2
POPSCheney and U.S. Ops Behind Bhutto Assassination? This hot article refers to Seymour Hersh of NY Times who has documented Cheney's JSOC operation (previously clipmarked here ). Of course her assassination the CIA blamed on Al Qaeda and Taliban . This could also show the CIA then lied and in fact that it was a False Flag operation, to blame "terrorists". (What's new?) The motive had been proposed by many at the time of Bhutto's assassination. Bin Laden is dead, and the government has been lying about it. (Think of the fake "bin Laden" videos released since, too). This would be absolute proof that the government is deliberate lying to the American people about Bin Laden and the purpose in the continued Af-Pak wars. Let's see if Hersh verifies this report which it attributes to him. This is bigger than torture. Will the MSM cover it?
3
POPSDeath From Above, Outrage Down Below Nevertheless, every one of these dead noncombatants represents an alienated family, a new desire for revenge, and more recruits for a militant movement that has grown exponentially even as drone strikes have increased. Second, public outrage at the strikes is hardly limited to the region in which they take place — areas of northwestern Pakistan where ethnic Pashtuns predominate. Rather, the strikes are now exciting visceral opposition across a broad spectrum of Pakistani opinion in Punjab and Sindh, the nation’s two most populous provinces. Covered extensively by the news media, drone attacks are popularly believed to have caused even more civilian casualties than is actually the case. The persistence of these attacks on Pakistani territory offends people’s deepest sensibilities, alienates them from their government, and contributes to Pakistan’s instability.
4
POPS Taliban's "Suicide Nurseries" ~ Hundreds Brainwashed Ghazi moved to the neighbouring district of Tank in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), to save his second teenage son from the influence of his fellow tribesman and local warlord Baitullah Mehsud, who he blames for Haneef’s recruitment and death. But hundreds more children are still undergoing brainwashing at dozens of ‘suicide nurseries’ run by the ethnic Pashtun Taliban commander. Mehsud, in his 30s, has emerged as the most dangerous Taliban commander in Pakistan in recent years. He heads Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, an umbrella group for around a dozen Taliban outfits and has close links with Al Qaeda. The notorious commander is believed to have been behind several dozen suicide bombings across the country, including the one that killed former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in late 2007.
8
POPSTaliban Chief Vows 'Amazing' Attack on Washington 'Soon'
Pakistan's former government and the CIA named Mehsud as the prime suspect behind the December 2007 killing of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Pakistani officials accuse him of harboring foreign fighters, including Central Asians linked to Al Qaeda, and of training suicide bombers. In his latest comments, Mehsud identified the White House as one of the targets in an interview with local Dewa Radio, a copy of which was obtained by the AP The gunmen who attacked the police academy killed seven police and two civilians, holding security forces at bay for about eight hours before being overpowered by Pakistani commandos. Some of the attackers wore police uniforms, and they took hostages and tossed grenades during the assault. Earlier Tuesday, a spokesman from a little-known militant group linked to the Pakistani Taliban also claimed responsibility for the attack and a similar ambush-style attack against the Sri Lankan cricket team earlier this month in Lahore.
0
POPSViolence mars Pakistani anti-government protest Despite being under house arrest, Sharif left unchallenged and his convoy headed for Islamabad where soldiers disobeyed orders and allowed him to go. Zardari came to power last year on a sympathy vote after the assassination of his wife Benazir Bhutto. He has alienated voters with his heavy-handed clampdown on a nationwide protest by lawyers demanding the reinstatement of senior judges sacked in 2007. More than 400 protesters have been arrested and main roads blocked to stop the lawyers going ahead with a “long march” to the capital, Islamabad, in their campaign for judicial independence. Zardari angered the prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, and the head of the army, General Ashfaq Kayani, by refusing to accept a compromise deal they had proposed to avert chaos. The unrest has led to fears that the army may intervene, reimposing military rule just a year after civilian authorities took power.
1
POPSPak-US Ties Vital For Regional Peace About the recent incident of firing across the LoC, he said there had been three such incidents in the Batal sector, including the one that happened on Sunday. About UN probe into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the spokesman said that modalities were being worked out and an announcement was expected in a couple of weeks. He said Dr Khan had retired a long time ago and has no say in the nuclear programme now. Pakistan's nuclear programme, he added, is fully secure, under maximum security arrangements, which are the best security practices all over the world.
