Al Qaeda in Pakistan

The New York Times: Reports on the move of the terrorists group Al Qaeda to Pakistan. This goes back to my previous post, if this terrorist group is out of Afghanistan, why is the USA and the UK still there, why no move to the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan, make a deal with the Taliban of Afghanistan, and eliminate the Taliban in Pakistan. This is outside the box thinking, but worth a thought, could a deal be made with the Taliban in Afghanistan, they get Afghanistan but keep their evil regime and ideas in Afghanistan. The deal would be based on the breaking of the link between the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is this even in the ball park. How much forces it would it take to destroy the Taliban in Pakistan, could we ever win such a battle. The lesson of the Vietnam, always think outside the box, might be mad but always keep thinking.

The Battle for the Soul of Pakistan, its heart the Swat Valley

WSJ: Reports on the tough fight between the Army of Pakistan and the Taliban. It comes down to one word, counterinsurgency, the Army of Pakistan is a conventional Army, its fighting a War it does not understand, much the like the USA in Iraq between 2003 - 2006. The problem is the USA does not have the time to teach the Army of Pakistan the lessons the USA learnt the hard way in Iraq. Pakistan is a nuclear power, its Army is obsessed with fighting a conventional war with India. The ISI the Intelligence Agency of Pakistan is in bed with the Taliban, thus one has to wonder how much secret information the Taliban is getting from Islamabad. Thus if the the Army of Pakistan cant or wont cut it in the Swat Valley and in the border regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan the USA might have to send in special forces in to do the job. In Iraq the USA could do deals with some of the terrorists, it has worked so far, there are problems but the Bush surge worked. The USA cant do a deal with the Taliban of Pakistan, two words, nuclear missiles, what if the the terrorists got hold of them or was given them by the Taliban. Thus down the road Obama might have to send in ground troops in to Pakistan.

What about the Nukes? - Pakistan

Bloomberg.com: Reports that Pakistan will not inform the USA of the location of all of its nuclear components. As Pakistan is fragile, the USA should demand this information before Pakistan gets a dime. It is important to think outside the box, what if the Taliban get control of a nuclear missile or can create a dirty bomb. It is up to Government of Pakistan to decide who they trust, but the USA and Pakistan need each other, thus in a two way street deal, the USA gets all the information on the nuclear missiles and warheads and Pakistan gets informed about the killer drones of the CIA.

Roxana Saberi - Free

BBC News: Reports that US-Iranian Reporter Roxana Saberi is free from custody. This shows that a deal with Iran could be on the cards over its nuclear development. But lets get real here, it could also be a clever PR stunt by Iran. This will allow President Obama to seek further talks with Iran, without the pressure of a US Reporter in jail. But Iran could be playing a double game, it frees reporter and starts talks with Obama, keeps those talks going on and on, like Korea and then on the last day announces to the world it has the bomb. The delay through talks would remove the threat of an attack from Israel, Israel will not attack Iran if the USA is from their point of view in serious talks with Iran. Also we have to look at the internal politics of Iran, could the arrest have been done by the hardliners to prevent any talks, and the moderates have the upper hand to get the reporter released. Is the Conservative President of Iran playing to the moderates to win election, what next the appearance of talks with Obama. Then after endless months of talks Iran will declare it has the bomb.

Summer of Violence - Afghanistan

Telegraph: Reports that UK Military Chiefs in Afghanistan expect an increase in Attacks in a lead up to the August Presidential Election in Afghanistan. If the Al Qeada is no longer in Afghanistan why are we still there, I thought in 2001 we went to War to get rid of Al Qeada, if they are gone to Pakistan and are no longer operational in Afghanistan why are we still fighting the Taliban. If it is the Taliban cant we make a deal and get out, this is thinking outside the box, if a deal could be made that they turn against Al Qeada and start to fight them, we give them Afghanistan. The one negative is Pakistan, we cant make a deal with the Taliban of Pakistan, one reason only, Pakistan has a nuclear weapons. Thus in fact are the UK and the USA nation building in both countries, we have to Pakistan but why Afghanistan, lets think outside the box folks. Lets be honest do we care a dot about Afghanistan if it cost the life's of our brave soldiers, if we could close down the Afghanistan front then it would only be Pakistan, if we could get a deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan, a deal that would stick, the Army of Pakistan and the USA and UK forces could wipe out the Taliban in the Swat Valley and the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

When is to Far - Torture ?

The Sunday Times: Reports on tough interrogations methods used by the Bush Administration, suspected terrorists held by the USA would not be allowed to sleep for eleven days, and only allowed to wear a nappy. I was shocked at first when reading this article, but have to be honest at the end of the day my only question was did it work. If it worked and information that could be used to prevent attacks then so let it be, never thought I would defend torture, but then there is pre - 9/11 and after, we are living in a 24 world folks.

Al Qaeda still in Afghanistan ?

Fox News: Reports that General Petraeus has stated that the terrorist group Al Qaeda is no longer in the Operational Theatre of Afghanistan. They have moved to Pakistan to cause havoc. I hope the General has better information than the News Networks, on this I would like to see on the ground intelligence, information from captured terrorists, signal information. It could be that Al Qaeda sees Pakistan as an easy target, weak government, the ISI the Intelligence Agency of Pakistan is in bed with the Taliban. The Army of Pakistan who see their main enemy as India, and will have to be trained to fight the terrorists. If the Army of Pakistan is successful in the Swat Valley and the badlands of the border between the Afghanistan and Pakistan, then Al Qaeda will back in Afghanistan.