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Osama Bin Javaid: The current Western involvement in Afghanistan and Pakistan is only embedding deeper extremism. Let real democracy develop, as opposed to Karzai’s version, allow the Taliban to run and win elections. Empowering and educating the Afghan masses are the only ways out of NATO’s disarray.
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Memo 21: Amid growing fears of Turkey moving away from the West, atlantic-community.org presents the findings from its special analysis week on Turkey. Members agree that Turkey’s foreign policy should not be misinterpreted as a shift East and call upon the US and the EU to start embracing Turkey’s growing influence.
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Brian Katulis: Turkey and the US need to coordinate their efforts in South Asia, Iraq, Iran and the Arab-Israeli conflict, towards common goals. In order to make progress on his ambitious policy agenda for the Middle East, Obama needs Turkey. To this end, improving US- Turkish bilateral ties is a first crucial step.
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Gamze Avci: Turkey’s fatigue with the EU has accommodated the diversification of its foreign policy. The perceived uncertainty about the accession process has slowed down reforms and has reduced EU leverage over Ankara. But, at present the mainstay of Turkish foreign policy remains EU membership.
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Marie Lall: With Pakistan having entered its most violent chapter in its history as an independent state, it might already be too late to reverse Islamic militancy and terror. The West can only help with a cash injection in the economy, making sure that the money reaches ordinary Pakistanis rather than the military, government officials or Western consultants.
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M Brzezinski and M Fung: The success of President Obama’s inaugural visit to China depends on his approach. “Constructive engagement” between Washington and Beijing can break the mold of Sino-US relations if a series of “deliverables” can be agreed upon regarding Pakistan, Afghanistan, and informal military cooperation.
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Harlan Ullman: As Hillary Clinton visits Pakistan the state is quickly becoming the most important strategic issue confronting the US in the fight against jihadi-backed violence. The Obama Administration should recognize this and take effective action to deal with Pakistan’s problems by providing more economic and military aid to Islamabad.
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Raffaello Pantucci: Greater coordination on Central-South Asia would be a boon to European and US interests in the region. Unfortunately, such coordination is still lacking and we are unlikely to see a greater push from the EU. More European involvement in any sort of “civilian surge” would be welcome, but will be unrealistic until the security situation is stabilized.
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Shuja Nawaz: Following the death of Baitullah Mehsud Pakistani leaders face a number of challenges. Will they be able to make an offensive against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)? Will they be able to resist US pressure to “do more” against the Afghan Taliban? Will they muster the troop strength and the resolve to move against the TTP in South Waziristan?
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Shazad Ali: The US led ‘War on Terror’ should not only focus on Pakistan and Afghanistan but also on the Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia. Even though the Taliban receive more funding from these states than from both Pakistan and Afghanistan, the US only threatens Saudi Arabia with more privileges. To fight terrorism effectively the US must cut off the Taliban funding lifeline from the Gulf.
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Marie Lall: The West continues to misunderstand Pakistani realities on the ground. It must alter its hawkish approach towards the region and embrace a deeper understanding of the views across Pakistan. A radical policy shift and investments to stabilize the economy must be made before Western involvement turns sour.
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Editorial Team: Terrorism and the proliferation of nuclear weapons are growing threats for the EU. 30 international experts interviewed by Atlantic-Community.org nearly unanimously call for a much stronger EU commitments to the stabilization of Pakistan than promised at yesterday’s EU-Pakistan summit. The EU should complement US strategy with a long-term focus on state building.
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Shaun R Gregory: Pakistan is one of the most complex and intractable security problems facing the international community. Its importance in relation to two of world’s most pressing security issues – Islamic terrorism and nuclear proliferation – is difficult to overstate, as are the catastrophic consequences, regionally and internationally, which would follow the collapse of the state.
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Urs Schrade: Pakistan could be weeks away from full-blown civil war and state collapse. To bring Pakistan back from the brink, international aid must urgently be spent on improving security and economic development. Many Taliban supporters have a financial - not religious - motive for backing the group.
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Tanvir Orakzai: The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan have suffered from radicalization of the population, in part due to the Afghanistan invasion by US and NATO forces. Resolving many of the tensions there could go a long way to solving the bigger problems in the surrounding region. Any strategy has to take into the account the unique political and geographical landscape of the FATA.
