Taliban militants now 70 miles from capital of Pakistan

[elvis]

If the Taliban makes it to the capital, it's OBAMA'S issue, not Bush's.

i say its already his issue
he fought for the job
time to step up and do it and stop blaming others for him not doing the job

I agree with that, too, but I am sure if the taliban takes over Pakistan, the dems will all blame Bush.

 

[theunbubba]

Regardless of who is to blame for this (eight years of Bush and handouts to Pak or Obama and another seven billion handout), the real question is:

How can this be solved?

Seriously.


This may sound political to many of you, but the cold hard truth is that the Bush Administration really took their eye off the ball by focusing on Iraq.

Really bad move.

except those that really know whats going on know that that is not the truth
there was no lessening of focus on the Taliban because of Iraq

Incorrect.

Bush himself, when asked about Osama bin Laden said, "I don't know and I don't care."


The truth is, and always will be that we were attacked by Al Queda, trained in Afghanistan and supported by the Taliban.

But we bombed a few caves, turned around, and went after Iraq, a country we had no business going into.


The resurgence of the Taliban is Bush's legacy.

I'll bet you would deny that we have won in Iraq. It's so done over there that Obama can't screw it up.
Now the press is trying to gin it up to make things look worse than they are in Pakistan.
This is a report from the leftwing press to give The Chosen One a war of his own to fight so they can look strong. It's the same thing Clinton did when the road got a little rough.
Come on people. See through the crap.

 

[p kirkes]

[Now the press is trying to gin it up to make things look worse than they are in Pakistan.
This is a report from the leftwing press to give The Chosen One a war of his own to fight so they can look strong. It's the same thing Clinton did when the road got a little rough.
Come on people. See through the crap.[/QUOTE]

The newsprint articles I read today depict the US Intelligence community in mass hysteria. Pakistan for the past few decades has been fractionalized and thus a small, but significant, victory by the Taliban could have a snowball effect and send that nation into panic and chaos. It seems to have worked in parts of our government.

The Pakistani military has yet to weigh in with full force, but the longer it's employment is delayed the greater the risk of defection, disloyality and defeatism.

Then again this whole scenario could be a ploy to involve the US and India into an invasion of Pakistan to "save" the world.

The consequences are ghastly.

 

[DavidS]

We need to get out of Iraq - NOW. Get these soldiers home and rested and prepare for the REAL war on terrorism: In Pakistan. We should've NEVER made ANY deals with Pakistan. We should've invaded Afghanistan AND Pakistan and left Iraq the fuck alone.

 

[DiveCon]

We need to get out of Iraq - NOW. Get these soldiers home and rested and prepare for the REAL war on terrorism: In Pakistan. We should've NEVER made ANY deals with Pakistan. We should've invaded Afghanistan AND Pakistan and left Iraq the fuck alone.

shouldnt we get out of Germany first?
and South Korea

ya know, first in, first out?

 

[DavidS]

We need to get out of Iraq - NOW. Get these soldiers home and rested and prepare for the REAL war on terrorism: In Pakistan. We should've NEVER made ANY deals with Pakistan. We should've invaded Afghanistan AND Pakistan and left Iraq the fuck alone.

shouldnt we get out of Germany first?
and South Korea

ya know, first in, first out?

 

[Gunny]

What is the solution?

1. Giving more money to corrupt Pakistani officials in hopes that they stop the Taliban? - most of the money probably will never be accounted for.

2. Increase missile strikes and risk killing more civilians and alienating Pakistani civilians even more? - Do we really want to give the Taliban this kind of propaganda?

3. Go in their with our own troops?

No, what we should do is sit back and do nothing, let the Taliban get the nukes and use them on our forces in Afghanistan because you're worried about pissing someone off.

 

[Gunny]

Regardless of who is to blame for this (eight years of Bush and handouts to Pak or Obama and another seven billion handout), the real question is:

How can this be solved?

Seriously.


This may sound political to many of you, but the cold hard truth is that the Bush Administration really took their eye off the ball by focusing on Iraq.

Really bad move.

except those that really know whats going on know that that is not the truth
there was no lessening of focus on the Taliban because of Iraq

Incorrect.

Bush himself, when asked about Osama bin Laden said, "I don't know and I don't care."


The truth is, and always will be that we were attacked by Al Queda, trained in Afghanistan and supported by the Taliban.

