We know Pakistan has nukes, used to be (still is?) closely connected with the Taliban through factions in the ISI, has / had connections with UBL, and has been a terror sponsoring nation especially in Kashmir and India.
But, the Musharraf government has cooperated recently and since 9/11 at some risk to its own internal legitimacy. There are radical elements throughout Pakistan that view any cooperation with the US as a capital offense. Probably due to this internal instability, the US government has always been careful to complement the Pakistani efforts agains terror. But, of course there are may critics of any seeming alliance with Pakistan. Due, in part, to everything I listed above.
So, is the US pursuing a smart policy regarding Pakistan?
This article from the *Asian Times * dated October 30, 2002, claims that Mohammed is dead, and has been since September of 2002.
I posted the same link on the other KSM thread which is open as well, and mentioned that some of the more rabid Anti-Bush sites are claiming that the government is involved in an “elaborate cover up” to get the American people to see success in the War on Terror.
I’m not a big fan of conspiracy theories, but I thought the article was interesting. It’s one of those things that can inspire a “What if . . .” line of thinking.
Hmm…well, a few things come to mind. First, there doesn’t appear to be a source on that specific piece of information, not even an anonymous one. Second, why would they have hushed up KSM’s death in the first place? I suppose they could have reasoned, “Well, maybe later on down the line things will be going slowly, and we’ll need to look like we’re doing something,” but that’s way too conspiratorial for my tastes. Finally, have any other news sources reported KSM being killed at any time? It’s possible the Asia Times made a mistake and never bothered to correct the Web version of the story.
And why would the ISI go along with looking like stool pigeons for US interests? Hogwash.
I think it is a very good idea to be encouraging Pakistan to work with us. There are a lot of problems in that country, but it seems to me that your list of problems associated with Pakistan could be applied equally if not moreso with other countries we count as allies. So, why pick on Pakistan rather than work with it and work for change discretely, behind the scenes? Not only that, but in a free society, which Pakistan isn’t entirely, but is in some ways, people will be able to support these radicals. Don’t forget there are 160 million people in Pakistan and a hell of a lot of poverty and hunger! It shouldn’t really surprise anyone that these snakes can move about the shadows or even discretely amongst normal society without attracting attention. They have money, fame (well, infamy, really), and so probably look rather glamorous to the underclass.
Oh come on… If they were going to do the interregation within reasonable limits they would take him to the US where there are laws to protect him from … fuckit lets just say it… torture.
Instead he remains in a location where the rules are more lenient.
He has vital information and will be squeezed for all of it. This is also something that has a small window of oppurtunity so the faster he talks the better. Anyone with the illusion that they are sitting in an interrogation room with his lawyer and chatting is seriously niave about the situation.
I’m not talking thumbscrews but I’m sure no one would want to go through what he is right now.
They won’t let him sleep, they’ll likely keep up shifts of interrogators and use of chemicals. Physical abuse will probably also be used. Right now according to the news he is just quoting the Koran… soon he’ll be singing like a bird.
Wait and see how co operative he becomes in the next week… or how dead.
I detest the idea of these means but I understand why they are used.
When they captured all those Al-Q guys, and put them in a camp? Remember that…got bomed, so the next batch they put in a prison…
A quote from the US gov (sorry, dont have the link handy, but I remember it): because the Terrorist group is not a recognized country and because they never signed the Geniva convention, the US was under NO RESTRICTIONS on how they treated their prisoners.
Then, as well, the new prison is not on US soil - I dont remember exactly, but I think it is German soil - and so, the US is not hampered by ANY US laws.
It is a fact there are presently around 10 thousand Muslims being ‘detained’ in the US. They have not been charged. The US has the right to detain anyone they feel “might be a threat”. The US has given the prisoners…sorry, detainiees… a lawyer. But the lawyer is not alowed to talk with them, or to review the case.
THAT is why I say BULLSHIT this guy isn’t going to going to be treated with kid gloves…as well as what kingpengvin says, very true.