Four Elephants in the Afghan Room.

[dancing-loon]

Speak of the devil.....:lol:... read this:

Pakistani ambassador goes missing

Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan has gone missing before he was due to cross into Afghanistan from Pakistan. Sources have told the BBC that the ambassador, Tariq Azizuddin, was kidnapped in the Khyber tribal agency close to the Afghan border.
The Pakistani embassy in Kabul says contact was lost with Mr Azizuddin at around 1045 local time (0645 GMT).
Many areas in the border regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan are strongholds of pro-Taleban militants.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7239555.stm

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I hope he doesn't get beheaded! Perhaps he will be used as a bargaining chip. Though I wonder what they would be bargaining for? Money or prisoner release?

Wait and see what comes next!

 

[mbryant26]

Hello, Michael.... I have to keep you apart from "Mikey";-), ... nice to hear from you!:-D
So, you think Iran is the one playing the fiddle there in the area? And Pakistan dances?
Here is a link of interest; it explains some of the more recent events and who is all involved there. China, Russia and India are all doing big business with Iran, while Pakistan is hanging on to US support.

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/11/09/10166031.html

Illustration by Nino Jose Heredia/Gulf News
Iran and Pakistan can be friends

Check this out. China will be the next superpower.They will be the number 1 consumer of oil in the next 2-3 years. Why? Because they have 1.6 billion people, 2 million ground troops, and nukes. China has enough people to get rid of. They would have got into war with the U.S. years ago if it wasnt for 28 nuclear subs that we have all over the world. They would have nuked us, if it wasnt for them. ( surely thats just my assumption)
But the United States has a policy with the middle east, we say dont do that, try and be like us correct? China has the policy we dont care what you do, we'll trade with you anyway.
That has hurt U.s. and made china alot of friends in the middle east.

 

[dancing-loon]

Check this out. China will be the next superpower.They will be the number 1 consumer of oil in the next 2-3 years. Why? Because they have 1.6 billion people, 2 million ground troops, and nukes. China has enough people to get rid of. They would have got into war with the U.S. years ago if it wasn't for 28 nuclear subs that we have all over the world. They would have nuked us, if it wasn't for them. ( surely that's just my assumption)
But the United States has a policy with the middle east, we say don't do that, try and be like us correct? China has the policy we don't care what you do, we'll trade with you anyway.
That has hurt U.s. and made China a lot of friends in the Middle East.

Hi, Michael;
yes, I know, China is becoming a wonderful counterweight to US hegemony. That might restore some of the balance lost when Russia fell apart.

China has enough people to get rid of.

Nicely said, Mike! People are just a renewable commodity to the leaders of this world. Canon fodder, my Dad used to say.

From the net:
"If push comes to shove, analysts say, it's difficult to tell which side China would ultimately choose. Some contend that China will do its best to ensure it doesn't have to choose, while also continuing its cautious route of bolstering economic ties to buffer Iran against potential U.S.-led economic sanctions."
Quite some political footwork going on right now!

What do you make out of the kidnapping of the Pakistani Ambassador to Afghanistan?

 

[data]

The Pentagon has announced charges against six Guantanamo Bay prisoners over their alleged involvement in the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US.

Why six? After WW2 Stalin led pick 6 German war prisoners, bring them to Moscow and sentence them to death and execute for crimes against humanity of taking part in the Katyn executions of 6000 officers of the Polish army.
That was his way to prove, that it was not his NKWD, but a complot of Mr. Goebbels to accuse him. His version found the way to history books of East Germany. I learned better, when I saw besides "Solidarnosc" the letters "Katyn" on house walls in Rzeszow of 1981. In Warsaw I fotographed the fresh broken sword of it's historic mermaid (disarmament), what I did know from old Polish stamps. Two years before I made a symbolic holiday trip with my fiance to the memorial, where WW2 started (Westerplatte) and Polish bridal pairs used to lay down their flowers. Everything around that trips was quite adventurous.

 

[mbryant26]

What do you make out of the kidnapping of the Pakistani Ambassador to Afghanistan?


A bunch of garbage. There is either two scenarios here. 1) U.S. led coalition took him to make people and countried think that the taliban or terrorists are still bad there. 2) The ambassador got paid by Pakistan to "dissapear" , or terrorists really got him.

