Backtracking the Memogate Scandal

The Memogate Scandal: An enthralling tale of betrayal, deceit and cloak-and-dagger diplomacy, featuring only the highest echelons of our nations scaffold, President Zardari, Ex-Ambassador to US Hussain Haqqani, The COAS General Kiyani, ISI Chief Gen. Pasha, one rogue backchannel facilitator Mansur Ijaz and a few American players who washed their hands of this dirty business; lies shrouded in mystery getting embroiled by the day. Before the issue was referred to the Parliament Security Committee Nawaz Sharif filed his petition in the Supreme Court. While the SC takes its time to pass its verdict, back tracking the events leading to Nawaz Sharif filing a case at the SC, should help. 

The purpose of this time line is to make sense of different versions of the Memogate story and clear misconceptions if any owing to excess of analysis but lack of clarity on this issue. 

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The Generals Who Will Really Rule North Korea

The policy under Kim Jong Il, North Korea's late Dear Leader, could not have had a name that was more straightforward: "military first politics." For most of Kim's 17-year reign as dictator, North Korea's military — the Korean People's Army, or KPA — got pretty much whatever it wanted. Even during the crippling famine, which killed tens of thousands in the late '90s, food was diverted to the military. Better a soldier with a full stomach, even if almost everyone else were starving, Kim seemed to think. "His position toward the military was one of weakness," says Christopher Hill, formerly the chief U.S. negotiator to the six-party nuclear talks.

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On Sobbing and Backtracking

The sight of a federal cabinet minister sobbing as she tendered her resignation to a visibly astonished Prime Minister was unnerving to say the least. Her sobs turned into smiles when her resignation was rejected and promises made to take care of her concerns. Of course while sobbing and resigning she had been careful to stress her confidence in the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister and ‘ownership of the President’---whatever that means. This inevitably led to the view that the sobs for her job were of the crocodile variety and the lingering impression was that the whole thing had been most demeaning and undignified. A storm in a teacup if ever there was one but it did provide comic relief because the minister is already the favorite of all stand-up comedians and the butt of many jokes.

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Chinese satellite navigation system plans to provide global services by 2020

A Chinese rival to the U.S. global positioning system network has started providing services in China and the surrounding area.

The director of China’s satellite navigation system office, Ran Chengqi, told reporters Tuesday that the Beidou navigation system is offering services including positioning, navigation routes and time. 

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Kissinger makes a shocking prediction on current geo-politics

NEW YORK –USA –In a remarkable admission by former Nixon era Secretary of State,Henry Kissinger,reveals what is happening at the moment in the world and particularly the Middle East.

Speaking from his luxurious Manhattan apartment,the elder statesman,who will be 89 in May,is all too forward with his analysis of the current situation in the world forum of Geo-politics and economics.

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The perplexing nature of American aid to Pakistan

The Pakistani public may be very patriotic and proud of their nation. Its culture, traditions and lifestyle are indeed very intricate. But within the intricacy of its lifestyle is embedded the hard truth about Pakistan’s sovereignty and independence. Sixty-four years of existence have been punctured with foreign aid, most of which comes from the United States or international institutions heavily influenced by Washington.

Pakistan shares a tumultuous relationship with the United States. Over the years, Pakistan has played a significant role in fighting America’s proxy war against the Soviets in Afghanistan; the Pressler agreement suspended US military aid to Pakistan; Pakistan allied itself with the US to fight the “War against Terrorism” and later on the Afghan war, where it offered its personnel and bases for US operations. In turn, US has helped Pakistan in its defense systems and contributed significantly in some civilian projects too. This year was marked with Davis’s murder of two Pakistanis, the raid against Osama bin Laden and  the NATO attack killing 24 Pakistani soldiers last month.

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Forty Million Girls Murdered In One Country!

If a baby girl survives abortion or being buried alive in India,she is forced into prostitution.

It is a crime in India to use an ultrasound to determine the sex of a child and it is also illegal to perform an abortion based on gender,but the laws are rarely enforced.

The Indian government has the resources to spend on stopping this massive ill-treatment of women but it prefers to spend billions on weapons.

India is on a quest for superpower status and is spending its resources on the military. It has already spent $2 billion in Afghanistan to contain Pakistan,and billions more to counter China.

But can the Indian government really stop this mistreatment of Indian women?

It can. The Indian government had $264 billion in its savings account in 2009. This figure has jumped to $307 billion in the first week of December 2011.

So India basically has a rich government that refuses to share wealth with India’s poor,who happen to be largest single block of poverty anywhere in the world.

Read More Here: http://area148.com/cms/?p=9490

CIA supporting Russian anti-govt protestors through Georgia

WMR has learned from an eastern European intelligence source that the CIA. Britain's MI-6, and George Soros, who actually fronts for the Rothschild family, has been funneling money to Russian protest movements through the Republic of Georgia.

The Soros-style "themed" revolution for Russia is being called the "White Revolution" or "Snowy Revolution,| with the color white being chosen as the thematic color for the attempted Russian uprising. Perhaps not coincidentally, the White Army was also the name for the counter-Bolshevik revolutionary forces composed of czarist loyalists supported by British, French, American, Japanese, and Czech troops who, from 1917 to 1922, attempted to invade Russia and restore czarist rule. The White Army invaded Russia from Poland, Lithuania, the Caucasus, and Siberia.

