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Pakistan - so it begins..

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    #2
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Pakistan has been on the edge for decades, hard to know if now is fundamentally more dangerous than previous 'hot' periods. The irony is that the government has been happy to use these nutters to work against India in Kashmir (they deny it of course).

    Mike.


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    #3
    InFront
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,698 ✭✭✭InFront


    Pakistan is in big trouble anyway, and has been for a very long time. This latest trouble is just another symptom of that. Musharraf really needs to get out and stop trying to create another Turkey, because this is the result.

    The final line of that news article is sadly true.


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    #4
    Mick86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 982 ✭✭✭Mick86


    jonny72 wrote:
    If the religious extremists keep hitting military targets that country is in big trouble..

    Pakistan is unstable anyway. On top of that the areas on the border with Afghanistan barely acknowledge the government of the country and the Pakistani military barely operates in some areas.This has been a problem for coalition troops operating in Afghanistan where the Taliban can operate freely from Pakistan. If the Pakistani army is forced to"invade" it's NW Frontier areas the guerrillas can be squeezed between the two forces and hopefully suffer lots of casualties.

    On the other hand the Lal Masjid lads could overthrow Musharraf's regime. An Islamic fundamentalist regime in Pakistan would inevitably attack India.

    Things could turn nasty.


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    #5
    jonny72
    Closed Accounts Posts: 674 ✭✭✭jonny72


    Mick86 wrote:
    Pakistan is unstable anyway. On top of that the areas on the border with Afghanistan barely acknowledge the government of the country and the Pakistani military barely operates in some areas.This has been a problem for coalition troops operating in Afghanistan where the Taliban can operate freely from Pakistan. If the Pakistani army is forced to"invade" it's NW Frontier areas the guerrillas can be squeezed between the two forces and hopefully suffer lots of casualties.

    On the other hand the Lal Masjid lads could overthrow Musharraf's regime. An Islamic fundamentalist regime in Pakistan would inevitably attack India.

    Things could turn nasty.

    Yeah but I'm hoping it will be Pakistani forces against extremists, and not getting locals sucked in, I have alot of respect for the mountain men, but if Musharaff starts screwing things up then they'll start fighting too, on the side of the extremists.


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    #6
    InFront
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,698 ✭✭✭InFront


    Mick86 wrote:
    If the Pakistani army is forced to"invade" it's NW Frontier areas the guerrillas can be squeezed between the two forces and hopefully suffer lots of casualties.
    That would be a disaster for Pakistan, there's no way Musharraf (unless he's completely mad, which I suppose can't be discounted) would try to disturb the equilibrium in the NWFP with regard to provoking the militants and running the severe risk of losing control to them out beyond the frontier regions.

    Their expansion in the current climate is absolutely inevitable however, they are an intimidating force for the military and it seems like the best he (Musharraf) can hope to do, or the best that the military can hope to do, is delay that until they come up with a plan. Personally, I'd have more faith in Johnny Bravo coming up with a plan for the region, Musharraf has absolutely no chance, I think things are going to get a lot worse, or at least are going to change a lot, in Pakistan.


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    #7
    Mick86
    Closed Accounts Posts: 982 ✭✭✭Mick86


    jonny72 wrote:
    Yeah but I'm hoping it will be Pakistani forces against extremists, and not getting locals sucked in, I have alot of respect for the mountain men, but if Musharaff starts screwing things up then they'll start fighting too, on the side of the extremists.
    InFront wrote:
    That would be a disaster for Pakistan, there's no way Musharraf (unless he's completely mad, which I suppose can't be discounted) would try to disturb the equilibrium in the NWFP with regard to provoking the militants and running the severe risk of losing control to them out beyond the frontier regions.

    Presumably the extremists could not operate in the area without the permission or cooperation of the locals.

    Musharraf hasn't much choice but to take on the militants wherever they be. If he doesn't he loses the country to them.


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    #8
    jonny72
    Closed Accounts Posts: 674 ✭✭✭jonny72


    Mick86 wrote:
    Presumably the extremists could not operate in the area without the permission or cooperation of the locals.

    Musharraf hasn't much choice but to take on the militants wherever they be. If he doesn't he loses the country to them.

    I think this is why the militants are hitting (so far anyway) the Pakistani army, possibly in the hopes that Musharraf will react in such a way that will alienate the populace and thus lend support to the militants.

    This is a bit off topic, but I found this an interesting read, grain of salt or accurate description..

    "Al-Libbi is an extremely charismatic speaker. He looks good on camera -- young, strong and handsome -- and his voice is strong and clear, with very distinct enunciation. He effortlessly conveys a sense of physical competence, and the success of his prison break speaks for itself -- every statement he makes as a free man is inherently a slap in the face to the United States."

    http://intelwire.egoplex.com/2007_05_30_exclusives.html


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