tagged w/ AfPak
-
As the celebration continues for Americans and people around the world at the news of Osama bin Laden's death as announced by President Barack Obama on May 1, 2011, there is a bit of head scratching going on for hard facts and evidence.
One of the very first troubling reports came by way of news that bin Laden had been spotted in the Abadabad area as early as August of 2010. If he and entourage had moved into this million dollar mansion, as described by various media, it would have had to be with the blessing of some high ranking Pakistani official. Abadabad is as far from a cave dwelling as one can imagine, with the equivalent of the US West Point Academy within walking distance. If he indeed had been living there for eight months, why did he not meet his maker any sooner?
And then, there are no credible pictures. Some will recall the plethora of photos that made their way to accompany headlines of the capture and death of Saddam Hussein's sons, and though their bodies had been cleaned up to the extent possible, their identity was unmistakable. At the time, this was a trophy for President Bush who was convinced that Hussein had ties to al-Qaeda, though the story changed so many times during the course of the war in Iraq that it was hard to keep track.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: Bin Laden's death: where are the photos Mr. President? - National Foreign Policy | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/foreign-policy-in-national/bin-laden-s-death-where-are-the-photos-mr-president#ixzz1LD71RYLVAs the celebration continues for Americans and people around the world at the news of... more
-
-
If you were president of the United States, there is probably no greater pleasure that you’d be the one to announce the death of al-Qaeda mastermind Osama ben Laden. We are seeing images of people surrounding the White House in anticipation of the President’s statement, shouting “USA, USA”, singing the American national anthem, cheering the news of the death of America’s most wanted criminal.
The White House took its time in formulating a statement. President Obama walked to the podium of the East Room to deliver the news that Osama ben Laden had been killed, and recalled the day that changed America on 9/11. He spoke of the grief wrought on the U.S. by the attacks, and the feeling of oneness that emerged from that pain. He beckoned the American people to make an effort to regain this feeling of unity toward the end of his announcement.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: President Obama tells the world that Osama bin Laden is dead - National Foreign Policy | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/foreign-policy-in-national/president-obama-tells-the-world-that-osama-ben-laden-is-dead#ixzz1LAHgIBEDIf you were president of the United States, there is probably no greater pleasure that... more
-
-
The body of the world's most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden, is in US possession. He was apparently killed today and the impact on news organizations is widespread. He represented al-Qaeda's spirit, the beacon of anti-Western sentiment, and the man who orchestrated attacks on United States properties around the world both on the ground and the sea.
Though he was credited with the 9/11 attacks, he had initially denied responsibility. However, ben Laden was the main target when the US launched an attack on Afghanistan and almost had him captured in Tora Bora. Over the years, we have seen his face on our TV screens making declarations against Western interests and threatening the US with additional attacks. There were spin-off al-Qaeda branches that settled in the Maghreb, and more recently, in Yemen.
There are more questions at this very moment than answers, as we wait for President Obama to make a statement.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: Osama bin Laden declared dead this evening - National Foreign Policy | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/foreign-policy-in-national/osama-ben-laden-declared-killed-this-evening#ixzz1LA6LPbVWThe body of the world's most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden, is in US... more
-
-
Richard Holbrooke's career in foreign service spanned fifty years. The accompanying slide show attempts to do some justice to the impact of his negotiations in the world on behalf of the United States.
His last words were: 'You've got to stop this war in Afghanistan'.Richard Holbrooke's career in foreign service spanned fifty years. The... more
-
-
Richard Holbrooke, 69, died this evening as a result of cardiac complications despite a twenty-hour emergency surgery on Friday to repair a torn aorta. He underwent a second surgery on Sunday.
He has been often referred to as the 'Bulldozer' for his indefatigable and no-nonsense approach to conflict resolution. His major accomplishment was as chief architect of the Dayton Accords, the November 1995 agreement that brought peace to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Ambassador Holbrooke's current assignment was the very difficult Afpak, i.e. Afghanistan/Pakistan war and resolution, a task that he tackled relentlessly. His death will most certainly leave a gaping hole in the diplomatic channel to one of the most volatile areas of the world. Holbrooke had served the United States in one way or another for the last fifty years.