The western media is mocking Russian Prime Minister for suggesting during a television interview that when he saw protesters in Moscow wearing white ribbons, he thought they were wearing condoms. Putin said, "I decided it was propaganda against AIDS, that these were, pardon me, dangling contraceptives . . . I didn't really get it . . . But on the whole, my first thought was that this is good, that people are fighting for a healthy lifestyle." Putin said he could not understand why people unrolled a condom (gandon) before pinning it to their chest.

Read More Here: http://tiny.cc/3xnn4

US admits blunder in NATO attack on Pakistan

The U.S. is poised to concede for the first time that it bears significant responsibility for last month’s American airstrike that killed 24 Pakistani troops, U.S. officials said, an admission that is expected to embarrass the American military but points to a way out of the deepening mistrust between the two countries.

A military investigation has found that U.S. and Afghan commandos incorrectly concluded there were no Pakistani forces in the Afghan border area where the coalition was conducting an operation on Nov. 26, according to U.S. officials familiar with the report. That assessment cleared the way for an airstrike that devastated Pakistani positions.

After the initial strike, the U.S. compounded its mistake by providing inaccurate data to a Pakistani military representative at a border-coordination center, missing an opportunity to stop the fighting, these people said.

The new report’s conclusions uphold key portions of Pakistan’s version of events. It also conflicts with some early U.S. accounts, which said Pakistanis gave an all-clear that opened the way for the most deadly friendly-fire incident of the 10-year Afghanistan war.

The earlier U.S. accounts were based on preliminary and incomplete debriefings of service members involved in the incident, officials said, while the complete investigation is based on computer records, radio reports and other documentation. U.S. military investigators were denied access to Pakistani officials, including the representative at the border center, officials have said.

Read More Here: http://tacstrat.com/content/?p=6764

What the Army Wants

Spearhead Analysis — 22.12.11

 

The media is going bananas with all kinds of theories and scenarios. There is talk of some kind of move afoot to oust the elected President-either by impeachment or by using the incapacitation clause in the constitution. For the first you need a two-thirds majority and for the second you need to establish that the President is incapacitated. There is no way that either of these conditions can be met. The unconstitutional method of a military coup is out of the question in the present environment unless there is a catastrophe. The President is the driving force behind the political coalition that is the government in Pakistan and all are agreed that the change they want can only come through the ballot box.

There is the rumor about a civil-military confrontation over the memo-gate affair. The media is going to great lengths to point out that the military and the government are on a collision course. The reality is that the government asked the Pakistan Ambassador to the US to resign so that the matter could be processed and a conclusion reached. The opposition took the matter to the Supreme Court while the government sent it to the Parliamentary Committee for Security. The matter is proceeding on both tracks. The Army Chief and The Director General ISI have given written responses to the Supreme Court because the Supreme Court had directly asked them for their views. If the Parliamentary Committee asks them they will no doubt respond positively. Both the government and the military want the matter to reach conclusion because of the inherent implications. The Supreme Court is on record as having said in an earlier case that they will not act to derail the system.

There have been statements from responsible people asking for the resignation of the ISI chief because of the allegation made that he visited Arab capitals to solicit support for ousting the government. The methodology to do this has not been spelt out nor has anyone considered exactly how such support could be extended and to whom. The reason being given for the demand is that because the Ambassador resigned therefore the ISI chief should also resign. The difference, of course is that the Memo was investigated and found to be a reality and that this was confirmed by a retired US general who also admitted being the courier. The investigations now being made may well exonerate the Ambassador. The ISI has denied the allegation, called it baseless and sent a legal notice to the British tabloid that made the allegation. The government may investigate the matter if it has any reason to doubt what has been stated.

Read Complete Article Here: What The Army Wants

 

The Global agreement to occupy

Police in New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, Baltimore, San Francisco and many other American cities may have evacuated peaceful demonstrators of the Occupy movement. But that’s done little to quell the unsettling discontent sweeping the globe.

Concerns of the Occupy movement in the United States are linked with protests from afar. One of the most poignant moments during Occupy Wall Street was when the Egyptian flag was hoisted over Wall Street. Unspoken irony and exuberance swept like a wave through crowds at Zuccotti Park. Protest leaders from Cairo’s Tahrir Square had joined Occupy Wall Street.

Egyptian protestors explained to Occupy protesters how Washington spends US$1.3 billion each year supporting Egypt’s military. The funds Mubarak used to repress human rights, and those Egyptian protestors themselves, could have been spent in the United States to upgrade infrastructure and create jobs.

 

Read More: http://tiny.cc/9tw38

The Global agreement to occupy

Police in New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, Baltimore, San Francisco and many other American cities may have evacuated peaceful demonstrators of the Occupy movement. But that’s done little to quell the unsettling discontent sweeping the globe.

Concerns of the Occupy movement in the United States are linked with protests from afar. One of the most poignant moments during Occupy Wall Street was when the Egyptian flag was hoisted over Wall Street. Unspoken irony and exuberance swept like a wave through crowds at Zuccotti Park. Protest leaders from Cairo’s Tahrir Square had joined Occupy Wall Street.

Egyptian protestors explained to Occupy protesters how Washington spends US$1.3 billion each year supporting Egypt’s military. The funds Mubarak used to repress human rights, and those Egyptian protestors themselves, could have been spent in the United States to upgrade infrastructure and create jobs.