But we bombed a few caves, turned around, and went after Iraq, a country we had no business going into.


The resurgence of the Taliban is Bush's legacy.

Some serious revisionist history you got there.

 

[Gunny]

Oops, you're right. I didn't quote correctly.

Here, let me show the exact two quotes:

"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority."
- G.W. Bush, 3/13/02

"I am truly not that concerned about him."
- G.W. Bush, repsonding to a question about bin Laden's whereabouts,
3/13/02 (The New American, 4/8/02)

What's your point? Bin Laden isn't the Taliban and Bin Laden is just a figurehead. The organization is what needs to be destroyed, not the puppet at the top. You people that somehow think capturing or killing bin Laden is going to change one thing crack me up. Naivete at it's finest.

 

[Gunny]

Oops, I forgot to mention:

I'm right. You're wrong. It's agreed.

Probably a Freudian slip since you aren't even close to being right.

 

[Gunny]

If the Taliban makes it to the capital, it's OBAMA'S issue, not Bush's.

i say its already his issue
he fought for the job
time to step up and do it and stop blaming others for him not doing the job

Correct. This is Obama's to deal with. Wonder what he'll leak to accuse the Bush administration of wrongdoing in response to THIS?

 

[Gunny]

If the Taliban makes it to the capital, it's OBAMA'S issue, not Bush's.

i say its already his issue
he fought for the job
time to step up and do it and stop blaming others for him not doing the job

I agree with that, too, but I am sure if the taliban takes over Pakistan, the dems will all blame Bush.

The same Dems who dripped tears all over this board any time someone suggested just going in to Pakistan and wiping the Taliban out?

Of course. Their hypocrisy knows no bounds.

 

[FactFinder]

Yikes!

The Taliban have captured territory within 70 miles of the Pakistan capital, Islamabad.

Holy smokes! Not good.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/world/asia/23buner.html?hp

And, just for the record, Pakistan has nuclear weapons. This aint good.

Why wasn't this alarming when they were a hundred miles from the capital? What makes this the pivotal moment? Why is Buner more important than SWAT? They say SWAT is prettier.

 

[Truthfinder]

Pakistan Army is a professional force and very much aware about the danger of Taliban in the victim area. Indeed they gave a chance to the political forces to bring peace through dialogues. They are waiting for the signal from Pakistani Govt. as they give them red signal they will start a tremendous operation in Swat and adjacent areas.


Indeed Pakistani nuclear weapons are pretty much secure, those weapons are not kid’s toys, and no one can access them except few people who have been authorized. Nuclear weapons has been secured by secret passwords

 

[Bootneck]

Pakistan Army is a professional force and very much aware about the danger of Taliban in the victim area. Indeed they gave a chance to the political forces to bring peace through dialogues. They are waiting for the signal from Pakistani Govt. as they give them red signal they will start a tremendous operation in Swat and adjacent areas.


Indeed Pakistani nuclear weapons are pretty much secure, those weapons are not kid’s toys, and no one can access them except few people who have been authorized. Nuclear weapons has been secured by secret passwords

Yes, Pak nuclear arsenal is protected by a multi-layer security system with various components stored at different locations, but seizure by Taliban militia isn't where the true danger lies. The real danger comes from a situation where Talibanisation is allowed to flourish and spread. More madrassas indoctrinating kids. More converts to their rigid and extreme version of Islam. How long before individuals sympathetic to the Taliban way of life gain positions of influence in government? Maybe there are even some sleepers already holding such positions. There are certainly members of the ISI who support the Taliban. How long before the Taliban actually have their finger on the button? That's where the real danger lies.

The only way to stop such a scenario is to stop the Taliban in their tracks...NOW. As has been demonstrated over the past week, striking deals with them is a waste of time.

 

[Gunny]

Pakistan Army is a professional force and very much aware about the danger of Taliban in the victim area. Indeed they gave a chance to the political forces to bring peace through dialogues. They are waiting for the signal from Pakistani Govt. as they give them red signal they will start a tremendous operation in Swat and adjacent areas.