But have you seen the security around high ranking officials? Troops, guards, and policemen. Unless and army took him, there is no reason that he should have been kidnapped.

 

[dancing-loon]

Why six? After WW2 Stalin led pick 6 German war prisoners, bring them to Moscow and sentence them to death and execute for crimes against humanity of taking part in the Katyn executions of 6000 officers of the Polish army.
That was his way to prove, that it was not his NKWD, but a complot of Mr. Goebbels to accuse him. His version found the way to history books of East Germany. I learned better, when I saw besides "Solidarnosc" the letters "Katyn" on house walls in Rzeszow in 1981. In Warsaw I fotographed the fresh broken sword of it's historic mermaid (disarmament), what I did know from old Polish stamps. Two years before I made a symbolic holiday trip with my fiance to the memorial, where WW2 started (Westerplatte) and Polish bridal pairs used to lay down their flowers. Everything around that trips was quite adventurous.

Hi, data;
I know you lived an interesting life so far. ;-)
For the readers who are not that familiar with the Katyn massacre, here is a good link to read.
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/1791/

What you mean to say is that Stalin took six German war prisoners, brought them to Moscow and tortured them until they confessed having been involved in the executions of the roughly 6000 Polish soldiers and officers in the Katyn forest near the city of Smolensk. For this "war crime" he blamed the Germans, while he himself had ordered the executions!

Are you now seeing some parallel in the US accusing six "terrorists" for the 9/11 attack? Do you think they are not guilty, just like the Germans were not guilty of the massacre that took place in the Katyn forest?

Having read your link with the Japanese parliament videos and the writing in English at the bottom of the page, I have become doubtful myself. The first victim of any war is the Truth!

 

[dancing-loon]

What do you make out of the kidnapping of the Pakistani Ambassador to Afghanistan?

A bunch of garbage. There is either two scenarios here.
1) U.S. led coalition took him to make people and countries think that the Taliban or terrorists are still bad there.
2) The ambassador got paid by Pakistan to "disappear", or
3) terrorists really got him.

But have you seen the security around high ranking officials? Troops, guards, and policemen. Unless and army took him, there is no reason that he should have been kidnapped.

Hi, Mike;
thanks for your super smart answer! I never thought of the first 2 possibilities! You could be absolutely right!
It was stated that a protective convoy was waiting for him, but he rather chose to go alone, avoiding the high visibility. That, of course, makes sense, too.

Mike, I just love it when you enlighten us!:idea:

 

[mbryant26]

Hi, Mike;
thanks for your super smart answer! I never thought of the first 2 possibilities! You could be absolutely right!
It was stated that a protective convoy was waiting for him, but he rather chose to go alone, avoiding the high visibility. That, of course, makes sense, too.

Mike, I just love it when you enlighten us!:idea:

It should of raised flags when he decided to go alone. Who in their right minds would go alone in a war zone??? He got paid to leave and go away. Its like walking alone in harlem n.y. alone, ...nobody does it.

 

[dancing-loon]

Hi, Mike;
you are still here, I see.
Yes, you are right, it is actually a war zone... you would know that!

You think he will after some time magically reappear again? I guess he did this willingly, or what do you think? If the money was right, he'll play the game.
I wonder what news they'll feed us next!

 

[mbryant26]

Yeah he'll reappear again after the money goes away. He'll make up a great story to save his job. What I dont get is, if he was kidnapped how come no terror group has took responsibility. Usually there is a video, a terro group bragging, etc. but this time nothing.

 

[dancing-loon]

I just checked the web for more news, came up with this:

Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan, Tariq Azizuddin has gone missing, shortly after Pakistani forces captured a top Taliban commander near the Afghan border yesterday. Azizuddin, his bodyguard, and driver went missing in the tribal region while en route to Kabul. Pakistani government officials tell FSRN they believe the ambassador was kidnapped by a pro-Taliban militant commanding Lashkr-e-Islam, or the Army of Islam. From Pakistan, Zack Baddorf reports.

So, now we know the REASON for his abduction... RETALIATION!!!

 

[data]

The first victim of any war is the Truth!