This evening, as his death makes headlines, I heard Andrea Mitchell talk about Richard Holbrooke in a very candid manner; she admitted having been a friend, as well as a journalist reporting on his movements. She called him energetic, purposeful and the owner of a very large ego. She also said he could be downright exasperating. If I were to read between the lines, I guess she was saying if he were negotiating with you, you'd most likely surrender.Richard Holbrooke, 69, died this evening as a result of cardiac complications despite... more
-
-
U.S. Apache helicopters in Afghanistan have carried out several unusual bombings in Pakistan, during which more than 50 insurgents were killed. Despite the presence and use of drones by the US on Pakistani soil, the Pakistani army sees this action as a violation of its sovereignty.
No, say the US, not according to an agreement with Islamabad which allows the US to pursue the Taliban beyond the border when the confrontation is in progress or in case of attack by the rebels. According to a report in Dawn, a Pakistani daily, no such agreement exists.U.S. Apache helicopters in Afghanistan have carried out several unusual bombings in... more
-
-
Afghanistan War Logs: WikiLeaks Releasing Over 90,000 Documents In ‘Afghan War Diary’
7-25-10
WikiLeaks has obtained a massive set of records about the Afghanistan war, dubbed “The War Logs,” that paints a grim picture of the nation’s longest military engagement.
The Guardian, one of three news organizations with an advanced look at the documents, summarizes:
A huge cache of secret US military files today provides a devastating portrait of the failing war in Afghanistan, revealing how coalition forces have killed hundreds of civilians in unreported incidents, Taliban attacks have soared and Nato commanders fear neighbouring Pakistan and Iran are fuelling the insurgency.
WAR COVER-UP: Wikileaks Releases Hidden Afghanistan “War Logs”…See Complete Version (VIDEOS)...http://ctpatriot1970.wordpress.com/2010/07/25/war-cover-up-wikileaks-releases-hidden-afghanistan-war-logs-complete-version-videos/Afghanistan War Logs: WikiLeaks Releasing Over 90,000 Documents In ‘Afghan War... more
-
-
A suspected suicide bomb attack on a protest against power cuts in the Pakistani city of Peshawar on Monday (April 19) killed 20 people, government officials said.
Top district government official Azam Khan told Reuters at least 20 people were dead. He said they were trying to figure out how it happened.
Another official said the blast in an area of the old city known as the Storytellers' Bazaar was believed to have been caused by a suicide bomberA suspected suicide bomb attack on a protest against power cuts in the Pakistani city... more
-
-
U.S. officials believe that even as Pakistan's security forces worked with their American counterparts to detain Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and other insurgents, the country's Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, or ISI, quietly freed at least two senior Afghan Taliban figures it had captured on its own.
U.S. military and intelligence officials say the releases, detected by American spy agencies but not publicly disclosed, are evidence that parts of Pakistan's security establishment continue to support the Afghan Taliban.U.S. officials believe that even as Pakistan's security forces worked with their... more
-
-
The country's Supreme Court voted to end amnesty from corruption charges for the President and now there are calls for him ad his cabinet to step down. The anti-corruption agency is re-opening hundreds of cases. That agency is also barring some 248 people from leaving the country.
Pakistan's ambassador to the US ruled out a coup today. As did US General David Petraeus.
I haven't seen any reports of tanks in the streets, but this article from Canda's Globe and Mail, published a few weeks ago, argues that there are forces inside of Pakistan's military that are trying to overthrow the President in a slower, more quiet coup.
The men who wish to replace Mr. Zardari represent the religious right-wing backers of the Taliban and al-Qaeda, adding a new obstacle in Barack Obama's war effort in Afghanistan. A change of guard in Pakistan will also place Canadian troops at a higher risk of attack from a Taliban that will get unimpeded access to safe havens across the international border....The army's patience with Mr. Zardari ran out in October, when the U.S. Congress passed the Kerry-Lugar bill that promised billions in aid to Pakistan, but with a crucial caveat: The money would go through the channels of the civilian administration and if the military interfered with the democratic process or bullied the politicians and the judiciary, the Americans would halt all aid to the military.
