Pakistan is the new Afghanistan...

[Warped]

...if you flash forward 2 months and the Pakistani government lets it happen.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistani authorities on Thursday deployed paramilitary troops to a district, only 96 kilometers (60 miles) from the capital, where Taliban militants appeared to be consolidating control after this week's land-grab.

Militants locked up courthouses and seized court documents in the district of Buner, said police Superintendent Arsala Khan.

However, a highly placed Buner official said the judges left voluntarily after meeting with Taliban leaders.

A van carrying Frontier Corps paramilitary troops through the district came under fire Thursday. One police official was killed and another wounded, authorities said.

The troops were sent to protect civilians and properties, said Maj. Gen Athar Abbas, spokesman for Pakistan's military.

He said the government was monitoring the situation closely, and talks were under way among community elders, the civilian administration and the Taliban.

"Taliban is only in control of 25 percent of Buner district," Abbas said. "The Taliban will either move out or they'll be thrown out, one way or another."

The militant group's leaders met with community elders and the civilian administration Thursday and agreed that its members will not move about openly with guns nor will they disturb police, courts, schools, hospitals or non-governmental organizations.

The takeover of Buner brings the Taliban closer to the capital, Islamabad, than it has been since the insurgency started.

The Taliban commander in Buner, Mowlana Mohammed Khalil, gave a statement before Pakistani television cameras Wednesday, appearing with his face hidden behind a cloth mask.

"We came here only to preach Islam," Khalil said. He added that his fighters were carrying weapons only because they were an important symbol for Muslims.

The militants said they took control of the Buner district to ensure that Islamic law, or sharia, was properly imposed. The Pakistani government called the advance into the district a breach of a recently signed peace agreement.

Residents of Buner said the militants had set up checkpoints and were patrolling streets throughout the district.

peaking by telephone from Buner on Wednesday night, Sardar Hussain Babik, education minister for the North West Frontier Province regional government, accused the militants of looting the offices of non-government organizations and stealing cars. Video Watch Clinton on Taliban threat »

"This is an open violation," Babik said. He said it was the government's duty to re-assert its authority in the region, and added that troops were being mustered to resist the Taliban.

"We are collecting from different parts of the province," he said.

A few hours' drive away, in the Pakistani capital, salesmen hawking Urdu newspapers in morning traffic on Thursday called out headlines over the din of car engines. IReport:Should the U.S. interfere in Pakistan?

"Taliban has entered Islamabad," a newsboy yelled.

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned that Pakistan was in danger of falling into terrorist hands because of failed government policies, and called on Pakistani citizens and expatriates to voice more concern.

"I think that we cannot underscore the seriousness of the existential threat posed to the state of Pakistan by continuing advances, now within hours of Islamabad, that are being made by a loosely confederated group of terrorists and others who are seeking the overthrow of the Pakistani state, a nuclear-armed state," Clinton told the House Foreign Affairs Committee in her first appearance before Congress since being confirmed.

"I don't hear that kind of outrage and concern coming from enough people that would reverberate back within the highest echelons of the civilian and military leadership of Pakistan."

Mike Mullen, U.S. chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, was in Islamabad on Wednesday to meet with Pakistani officials.

Taliban militants implemented Islamic law in Pakistan's violence-plagued Swat Valley last week, before taking control of the neighboring Buner district. But Pakistan's ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, told CNN on Wednesday that the situation was not as dire as Clinton described.

"Yes, we have a challenge," Haqqani said. "But, no, we do not have a situation in which the government or the country of Pakistan is about to fall to the Taliban."

Taliban fighters moved into the Swat Valley as part of a peace deal with the government that has come under fire from U.S. observers. But Haqqani compared it to the deals U.S. commanders in Iraq made to peel insurgents away from Islamic jihadists blamed for the worst attacks on civilians there.

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani said at a news briefing Thursday: "I want to explain to the West and Hillary Clinton about the agreement. ... The agreement is actually a very good thing. ... It brings two parties to an agreement based on mutual understanding."
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"We have to establish control of government in Malakand division," which includes Swat, he said. "If peace is not restored in that area [Malakand], certainly we have to review our policy."

"If there is an effort of Taliban-ization, we have the right to review our policy."

Basically if the Taliban take over the Pakistani capital, its all over imo.

 

[The Monkey]

The only difference being that Pakistan's population is five times bigger than Afghanistan's. They also have 60 nukes.

 

[Mr Stabby]

Not going to happen, Pakistan's military don't like them.

 

[Raziaar]

Pakistan is a dangerous rogue factor in the world today, in the sense that their government grip is really poor, with rampant corruption and other problems. And the biggest issue of all, they have nuclear weapons.

 

[PimpinPenguin]

It was a really stupid idea to give the Taliban a province in Pakistan. What were the Pakistan government thinking? I think that the world should make sure that Pakistan gets this under control and fast, that or force them to surrender their nuclear weapons. The last thing we need is to have to bail out Pakistan as well as fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. They've become more of a liability than a useful ally.