If Americans will ever comprehend this?
For what shall be Canadian troops in Afghanistan?
http://www.petitiononline.com/af8f69...ion-sign.html?
To secure more such judicial murder in the name of a self invented Sharia of some warlords there? Are besides US troops also Canadian troops involved in the still growing and further modernising poppy business there, i.e. holy making of dollars?
I've learned here, that no western soldier is concerned about the reason of his service and possible risking of his life. He accepted a job, since perhaps no better was around and is about to fulfill his signed contract. He fights for relaiability of contract, especially his own.

And I've learned, that nobody would give his name to sign the petition for saving a single live, since more people die as collateral damage in Afghanistan. I present here an alternative example to give you something to think about.

AMBASSADE AFGHANISTAN
H.E. Ambassador Dr. Zia Nezam
Brussel, 23rd of January 2008
Dear Ambassador, dear Dr. Zia Nezam,
With this letter I would like to express my concern about the death penalty for Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh, a young journalist living and working in the northern province of Balkh. To my knowledge Mr Kambakhsh is a reporter for the newspaper Jahan-e Naw ("The New World") and a journalism student at Balkh university, and he had been arrested on 27 October on charges of blasphemy and defaming Islam.
Having been in Afghanistan at the beginning of December 2007 I was full of hope that the new mass media law will be approved by President Karzai, but soon afterwards I had to learn that the President refused to sign it. This is very unfortunate not only because the government committed itself (in the Afghan Compact) to develop "independent and pluralistic" media, but also because it underlines the importance of a forward-looking mass media law for the development of a more inclusive, tolerant, and democratic society that is mindful of the country's religious and cultural values without curtailing the activities of the media under the pretexts of national security or religion and culture.
Although I am far from questioning the Afghan justice system I would still like to express my serious concern about this case in general and the death penalty, which I am absolutely against, in particular.
I'd like to ask you to do everything in your power to help preventing the execution of the death penalty against Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh.
Thanking you for your attention I do remain yours sincerely
Dr. André Brie
Member of the European Parliament

http://www.andrebrie.de/english/2008/20080123_Afghanistan.pdf

 

[dancing-loon]

Hello!! Everyone back to Canada... Parliament Hill!!

Afghan mission most important debate facing nation: MacKay

Liberals support revised Conservative motion on Afghanistan as debate begins in House of Commons on extension of Canada's military mission to 2011

History will judge Canada harshly if it abandons the people of Afghanistan and its international allies before the fragile country can stand on its own, Defence Minister Peter MacKay told the House of Commons Wednesday as he opened debate on a government motion to extend the military mission in Kandahar from 2009 to 2011.
“This is perhaps the most important debate facing our Parliament and our nation today,” Mr. MacKay said. “It has important broad implications for Canadians, Afghans and for the world.”
Mr. MacKay said Canada's efforts have won it the respect of the Afghan people, the international community and its allies, and to leave now would be an abandonment of all three. He warned that Afghanistan could again become a “breeding ground for terrorists” if the insurgency succeeded.

Sending us Canadians on a guilt trip, IF we don't agree with what our Harper/Bush Government wants is sickening to me!!

“We can't assume that others are going to do the difficult work for us. If we truly believe in this difficult mission, it's not words that count,” he said.

Sacrifice yourselves, Canadians, or big shame on you!!
He is playing on our emotions like on a fiddle!!!! He must have had a psychologist write his speech!!:roll:

And the Liberals are damned if they do, and damned if they don't!! They only have thoughts and concerns for their own best political survival of the moment in mind.
Dion disappoints me! But I understand they are caught between a rock and a hard place.

I think, we people should be asked:
a) start complete troop withdrawal immediately?
b) keep fighting until mandate runs out Feb. 2009?
c) or promise Afghan government we will help with reconstruction once war is over and a peace agreement with the Taliban has been signed... no sooner?!!

http://tinyurl.com/23xyp8

 

[Chriskander]

Breaking News

The biggest development in the Afghanistan problem is not happening in Ottawa.