Recently on the Current News Blog:
- Senegalese just want to work - Global Citizen Year
- Shaolin IPO: Home of kung fu to go public
- Philippines just can't catch a break - Mayon Volcano evacuations
- Challenges facing my new home in Guatemala - Global Citizen Year
- Ben Bernanke is Time's Man of the YearThe country's Supreme Court voted to end amnesty from corruption charges for the... more
-
-
There are few things I love more than finding a big long Seymour Hersh piece in the New Yorker - and today brings a doozy: Defending the Arsenal.
The thrust of the piece is that the greatest threat to the security of Pakistan's nukes could come not from the Taliban, but from within the military itself. Hersh also goes into extensive detail about the workings of the Pakistani nuclear arsenal and the US' secret efforts to help better secure it. Lots of great tidbits in there like:
Safeguards have been built into the system. Pakistani nuclear doctrine calls for the warheads (containing an enriched radioactive core) and their triggers (sophisticated devices containing highly explosive lenses, detonators, and krytrons) to be stored separately from each other and from their delivery devices (missiles or aircraft). The goal is to insure that no one can launch a warhead—in the heat of a showdown with India, for example—without pausing to put it together. Final authority to order a nuclear strike requires consensus within Pakistan’s ten-member National Command Authority, with the chairman—by statute, President Zardari—casting the deciding vote.
At least one blogger in the Pakistani blogosphere has been less than kind to Mr. Hersh for calling the effectiveness of their military into question. From the blog Bazm-e-Iqbal:
American scaremongerers like Seymour Hersh need to come out of the wonderland they are living in. Before talking about mutiny in the Pakistan army and trying to help secure our nukes you better pay attention to securing Fort Hood.
Recently on the Current News Blog:
- Real Recovery college stories
- Fall of the Berlin Wall
- Chavez: Prepare for war
- Al Qaeda has a magazine!
- Recession and the college graduate - The Real RecoveryThere are few things I love more than finding a big long Seymour Hersh piece in the... more
-
-
With the two helicopter crashes in Afghanistan today (killing 14 Americans), we wanted to check in real quick on how war #1 of our two wars is going.
Wired's Danger Room talks about how today's crashes reveal that helicopter are the "achilles' heel of the Afghan War", absolutely necessary in a country with few roads and constantly undersupplied. Maintenance on those that are there is apparently critical as well:
Earlier this year, Popular Mechanics reporter Joe Pappalardo spent some time with the wrench-turners who keep the helicopters flying in Afghanistan. “Afghanistan,” he concluded, “is hell on helicopters.” Here’s a list of just a few of the things he noted that can go wrong: Temperature extremes that destroy seals and gaskets; “high/hot” flying conditions that reduce engine performance; dust and sand that ruin rotor blades and clog up hydraulics. And, of course, there’s the enemy. (Soviet helicopter operations were also vulnerable, albeit for a different reason: The delivery of the Stinger missile, courtesy of the United States.)
Newsweek's Fareed Zakaria looks at the question of troop levels in Afghanistan and points out that Obama is considering not "a surge" but "a third surge":
The number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan in January 2008 was 26,607. Over the next six months, the Bush administration raised the total to 48,250. President Bush described this policy as "the quiet surge," and he made the standard arguments about the need for a counterinsurgency capacity—the troops had to not only fight the Taliban but protect the Afghan population, strengthen and train the Afghan Army and police, and assist in development.
In January 2009, another 3,000 troops, originally ordered by President Bush, went to Afghanistan in the first days of the Obama presidency. In February, responding to a request from the commander in the field, Obama ordered an additional 17,000 troops into the country. In other words, over the past 18 months, troop levels in Afghanistan have almost tripled. An additional 40,000 troops sent in the next few months would mean an almost 400 percent increase in U.S. troops since 2008. (The total surge in Iraq, incidentally, was just over 20,000 troops.) It is not dithering to try to figure out why previous increases have not worked and why we think additional ones would.
Boston.com's Big Picture also has another amazing set of photographs from Afghanistan, all taken in the month of October.