CIA’s incompetence

Based on its recent string of failures, most notably those that have occurred under America’s top general-turned-spymaster David Petraeus, the CIA has become a third-tier intelligence agency that is trying to prop around the world up a failing, financially bankrupt, and over-extended super-power the United States.

The CIA, started in 1947 with veterans of the war-time Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and military personnel, who were soon supplemented by economists and international relations graduates of America’s top Ivy League universities, is now attempting to promote itself as a “made-for-television” futuristic high-tech spy and covert warfare agency, operating intelligence-gathering and armed drones from over 60 bases around the world. All that is missing from the CIA’s over-inflated view of itself are the X-Men and Jason Bourne.

The record of the CIA speaks otherwise. The agency has become a bloated and ineffectual spy agency that is heavy on inflating intelligence reports while being responsible for major intelligence failures.

Veena is not our biggest problem?

Veena Malik has captured our attention once again. FHM,a men’s magazine,has run a cover featuring a nude Veena Malik, dexterously covering herself with her arms and legs. Malik,in turn,has claimed that the cover is morphed and is suing for damages. She has,however,admitted to shooting “bold” photos with FHM,one of which included a bikini/thong. So even if Malik readily posed naked,or nearly naked,for a men’s magazine whose profit lies in objectifying women,we ask…

Continue reading Veena is not our biggest problem?

The Changing Game Plan

The game changing and decisive events are unfolding at almost breathtaking pace in Pakistan. Pakistan army and the nation have stood up to defy and shock the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan. Within the country, the corrupt head of the PPP regime Zardari flees to Dubai for "treatment" after a "heart attack".

Pakistan army is in charge of the country's national security issues with the PPP government totally in panic and confusion. Pak army has taken most firm and hostile stand against the US calling the attacks "deliberate", "part of a plot" and to support the TTP insurgents. These are the most damning allegations from the Pakistan army yet against the US forces in last 10 years of "alliance".

So, it is not just the blockade of NATO supplies that is hurting US tremendously. They have been forced to vacate the Shamsi airbase also which they had been using under a farcical diplomatic arrangement between UAE and Pakistan. This base was not just for the operations within Pakistan but was also being used against Iran and for spying on Pakistan's nuclear facilities through their newest "stealth" drone which could not be easily detected by Pakistani radars.

While the new contract for supplies is being debated, this is an irrevocable damage done already to the entire US war plans against Pakistan and Iran. Iranians are extremely pleased indeed. Iranians suspect that the drone which they had shot down recently was most probably flown out of Shamsi. Ejection from Shamsi is a major setback indeed for the CIA.

The NATO supplies are now choking Pakistan ports and roads with thousands of containers, military vehicles and arms enough to raise many divisions of army vulnerable to attacks from the militants. This is the ultimate nightmare for the NATO. The more these supplies are on the road; the more chances are that they will end up in smoke. Attacks have already begun.

There is another fear which is now eating up the US and NATO planners. In the 90's, Pakistan had purchased the F-16's from the US but they were seized under the new laws which prohibited sale of these equipment to Pakistan. Despite the fact that Pakistan has already paid the price in full, these jets were not handed over to Pakistan and Pakistan was even charged for the parking fee into millions of dollars while these jets remained parked on military bases of the US.

Now there are thousands of US military vehicles and equipment which is lying all across Pakistan waiting to cross into Afghanistan. US have also not paid billions of dollars of Coalition Support Fund which they were supposed to pay to Pakistan for using Pakistan's roads, ports and infrastructure. Now, Pakistan can actually seize all this militaryhardware and goods as payment for the arrears or if the relations hit new low, these can be seized as hostile enemy property as well. There is a real possibility that this equipment, if it survives the attacks from the militants, may actually end up in the new formations of the Pakistan army.

US is threatening to cut Pakistan aid. But US are again playing with fire here as well. Pak army can simply move in to help themselves with brand new state of the art NATO military hardware worth billions of dollars.

US know that if Pakistan army gets hostile, it would be the end of the US in Afghanistan. Their entire military and economic strategy for the 21 st century now faces the risk of going up in smoke just because Pakistan army has had enough of non-sense from the US and NATO.

US and their lawmakers are now desperate to find ways and means to bring back Pakistan. Pakistan had also boycotted the Bonn conference. That had magnified the US embarrassment and had insult to the injury. There are many US lawmakers demanding aid cut. But the more pragmatic ones realize that they must remain engaged with Pakistan.

It is actually incredible that Pakistan's just one NO has stunned the US and NATO in so many theatres. The problems and crisis for NATO does not end with Pakistan's blockade of their supplies. The economy of NATO states is collapsing at home! Euro zone is now dismantling and it will become impossible for NATO states of justify their overseas military operations which remain open ended and without any mission objective.

So, what are the options open to US now?

It is a desperate situation no doubt for the Washington and the Pentagon. US had planned a contingency strategy for such an eventuality which envisaged a massive air strike on Pakistan's command and control systems and the elimination of the military leadership.

This exact plan was known to Hussain Haqqani, the former Pakistani ambassador to US who is now facing the treason charges in Pakistan and the blowing up of this very scandal has forced Zardari to flee as well under the pretext of health.

But if US do go through with such a sinister and high risk plan, how will it bring troops on ground to secure a nuclear armed state? US cannot control Afghanistan, let alone a Muslim martial nation of 170 million which has around 7 million armed men within tribals and local militias to support the Pakistan army, which is also nuclear armed and allied with China and Iran.

