My published NYT comment #30.
May 05, 2009 3:03 pm
Link
May 5th, 2009 2:39 pm
Loose Cannon Diplomacy: US style
The US is a loose cannon in the South Asia region. It has been that way for over 50 years, particularly in regard to Pakistan, which became a victim of US Cold War geopolitical machinations, beginning with the Dulles-era of the State Department. We are seeing a continuation of that same loose cannon diplomacy from the Obama White House.
It would be a total mistake to conclude that the US has any interest in the South Asia region other than a narrowly defined, ad hoc, frequently shifting strategic interest. Therefore no real attempt to invest in the civil societies of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The latest twist in this story, that David Sanger does not mention in his article, is that Robert Gates is now calling upon Saudi Arabia, that pillar of Democracy, to assist US policy with Pakistan. Isn't Saudi money financing wahabbism in the madrassh and providing weaponry to the factions on the border? Great move, Gates and crew.
Will Pakistan become Obama's Vietnam? Sure looks like it. My sympathy goes out to the civil societies of both Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are paying the price for egregious missteps in US policy in South Asia. They and the US taxpayer.
Chithra Karunakaran
Ethical Democracy As Lived Practice
http://EthicalDemocracy.blogspot.com
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New York Times copyright
On Washington: Pakistan Overshadows Afghanistan on U.S. Agenda
By DAVID E. SANGER
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/us/politics/05web-sanger.html
Important as Afghanistan is to the U.S., the events of the past few weeks have focused American minds on the risks to Pakistan’s stability.
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Showing posts with label Paksitan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paksitan. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Long Term Threat To South Asia -- Taliban Or US?
My Comment # 18. April 14, 2009 11:51 pm Link
Who’s the real threat in the South Asia region– The Taliban?
Or the US and US-led NATO?
The fact is the Taliban emerged from the mujahideen that the US nurtured, armed and trained in the 10-year Cold War face off in Afghanistan against the erstwhile Soviet Union. The US were the paymasters and handlers of the Taliban and the ISI.
The US govt. has been a force for destabilization and lately, state-sponsored terror, since the Dulles era of the State Dept in the Eisenhower administration, targeting Pakistan for satellite status after Pakistan was weakened by the Brit-driven Partition. The South Asian nation states went from colonization to neo-imperial threat.
The physical presence of the US and the US-led Nato in my South Asia region distorts intra-regional geopolitics among the sovereign nation-states (some more fragile than others).
The US now holds the balance of power in the region, which is its core objective in every region of the world.
I wonder how Obama would feel if his daughters Sasha and Malia were killed in a US drone attack. That happened to children last week in a NATO airstrike, and the death of children was confirmed by President Karzai.
When civilians are killed by the US and US-led NATO, recruitment demands into the Taliban ranks are more likely to succeed, especially when families are grieving and therefore more vulnerable to Taliban and warlord pressure.
The US and NATO have no legitimacy in the South Asia region.
Chithra KarunaKaran
Ethical Democracy As Lived Practice
http://EthicalDemocracy.blogspot.com
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New York Times copyright
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/south-asias-taliban-problem
April 14, 2009, 5:19 pm
South Asia’s Taliban Problem
By The Editors
--------------
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/world/asia/14afghan.html?emc=eta1
Civilians Died in Airstrike by NATO, Afghan Says
By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. and ABDUL WAHEED WAFA
Published: April 13, 2009
----------------
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/15/world/asia/15afghan.html?ref=global-home
In Recruiting an Afghan Militia, U.S. Faces a Test
U.S. Army officers held a meeting, or shura, with Afghan elders in Maidan Shahr who read a threatening Taliban "night letter" sent to a village elder warning people not to associate with American forces.
By DEXTER FILKINS
Published: April 14, 2009
===================================================================================
Who’s the real threat in the South Asia region– The Taliban?
Or the US and US-led NATO?
The fact is the Taliban emerged from the mujahideen that the US nurtured, armed and trained in the 10-year Cold War face off in Afghanistan against the erstwhile Soviet Union. The US were the paymasters and handlers of the Taliban and the ISI.
The US govt. has been a force for destabilization and lately, state-sponsored terror, since the Dulles era of the State Dept in the Eisenhower administration, targeting Pakistan for satellite status after Pakistan was weakened by the Brit-driven Partition. The South Asian nation states went from colonization to neo-imperial threat.
The physical presence of the US and the US-led Nato in my South Asia region distorts intra-regional geopolitics among the sovereign nation-states (some more fragile than others).
The US now holds the balance of power in the region, which is its core objective in every region of the world.
I wonder how Obama would feel if his daughters Sasha and Malia were killed in a US drone attack. That happened to children last week in a NATO airstrike, and the death of children was confirmed by President Karzai.
When civilians are killed by the US and US-led NATO, recruitment demands into the Taliban ranks are more likely to succeed, especially when families are grieving and therefore more vulnerable to Taliban and warlord pressure.
The US and NATO have no legitimacy in the South Asia region.
Chithra KarunaKaran
Ethical Democracy As Lived Practice
http://EthicalDemocracy.blogspot.com
--------------------------------------------
New York Times copyright
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/south-asias-taliban-problem
April 14, 2009, 5:19 pm
South Asia’s Taliban Problem
By The Editors
--------------
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/world/asia/14afghan.html?emc=eta1
Civilians Died in Airstrike by NATO, Afghan Says
By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. and ABDUL WAHEED WAFA
Published: April 13, 2009
----------------
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/15/world/asia/15afghan.html?ref=global-home
In Recruiting an Afghan Militia, U.S. Faces a Test
U.S. Army officers held a meeting, or shura, with Afghan elders in Maidan Shahr who read a threatening Taliban "night letter" sent to a village elder warning people not to associate with American forces.
By DEXTER FILKINS
Published: April 14, 2009
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