M K Bhadrakumar, writing in Asia Times Online suggests the Turkish offensive against the PKK signals a few Middle East developments.
1. The US has abandoned the Kurds as their main ally in Iraq. Now the US has learned that bribing the Sunni Iraqis works better than trying to fight them, the Peshmerga is no longer needed as their pointman.
2. Turkey has been picked as the tough guy acting as an ally to the US to keep control over northern Iraq and keep the pressure in the region on Iran and Syria.
3. In exchange for US granting Turkey permission to throw their weight around on their borders, they are pressuring Ankara to increase its 1000 strong contingent in Afghanistan. Expect the 1000 new fighting troops sent to satisfy the Harper government's insistence on more allied help to be Turks rather than the 700 French spoken of before. The desire has long been to deploy more Islamic troops in Afghanistan -- these will likely only be the first.

Okay guys -- let's see if the far seeing window I use to analyze Middle Eastern affairs is accurate. My post on Pakistan is partly right so far -- and as time goes on may turn out to be more prescient.

Chriskander.

 

[gopher]

http://tinyurl.com/34c6rj


Bush's alliance in Afghanistan is falling apart even faster than his occupational forces in Iraq.

 

[dancing-loon]

NATO foreign ministers approve new Afghan plan


OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier emerged from a meeting with his NATO counterparts in Belgium on Thursday more confident that Canada will get the help it needs in southern Afghanistan.
He said in a phone interview from Brussels he walked other ministers through the Manley commission report, which recommended Canada extend its deployment in Kandahar to 2011, as long as alliance members sent 1,000 more troops to the south.
Mr. Bernier called it a “constructive dialogue.”
read whole story here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...rnational/home
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It looks and sounds like there is enough interest and good will with NATO countries to help out the Canadians. I'm sure the Harper government counted on that. Our forces will stay another 3 years! As Hillier said, it will take decades to get the country stabilized.

Here is an article I very much would like you to read. It's sobering, focused and insightful.
http://www.zmag.org/55qaframe.htm

 

[Chriskander]

I think the zmag article you posted was very thoughtful, Dancing Loon. The only section I found lacking was their take on the issue of oil pipeline routes – and it was lacking because the conflict over the Trans-Caspian, the Iran-India, and other pipelines had not developed enough to show it as geopolitical adventurism by the US at the time of writing. If the Europeans want to rely upon the Russians for the bulk of their oil and gas that’s their prerogative – Russia is, after all, a European country.

The root of the issue is whether US military and commercial expansion across the world, with nuclear missiles aimed at other nations, huge bases in neutral countries (eg Bondsteel), and nuclear armed aircraft carrier task forces off everyone’s coastal waters, is a good thing for humanity and social progress or not. While I would say there have been times when the US has been a positive influence in the world, the pendulum is swinging the other way – particularly under the Bush regime.

The whole matter will not be settled for some time yet, but meanwhile free people all over the world have to watch over their shoulders for Predator drones that might be aiming missiles at them and their families. That is not acceptable at all. The Bush regime and its backers have made a mockery of democracy – even now bribing and muscling the Pakistani generals to keep Musharraf ascendant over the new democratically elected leaders who want to change the country’s policies and heal damaging rifts at home.

The next US president will have to change the country’s direction before the world can look to the US again for social progress. The test will fall upon the US electorate if they wish to uphold and restore the USA’s honour or if they want to continue in the present path toward conflict and a constantly embattled imperialism.

 

[Colpy]

Chriskander said:

but meanwhile free people all over the world have to watch over their shoulders for Predator drones that might be aiming missiles at them and their families

Name ONE.

One place where Predator drones have been used that can be remotely called free.

Much less one free person attacked by a Predator drone.

Just one.

 

[dancing-loon]

Chriskander said:


Name ONE.

One place where Predator drones have been used that can be remotely called free.

Much less one free person attacked by a Predator drone.

Just one.

Colpy, just look what the US is doing in that African country, where we have a thread going... grrrr, I can't get the name of it right now... is old age creeping up on me already???
Anyway, I'm sure you remember the country, the US claimed they were only destroying terrorists. Same old excuse that fits anywhere and any time!

 

[Colpy]

Colpy, just look what the US is doing in that African country, where we have a thread going... grrrr, I can't get the name of it right now... is old age creeping up on me already???
Anyway, I'm sure you remember the country, the US claimed they were only destroying terrorists. Same old excuse that fits anywhere and any time!

Somalia