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Parag Khanna: President Obama’s administration may need to look outside of its traditional set of allies in order to secure stability in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the surrounding regions. There will be a cost attached to this cooperation, but the cost of failure may be higher.
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Colette Grace Mazzucelli: The Mumbai attacks have been described as India’s 9/11, but this analogy is not accurate. Terrorism is one dimension of a larger challenge that India must now confront: the erosion of the pluralist and secular traditions of the country’s founders.
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Abbas Daiyar: The US’ latest program to arm tribal groups in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban is based on flawed comparisons with Iraq. Prominent ethnic and tribal tensions will only flourish, entrenching instability and increasing bloodshed. The US and NATO must understand these realities and rethink the plan.
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Assem Akram: It is time for strategy overhaul in Afghanistan. The size of the Afghan army must be dramatically increased; foreign troops should lock down borders; Pakistan must become a partner in providing solutions in Afghanistan; and the Afghan government needs top-to-bottom reform. Progress can only come with security.
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From the Editorial Team: During 2008 Afghanistan was among the most explosive political issues. The unstable state of the country will continue to affect the whole region. What are your recommendations for 2009? What is the most urgent action that needs to be taken in Afghanistan this year?
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Interview with Abdul Naeemi & Imtiaz Gul: Afghanistan and Pakistan have been close allies, but their current relationship is driven by mutual mistrust. The international community should help open diplomatic channels and promote Afghan-Pakistani negotiations to collectively succeed in fighting terrorism.
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NATO Review: Ahmed Rashid, author of the seminal book ‘Taliban,’ talks to NATO Review’s Paul King about how terror, tribalism and the Taliban fit together in present-day Afghanistan.
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Daniel Korski: EU engagement in Afghanistan will affect Washington’s perception of its strategic partnership. The best way for the EU to stay a strong partner is to extend the aid-and-security approach of its Provincial Reconstruction Teams and take the concept to Kabul. Diplomacy with Pakistan will remain important.
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Memo 9: Afghanistan needs a continued international commitment to ensure its security and assist in economic and social development. The US, EU and Germany must focus on training local authorities. Cooperating with Iran and the Taliban remains a point of debate.
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Abbas Daiyar: The Afghan Foreign Minister’s statement opposing talks with insurgents emphasizes existing divisions within government circles in Afghanistan and abroad. The US and NATO must win the war in Afghanistan. Involving regional countries like Russia, China and India may prevent history from repeating itself.
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David Neil Lebhar: Ahmed Rashid argues that the conflict in Afghanistan needs a regional solution, including US-Iranian cooperation. The German military must intensify operations in northern Afghanistan, and the government has to educate the public about the mission’s importance.
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Djörn Eversteijn: Afghanistan is the litmus test for the relevance of history’s most successful military alliance in the 21st century. Despite official statements that emphasize the importance of the alliance’s mission in Afghanistan, both member states’ long-term commitment and substantial contributions to the mission remain largely absent. Member states’ unwillingness not only endangers the future of Afghanistan, but, perhaps even more importantly, also puts the future of the transatlantic alliance at risk.
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Interview with Hussain Haqqani: Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States reaffirms his country’s democracy and promises better cooperation with the United States and Afghanistan in an interview with Steve Clemons of the New America Foundation.
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From the Editorial Team: In his nomination speech, the Democratic presidential candidate reiterates his commitment to direct diplomacy with Iran and his hawkish position on Pakistan. What do you make of Barack Obama’s security policy positions?
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Marek Swierczynski: The Georgian war diverted the world’s attention from Afghanistan. But events on the ground, implications of the conflict in the Caucasus and political turmoil in neighboring Pakistan make imminent the perspective of NATO snared in a war that cannot be won. A new strategy is urgently needed.
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Manuel David Weitnauer: The United States must adapt its policy to the new political circumstances brought about by the National Assembly elections on February 18, 2008. This translates into reducing backup for Musharraf, altering the form of military aid, and strengthening civil society.
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Alexander Bernhard Bitter: Missile defense for Europe is coterminous with NATO’s mission. The European policy of waiting for a new US administration is flawed, as the financial burden of the endeavor could shift heavily toward Europe.
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Anatol Lieven: The political stakes in Pakistan are the highest in 40 years. It is time to create a new, firmer and more institutionalized civilian-military relationship.
