Who Lost Pakistan?
Barnett Rubin of NYU, who knows his way around Afghanistan and Pakistan, blogs that Musharraf's motive for seizing power yesterday is to repair "the rock-bottom morale in the army, which has seen hundreds of desertions by soldiers in the field." And why's that? According to the BBC,
Pakistan's army, deployed throughout the country's tribal regions to combat pro-Taleban militants, was losing ground to them. The last straw, in this regard, came when at least 300 army troops surrendered to militants in South Waziristan. Since then, the government and its security troops have all but lost control to the militants in the tribal areas.
In other words, Bush's failure to crush the Taliban & Co. at Tora Bora has had this knock-on effect.
Talk about dominos.
How about this for a Democratic slogan: Who Lost Pakistan?
I will gladly back you in this campaign to make this our democratic slogan if you'll back me in my campaign to change the national motto from "In God We Trust" to "Christ, What Next?"
November 4, 2007 9:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
In other words, Bush's failure to crush the Taliban & Co. at Tora Bora has had this knock-on effect.
Well, that seems to be a bit of a stretch. Were all of the Taliban and Co. in Tora Bora? Should Bush have followed up the Afghanistan operation with an invasion of Pakistan?
November 4, 2007 10:05 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jinnah?
November 4, 2007 5:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not bad, but I suspect people would then wonder, wait, did we invade Pakistan?
http://www.haberarts.com/
November 4, 2007 6:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Compare General Musharraf's stated reasons to declare an emergency, terrorism and judicial activism, to the reason President Bush gave to extend the US "national emergency" on Septmber 12, 2007: "I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency I declared on September 14, 2001 . . .Because the terrorist threat continues. . ."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/09/20070912-2.html
Terrorism is a common favorite excuse for emergency powers with the two autocrats, but Bush is more fortunate than Musharraf--he hasn't had to worry about an activist Supreme Court ever since the Supremes appointed him president.
ecotourism
WeGoEco.com
November 4, 2007 8:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm with you on that comment, Dan. I just read (here) a list of the players:
The lost victory at Tora Bora would have been a tiny dent, if that, - even if they had nailed Usama. (I also think the Pak ISI should be added to the list.)
Neoboho
November 5, 2007 10:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
I wonder how many chapters of Duhbya's ghost written autobiography will be given over to excuses for Bush's failure to gain revenge by killing in the field, or to satisfy justice by capturing and bring to international trial bin Laden and his generals?
Any bets on which Repocons who may still desire national status will write the forward?
November 5, 2007 1:32 PM | Reply | Permalink