Finally, some plain talking by Obama. Looks like the US is going to use its financial leverage to de-emphasize the role of Pak army & ISI in deciding Pak’s regional strategy
US President Barack Obama has said his administration will not allow “safe havens” for militants in Pakistan’s tribal region bordering Afghanistan.
Mr Obama’s comments at his first White House prime-time news conference came as his envoy to the region, Richard Holbrooke, arrived in Pakistan.
Mr Holbrooke, who said he was there to “listen and learn” about the region, began key meetings on Tuesday.
Mr Holbrooke earlier said the situation in Pakistan was “dire”.
Mr Obama said Mr Holbrooke would convey his message to Islamabad.
“My bottom line is that we cannot allow al-Qaeda to operate,” he said. “We cannot have those safe havens in that region.”
Mr Obama added: “We’re going to have to work both smartly and effectively, but with consistency in order to make sure that those safe havens don’t exist.”
The US president said he had appointed Mr Holbrooke as a special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan to give a new focus to dealing with terrorism.
“I’ve sent over Richard Holbrooke - one of our top diplomats - to evaluate a regional approach,” he said. “We are going to need more effective coordination of our military efforts with diplomatic efforts, with development efforts, with more effective coordination with our allies in order for us to be successful.”
Mr Obama said he had no schedule for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.
“I do not have yet a timetable for how long that’s going to take. What I know is… I’m not going to allow al-Qaeda or Osama Bin Laden to operate with impunity, planning attacks on the US homeland.”
Mr Holbrooke met Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday and will later meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.
The BBC’s M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says the main Pakistani focus will be trying to squeeze more money out of the US, particularly for reconstruction in the tribal areas and the revival of a US bill pledging long-term assistance that has been gathering dust in Washington.
**Mr Holbrooke will be well aware of his financial leverage, our correspondent says, and will be pushing to devise mechanisms that will minimise the role of the Pakistani security establishment in charting the country’s geo-political strategies. **
**The envoy is likely to restate the need for Pakistan to do more to tackle militants and express concern over the recent release of disgraced nuclear scientist AQ Khan from house arrest. **
Pakistan in turn has repeatedly criticised US drone attacks on militants in its territory.
The fallout from the Mumbai (Bombay) attacks will also be on Mr Holbrooke’s agenda. Mr Holbrooke will stay in Pakistan until Thursday and is due to visit Afghanistan and India.
Pakistanis will soon realize that their "hated-dubya" was in fact an angel for Pakistan. Let's see how the new messiah uses his 'miracles' to "clean up" terrible tribal belt of Pakistan.
....de-emphasize the role of Pak army & ISI in deciding Pak's regional strategy
...
Punjabee, thanks for posting the news. But your comments about "de-emphasizing" Pak army do not make sense. Why do you hate Pak army even when you yourself are a Punjabee? Punjabees generally are proud of their army service and servicemen.
And if the Pak army is de-emphasized as per your thoughts, then pray tell who will put the boots on the FATA grounds?
You think the messiah will send peace core volunteers to rope in the primitive tribals?
^ Burqa, its a long established fact that its the Pak army and ISI which run the state and are responsible for a lot of the mess that the country is in.
A completely civilan controlled govt without any interference from the security establishment is what the West would want.
The army should do what it does best i.e. ensure the nation's security. But leave the political decision making to the civilian govt.
Punjabee, thanks for posting the news. But your comments about "de-emphasizing" Pak army do not make sense. Why do you hate Pak army even when you yourself are a Punjabee? Punjabees generally are proud of their army service and servicemen.
And if the Pak army is de-emphasized as per your thoughts, then pray tell who will put the boots on the FATA grounds?
You think the messiah will send peace core volunteers to rope in the primitive tribals?
There is Punjab in India too, you know.
Pakistanis will soon realize that their "hated-dubya" was in fact an angel for Pakistan. Let's see how the new messiah uses his 'miracles' to "clean up" terrible tribal belt of Pakistan.
Dubya was a similar crook to Musharraf who just wanted to prolong the war on terror for the vested interests. Obama so far has indicated that he wants to put an end to all this, but that was before he became president. Now that he must've been presented with all the "interests" and "non-interests" we will see if he sticks to what he said or diverts away.
B it is not a question of hating Pakistani army … but there are elements within the Pakistan army who are being accused of so to say “sleeping with the devil” … this is not something that only the Indian’s are rasing … even voices are being raised within Pakistan …
**Which reminds me: the ‘rocket science’ of triangulation, or to put it another, more modern way, ‘trilateration’ is, as I suggested last week, as old as the Swat hills. Why then has the great ISI, the Mother of All Agencies, not been able to find Mullah Radio’s radio station? When will this great charade end, please, sirs? **
A completely civilan controlled govt without any interference from the security establishment is what the West would want. .....
When a nation is at peace with-in and with-out, then armies remain in the background. If that peace is lost (with-in or with-out), then the generals run the show. Civilians then follow the "advice" of generals. This happens in the West as well as in the East.
