Tag: pakistan

The Trouble With Unconstitutional Wars

Listen to Ron Paul deliver these remarks here. Our foreign policy was in the spotlight last week, which is exactly where it should be. Almost two years ago many voters elected someone they thought would lead us to a more peaceful, rational co-existence with other countries. However, while attention has been focused on the administration’s … Continue reading “The Trouble With Unconstitutional Wars”

Poll: Pakistanis Dislike US, Taliban, and al-Qaeda

The recent WikiLeaks dump of war-related documents has brought little new to the debate over Washington’s ongoing military involvement in Afghanistan, but allegations that Pakistan’s intelligence services are aiding the Taliban has brought renewed attention to U.S. concerns over its reliance on Islamabad in battling Taliban and al-Qaeda forces in Afghanistan. New polling data released … Continue reading “Poll: Pakistanis Dislike US, Taliban, and al-Qaeda”

Leaked Reports Make Afghan War Policy More Vulnerable

The 92,000 reports on the war in Afghanistan made public by the whistleblower organization WikiLeaks and reported Monday by the Guardian, the New York Times, and Der Spiegel offer no major revelations that are entirely new, as did the Pentagon Papers to which they are inevitably being compared. But they increase the political pressure on … Continue reading “Leaked Reports Make Afghan War Policy More Vulnerable”

The Stepmother of Invention

It’s a sign of the New American times that even when we know we don’t have cogent grounds to continue our woebegone wars, we can’t invent compelling reasons to end them. In September 2009, President Obama caved to Pentagon demands to send more troops to the Bananastans* even though nobody in the Department of Defense … Continue reading “The Stepmother of Invention”

Pavlov’s Dogs of War Revisited

Super Dave Petraeus, newly installed as top banana in the Bananastans*, is practicing the exploding-cigar kind of diplomacy Dick Cheney and his cabin boys perfected during the Li’l Bush regime. Following policies outlined by the neoconservative cabal in their September 2000 manifesto Rebuilding America’s Defenses, Dick and the Destroyers’ negotiations with Iran amounted to a … Continue reading “Pavlov’s Dogs of War Revisited”

Afghans Find Their Welcome Running Out in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan – The number of Afghan refugees in Pakistan who will return to their homeland this year is expected to be double the 2009 figure, but it’s not only a longing for their native soil that is fueling the Afghans’ departure. Many of the refugees say Pakistanis – officials and local folk alike – … Continue reading “Afghans Find Their Welcome Running Out in Pakistan”

Exum’s Challenge: Game On!

As the dust was settling on what has been glibly called the “Rolling Stan” affair, it became apparent that the biggest damage that reporter Michael Hastings wrought was not in exposing Gen. Stan McChrystal and his staff for their impolitic grumblings, but in challenging the very strategy of the war itself. More specifically, he raised … Continue reading “Exum’s Challenge: Game On!”

White House Low-Key on China-Pakistan Nuke Deal

Last week’s meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in New Zealand brought statements of concern over China’s planned nuclear deal with Pakistan, but U.S. State Department officials avoided taking a strong position on the deal when pressed by reporters this week. China’s proposed sale of two nuclear reactors to Pakistan would, in theory, stand … Continue reading “White House Low-Key on China-Pakistan Nuke Deal”

Colonialism, Obama-Style

Everyone is shocked – shocked! – that the indiscretions of Gen. Stanley McChrystal failed to provoke a general reevaluation of our course in Afghanistan, rather than merely a review of who’s in charge of it. I find this shocking. After all, as I recall, Obama ran on ramping up the war on the Afghan front, … Continue reading “Colonialism, Obama-Style”

Unrest in Pakistan

“The military is the muscle that protects the ruling elite from the wrath of the people,” said Pakistani political analyst Dr. Mubashir Hassan. “Right now, people are out on the street; blocking roads, attacking railway stations, etc. If you read the papers, it seems as though a general uprising has started all over Pakistan.” Dr. … Continue reading “Unrest in Pakistan”