US plan was to bomb Pakistan and then land its forces on Gawader to try to cut a land route to Afghanistan. If US want its own terms, it will have to embark on this most dangerous adventure which has all the possibility of getting out of hand into a regional war.

That is where the Indian Cold start military doctrine comes in. The US Af-Pak doctrine was designed to work in tandem with Indian Cold Start strategy. The air blitz was to come from US/NATO. Ground forces would move in from India to "secure" Pakistan while the US would land and cut a corridor to Afghanistan from Gawader.

But the entire strength of this sinister high risk plan was the secrecy. Now the cover is blown, Pakistan army is ready, deployed and armed.

Strategic assets deployed and directed towards US and Indian assets. The entire US/India plan of surprise and secrecy is now up in flames.

So, now, either US succumb to demands of Pakistan and find an exit strategy and leave Afghanistan while they still can. Else, they risk a massive regional war which can even go nuclear and would surely also eliminate the entire US/NATO force in Afghanistan and the region, also drawing in Iran, India and China into the conflict.

These are the most difficult times for Obama and his administration. He had come to bring victory to the US in Afghanistan. Now he faces a humiliating defeat as in Vietnam.

The US administration can hope to find a slave government in Islamabad but this is not happening now. In the absence of a docile, corrupt and incompetent regime, US is now forced to deal with a tough Pakistan army which is raging with sense of revenge after having lost tens of thousands of finest of officers and men in a war of terrorism and insurgency which was orchestrated by the CIA.

The Pakistan's military leadership is now firm and is determined to undo the mistakes of the past. Even if the military leadership in Pakistan tries to give some concessions to the US at this stage, they cannot due to sheer rage and anger in the armed forces and the nation.

The entire nation now stands united behind the army and the PPP regime and the US/NATO can only watch in helplessness and the wretched Indian wait in the desert for the signal from the Pentagon which is not forthcoming.

The future of the world now depends upon "Yes" and "No" from Pakistan, literally! No one is more nervous than Obama these days, apart from Zardari of course, who is meeting the CIA in Dubai trying to find out how to save his regime.

If Zardari and CIA cannot find away to "neutralize" the Pakistan army, then Zardari is not coming back to Pakistan. He has been caught along with Hussain Haqqani in the memo scandal and now this is costing him his seat. Meanwhile, the "rumors" of a coup are red hot in Islamabad. There is no doubt that even the army is fed up of this regime. It is criminal, treacherous and has abandoned the nation in these most difficult times.

Army is hoping that Supreme Court will deal with them legally and the army will not have to step in. But if the SC does not deliver, army may just step in as the US/NATO war threats loom.

STORM IN A TEA CUP?

The elected President of Pakistan had a cardiac episode and decided to go to Dubai for treatment. Perhaps he knew a doctor there or maybe he felt more secure or maybe he thought that if required he could go to London from there. His last cardiac check up was in London in September. Whatever the reason he decided on Dubai. Instead of one factual statement from his spokesman,everyone and his aunt came out with their own version of why the President had gone to Dubai. They felt compelled to add that he would soon be back—as if they were reassuring themselves.

Continue reading STORM IN A TEA CUP?

PEARL HARBOR REDUX

Seventy years ago today, the Japanese Navy launched strikes against Pearl Harbor sinking much of "Battleship Row," awakening a sleeping giant and forcing the United States into World War II with catastrophic effects for the Axis powers. Countless lessons have been learned and many forgotten over that attack. Yet, seven decades later, a great deal is still to be learned from what President Franklin Delano Roosevelt famously named a Day of Infamy.

The first and most important lesson is that surprise attacks work initially. Very few surprise attacks have failed in achieving immediate aims. Yet, while both Pearl Harbor and Hitler's June 22nd, 1941 surprise attack against Russia achieved initial successes, the end result was ultimately disastrous. Japan had indeed launched a successful surprise attack on the Russian fleet in 1904. But the Japanese were desperate to negotiate a truce in 1905 bled by the Asian ground war against the Tsar and orchestrated by another Roosevelt---TR.

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A Marshall Plan-like Strategy for Afghanistan

India has called for a ‘Marshall Plan’ for Afghanistan to address deficits in areas of security, development, investment and governance.

Addressing an international conference in Afghanistan, external affairs minister SM Krishna also warned of a potent threat to the country’s security from terrorism and insurgency being fuelled from outside its borders. Though the reference was obvious, Pakistan’s name was not taken.

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State Owned Enterprises: Can we pull them out of the black hole?

Just last year, Transparency International rated Pakistan as the 34th most corrupt nation in the world. Corruption has spread like a wild fire across the country consuming all public and private sectors. Recently, a corruption case against Nawaz Sharif was dismissed where it was alleged that he allotted land to his friends. Supreme Court asked Pakistan Railways to report the names of people involved in selling scrap at throwaway prices and buying overpriced bulbs to the National Accountability Bureau. Concerns were voiced by the Chief Justice of Pakistan over non-transparency in the rental power projects, which if proven true would signal the end of these projects. FIA interrogated PM Gillani’s son, Abdul Qadir, in a Haj corruption case where the financing of a bullet proof jeep was dubious. Defense Ministry allegedly found 88 armed officials involved in corruption while the Public Accounts Committee declared three top army generals responsible for the Rs1.8 billion losses in the National Logistics Cell scam. Transparency International raised allegations about bribery involved in the procurement of 2 aircrafts on lease for Haj operations. Federal Bureau Revenue recovered Rs 7.39 billion from energy companies which were concealing payable liability for the past few years. Chaudhry Nisar’s resignation from the Public Accounts Committee over the controversial appointment of the new Attorney General of Pakistan made us realize that even the agencies created to counter corruption were not free from this disease. On the international front, 3 players from our national cricket team were found guilty of spot-fixing during the Lord's Test between England and Pakistan last August.

