Mike Pouraryan
"Outsiders" Af-Pak Watch (9/18/2011): Tragedy.....
The scenes from Pakistan and the aftermath of the floods continue to be tragic. Hundreds and thousands of people seem to have been left on their own to try and survive.
The Pakistani Prime Minister has cancelled a trip to New York to deal with the crisis. He has asked for international help. The problem is that there is little or no trust. I will not trust the Government of Pakistan with even one penny. The only effective institution in the Country is the Army. Unfortunately, US Policy has seen to it that the only functioning institution that has a semblance of respect no longer matters.
As the suffering in Sindh continues, the war in the North continues as well. People are dying everyday. I can't figure out how either country's government is going to survive with its' present leadership. Zardari is useless that would rather be somewhere else than in his own Country. In the meantime, the insurgency continues to rage on despite all the killings going on.
I continue to be concerned about Afghanistan. The bold attack by the Taliban in Kabul is just one example. It led to think about a recent article about Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Ladin. There has been a consistent push noting how those who America fights hate America's way of life, freedom and prosperity. But, what they fail to understand is that it has been the blind support for Israel, Oil and support for thugs and dictators (including Saudi Arabia, Yemen & Egypt) that has led to this war. This never-ending so called War on Terror seems to have no end in mind and its' latest front in is Afghanistan that continues to rage on.
The recent attack by the Taliban on one of the largest NATO bases in Country underscores how tough and challenging everything is. My own cousin was based there and left a few days before the attack. I couldn't agree with his wife's sentitments when she thanked the Almighty for the fact that he had left there.
Although there is a scheduled drawdown of troops, the reality of the drawdown is in question because of the realities on the ground. What will happen tomorrow?
The Debate continues.....
The Pakistani Prime Minister has cancelled a trip to New York to deal with the crisis. He has asked for international help. The problem is that there is little or no trust. I will not trust the Government of Pakistan with even one penny. The only effective institution in the Country is the Army. Unfortunately, US Policy has seen to it that the only functioning institution that has a semblance of respect no longer matters.
As the suffering in Sindh continues, the war in the North continues as well. People are dying everyday. I can't figure out how either country's government is going to survive with its' present leadership. Zardari is useless that would rather be somewhere else than in his own Country. In the meantime, the insurgency continues to rage on despite all the killings going on.
I continue to be concerned about Afghanistan. The bold attack by the Taliban in Kabul is just one example. It led to think about a recent article about Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Ladin. There has been a consistent push noting how those who America fights hate America's way of life, freedom and prosperity. But, what they fail to understand is that it has been the blind support for Israel, Oil and support for thugs and dictators (including Saudi Arabia, Yemen & Egypt) that has led to this war. This never-ending so called War on Terror seems to have no end in mind and its' latest front in is Afghanistan that continues to rage on.
The recent attack by the Taliban on one of the largest NATO bases in Country underscores how tough and challenging everything is. My own cousin was based there and left a few days before the attack. I couldn't agree with his wife's sentitments when she thanked the Almighty for the fact that he had left there.
Although there is a scheduled drawdown of troops, the reality of the drawdown is in question because of the realities on the ground. What will happen tomorrow?
The Debate continues.....