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Global Must Read Articles
Obama’s foreign policy approach is bearing fruit in Pakistan. ++ The Pakistani military is engaging Taliban havens in the North of the country and increased intelligence-sharing with Washington has led to the capture of several Taliban figures. ++ Including Pakistan in the war against the Taliban, increased economic aid, and greater cooperation between the US and Pakistani government at
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Rebuking western claims that the gov’t. is corrupt and at odds with the military, the President re-affirms his Pakistan’s commitment to fighting terrorism and building a sound, democratic society. ++ Zadari states an international assistance program akin to the Marshall plan would have resulted in much greater stability. ++ He lauds Pakistani economic recovery and the meeting of key IMF
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Officials have confirmed the capture of the Taliban’s deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. ++ “It may indicate a shift in co-operation between American and Pakistani intelligence services, reflecting a change in policy by the government in Islamabad.” ++ His capture coincides with a major offensive against insurgents in the Helmand province. ++ The success of the leader’s detention can’t be
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The U.S. government has all but ignored the conflict in Kashmir and espoused a “hands off” approach on the issue. However, pressure to engage is increasing. After all, a resolution of the Kashmir conflict, which pits two nuclear powers against one another, is closely tied to failure or success in Afghanistan. It is therefore crucial not only to security in South Asia, but to U.S. national
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As in Iraq, there is no victory to be found in Afghanistan. ++ Only when foreign troops leave will the conflict come to an end. ++ Whether there will be an increase in troops or not, the question still remains: will the new Afghanistan strategy look for a fall-guy? ++ The growing perception among the political and military leadership in Pakistan is that the US wants to “transfer its war heritage”
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The United States and India have long agreed on an ideal Pakistan: a stable, democratic, civilian-controlled state with a commitment to nonproliferation. ++ However, the roads to achieving this ideal were divergent until the Mumbai attacks last year. ++ The so-called ‘Kashmiri groups’ had been viewed by the West as India’s problem. ++ Yet, a consensus was forged “that did not previously
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Hillary Clinton’s visit to Pakistan demonstrated the difficulty of conducting diplomacy in a country where 64 % consider the US an enemy. ++ Although US diplomacy has been relatively successful in combating extremism, it has failed to alter the Pakistani army’s strategic calculus or to generate support among Pakistanis who harbour deep grievances. ++ The US must focus on the Pakistani people
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Whilst Obama has been busy developing strong relationships with China and Russia, India, seems to have been lost out of focus. ++ The Obama administration’s focus on South Asia, has led to a disproportionate reliance on Pakistan. ++ Whilst India’s objectives in Afghanistan are aligned with those of the US, Pakistan has not made any efforts to disrupt the leadership of the Afghan Taliban. ++
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Although the security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated considerably, largely due to Hamid Karzai’s ineffective and corrupt government, injecting more troops could provoke an antigovernment or nationalist backlash. ++ Instead, “the US and Afghan government need to make much greater efforts to wean Pashtun tribes away from the most radical Taliban factions.” ++ Considering the central
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Pakistan would gain much more if the public debate focused on crucial issues like crime, poverty, health and education instead of only discussing the guilt of former President Musharraf. ++ The discussion should be guided by the aim of finding out who really benefited from the unelected governments and military rule, and who suffered the most. ++ In order to keep Pakistan’s democracy alive, the
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The international community must show Afghans that they will not be deserted to Taliban retribution. ++ The weaknesses of the insurgency must be considered: “It
is a… shallow coalition of convenience… [and] deeply unpopular.” ++ “Success against Taliban requires legitimate local politics.” ++ Successful elections and the decisions of the future Afghan government are vital. ++ The Taliban
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Pakistan should be President Obama’s top foreign policy challenge. ++ It would be terrible if Afghanistan or Iraq collapsed, but it would be unthinkably catastrophic if Pakistan were to fall into chaos. ++ “America has to change its policy towards Pakistan and to stand up for its its own values.” ++ To stabilize Pakistan the US should cut tariffs on manufactured imports from Pakistan and
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The UK and other countries must pull out most of their forces from Afghanistan. ++ More troops will not lead to less military casualties. ++ Al-Quaeda does not need Afghanistan as a training ground, as it can count on affiliates in many other countries. ++ “If counter-terror and Pakistan’s stability are our real concerns- as they ought to be-” then UK and US troops must concentrate on the real
