Friday, June 25, 2010

WAR ON TERROR - Afghanistan & Pakistan

"Pakistan Is Said to Pursue a Foothold in Afghanistan" by JANE PERLEZ, ERIC SCHMITT, CARLOTTA GALL; New York Times 6/24/2010

Excerpt

Pakistan is exploiting the troubled United States military effort in Afghanistan to drive home a political settlement with Afghanistan that would give Pakistan important influence there but is likely to undermine United States interests, Pakistani and American officials said.

The dismissal of Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal will almost certainly embolden the Pakistanis in their plan as they detect increasing American uncertainty, Pakistani officials said. The Pakistani Army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, preferred General McChrystal to his successor, Gen. David H. Petraeus, whom he considers more of a politician than a military strategist, said people who had spoken recently with General Kayani.

Pakistan is presenting itself as the new viable partner for Afghanistan to President Hamid Karzai, who has soured on the Americans. Pakistani officials say they can deliver the network of Sirajuddin Haqqani, an ally of Al Qaeda who runs a major part of the insurgency in Afghanistan, into a power-sharing arrangement.

In addition, Afghan officials say, the Pakistanis are pushing various other proxies, with General Kayani personally offering to broker a deal with the Taliban leadership.

So Pakistan is trying to convince Afghanistan to trust the Taliban. Really?!

Reminder to my readers, or enemy is Al-Qaeda (the perpetrators of 9/11) and the Taliban is NOT Al-Qaeda. BUT the Taliban is still a political group that preaches hatred to the West, which means the USA.

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