Pakistan: Taliban 60 Miles From Islamabad
Pakistan Government’s appeasement policy seems to be boomeranging. The Taliban has seized control of the strategically important district of Buner near Islamabad, provoking fears that militants are attempting to spread their insurgency and their extreme brand of Islam, reports The Independent.
“The seizure by militants of the district in recent days underlines the strength of the insurgency and its ability to advance from the neighbouring Swat Valley which the Taliban controls, into the heart of Pakistan.
“The push by the Taliban and the associated violence has raised alarm in Washington. Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary, yesterday warned of the ‘existential threat’ to the democratic government of Pakistan.
“His comments came a day after Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, blasted the Pakistani leadership for ‘abdicating’ to the Taliban by allowing it to impose Sharia law in the Swat Valley.
“In recent days, Taliban militants have used Swat as a staging ground for incursions into Buner. They have taken over the shrine of Pir Baba, a venerated Sufi saint, and established a makeshift sharia court. Masked gunmen have also erected checkpoints, begun patrolling the streets and barring women from public places.
“In scenes starkly reminiscent of the Taliban’s takeover of Swat, hundreds of local residents, some of whom formed an anti-Taliban local militia to rebuff an encroachment last year, have fled. More here…
A leading article says: With hindsight, it may be asked whether the concessions made by the government of Asif Ali Zardari that agreed a military truce and sanctioned the introduction of Sharia law into the Swat Valley were mistaken. Both moves undoubtedly signalled a retreat by the central government. More here…
Pakistani television stations aired footage of Taliban soldiers looting government offices and capturing vehicles belonging to aid organizations and development projects. More here…
Photo above courtesy The Independent: A Pakistani barber looks out from his shop window in the Buner district. The words are a warning scrawled by the Taliban and read: ‘Do not shave.’
7 Responses to “Pakistan: Taliban 60 Miles From Islamabad”
This is the monster under the bed that everybody's been worried — but afraid to talk — about. Very very scary.
I'm unfortunately assuming that India will take preemptive action sooner rather than later, and the region will then be engulfed.
Horrifying.
There are nukes in N. Korea and Il is frankly bonkers…why aren't we there?
Is this article and it's first reply just another whip to keep Obama foolishly in career-wrecking Pakistan/Afghanistan?
Horrifying…
let the sand niggers blow themselves up, who gives a shit?!! iraq proved that they will stab you in the back as soon as look at you!
Wow!
The get-the-left-to-rally-against-the-audacious-bigotry-of-the-neocon-right puppet blogger isn't going to work either.
We're tired of gimmicky wars. Pitch North Korea to us, then we'll listen..
3. Reply from (yet another timely-new poster) “Polimom”…inferred: “Political [concerned] mom”…
Hunh? Yeah, that's me. A timely “new” poster. Although you did managed to get the meaning behind the name on your very first try.
*snort*
Essentially, your points seem to be that
1. The Talibani are pretty much okay dudes who are mostly concerned with whether to buy lunch at this cafe or that one.
2. I (Silhouette) can't read the writing on that window, and I'm betting you can't either. Therefore, you're probably making it up.
3. I don't like what Polimom said, and my short-term memory's kinda off today — so she must be a sock-puppet, out and about today posing as a mom working on her “scary red herring” recipe.
Meanwhile, I'm pretty sure India (also a nuclear armed country — perhaps you've heard of them?) is VERY very concerned.
There are a few problems with this withdraw plan. First of all, parts of the city are welcoming the Taliban, as stated by Al Jazeera in this video clip; http://www.newsy.com/videos/taliban_withdrawal_… The other problem is the fact that the Taliban is only removing non-citizens of the city. This leaves quite a few people to hold down fort and recruit. This retreat clearly means very little.
Shawn Green…
Pakistan Government’s appeasement policy seems to be boomeranging. The Taliban has seized cont [...]…