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Britain and the US seek dialogue with the Taliban but the Taliban are not in the mood to talk. ++ Taliban leader Mullah Omar’s wants military victory and nothing can stop the war in Afghanistan except a clear defeat of the occupation armies. ++ He set up a coherent fighting strategy amongst different Taliban groups that aims to launch attacks on NATO. ++ Additionally, al-Qaeda will continue to
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Ridding Afghanistan of al-Qaida is not worth our soldiers’ lives, as “the world is full of places where [they] can hide and operate.” ++ The true war on terror “is about hearts and minds, not soldiers dead in a ditch… The hearts and the minds that matter here are Pakistani ones.” ++ The Taliban was created by Pakistani military schemers to counter India; if these two solve their historical
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With its focus on China, the Obama administration loses sight of India’s importance as a strategic partner in Asia. ++ The US’ Asia policy “lacks a distinct strategic imprint.” ++ Obama looks at India primarily in terms of India-Pakistan engagement even demanding that New Delhi “come to aid of terror-exporting Pakistan.” ++ Asian geopolitical transitions are vital for international strategic
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The US cannot abandon Pakistan and Afghanistan. ++ If the Taliban and al-Qaeda are allowed to triumph, their destabilizing alliance will spread. ++ To ensure that the forces of fanaticism are defeated, we have to succeed not only militarily but politically, economically and socially. ++ “The West, most notably the US, has been all too willing to dance with dictators in pursuit of perceived
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The road to more
security and stability in Afghanistan runs exclusively through Pakistan. Only
if the Pakistani leadership manages to avoid the collapse of political order
and the stem the march of the Taliban out of the northwest of the country will
peace in Afghanistan have a real chance. US President Obama and his foreign
policy team have finally realized this reality. Supporting the
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The Obama Administration’ acknowledgement that the US has not been consistent in its policies towards Pakistan and has engaged selectively to attain specific interests rather than to develop a reliable partnership means nothing when they continue drone attacks within the tribal belt and offer no strategic plan for this “intervention”. ++ The statement “is a very costless diplomatic gesture to
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Aid alone will not solve the situation in Pakistan. ++ Pakistan is ripe for large-scale public rejection of oppression increasingly popular globally. ++ Its recent democratic movements and the increase in highly organized local civil society groups competing with the Taliban show that the West can mobilize a responsible public outcry for change. ++ The expansion of television
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President Zardari thinks the Taliban is a monster created by Pakistan’s ISI and the CIA. ++ President Obama’s policy on South Asia is very different from that of his predecessors. ++ His focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan demonstrates their importance on stabilizing the region. ++ US monetary support is also dependent on Pakistan taking action against extremists. ++ The new approach is a
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Afghanistan, and now Pakistan, have evolved into wars of attrition.++ There are truly four wars- the western war in Afghanistan, war in the border region, war between Islamist and weak Pakistani government, and a US war against al-Qaeda- that remains crucial to the US and NATO security.++ 60 Nuclear war heads in reach of al-Qaeda underscore the importance of the conflict.++ European governments
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Pakistan can find no peace, particularly in Baluchistan, the
border region between Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Recently the Pakistani
government has felt compelled to make wide-reaching concessions to the Taliban,
who meanwhile control a large portion of the Northwestern area of Baluchistan. In Baluchistan’s
southwest, the next conflict is smoldering. Gwadar, a haven in the coastal
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The global community is slowly realizing the magnitude of the dangers the current problems Pakistan and Afghanistan carry for the world. ++ France has taken an active role, “committed to contributing its full weight to help settle these conflicts.” ++ Efforts to stabilize Afghanistan will fail if Pakistan does not participate fully in the fight against terrorism. ++ The solution
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After signing the Swat peace deal, Pakistan’s president Asif Ali Zardari will go down in history as the man who succumbed to threats from terrorists, legitimized the Taliban’s activities and handed over a part of the country to them. ++ The Swat Taliban have been “granted amnesty for murder, rape, pillage and other crimes.” ++ A newly claimed Taliban region, Buner, poses a bigger threat, being
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The love Pakistanis have for their country will mean that the Taliban can never be victorious there. ++ There is a “real and irresistible agenda for reform and renewal in Pakistan’s cities.” ++ The religious right is tone-deaf, and politically irrelevant. ++ Pakistani Muslims will not remain hostage to their sense of religious inferiority to the mullah. ++ “Violent extremists can flog the odd