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Pakistan –Its broke and you can’t fix it!

I hate to be honest and factual about certain issues and subjects…Unfortunately Pakistan’s future happens to be one such subject. It’s like discussing future medical treatment for a 100% certified terminally ill patient whose chances of recovery are worse than none. While the doctors discuss with family of the patient what course of treatment would be best to make the patient less uncomfortable,they are also trying to prepare the family of the dreadful inevitable. In the back of their minds,friends and family also know where the situation is heading yet they try to block it as much as they can and for as long as they can. But the less emotional relatives and friends who have only material interest with the dying patient start planning their future course of action. 

Continue reading Pakistan –Its broke and you can’t fix it!

All aboard the Change Express

After more than fifteen years in the political sidelines, Khan with an increasingly swelling entourage of popular and politically seasoned party defectors is an emerging force to be reckoned with.  Khan of cricket and Shaukat Khanam Hospital fame is no more the controversial guest speaker on talk shows that required drama, no. Whispers of the Establishment’s new favorite party began to make rounds in rumor mills and drawing rooms as Mian Azhar from PML-Q crossed over to PTI followed by, ex-MPA Ifitkhar Soomro, Allama Iqbal’s grandson Waleed Iqbal, veteran columnist Shafqat Mehmood, Pir Pagara’s son Rashid Shah and earlier this week Khans’ new right hand ex-foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi pledged allegiance to the PTI cause. Marvi Memon hasn’t yet sworn fealty to PTI but is expected to. And thus enter the much needed elements of political savoir-faire and feudal mass following in PTI’s horde of frenzied political workers. 

This chain of events is a marked departure from Khan’s earlier promises of steering clear of tainted veterans and bringing an end to feudal lordship over the parliament. Khan’s appearances on television nowadays have become more about offering excuses and explanations for allowing ‘political orphans’ from all kinds of alphabet soup parties to throng to his fold than to finally iterate his party policies and put an end to erratic stances he’s so famous for taking and decide where he stands. He’s right when he says PTI needs experienced politicians and Qureshi’s feudal and Mureed following will take PTI a long way, however will this addition of ideologically opposed elements within the party, give way to mere stagnancy and perpetuation of the feudal cause once PTI does make inroads to the parliament house? 

Qureshi and Khan aren’t exactly known for Seeing Eye to Eye on issues of foreign policy and matters pertaining to the military either. Where Khan openly supports friendly ties with India, a stance that keeps him at loggerheads with the military, Qureshi from his old IJI days was a stalwart ‘GHQ man’ who was known for keeping his GHQ brief with him at all times when he was foreign minister. Qureshi’s flitting back and forth between political parties has not entirely incorrectly gotten him labeled a fair weather politician, whether his role in PTI will be to temper down his impulsive quixotic party leader, steer the current wave of popularity to a stable pool of support or cleave PTI along ideological lines and leave for whatever party looks more attractive, only time will tell. 

READ MORE HERE: All aboard the Change Express

Allies Martyr 24 Unsuspecting Pakistani Troops in “Self Defense”

PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD NATO helicopters and fighter aircraft attacked two Pakistani military checkpoints along Afghan border in a pre-dawn attack on Saturday, killing up to 26 troops and prompting Pakistan to shut vital supplies to NATO/ISAF troops, besides lodging strong protests with the US and NATO authorities.

A major and a captain were among the martyred troops and about 11 others were wounded in the attack that came around 2am at two mountaintop checkpoints, about 2.5 km from the border. About 40 Pakistani army troops were stationed at the outposts at Selala, a suburb of Balezai region in Mohmand Agency, and sources in political administration suggested the casualties had reached 28.

The attack is the worst single incident of its kind since Pakistan uneasily allied itself with Washington after Sept 11, 2001 attacks. The reaction from Pakistan military as well as the civilian government at this apparent provocation was strong and prompt, and they sent a clear message that no such action at any pretext was acceptable to Pakistan.

An ISPR statement released Saturday said that Pakistani troops effectively responded immediately in self-defence with all available weapons. The press release said a strong protest has been launched with NATO/ISAF in which it has been demanded that strong and urgent action be taken against those responsible for this aggression. The incident occurred a day after US General John Allen met Pakistani Army Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to discuss border control and enhanced cooperation.

Strongly condemning the attack, Gen Kayani said that the NATO/ISAF’s ‘blatant and unacceptable aggression’ resulted in loss of precious lives of Pakistani soldiers, according to the ISPR press release. While lauding the effective response by the soldiers of Pakistan Army in self-defence, he directed to take ‘all necessary steps’ for an effective response to this irresponsible act. A senior Pakistani military officer said efforts were under way to bring the bodies of the slain soldiers to Ghalanai, the headquarters of Mohmand tribal region. “The latest attack on our post will have serious repercussions as they (NATO troops) without any reason attacked our post and killed soldiers asleep,” he said.

