Posted on 05/02/2009 10:38:46 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (AFP) – The administration of US President Barack Obama is reaching out to former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif, the chief rival of President Asif Ali Zardari, in hopes to find a way to strengthen the country's government, The New York Times reported.
Sharif, who served as Pakistan's prime minister twice during the 1990s, represents the Pakistan Muslim League-N.
Citing unnamed administration officials, the newspaper said on its website that because of his ties to Islamists, the US government has long held Sharif at arm?s length.
But now some Obama administration officials say those ties could be useful in helping Zardari?s government to confront the challenge from Taliban insurgents, the report said.
The Pakistani government ceded control of the nearby Swat valley to Islamists in February, signing a deal to allow religious hardliners to enforce Islamic law in the region in order to end a bloody two-year rebellion led by a radical cleric.
But instead of disarming as required under the deal, the Taliban instead pushed further south towards Islamabad, taking over large swathes of Lower Dir and Buner.
According to the paper, the US move reflects heightened concern in the Obama administration about the survivability of the Zardari government.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Send in Hillary!
The administration of US President Barack Obama is reaching out to former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif (centre), the chief rival of President Asif Ali Zardari, in hopes to find a way to strengthen the country's government. (AFP/File/Asif Hassan)
shades of Vietnam and JFK and LBJ?
This is great news!
It opens the door for Sarkozy to approach Bush about US matters.
Oh glorious day.
Heck Obama,, call Musharraf, get a real pro back in there. ;-)
see my comments #50, from the following thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2241917/posts
Like his policy vis-a-vis Israel, the “Obama policy” IS the Saudi Policy.
I'm getting really sick of the incredible overuse of the term "reaching out", particularly when you could easily substitute the following: "How about coming over to the White House for Superbowl Sunday? You're welcome if you'll just (there are several options here) stop building nuclear weapons, or vote for my little $1.5 Trillion budget deficit, or ... "
Allies in his fight against the right wing extremists?
Just like Neville Chamberlain “reached out” to Edward Benes in 1938.
And, what will India have to say about this??
Obama is more dangerous than a spastic juvenile in a toy-store.
What a huge surprise. And now Zero is going to negotiate with these same honorable gentlemen. Of course he's such a charmer, the Islamists will lay down their Korans and take up 0bama worship.
I can hear chanting throughout the Paki provinces: "We don't need no steenkin' Allah, we got Barak."
Zer0 is delusional. He is attempting a coup in Paki!
His man in Pakistan seems to disagree:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2242816/posts
Which leaves me MORE inclined to believe that Obama, himself, is channeling the Saudi line, signaling HE is ready to back their man, Nawaz Sherif (whether Billary and Holbrooke have a different view or not).
The administration of US President Barack Obama is reaching out to former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif, the chief rival of President Asif Ali Zardari, in hopes to find a way to strengthen the country's government, The New York Times reported.If Hillary were president, the whole Taliban and al-Qaeda would be disarmed and running convenience stores in Arkansas.
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