Posted on 01/18/2024 8:52:31 PM PST by SeekAndFind
For quite some time now we’ve been keeping a close eye on the border region between Pakistan and India. The two nuclear powers have never gotten along well, with frequent skirmishes breaking out over disputed territory. But as of yesterday, Pakistan has experienced a flare-up with a different neighbor. Iran has launched attacks on what it claims are terrorist centers in Pakistan and now Pakistan has fired back, launching airstrikes into Iranian territory and killing at least seven people. So if there wasn’t already enough warfare in that region (both declared and undeclared), there’s one more conflict to toss on the pile. (AP)
Pakistan’s air force launched retaliatory airstrikes early Thursday on Iran allegedly targeting militant positions, an attack that killed at least seven people and further raised tensions between the neighboring nations.
The strikes in Sistan and Baluchestan province follow Iran’s attack Tuesday on Pakistani soil that killed two children in the southwestern Baluchistan province.
The strikes imperil diplomatic relations between the two neighbors, as Iran and nuclear-armed Pakistan have long regarded each other with suspicion over militant attacks.
Iran also launched strikes against what it claimed were ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria on the same day. Those attacks were, according to Iran, a response to an ISIS suicide bombing attack earlier this week. Iran appears to be specifically going after the Jaish al-Adl Sunni separatist group. In a pleasant break from typical anti-American terrorism, Jaish al-Adl is actually fighting other regional nations in an attempt to achieve an independent nation for Iran’s eastern Sistan and Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan provinces.
In terms of the conflict between Iran and Pakistan, America still technically considers Pakistan our ally. But that status was seriously called into doubt when we learned that elements of the Pakistani government were firmly in bed with al Qaeda and had been sheltering Osama bin Laden for years while we searched fruitlessly for him in Afghanistan. After decades of relative peace, it feels as if almost everyone in that region is fighting now. But as long as they’re attacking each other and not the United States or Israel, we should probably just let them wear each other down.
Meanwhile, we launched another strike against the Houthis in Yemen. It would appear that Joe Biden no longer believes he can simply ignore the Houthis’ continued attacks on shipping in the Red Sea to appease Iran.
The U.S. military fired another wave of ship- and submarine-launch missile strikes against Houthi-controlled sites Wednesday, U.S. officials said, marking the fourth time in days it has directly targeted the group in Yemen as violence that ignited in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war continues to spill over in the Middle East.
A spokesperson for the Biden administration said last night that the United States has “strongly warned Iran to cease providing weapons to the Houthis.” I’m sure a strongly worded letter will do the trick this time. (/sarc) Perhaps taking out a couple of their oil platforms or their nuclear fuel operation would get their attention. Of course, then we would only be dumping more fuel on the fire. Everyone keeps talking about the need to contain the conflict in the Middle East to Gaza to avoid an escalation of a broader war. But looking at all of these headlines, isn’t the entire region already at war today, lacking only official declarations? It’s a mess, no matter how you try to understand all of these intersecting conflicts.
Heard a good analysis today. That Baluchestan are a stand alone group that claims part of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The ones in Pakistan do cross border attacks into Iran.
The ones in Iran do attacks into Pakistan.
Iran hit the ones who ran back into Pakistan. Pakistan in turn hit the ones in Iran.
Both countries dislike these Baluchestan types. The prediction was that this is not the grand war we think it is, and that it’s very likely that Pakis and Iranians will agree to sort out the Baluchestan rebels inside their own territory and call it a day.
One can hope....
No, they’re just shooting at people and killing them.................
Earlier I thought “so what” if two groups of bad people battle each other.
Later there are reports Iran is days or weeks away from the nuclear bomb and nuclear material they’ve worked to create since Obama and then Biden left them to make progress by their deals, money and inattention.
Once again we owe so much to Obama.🤬
Since the Chi-Coms were on the wrong side of the border and no shots where fired the matter was quietly dropped.
Asia will Asia.
Each side will test the other for weakness and not finding it will let the matter rest. For a while.
Please. biden makes no decisions and runs nothing.
At least they give a **** about their own borders…
The Baluchistan issue between Iran and Pakisstan, and sometimes even Afghanistan is rooted in a long, old history. The Baluchi tribes were nomadic herders who moved their animals according to the seasons without regard of national borders. I suspect that as weather paterns have changed in recent decades it has become necessary to use new locations to find enough feed for their animals. This may be causing incursions more deeply into one country or another, and negative actions against the tribesmen.
Since around 2012 an armed organized Sunni group has been fighting for a separate Baluchi territory. This may not escalate as it has been swinging back and forth for a decade now. Iran is much more concerned with Iraq and Israel, not to mention Saudi Arabia.
Correct. Great analysis, buddy.
Not mine. I heard a smart man (retired SF officer) on a prepper podcast explaining it. I’m fairly current on world affairs and all but have never heard of this bunch. Never here on FR either. So thought I’d pass it along!
As we say in the old world, “Have it!”.
I’d love to see Pak nuke Iran .
Break out the popcorn
The Jeremiah Prophecy is coming closer and closer.
As one commentator said it, in a comical voice imitating a Pakistani. “Oh, no, Iran, don’t you dare hit the Buluks at grid coordinates G59 by H70. Don’t you dare...that’s G59 by H70.”
I expect Lindsey Graham to begin lobbying for US involvement to support the anti Iranian side. There can be no doubt that the CIA is meddling in this. We will become involved, the warmongers in DC can’t help themselves.
I’ll say it again. Plant bombs on both sides and set them off. Let each blame the other.
If the GOP could just learn to turn the democrats on each other. There’s enough differences between all the clans.
“both sides”? I don’t think so. The most I’ll go is Uniparty Team D and Uniparty Team R. Unfortunately, Team R is the Washington Generals of this bogus “competition”.
Sort of like the Kurds, Baluchis are nation without state, divided between Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The do not like any of those above and want an single, independent state.
Will see what will happen.
I hope US will not interfere!
China and Russia will put a stop to this fighting. They can’t have their allies fighting each other.
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