Read Full Story Here: http://tacstrat.com/content/?p=6119

Sherry Rehman Sworn in as US Ambassador

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and MNA Sherry Rehman has been appointed Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Express 24/7 reported.

The appointment comes after Husain Haqqani was asked to resign by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in the wake of the Memogate scandal. Gilani has approved the appointment.

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The case of the secret memo

Mansoor Ijaz wrote a memo to Mike Mullen in May after OBL murder by US SEAL Team. There was no reaction and memo remained unnoticed for several months till Mansoor Ijaz wrote an article in a newspaper specifically about the memo. Why?

Question should not be why but rather "WHO?"... who is Mansoor Ijaz? Mansoor Ijaz is a confirmed CIA operative. His agenda was to create a rift between Pakistan Civil and Military. To weaken ISI and put Pakistan military leadership in an awkward situation.

Pakistan army and ISI are the only institutions which resisted allowing USA to freely operate within Pakistan and also supposed issuance of Pakistani visas to US CIA agents. CIA has been extremely unhappy with ISI's opposition. Mansoor Ijaz created this memo on his own. Neither Ambassador Hussain Haqqani, President Asif Zardari or the Pakistan military knew about this secret memo.

Mansoor Ijaz should be the one who should be arrested, interrogated and held accountable for creating this situation. Pakistani media needs to realign their guns in the right direction and focus on this culprit called Mansoor Ijaz who is anti-Pakistan and a CIA's paid bitch. Our political and national security analysts also need to calm down and think like patriotic Pakistanis. We need to see who benefits and who suffers from this memo... once we do this everything will be crystal clear.

The US and Pakistan

Pakistanis are being constantly told that the Raymond Davis episode and the Osama bin Laden event soured relations between the US and Pakistan and that these are the issues that have brought the bilateral relationship to a new low. They are not being told what it was about these events that made them so significant. Could it be that a CIA operative under the cover of being a diplomat was where he should not have been and that he killed two Pakistanis in broad daylight and then a US Consulate vehicle sent to retrieve him crushed another Pakistani dead? How do you get over something like that? The raid into Pakistan that led to the killing of OBL and was carried out without taking Pakistan into confidence left its Army and Intelligence to face the humiliation of being publicly accused of complicity or incompetence or both. This was indeed a watershed event and has had led to consequences that such events inevitably lead to. Perhaps it is relevant to consider that these events were the result of a perception on the US side that Pakistan was not cooperating as an ally should and a perception on the Pakistani side that the US had gained covert access into Pakistan through devious means and their intentions were not clear. If so, then several months later not much has been done to clear the air — in fact it is more fogged up than before. There is a crying need for clarity over divergences and perceptions.

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“Normalization Roadmap” for Indo-Pak Trade Relations

NEW DELHI - Pakistan took further steps toward normal trade and travel ties with India on Tuesday, agreeing to open most commerce with its larger neighbour by February and ease visa rules in the latest sign of a thaw in relations between the nuclear-armed rivals. “We have turned the corner,” Pakistan’s Trade Secretary Zafar Mehmood said at a joint news conference with his Indian counterpart in Delhi. “We are talking of a complete normalisation roadmap,” he added.

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Iran’s Nuclear Program and the IAEA Report: Old Lies Behind a New Mask

The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) long awaited, much ballyhooed report on Iran’s nuclear activities has been thunderously greeted here as conclusive evidence that Iran is working on nuclear weapons.

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Reality TV show lifts veil on Muslim Americans

WASHINGTON: It’s been a decade since the September 11 attacks and many Americans still don’t know quite what to make of their 2.75 million Muslim compatriots. Could a reality TV series help?

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Khan Believes Karachi Rally will be the Turning Point

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced on Sunday that it would continue to interact with various political entities across the political spectrum to invite “pure” politicians but ruled out the possibility of alliance with any conventional party for now.

“The PTI will approach electable politicians from each constituency,” said PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

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Enemies of Islam and Pakistan

For all those people (especially Imran Khan &the PTI leadership) who believe we should strike a peace deal with TTP terrorist khwarjis,please listen to the following clip. If anyone needs references from Hadith and Islamic text,please read the attached PDF file.

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Imran Khan: the myth and the reality

WHEN Imran Khan launched the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf in 1996, then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto rhetorically asked, “Can Imran win 51 per cent seats in parliament to form a government?” A decade and a half later, the same question haunts Mr Khan even when he has recently gathered together the largest public assembly of his entire political life. His supporters, critics and opponents are asking if he will ever get the parliamentary strength he needs to realise his aspirations of becoming prime minister.

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Insecure Western Media & Secure Pak Nukes

Defanging Pakistan by dismantling her nuclear programme must rank as one of US’ most fervent yet unfulfilled wishes and hitherto unattained strategic interests! Western media interest in Pakistan’s nukes remains unrelenting, uncompromising, sensational, wishful and largely ill-informed. A good example could be the recent article “The Ally from Hell” in The Atlantic magazine.