Question of the day for you: What should Obama do with Afghanistan? Should he send more US troops to pacify rural areas? Reduce the troop levels and focus on urban areas? Or should he "Why not do the Petraeus plan [counterinsurgency] for the major population centers and the Biden plan [counterterrorism] for the rest of the country?" (Defense expert Tom Ricks in the Zakaria article)
Recently on the Current News Blog:
- Psst...tell Castro I said Hi-k thx Obama
- Deadly Baghdad blasts raise specter of security
- 7 stories you missed this week: Goldman Sachs jerk, threats to Obama, Andy Garcia as Saakashvili and swine flu in Iraq
- Rage Against Guantanamo - Rage Against the Machine, REM, Pearl Jam and more call for Gitmo closure
- US police make massive Mexican drug cartel bustWith the two helicopter crashes in Afghanistan today (killing 14 Americans), we wanted... more
-
-
As Pakistan hammers militants in South Waziristan, they've got a little help from their friends. The US military is providing video surveillance and intelligence from unmanned drones - the deepest involvement between the two militaries to date.
From the Los Angeles Times:
For months the United States and Pakistan have been sharing information from Predator flights in the volatile border regions, but until now the Pakistanis had not accepted help for their major military operations. Islamabad turned down American surveillance and targeting aid during the offensive in the Swat district that began in May.
The use of military drones for intelligence gathering in Pakistan is separate from the ongoing Predator attack campaign being carried out in that country by the CIA. Over the last 18 months, missile strikes from CIA-operated drones have killed at least 13 senior Al Qaeda or Taliban operatives in Pakistan's tribal zone.
It's a tricky situation for Pakistan's military as they're usually very careful to not seem too dependent on the US. It also could give strength to claims by Taliban militants that the Pakistani government is following the direction of the United States.
Recently on the Current News Blog:
- US police make massive Mexican drug cartel bust
- Defining 'dithering' - Dick Cheney accuses President Obama of wasting time
- North American Union conspiracy hits the big time
- Meet the Uighurs - Laura Ling's interview with China's western dissidents
- Captured by Somali pirates - A journalist's first hand storyAs Pakistan hammers militants in South Waziristan, they've got a little help from... more
-
-
As Pakistan's military is prepping their strike against the Taliban in South Waziristan, the militants seem to be attacking right back. Dressed as police officers, attackers besieged three different law enforcement agencies in the city of Lahore killing over 30 people.
Five militants scaled the wall of the police training center, where more than 800 recruits had just started classes, said Maj. Gen. Shafqat Ahmed, the officer commanding security forces in Lahore.
In the ensuing two-hour battle between the hundreds of army commandos and the gunmen, one attacker was killed early on and another detonated a suicide bomb. The three surviving militants then tried to move to a residential compound, but families locked themselves inside while commandos fired on the assailants.
This is just the latest in a series of brazen attacks from militants. Is it a sign of weakness in the government's efforts? Or is it a new desperate tactic from a Taliban that is facing certain doom in South Waziristan?
Turning the attacks against Pakistani cities certainly hasn't seemed to win the Taliban any converts among the residents there. From a Lahore blog:
Yes, we are living in insecure times and when a full-fledged war is being raged against these mug-heads, they are sure to strike back. What makes all Pakistanis proud is the sacrifice of life that our soldiers and policemen are making to fight terrorism and to protect common citizens like you and me.
We should pray for these brave sons of the soil and help them by providing any information that we are able to gather against terrorists or suspicious activities around our cities and neighborhoods.
To all the policemen who lost their life today in Lahore and Kohat; every Lahori and Pakistani salutes you!
If you're in Pakistan let us know how the attacks are affecting daily life. Are they at all?
Recently from the Current News Blog:
- Sarkozy to Gordon Brown: No Homo
- Military recruiting up, thanks to the recession
- Sri Lankan government to try to ride civil war victory to re-electionAs Pakistan's military is prepping their strike against the Taliban in South... more
-
-
In an update to yesterday's story about the brazen Taliban attack on Pakistan's military headquarters, bombing runs have begun in the South Waziristan region.
Pakistani jets bombed militant targets in the main insurgent stronghold along the Afghan border Tuesday ahead of an expected ground offensive there, while the army killed 26 insurgents elsewhere in the northwest, authorities said.
The army says 80 percent of the militant attacks plaguing nuclear-armed Pakistan are planned from South Waziristan, while the United States says insurgent leaders blamed for spiraling violence in Afghanistan are also based in the lawless, remote area.
