Empire Crumbling - Pakistan turns

[FluffyMcDeath]

After Ossetia, there seems to be a sudden cataclysmic shriveling of US power. Once so tumid it is rapidly becoming flaccid. Is it co-ordinated by Russia, or is it just the smell of blood in the waters? Has Iraq and Afghanistan and Bush and Cheney and Greenspan and Bernanke weakened the US this much?

Bolivia expels US Ambassador, and Chavez, in solidarity with Bolivia kicks out the US Ambassador from Venezuela as well.

Meanwhile Bush has authorized more attacks on sovereign parts of Pakistan (come on, you know you love the irony - what don't civilized countries do, everybody?) - NATO won't go in with them. Furthermore, the Pakistani army has been ordered to retaliate against foreign troops attacking its territory. Now, I don't know what kind of damage the Pakistani forces can do (except that they do have nukes) but it would be politically bad to get into a scrap with a sovereign nation who has spent 7 years as an ally who recently had pretty widely covered democratic elections that got rid of a military dictator.

Also (and here's that Putin connection showing a little brightly) Chavez kicks out the US Ambassador at about the same time that Putins nuke bombers arrive in Venezuela for exercises.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Apparently there are reports that Pakistan has fired on a US helicopter and turned it back from the border.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Or potentially it was a ground attacked that was repulsed.

 

[Glaucus]

Actually, Pakistan was not much an ally to begin with. Before 9/11 Pakistan was black listed due to their development of nuclear weapons. After 9/11 they agreed to help the US in their fight against terror and sanctions were lifted. If they decide they don't care to be an ally anymore (and I could argue they never were) the US may start treating them less favorably. I think the US would be stupid to use military force against Pakistan though, and not because they have nukes but because I think diplomacy could be far more effective. Remember, India will always be next door to Pakistan and the US can manipulate that fact to their own end.

- Mike

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Before 9/11 Pakistan was black listed due to their development of nuclear weapons.

Not to mention that the ISI gave Mohamed Atta a bunch of money too.

 

[metalman]

Or potentially it was a ground attacked that was repulsed.

The Pakistani government "just happens" to have troops stationed at the "exact place" that U.S. forces pick to cross, along that mountainous, porous border, in the Taliban tribal controlled territory of South Waziristan.

The story is a propaganda fabrication for internal Pakistani consumption. The incident has not been confirmed by either the US or Pakistan military. Angoor Adda is the location of the Sept. 3 assault by US special operations forces, and the site of a Preditor strike on July 11.

Since the resignation of Pervez Musharraf, there have been daily Predator strikes and US Special Forces have been crossing the boarder for attacks, along with A/C-130 gunship support. There have now been 16 cross-border attacks in Pakistan this year. Only 10 cross-border attacks were recorded in 2006 and 2007 combined. The current operations confirm a shift in US strategy in Pakistan.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Since the resignation of Pervez Musharraf, there have been daily Predator strikes and US Special Forces have been crossing the boarder for attacks, along with A/C-130 gunship support. There have now been 16 cross-border attacks in Pakistan this year. Only 10 cross-border attacks were recorded in 2006 and 2007 combined. The current operations confirm a shift in US strategy in Pakistan.

Yup. They're gonna do a Cambodia.

I'm not really sure but is the plan to keep attacking Pakistan until the new government gets overthrown by a new military dictatorship that the US feels it can work with?

 

[faethor]

Since the resignation of Pervez Musharraf, there have been daily Predator strikes and US Special Forces have been crossing the boarder for attacks, along with A/C-130 gunship support. There have now been 16 cross-border attacks in Pakistan this year. Only 10 cross-border attacks were recorded in 2006 and 2007 combined. The current operations confirm a shift in US strategy in Pakistan.

Ahh this is all a fabrication. We all know that Pakistan is a soverign nation so according to GWB we would never attack a the within Pakistan without permission.

After 7 years I'd think we'd have gotten Al Qaida out of the picture but our nemesis Bin Laden is still at large. McCain will go to 'the gates of hell' to get him. Well that is unless those gates happen to be Pakistan because it's a soverign nation.

Clearly it's more liberal media claiming attacks when none have occurred. The military has not confirmed attacks therefore they must not exist. I hate the liberal media.

 

[Robert]

I hate the liberal media.

Me too.

 

[Glaucus]

Since the resignation of Pervez Musharraf, there have been daily Predator strikes and US Special Forces have been crossing the boarder for attacks, along with A/C-130 gunship support. There have now been 16 cross-border attacks in Pakistan this year. Only 10 cross-border attacks were recorded in 2006 and 2007 combined. The current operations confirm a shift in US strategy in Pakistan.

I'm personally open to the idea that Pakistan may have completely fabricated (or embellished) the reports of fending off a US incursion, but I can't believe *you* would ever know the exact number of US cross-border attacks in Pakistan. You may know of at least 16, but there may have been many more covert missions that were never leaked or publicized. As far as I'm concerned, when it comes to Norther Pakistan & Southern Afghanistan there's plenty of lies and precious little truth that makes it to this side of the Atlantic.

- Mike