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Pakistan - China to build even stronger ties

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday expressed their resolve to further strengthen bilateral ties in economic, defence and energy sectors for the mutual benefit of two countries. The two leaders, who met on the sidelines of summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) here in Petersburg, discussed the whole gamut of strategic and economic cooperation between their countries. They discussed the matters relating to agriculture, power generation and finance, besides reviewing progress on Sino-Pak bilateral ties. The meeting, which was scheduled for 40 minutes, lasted for more than an hour. Chinese Premier Wen reiterated his government’s support for Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He underscored the importance of time-tested strategic partnership between China and Pakistan, an official told APP.

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American War Heroes Remains Become Landfill

The Dover Air Force Base mortuary for years disposed of portions of troops’ remains by cremating them and dumping the ashes in a Virginia landfill,a practice that officials have since abandoned in favor of burial at sea.

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The War of the Rallies

The Chairman Pakistan Tehrik Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan started it. Sensing that the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML—N) had been sidelined with even their government in Pakistan’s largest province with Shahbaz Sharif as the Chief Minister under criticism and the ruling party, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), helpless against the mounting grievances of the people, Imran announced a political meeting in Punjab’s capital Lahore for Sunday October 30th. Not only that, Imran rubbed his advantage in by predicting a massive turn out that would decisively tilt the people in his favor. Woken from their slumber and desperate not to be outdone on their home turf the PML(N) announced a political rally (as distinct from meeting) for Friday October,28th with one single agenda—to start a movement “Go Zardai Go” against the President of the country. People wondered what this meant because the PML(N) was part of the political set up, being the government in Punjab, and so far had been an ineffective opposition. Once the PML(N) rally had railed against the government in strong language the PPP’s coalition partner the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) jumped in and announced a rally in their home city Karachi to be addressed by their exiled leader from London with the objective of supporting the President and condemning the outbursts of Shahbaz Sharif that had come in for across the board criticism because of the language used.

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A Spearhead Research Investigative Report

In an article captioned “China’s Discreet Activities in Pakistan’s Northern Borderlands”, the author, Mr Selig S. Harrison, made some assertions about the presence of Chinese troops in Pakistan’s Northern Areas. Similar reports have appeared in the Indian media. Spearhead Research carried out an overt survey of the area and the results were contrary to what has been alleged. The factual situation seen on the ground and the facts about the presence and involvement of Chinese in various infrastructure activities in Gilgit-Baltistan area of Pakistan are indicated below. 

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A Brave Pakistani Awarded Highest Saudi Civil Award

A young ordinary Pakistani worker, Farman Ali Khan, who rescued 14 lives during floods in Jeddah, before scarifying his own life had been honoured by the Saudi government with the highest Civil Saudi Award.

Farman Ali Khan will be posthumously awarded the “King Abdul Aziz Medal” of the First Order in appreciation of his heroic humanitarian act, according to an official statement of Saudi Arabia.

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Rs 50bn corruption in rental power projects: Faisal Saleh Hayat

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the government for details of all rental power projects and the details of what the public is being charged for electricity production.

During case proceedings today, Chief justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry sought details of how much electricity the rental power plants were supposed to provide, how much they were producing and what the government has paid them so far.

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Was Qatar responsible for bloody revolt and innocent deaths in Libya?

Qatar has admitted for the first time that it sent hundreds of troops to support the Libyan rebels who overthrew Muammar Gaddafi’s regime.

The Gulf state had previously acknowledged only that its air force took part in Nato-led attacks.

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THE US’ 2.3 MILLION DOLLAR MISTAKE

From ‘The Daily Beast” (Denver Channel)---“-CIA operative Raymond Davis was arrested in Highlands Ranch Colorado—Davis and two other men had been arguing over a parking space when the argument turned violent and Davis was reportedly the aggressor. He was charged with third-degree assault and disorderly conduct but was released after posting a $ 1750 bond. Davis made world headlines when he was arrested in Pakistan after he shot and killed two men who he said were trying to mug him. His imprisonment turned into a stand-off between the US and Pakistan about the CIA’s covert activities in the country and he was freed only after the US paid US $ 2.3 million to the victims’ families.”

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King of Ghazal Passes Away Today

Renowned ghazal singer Jagjit Singh died this morning at the Leelavati Hospital in Mumbai after he suffered a brain haemorrahage. Mr Singh was 70.

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Raymond Davis, miles and worlds apart

Raymond Davis, a former C.I.A. contractor, was in a courtroom in Denver on Tuesday, where he was formally charged with second-degree assault. How different was that from his appearance, just a few months ago, before a court in Lahore, Pakistan, where he was charged with murder? That question came up when the district attorney suggested that it might be a good idea if Davis wasn’t allowed to carry a gun while the charges were pending. According to the Associated Press, his lawyer, William Frankfurt, replied that Davis needed a gun, since he is now working as, of all things, a firearms instructor, and that anyway the incidents were “miles and worlds apart.” Miles, yes, but worlds? Pakistan is not in another world, behind some dimensional door; everything that happens there can’t, and shouldn’t, be left behind. And beyond that, there are some common elements to both stories: cars, rage, questions of privilege.

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U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan

New America Foundation analysis of drone strikes in Pakistan. Click each pin to see the details of a reported strike. The red border represents the extent of Pakistan’s tribal regions in the northwest of the country.

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Taliban destroy police checkpost, kill 10 in Afghanistan

A Taliban attack in southern Afghanistan killed eight officers and completely destroyed a police post, a provincial spokesman said Wednesday.

At least three more officers were injured in the Tuesday night attack near Lashkar Gah in Helmand province, according to Daud Ahmadi, the spokesman.

