May 7, 2009

Reports on the Taliban takeover of the Swat valley in Pakistan, and the battle underway

Call the Taliban what they are:

Islamic cult members.

Islamic mafia.

As*holes.

Hopefully the Pakistani army, the 7th largest in the world, can rid their country of this scourge. America shouldn't have to fight their battle. But you have to wonder what's going on that hundreds of thousands of professional and well-armed soldiers from the 7th largest military in the world can't defeat this cult. Or even take it on.

And think of the consequences if Pakistan falls. The Taliban with nukes? In your lifetime, that'll be as serious as it ever gets.

Too bad we were out f*cking around in Iraq these past few years. Don't recall there being Taliban there.




19 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Pakistani military is in the unconfortable position of having to fight their own countrymen and fellow Muslims. The educated, moderate citizens are vastly outnumbered by the poor, uneducated, fundamentalist masses. The military is divided on the issue. A concerted, prolonged, hard-hitting campaign against the Taliban is unlikely. The US military has failed to defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan.

les said...

The Pakis have been protecting the Taliban since 9/11. Unfortunately, half the population of Pakistan likes the hardline islamic fundamentalists. Half the Paki army won't fight in Swat.

I don't think the US should get directly involved. This is a country of 150 million who hate Americans. We can't fight a war with kid gloves in Pakistan. This conflict will make Iraq seem like a joke.

We need to tell India it's "ok" now to retaliate for the Mumbai and other terrorists attacks. Since India is still a third world country, they have some freedom in waging war. They can actually go medieval on Pakistan and not get too much negative feedback from the international community.

Besides, I don't think India wants to see a more radical Pakistan. And the Indian public has been demanding revenge.

Anonymous said...

Don't buy the hype.

Another contrived 'emergency' to pump up support for missile defense spending/deployment.

But it sure knocked the swine flu off the headlines, didn't it?

A new addition to the fear menu for mainstream consumption...from the 'all you can eat' propaganda buffet.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, that's right Keith. Apparently the war in Afghanistan is the "good war" because it's backed by Obama.

Too bad Obama has yet to end the "war" in Iraq as well.

And too bad the Obama administration has applied a bit of Orwellian Newspeak to the "Global War on Terror" with "Overseas Contingency Operation".

Bah! What's the point. The Obama Kool-Aid drinkers will keep drinking that Kool-Aid and going into fits of ecstacy any time he speaks from a teleprompter.

Suckers.

-Gonzo

Anonymous said...

Islam is a peaceful religion.
The Taliban are a peace loving social liberal networking organization.
The reason the Taliban were compelled to promote more peaceful activities is because of their desire for global peace.
As soon as they achieve a peaceful takeover of Pakistan's peaceful nuclear weapons, all of us may soon experienced a wonderful glow of peace.

Perhaps, the President might wish to take this opportunity to sit down and discuss our unreasonable suspicions of their peaceful activities ?

So, relax folks, Idol is on tonite.

Funny, how those folks that wanted Sharia law in the Swat valley, are now taking off to other parts in a hurry.

Does make you wonder ?

edenz.

Batman said...

The Taliban have the ISI on their side. 'Makes it a bit tougher to take them on.

Anonymous said...

Ah....more muslim bashing. The reason were in Iraq and not Pakistan is that we are building the Mosul-Haifa pipeline which will run from Kirkurk, Iraq, where 40% of Iraq's oil is produced, run through Jordan and finally connect to Irael. If you look at many of the major battles in Iraq they have been along the towns adjacent to this pipeline. The Taliban is just a smoke screen and a scapegoat. The real threat to world peace is Israel, their 300+ nukes, and their undue influence on US Policticians (ie. AIPAC, Mossad spying within the US etc...) Of course you won't hear about this on the major networks.

Jasen said...

This is nonsense. Don't think of Pakistan the way you think of a European nation or the United States. Pakistan is ruled historically by Punjabi, the military is Punjabi. the Taliban is Pashtun. Comparing the area overrun by the Taliban and saying it is going to collapse the government is just not accurate. It's like saying that the US government is going to collapse because the Eskimos have overrun Alaska. 60 miles to the capital is physically close, but the Pashtuns would have to enter traditionally Punjabi territory. Where they have done so, The Punjabis resist and the Taliban retreat.

Just as you don't freak out when Oklahoma, Texas, and Georgia bitch about seceding or removing evolution from classrooms-- because that's what those redneck hicks do-- so the Punjabi's don't give a shit if the Taliban make Pashtun women wear burkas or kill men who don't wear beards. As far as they are concerned that's what redneck Pashtuns do. The Punjabis only really feel threatened by India, a country that has defeated them three times in three different wars since independence.

