Bluff or real Threat to Pakistan ?

The New York Times: Reports that the Taliban have threatened to unleash major attacks on the cities of Pakistan. One can argue with today’s attacks that they have started their attacks, but at the end of the day the Taliban/Terrorists are nothing but common murders. This is the time for the Army of Pakistan to clean house in the Swat Valley and in the Tribal badlands. The Taliban/Terrorists cannot take on the Army of Pakistan in honourable combat, they are terrorists after all, thus it should be hoped that civic structure of Pakistan rejects these common murders. Lets hope the Police and the ISI, Pakistan’s Intelligence Agency are on the same page. But also it would prudent that the Army secures the major cities, making sure that the terrorists don’t have easy targets. This is the time to smash the Taliban/Terrorists.

North Korea, End Game

The Atlantic: Article on the problems of dealing with the North Korean nuclear and missile test. This article looks at the problems faced by President Obama and how North Korea is linked to Iran. Read of the Day.

The Taliban Threat to Pakistan

Telegraph: Reports on the latest bombings in Pakistan, the Taliban is countering the Army of Pakistan’s push in to the Swat Valley. As the Taliban/Terrorists are not a real army they can only strike back by using terrorists methods, thus Pakistan can expect more bombings, the more success the Army has in the Swat Valley and in the Tribal badlands the more the Taliban will strike at non military targets, thus Islamabad should be on alert, also the Army should make sure all nuclear facilities are under tight guard. Also all personnel that are guarding nuclear facilities should be checked to see if they have Taliban friends or are sympathetic to the cause. The secular Government of Pakistan can not afford for the Taliban/Terrorists to get hold of nuclear weapons. After defeating the Taliban, the Army of Pakistan has to win the hearts and minds of the people of Swat and the Tribal areas, in this the West should support this move with dollars, its cheaper that Pakistan under the Taliban.

High Alert in Asia, South Korea and US on Guard

The Times: Reports that the South Korea and US troops in South Korea have been placed on high alert due to nuclear and missiles test of North Korea. Fox News reported that the Obama Administration thought that North Korea was bluffing, then why place your troops on high alert, the Obama Administration is in a fix, a weak reaction allows Iran to think it has the green light to go nuclear, a heavy reaction and you could restart the Korea War of 1950-53. Lets be honest, North Korea is a nuclear power and according to reports in the UK Times the North Koreans have the ability to miniaturise missiles and a nuclear bomb. Thus they are part of the nuclear club thus some rules apply, a military reaction is off the table, at the end of the day there needs to be talks, North Korea wants direct talks with the USA, what about offering to send Secretary Clinton with Bill Clinton as a Presidential Envoy to have talks with North Korea, its an idea, at the end of they day there has to be talks, lets hope no one slips up and we have a real war on our hands. Or worse in some respects Iran misreads Obama and we get a war in the Middle East.

The North Korean Link to Iran

Fox News: Reports that the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is calling the bluff the Obama Administration and Israel, he has stated that the Iranian nuclear project has gone beyond the point that the USA or Israel would dare hit Iran. This goes back to North Korea, the lack of action by the UN and the Obama Administration, this weakness is taken by Tehran to mean that at end of the day Obama does not have the stomach to take action, thus as stated in previous post, a weak response is worse than no response to North Korea. Think back to the 1930s, the lack of European reaction to Nazi Germany, this weakness could lead to War in the Middle East, as Israel will not allow itself to the sacrificial lamb for the West, Israel lost six million Jews in the Holocaust of World War Two, the government of Israel has the duty to protect Israel and its population, at the end of day Israel might not have to choice, it might have to attack Iran.

Obama and North Korea

The New York Times: An interesting editorial by the Liberal New York Times on Obama and Korea, the NYT writes the following, " Loudly castigating and threatening North Korea and then failing to implement sanctions is worse than doing nothing at all..." Never thought I would say this but agree with this sentiment, if Obama at the end of day does nothing after stating that words mean something in a speech in Prague, Czech Republic then this will give a green light to Iran to go nuclear, this could lead to Israel striking Iran and Iran hitting US forces in Iraq. Thus there is a linkage from Asia to the Middle East, also the UN has to show that it has teeth or it will go the way of the League of Nations before World War Two. If the Obama Administration is seen as weak, think Jimmy Carter, and lets recall the result of that, the USSR invaded Afghanistan and there was a revolution in Iran, this lead to the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980. The secular second coming has to get the fact that history was before him and history shows lessons, only a Star in his how mind thinks political reality wont affect him and that his words mean more that political reality.

Deaths in Afghanistan

MOD: Reports on the death of two more British Soldiers, one soldier died today due to combat operations in Afghanistan, another Soldier died due to his wounds, inflicted in Afghanistan, the soldier had been moved from Afghanistan to the UK. Thus those killed in combat operations in Afghanistan now stands at 134, those killed due to accident, illness or other incidents now stand at 29. In total the UK Armed Forces have lost 163 personnel. In comparison in Iraq the UK lost 136 Armed Forces Personnel down to combat action and 43 due to accident, illness and other incidents. In total the Iraqi death total for the UK was 179. It can be postulated that the UK will lose a lot more Armed Forces Personnel in theatre, we have the Presidential Election coming up, the Army of Pakistan is attacking the Taliban/Terrorists in Swat Valley and in the Tribal badlands of the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, thus it can be expected that the Taliban might come across the border for R&R and to attack Western Forces. The Obama Administration has a lot on its plate of late, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Korea, the economy in the toilet, the bailout of the car companies. One can argue that these are the pillars of the Obama Administration, if they are brittle pillars the Obama Administration might not win re- election in 2012.