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LeJ chief Malik Ishaq jailed for 30 days

Founder of banned outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) Malik Ishaq was shifted late Tuesday night to a Rahim Yar Khan jail after being under house arrest for 10 days.

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The Admiral’s Swan Song

Admiral Mullen long thought to be a friend of Pakistan (by Pakistanis) with a special rapport with its leadership made what he said was his last appearance before the US Senate Armed Services Committee. In his testimony Admiral Mullen last Thursday blamed Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for aiding the Haqqani Network in launching attacks on US Embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul. He called the Haqqanis a “veritable arm of the ISI”. Panetta had earlier hinted at US strikes in North Waziristan if the Haqqanis were not taken on by the Pakistan military. The White House on Friday called on Pakistan to sever ties with Haqqanis. Admiral Mullen also said –"in choosing to use violent extremism as an instrument of policy, the government of Pakistan, and most especially the Pakistani army and ISI, jeopardizes not only the prospect of our strategic partnership but Pakistan's opportunity to be a respected nation with legitimate regional influence. They may believe that by using these proxies, they are hedging their bets or redressing what they feel is an imbalance in regional power. But in reality, they have already lost that bet." 

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Help in Dengue Fever: Free of Cost Platelets by Fatimid Foundation Lahore

Lahore Fatimid Foundation is providing free of cost Platelets.

Kabeer Khan:+92-308-4388042

Fatimid Foundation:+92-42-35210835-36-38

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Should the BRICs bail out Europe?

The sovereign debt crisis in Europe is fast becoming a banking crisis which could plunge the world into Great Depression II. Europe needs to take bold actions and make a political case for the survival of the euro. But even after last week’s IMF meeting, it is split.

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Pakistan reacts to US allegations on ISI

The Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tehmina Janjua brushed aside US allegations that the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) is using the Pakistan-based militant network for a proxy war.

During the Foreign Office briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Janjua said that Pakistan has no cooperation with the Haqqani network and is not fighting any war through the Haqqanis in Afghanistan.

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India’s pivotal role in Nepal’s Crisis

The sovereign Nepal is in a crisis ridden plight. Indian conspiracy is responsible for this miserable plight of Nepal. India is working to upset the existing harmony between nationality and democracy. To gain this objective it is using the brokers here so that it can conspire to not allow nationality and democracy to walk hand-in-hand. Another cause for this crisis is, due to the traitor's in regime, the failure on part of Nepal's leadership in remaining alert. In spite of the emergence of democracy in 1950 nationality was made 'bowl of the beggars'- inferior.

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India’s pivotal role in Nepal’s Crisis

The sovereign Nepal is in a crisis ridden plight. Indian conspiracy is responsible for this miserable plight of Nepal. India is working to upset the existing harmony between nationality and democracy. To gain this objective it is using the brokers here so that it can conspire to not allow nationality and democracy to walk hand-in-hand. Another cause for this crisis is, due to the traitor's in regime, the failure on part of Nepal's leadership in remaining alert. In spite of the emergence of democracy in 1950 nationality was made 'bowl of the beggars'- inferior.

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Anna Hazare agrees to visit Pakistan for fighting corruption

Indian social activist Anna Hazare has accepted an invitation by a two-member Pakistani delegation to visit Pakistan soon, Hindustan Times reported Wednesday.

Hazare gave his consent at the Ralegan Siddhi village when he was visited by former Supreme Court judge Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid and eminent peace activist Karamat Ali on Wednesday.

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Insecurity Rising

Pakistan’s longstanding nightmare scenario has been a two front threat - from India in the east and an externally supported incursion from the west. The two front threat is now a reality except that it is from the Pakistan Taliban (TTP - Tehrik Taliban Pakistan) aided and abetted by Al Qaeda in the west and from its own internal situation that is an amalgam of a nationalist separatist movement in Baluchistan, the lawlessness in Karachi, a rising nationalist feeling in Sind, militant extremist organizations with linkages to the threat from the west and a steady economic decline whose impact will inevitably be long term. India is now considered a silent spectator or a behind the scenes operator. Given the US presence in Afghanistan and the stable strategic US-India relationship the US-Pakistan relationship assumes great importance and significance.

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CJ Pak on Karachi Violence: Time to call a spade a spade

Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on Tuesday said that the time has come to call a spade a spade since everybody knows who is involved in violence and lawlessness in Karachi.

Hearing the suo moto case of target killings in Karachi, the chief justice observed that no effort was seen to be made by the government to control lawlessness while political parties had not dissociated themselves from militant outfits. He said the political leadership and government did not issue even a single statement denouncing militant outfits. He directed the government to give in writing that it would not side with armed groups.

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Taliban attack rocks Kabul

Taliban fighters continue to attack Kabul today, after a series of explosions took place near the U.S. embassy and NATO headquarters, and militants stormed a half-finished high rise building and began firing guns and rockets at the embassy and other targets nearby (NYT, Post, AP, WSJ,Pajhwok, BBC, Bloomberg, Guardian, Reuters, CNN, Tel). Several suicide bombers have reportedly been involved in the coordinated attacks in the upscale Wazir Akbar Khan area of Kabul, and attack helicopters have been deployed over the city (Guardian, Reuters, WSJ). At least one Afghan policeman and two insurgents have been killed in the fighting so far (AP).

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