During war time, even the most powerful presidents in the West too, quickly become "mohor lagaoo" robots in front of the generals. If in doubt go check out the taped archives of American (or Western presidents) from the war years.
Would you then blame “Indian army” posted in Kashmir as “sleeping with the enemy”?
Sure you can blame “Phoren hand”, but that probably is the case in FATA too.
Heck the insurgency in Kashmir is much longer than our nutcase situation. Why one of the world’s largest army has failed to put down and wipe out Kashmiri resistance? Are there elements within RAW and Indian army who support Kashmiri cause?
This is not to move away from the main thread, but to urge you and other indians to think and ponder before lazily accusing Pak army.
FYI ..Popular uprisings are very hard to control. And armies struggle for many many years before things calm down (before flaring up again).
Your point will have some weight if a similar situation existed in Kashmir. At no time during the militancy in Kashmir were areas vacated by army as is being done in Swat.
This is a simple case of a radio transmitter “inside” Pakistani territory … it is not operated from outside the Swat area … now it seems Pakistani army has woken up to the menace and has asked for some jamming devices … this they could have done a long time back … “lazy” army or are there elements within army who are responsible … points to ponder
Wow … Pakistan army must have really screwed up in Swat for the militants to have that kind of local support …
Just to refresh … about the situaiton in Swat …
According to locals, commanders Iqbal Hussain and Ikramuddin led the armed militants — numbering between 40 and 45. The local Taliban marched in the Shakar Darra area, which is 500 metres from the Baryam checkpost. Neither the security personnel at the checkpost, nor the area police officials posed any resistance to the show of strength. Locals said that the militants were travelling to the Pisho Dherai area
Meanwhile, sources in the area said that the local Taliban have completed renovations on the madrassa in Imam Dheri that had once served as headquarters for Fazlullah. They said that the Taliban would offer their Friday prayers in the mosque from which Fazlullah had broadcast his illegal FM radio station.
Awaiting orders: Army officials in Swat said that they were awaiting directives from the provincial government before taking action.
^ Burqa, its a long established fact that its the Pak army and ISI which run the state and are responsible for a lot of the mess that the country is in.
A completely civilan controlled govt without any interference from the security establishment is what the West would want.
The army should do what it does best i.e. ensure the nation's security. But leave the political decision making to the civilian govt.
What West always wanted was a general running the country who is easier to control than a bunch of greedy politicians. That's why they were happy with Zia during cold war and Mushi during WoT.
60 years of military interference was 'allowed' by the west. Now if they want a completely civilian controlled govt..... well.... that's gonna take time.... lots of time!
The Madarrassas producing 'mujahideens' in 80s were allowed, supported and promoted by the West. Now that they are producing 'talibans', we cannot wish them away!
Would you then blame "Indian army" posted in Kashmir as "sleeping with the enemy"?
Sure you can blame "Phoren hand", but that probably is the case in FATA too.
Heck the insurgency in Kashmir is much longer than our nutcase situation. Why one of the world's largest army has failed to put down and wipe out Kashmiri resistance? Are there elements within RAW and Indian army who support Kashmiri cause?
This is not to move away from the main thread, but to urge you and other indians to think and ponder before lazily accusing Pak army.
FYI ..Popular uprisings are very hard to control. And armies struggle for many many years before things calm down (before flaring up again).
Burqa, your logic does not make sense. Indian army has never been accused of supporting the terrorists in Kashmir (sleeping with the devil), even by Pak. On the contrary, Pak army has supported terrorists and even sent terrorists to fight for it in 1948 and 1999.
And most of your problems are indigenous. Pakistan created a monster to fight its proxy war, and now that same monster is biting it. No "phoren" hand there :)
When a nation is at peace with-in and with-out, then armies remain in the background. If that peace is lost (with-in or with-out), then the generals run the show. Civilians then follow the "advice" of generals. This happens in the West as well as in the East.
During war time, even the most powerful presidents in the West too, quickly become "mohor lagaoo" robots in front of the generals. If in doubt go check out the taped archives of American (or Western presidents) from the war years.
Well you must do your "reasearch" on west in some "library" and not in some "cave" .... this kind of analysis is in any case a product of living in a "military" dictatorship for a long time.
The role of Pakistan army and ISI in Pakistan polity is more then giving "advice" ..... don't remember the last time head of CIA was changed by a US president and an Army Chief overrulled him !!!!!!
In any case can you please refresh our collective memory and remind us the times when "peace was lost" and Pakistan army had to step in !!!!!!!
Unless you are believe that ZAB and NS were "lost" causes !!!!
60 years of military interference was 'allowed' by the west. Now if they want a completely civilian controlled govt..... well.... that's gonna take time.... lots of time!
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60 years of western interference was "allowed" by Pakistan !!!!!!
He is saying that we would not **allowed **while in election campaigns he used to shout that on very first day he would order US Forces to enter Tribal Area