Recently on the Current News Blog:
- When will Obama end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell?
- Turkey and Armenia playing nice?In an update to yesterday's story about the brazen Taliban attack on... more
-
-
Riding high on their victory over the Taliban in the Swat Valley this May, the Pakistani Army has been planning another offensive near the Afghanistan border. Meanwhile the Taliban haven't exactly gone away. They claimed responsibility for massive car bomb in Peshawar last week and then this weekend, they stormed the Pakistani Army's headquarters and took hostages.
Wait, what?
Yeah, that's right, the Army's headquarters. From Sunday:
Militants are holding up to 15 soldiers hostage inside Pakistan’s army headquarters today after they and others attacked the complex earlier in the day, killing at least six soldiers.
Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas says no army or intelligence leaders are among those being held.
The militants, armed with assault rifles and grenades and wearing military uniforms, stormed the heavily guarded compound in the city of Rawalpindi.
Worse for the military, the NY Times reported today that Pakistan's police actually sent the military a letter warning them that this attack was evident. And yet still they were overwhlemed.
As I mentioned above, in a few weeks time, Pakistan's army is about to launch another major offensive against the Taliban. The Telegraph reports from the region that they'll face tough resistance. Their reporter found a small growing army of foreign fighters and local teenagers hankering for a fight. A symbolically worrisome quote:
"I remember when the British rulers attacked Waziristan," said Hazrat Hussein, a farmer aged 70 who has shouldered a rusty Kalashnikov to join the fight. "The British could not control these tribes," he added with pride.
If you're in Pakistan, let us know. We'd love to hear a local perspective on how this series of blows to the military affects locals confidence in their efforts. Leave your comment over here on Current News.Riding high on their victory over the Taliban in the Swat Valley this May, the... more
-
-
US forces have detained a senior police officer in Afghanistan for alleged corruption and links to insurgents. A statement by the US military said Atahullah Wahaab, deputy police chief in Kapisa province, facilitated the storage, distribution and installation of improvised explosive devices on roads in his region.US forces have detained a senior police officer in Afghanistan for alleged corruption... more
-
-
Ten of thousands of Afghan civilians are abandoning an area of central Helmland where US and British soldiers are have just launched one of the biggest operations of the year. However, most of the area's population, estimated at up to 100,000, remain.Ten of thousands of Afghan civilians are abandoning an area of central Helmland where... more
-
-
Pakistanis are united in anger after a US court convicted Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a US-educated neuroscientist previously accused of al-Qaida links, on charges of assault and attempted murder.Pakistanis are united in anger after a US court convicted Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a... more
-
-
The country's Supreme Court voted to end amnesty from corruption charges for the President and now there are calls for him ad his cabinet to step down. The anti-corruption agency is re-opening hundreds of cases. That agency is also barring some 248 people from leaving the country.
Pakistan's ambassador to the US ruled out a coup today. As did US General David Petraeus.
I haven't seen any reports of tanks in the streets, but this article from Canda's Globe and Mail, published a few weeks ago, argues that there are forces inside of Pakistan's military that are trying to overthrow the President in a slower, more quiet coup.
The men who wish to replace Mr. Zardari represent the religious right-wing backers of the Taliban and al-Qaeda, adding a new obstacle in Barack Obama's war effort in Afghanistan. A change of guard in Pakistan will also place Canadian troops at a higher risk of attack from a Taliban that will get unimpeded access to safe havens across the international border....The army's patience with Mr. Zardari ran out in October, when the U.S. Congress passed the Kerry-Lugar bill that promised billions in aid to Pakistan, but with a crucial caveat: The money would go through the channels of the civilian administration and if the military interfered with the democratic process or bullied the politicians and the judiciary, the Americans would halt all aid to the military.
FROM THE NEWS BLOG: http://blogs.current.com/news/2009/12/17/is-there-a-coup-coming-in-pakistan/
SOURCES: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/a-military-coup-in-pakistan/article1393331/
http://www.examiner.com/x-2086-Foreign-Policy-Examiner~y2009m12d17-Is-Pakistan-on-the-verge-of-a-coupThe country's Supreme Court voted to end amnesty from corruption charges for the... more
-