Indeed Pakistani nuclear weapons are pretty much secure, those weapons are not kid’s toys, and no one can access them except few people who have been authorized. Nuclear weapons has been secured by secret passwords

Yes, Pak nuclear arsenal is protected by a multi-layer security system with various components stored at different locations, but seizure by Taliban militia isn't where the true danger lies. The real danger comes from a situation where Talibanisation is allowed to flourish and spread. More madrassas indoctrinating kids. More converts to their rigid and extreme version of Islam. How long before individuals sympathetic to the Taliban way of life gain positions of influence in government? Maybe there are even some sleepers already holding such positions. There are certainly members of the ISI who support the Taliban. How long before the Taliban actually have their finger on the button? That's where the real danger lies.

The only way to stop such a scenario is to stop the Taliban in their tracks...NOW. As has been demonstrated over the past week, striking deals with them is a waste of time.

If you need an example, none better than Palestine. A nation of people that voted democratically to elect a known international terrorist organization into power to represent them to the world as a Nation and people.

People try to point out the fallacy of the "slippery slope," they just refuse to acknowledge one MAJOR point: it usually carries out as predicted.

 

[HUGGY]

except those that really know whats going on know that that is not the truth
there was no lessening of focus on the Taliban because of Iraq

Incorrect.

Bush himself, when asked about Osama bin Laden said, "I don't know and I don't care."


The truth is, and always will be that we were attacked by Al Queda, trained in Afghanistan and supported by the Taliban.

But we bombed a few caves, turned around, and went after Iraq, a country we had no business going into.


The resurgence of the Taliban is Bush's legacy.

no, it is YOU that is incorrect
the focus was still there

btw, your "quote" of Bush is highly incorrect
and the only way the press got the statement they did was because they kept badgering Bush to answer the question in so many different ways it was not in the context of "i dont care"

Dive into this bitch. The quote is 100% accurate. I saw it the first time and have heard it and seen it many times since. If you have to lie you are on the wrong side of the debate.

 

[DiveCon]

Incorrect.

Bush himself, when asked about Osama bin Laden said, "I don't know and I don't care."


The truth is, and always will be that we were attacked by Al Queda, trained in Afghanistan and supported by the Taliban.

But we bombed a few caves, turned around, and went after Iraq, a country we had no business going into.


The resurgence of the Taliban is Bush's legacy.

no, it is YOU that is incorrect
the focus was still there

btw, your "quote" of Bush is highly incorrect
and the only way the press got the statement they did was because they kept badgering Bush to answer the question in so many different ways it was not in the context of "i dont care"

Dive into this bitch. The quote is 100% accurate. I saw it the first time and have heard it and seen it many times since. If you have to lie you are on the wrong side of the debate.

you are a fucking moron
and a liar
i watched that press conference live

 

[PoliticalChic]

Pakistan Army is a professional force and very much aware about the danger of Taliban in the victim area. Indeed they gave a chance to the political forces to bring peace through dialogues. They are waiting for the signal from Pakistani Govt. as they give them red signal they will start a tremendous operation in Swat and adjacent areas.


Indeed Pakistani nuclear weapons are pretty much secure, those weapons are not kid’s toys, and no one can access them except few people who have been authorized. Nuclear weapons has been secured by secret passwords

Many good points, but let's also remember that the Pakistan created the Taliban. Pakistan was founded with an Islamic character. When Bangladesh broke away it was due to ethnic diversity, and the Pakistanis remembered this.

So when Afghanistan needed aid after the Russian invasion, they only supported Islamic groups, and thus the secular and nationalist factions whithered on the vine.

The Pakistani Army would rather make deals with the Talibani factions than fight them, but if push comes to shove, they will repel them: recall the Red Mosque events.

Also, you misjudge if you fail to see that there are two different radical groups in Pakistan: the nationalist Taliban and the internationalist Al Quaeda, and they are not always alllied.

The real threat for the Pakistanis is, and always will be, India. Watch the elections in May. If the Hindu party wins, tensions will increase, and Pakistan will be more willing to listen to the Obama Administration.

 

[cbi0090]

Yikes!

The Taliban have captured territory within 70 miles of the Pakistan capital, Islamabad.

Holy smokes! Not good.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/world/asia/23buner.html?hp

And, just for the record, Pakistan has nuclear weapons. This aint good.

It was bound to happen. The Pakistan military has a lot more up their sleeve's than they've shown. They've been trying to play the same limp wrist kiss ass game we play and it just doesn't work for them any more than it does for us. Just let the majority of the people there start to believe that the Taliban is going to take over and they'll turn the military loose to fight the only way they know how to fight. Will we turn out heads the other way when that happens? Probably not.

I love it when I'm right.