people of southeastern Afghanistan. Hard power and large numbers of dead Pashtun women and children won't help us in Afghanistan.

My recommendation is to send highly trained Pashtun commandos of the ANA into the FATA to hunt down and kill or bribe the Taliban while we send Pashtun-speaking special operators with Predators and Hellfires to kill the al Qaeda. Carpet bombing Bajaur won't do much for us. Sort of like cannonading the Rocky Mountains.

It takes a while to produce highly trained ANA commandos.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

I don't think they could have his head any time they wanted it. They have tried several times. Eventually they will succeed, or he will be deposed.

Things will move fast when Musharraf falls. It will be an exciting time.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

China's pearl loses its luster

[Gengis Khan]

"Musharraff on the whole though has done a pretty decent job since 9-11-01Musharraff on the whole though has done a pretty decent job since 9-11-01........."

In that case you should have an alliance with Pakistan rather than India.

[Gengis Khan]

Musharaf is using American aid and weaponry to wipe out domestic Balochi and Sindhi seperatist movements (who have a genuine claim to self-determination) who otherwise have nothing much to do with the Taliban. Musharaf as usual is putting up a sham of co-operation on "GWOT" by killing innocent Balochis who are branded as terrorists, when in fact he should have gone after the Pathan Talibans up north.

Americans are only too happy to be suckered by this scam artist.

[Gengis Khan]

"Some of them are getting over that."

If they are I dont know about it, hatred for Hindus is institutionalised in Pakistan. Its part of the school curiculum. They are taught to hate Hindus from a very young age.

[Schwaeky]

Meaning Red China is aiding the Taliban?

If so, that is war with China, not to mention a NATO article Five war with China, if they're aiding the Taliban..

[Schwaeky]

We need to drop Musharaff like 3rd period french and put Benazir Bhutto back in power. She may not have been a genuine friend to America's interest in the past, but anyone who is a friend to democracy is an enemy of terrorism, and a friend to our interests now...

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

They have tried several times.

SOMEBODY has tried several times.
That doesn't mean that "THEY" have tried.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Americans are only too happy to be suckered by this scam artist.

Ah, but Musharaff gives Pakistan a temporary stability, particularly with the nukes. When Musharaff goes, it will be a scramble for them between the US, India and Taliban.

[ClaireSolt]

Speakling of democracy, there are supposed to be local elections this year and national elections in 2007. Bhutto is travelling the West looking for support and was on c-span recently. She said that she had the tribal areas under control and Mus is doing it all wrong.

The frightening thing to me is that there are 150 million people in Pakistan and 40% are dollar-a-day poor. They do not think like we do, at all. The only strong institution is the military. I agree that in lots of ways it is not a country and can be a big problem. I am not sure to what extent it is our problem. How are we to fix it if it seems so different we cannot even really relate?

[voice of india]

VIEWER DISCRETION RECOMMENDED PAKISTAN MILLITARY ATROCITIES IN BALOUCHISTAN


The above is the pictures of one entire balouchi family killed by pak froces.

[voletti]

Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Khuzestan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Waziristan just the ones I could find easily. You forgot Rajasthan (Indian desert state bordering Pak)! then there's Balwaristan (Pak's northern areas like gilgit etc).

[voletti]

SOMEBODY has tried several times. That doesn't mean that "THEY" have tried. More than one individual is known to have been involved. 'They' goes with the plural number. At least 4 were sentenced to hanging last year, for e.g.

[voletti]

GAWD!

That's Gross!

Have a link with the viewer discretion warning...

[Mi-kha-el]

OK, here we go. Tatarstan, Bashkortostan. There!