 

[PimpinPenguin]

The biggest danger is not to the West at all - it's India freaking out if Pakistan really does fall and pulling the nuclear trigger to protect itself

I doubt India would want to fire a nuke at it's neighbour. The fallout would **** em up as well. But if the Taliban do happen to take over and get their hands on the nukes then the biggest danger would be to the west. Although i doubt it'd ever get that far.

 

[Maturin]

I suppose it's possible that India invades just as the Taliban and Gov't reach the decisive point. Then we have three-sided war with U.S. predator drones dropping 6% chance close-your-eyes-and-pray bombs on it all.

 

[<RJMC>]

its possible but I think it will not be easy for the taliban but the situation is worryesome

 

[Baserape>]

I find it sickening that our boys and girls are fighting for Afghans freedom while Pakistan willingly gives up provinces to the Pakistani Taliban who are sympathetic to the Afghan cause. The Pakistani government wants our money and then spits in our face while bodies of Taliban dissidents are stacked outside Pakistani police stations.

The west has not got the balls to go against Pakistan but India on the other hand will not hesitate.

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

The title of this thread makes me want to read Private Eye again.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

They probably already have.

 

[Diesel_Power]

Back when I used to be obsessed with war I would probably care, but nowadays I don't.

If the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan want to get rid of the Taliban, they'll do it themselves. We tried and we failed.

Sadly this is what happens when you let religious scriptures become law. Women will hate this, but the men will love it and so more women will continue to light themselves on fire hoping to gain world attention to what is happening in this part of the world.

The Bush administration really hurt Christianity, because of their arrogant, self righteous ways and now less people in America are Christians. I believe the Taliban will do the same thing to Islam. Just let it run it's course.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qamMjFSZqGI

 

[Warped]

we created a monster and now others are suffering because of it. the more you fight them, the bigger they become. Leave the area and they also become stronger. So how do you control the problem?? you can't. like Ron Paul says you can't attack an ideology. New leaders emerge, new faces are drawn in. how the hell do you reason with tactics and policies that are 1,000+ years old.

best thing that could happen is an alien race (aka UFOs aka secret gov't aircraft with the most advanced technology) hellbent on human extinction rallies every human on Earth to work together for a change. lol

 

[Diesel_Power]

best thing that could happen is an alien race (aka UFOs aka secret gov't aircraft with the most advanced technology) hellbent on human extinction rallies every human on Earth to work together for a change. lol

LOL! Holy shit! I was thinking about this at work today! The only way we would set our differences aside is if we faced extinction from a non-human enemy.

 

[Warped]

LOL! Holy shit! I was thinking about this at work today! The only way we would set our differences aside is if we faced extinction from a non-human enemy.

actually its from the movie Independence Day with Will Smith

kinda eerie if you ask me

 

[DEATHMASTER]

For the longest time I thought the statue was a giant slug.

 

[Eejit]

I doubt India would want to fire a nuke at it's neighbour. The fallout would **** em up as well. But if the Taliban do happen to take over and get their hands on the nukes then the biggest danger would be to the west. Although i doubt it'd ever get that far.

Are you serious? Those two countries loathe each other.

LOL! Holy shit! I was thinking about this at work today! The only way we would set our differences aside is if we faced extinction from a non-human enemy.

Like a giant psychic squid.

 

[PimpinPenguin]

Are you serious? Those two countries loathe each other.

I'm well aware of that. What i meant was that India would be reluctant to fire a nuke at it's doorstep. I'm sure India would have no problems wiping out Pakistan, but using a nuke that close to yourself is dangerous to yourself aswell.

 

[The Monkey]

^ And India would see their 60 biggest cities annihilated. Perhaps not a very welcomed scenario for the Indians.

 

[Eejit]

I'm well aware of that. What i meant was that India would be reluctant to fire a nuke at it's doorstep. I'm sure India would have no problems wiping out Pakistan, but using a nuke that close to yourself is dangerous to yourself aswell.

I meant you saying the Taliban would nuke the West before India. I really doubt that. And India would retaliate.

 

[xdrive]

The taliban will take over. I knew this would happen. The taliban is like a disease you push it out from one place, then it will just move onto somewhere else. Instead of pushing it out, you need to contain it.

 

[morgs]

nuke the middle east I say! solve the worlds problems!

 

[Cephius]

nuke the middle east I say! solve the worlds problems!

I was thinking of something more "it wasnt me", like the right sized asteroid in the right place. :thumbs:

But seriously, that wouldnt help us. I often find myself wondering WHY do the taliban hate us? Where did it all begin...Because I doubt parts of the middle east woke up one day and decided they wanted to kill us all.

I dont know much about this topic but looking at the cause may be part of the cure. No?