The Pushtuns who are suffering look at the Taliban, which though backwards and brutal, are honest and in a twisted way extremely law abiding, way different from the very corrupt Punjabi run government.

Anonymous said...

we will have to go in and clean up the swat valley, eventually.

we can't let the taliban get control of the nukes.

i suppose we could just go in and secure the nukes and fly them out of there.

Anonymous said...

come on Keith, give BO's diplomacy a chance to work.

we will really see change once BO's apology tour 2.0 kicks off.

will he bow to the Pakistani leader (do they have one anymore?)?

Anonymous said...

I asked my 18 year old daughter, who BTW enthusiastically supported and voted for Obama, if she was ready to be drafted for WWIII. She laughed and said that Obama would never get us into a big war.

History doesn't necessarily repeat, but is sure does rhyme. It's 1939, all over again...

Anonymous said...

Maybe the Taliban are Right after all?

At least they don't have Bernanke, Greenspan, Paulson, Geithner, Lewis, Mozilo, Pankit, Dimond, Nardelli, Gettlefinger, GM Feinstein, Boxer, Pelosi, Reid, Specter, Mixed-Race Miracles et. al. to deal with.

Maybe that book deserves another look?

What the difference between torture and terorism?

A flag pin?

Ken said...

So

What is the difference between the pre-war Iraq and the Taliban?

Bukko Boomeranger said...

Don't panic too soon over the Taliban in Pakistan. It's not as simple as it seems.

The Asia Times Online had a good article recently about the LACK of a threat the Taliban poses to the whole of Pakistan. If you don't read the link, what it boils down to is that the Talibs are from the Pashtun ethnic group, the hillbillies of Pakistan, who represent maybe 15% of the population. The bulk of Pakistanis are Punjabi, Sindhi and other ethnic groups -- urban people, farmers, small businessmen like shopkeepers and truck drivers. They're NOT going to willingly go along with a bunch of raggedy-arse primitives who come out of the mountains and want to chop off heads and blow up TV sets.

Juan Cole, a left-winger who writes a lot about the Middle East and Muslim affairs, has a similar take on the situation.As for the Pakistani army, these articles detail why that hasn't worked so well. The politicians don't send enough troops, and that large army has a lot of slack, poorly trained and underpaid troops. The billions for military aid that the U.S. gives Pakistan get stolen by the top brass, as does the troops' pay. Why would you risk your life fighting your countrymen if you weren't even getting decent money, food or housing?

Pakistan is definitely in the shit. But I think it's not going to be an idiot minority like the Taliban that crashes this nation of 140 million people. It will be poverty, hunger and a breakdown of public services like electricity and water. Same thing that I fear for the U.S.

delsquared said...

Bin laden is 60 miles from controlling the nukes.

Anonymous said...

What the fuck is a Taliban?

Are Taliban Afi Pakis who politically oppose the bombings and occupation of their countries?

Are Taliban Afi Pakis who violently oppose the bombings and occupation of their countries?

Are Taliban members of a political party that ruled Afghanistan before the American invasion?

Are Taliban the same as Al-Queda?

Is the Taliban anyone who owns a weapon in Afghanistan or Pakistan?

Is the Taliban anyone who sets an IED to get revenge for an American airstrike?

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A TALIBAN. Just millions of people who hate and oppose the occupation.

Everyone, EVERYONE responsible for 9/11 is dead. So what the fuck are we doing in Afi Paki?

Anonymous said...

The same people that warned US of Al Queda in Iraq are warning us about the Taliban in Pakistan. Keith -- DO NOT conflate Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan military should be dealing with their own politics and would not allow "fanatics" to get nukes. In Afghanistan, gradual removal of US forces should be the case.

Stop spreading fear. As someone who hated the neocons, I'm surprised you've bought the neolibs story about AfPak. Shame on you!

Can't believe that as much as you were against the Iraq invasion, you are fully for an AfPak invasion/nation building...I mean humanitarian intervention by military in AfPak.

Get a grip.
charlottemom

Iraq Vacations 97% Off said...

Its all bullshit.

100% pure bullshit. Just like Bush and Cheney and the rest of their crime-cult regime. They fucked up everything and nobody has the balls to be a "True Patriotic American" and arrest their sorry asses?! What a bunch of whimps that are running our fcking country.

Ooooo... The Taliban and Al-quida. Fuck them. All they have is sticks and stones, just like Saddaam had.

Want world security?

Arrest Bush and Cheney! Now were talking!!!!!!!!!!!

I want to see Bush's head hit the wall hard on CNN live coverage!

NEWS FLASH!!!

BUSH ARRESTED IN CRAWFORD, TEXAS!

Anonymous said...

the military doesn't want to fight the taliban .. their real enemy is the democratic government who kicked out their military leader, musharraf .. read a book

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