2
POPSFailed States Index 2008 The Best And Worst Bangladesh took this year’s hardest fall, set off in part by postponed elections, a feuding, deadlocked government, and the imposition of emergency rule that has dragged on for more than 18 months. These political setbacks were followed by greater economic hardships after a devastating cyclone in November flooded large swaths of cropland and left 1.5 million people homeless. In nearby Pakistan, also one of this year’s worst performers, a beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf sparked waves of violent protests when he dismissed the head of the Supreme Court and declared martial law. In a tragic close to the year, the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto left many wondering about the future prospects of this fragile, nuclear-armed state. Ironically, Pakistanis constitute the largest national U.N. contingent operating in Liberia. More than 9,000 Bangladeshi troops wear U.N. blue helmets around the world, a third of them in the Ivory Coast.
0
POPSI Call It Wishing the Enemy Would Attack Us The McCain campaign is desperate. They are openly stating that it would take terrorist attack to save McCain now. It sounds like a wish and an open invitation for our enemies to attack us. McCain denounced this statement. But that's hardly enough. He should fire Black as an adviser to the campaign.
1
POPSAngry Afghan President: Will No Longer Tolerate Cross-Border Attacks. Analysts said they doubt military action by Afghanistan is imminent, but Pakistan's prime minister said the threat "will not be taken well." A Taliban spokesman warned that the Afghan army would be defeated by thousands of armed tribesman. Speaking on the grounds of his fortified presidential palace, Karzai told a news conference that Afghanistan has the right to self defense, and because militants cross over from Pakistan "to come and kill Afghan and kill coalition troops, it exactly gives us the right to do the same." Then, Karzai warned Pakistan-based Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud that Afghan forces would target him on his home turf. Mehsud has been accused in last year's assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. "Baitullah Mehsud should know that we will go after him now and hit him in his house," Karzai said. "And the other fellow, (Taliban leader) Mullah Omar of Pakistan, should know the same," Karzai continued.
0
POPSKarzai Says He'll Send Troops to Pakistan Karzai said in recent fighting in the Garmser district of Helmand province - where hundreds of U.S. Marines have been battling insurgents the last two months - that most of the fighters came from Pakistan. Karzai called Pakistan a "brother government" and "friend," but also urged it to "act against those elements that are making Pakistan and Afghanistan insecure." He said it was better for Afghan troops to be killed during offensive operations into Pakistan than in militant attacks in Afghanistan. His comments come as Pakistan is seeking peace deals with militants in its borders, including with Mehsud. The deals have come under criticism from U.S. officials, who warn they will simply give militants time to regroup and intensify attacks inside Afghanistan. But Pakistan insists it's not negotiating with "terrorists," rather militants willing to lay down their arms. Karzai is talkative and good for nothing
11
POPSThe Economics Of Democracy In Muslim Countries The Status of Democracy Index (SDI) measures each country's progress toward democratic governance through multiple variables. First, it measures governance through four variables: how heads of state and members of the legislature are selected; political party development; suffrage; and the maturity of civil liberties The Status of Democracy Index rates each of these nine variables on a three-point scale: 0 (nonexistent), 1 (emerging), or 2 (fully present). Some of the variables, such as media freedom, religious liberty, and respect for human rights, are easy to quantify, whereas measuring human development is more subjective. Economic freedom can be scored on the level of governmental interference in the economy: 0 (strong), 1 (moderate), and 2 (low). It is then possible to convert the totals to a percentage for ease of digestion. Only three of these countries—Mali, Guyana, and Suriname —are considered full democracies. http://www.meforum.org/article/1921
0
POPSPakistan President Won’t Step Down Final results from this week’s parliamentary poll were expected later Wednesday, but with the count nearly complete, two opposition parties have won enough seats to form a new government, though they will likely fall short of the two-thirds needed to impeach the president… Musharraf’s spokesman Rashid Qureshi said Tuesday the president intends to work with the new government and will serve out his term that expires in 2012 — rejecting opposition calls for him to resign.
1
Pops
Newest Clips
Latest Comments
Most Pops
Print
Save
Turn on live update