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The US Afghanistan strategy, escalation to attain peace through war, is ominously like the last administration’s approach and risks getting the country into “political and military quagmire.”++ It is based on 9 postulates, such as linking Pakistan to stability in Afghanistan; it fails to offer sufficient new options to address Pakistan’s instable, fragmented power divisions ++ Other assumptions,
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Obama’s long awaited new strategy in Afghanistan has finally been presented by the President last Friday March, 27th. ++ The delivered strategy has proven to be comprehensive in understanding the wide dimension of the challenge — for instance that Pakistan is also part of the problem — and viewing it in more than solely military terms. ++ This is an important step towards victory in
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Iftikhar Chaudhry will once again be the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. ++ A peaceful campaign has been waged to uphold a central tenet of democracy, “the right for a constitutional office-holder to not be ousted in an unconstitutional manner.” ++ Having returned to office, Chaudry will now feel pressure to become “the people’s champion.” ++ The reinstatement of Chaudry showed
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Sober assessment of the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan has prompted a recasting of policy from President Obama. ++ Reconciliation with moderate aspects of the Taliban should be considered. ++ The need exists to combine “force with talks” while also working toward economic development. ++ Peace with the Taliban must not mean that they are allowed to enforce extreme measures, such as the
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Pakistan is the place where the US should concentrate, given the Taliban’s dominance in the Swat region and the recent ceasefire based on the adoption of sharia law. ++ Similar past agreements did little to prevent extreme Taliban regimes and risk the creation of a “haven” for Al Qaeda. ++ Obama now has a chance to be influential. ++ He should provide Pakistan with the
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The Supreme Court of Pakistan declared ex-Prime Minister Sharif unfit to rule due to having fought a military coup in 1999. ++ He tried to prevent the return of Gen. Musharraf, who succeeded in the coup and instituted the court which has now declared Sharif unfit. ++ Sharif does not consider the court legitimate, unlike current president Zardari. ++ Unrest followed throughout Punjab, where
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“A Q Khan, the […] self-confessed nuclear proliferator, is walking free.” ++ After announcing that his confession was made under duress, a secret agreement was made with the Pakistani government. ++ The international community will likely allow such lenience because of Pakistan’s strategic importance; US involvement in the deal remains under question. ++ It is more
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A recent Taliban bridge bombing in Pakistan which cut off supply lines to NATO forces in Afghanistan has once again highlighted the vulnerability of passing through Pakistan. ++The US is, however, running out of luring alternatives; considering Russia as a substitute would require the US “to pledge that it will respect the Russian sphere of influence in the former USSR,” a guarantee Obama is
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A ban on educating girls: one of the latest atrocities imposed by the Taliban in Pakistan. ++ “Radio announcements warned girls that they could be attacked with acid if they dared to attend school, and teachers have been threatened and killed.” ++ As a nation topping Obama’s war on terror, generous monetary concessions are scheduled to flow into the country. ++ These much needed moral and
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Pakistan has captured Jamaat-ud-Dawa activists and shut down their camps and a panel is to investigate the Mumbai attacks. ++ What has been done so far should be welcomed and appreciated. ++ Still, India has not managed to make its case: Kashmir actually had very little to do with the attacks, which in fact had the establishment of a caliphate as their target. ++ De-coupling US military aid
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Pakistan is still suffering the consequences of its colonial past. ++ The western nation-state model has failed at the internal level and led to damaging consequences: leaderships have always been more concerned with keeping their power than addressing the people’s needs. ++ No wonder the current government once again finds itself incapable of addressing domestic problems. ++ Success and survival
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Analysts and scholars warn that the problems that the US faces in Afghanistan - continued insurgencies, opium production, a US army demoralized and drained of resources given the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - will compromise the success of any new deployments in the region. ++ In the midst of the financial crisis and with firm evidence that the US commitment in Afghanistan contributes to the
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A few months after the Mumbai terrorist attacks and in a climate of growing suspicion that Pakistani groups are responsible, India is still uncertain of how to respond. ++ The ramifications of the military option could stretch from a negative shift in the balance of power between the Pakistani secular community and the military elite, to a large scale war between two nuclear powers. ++ While
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Two attacks against US and NATO convoys near Peshawar in Pakistan have taken place in the last week. ++ The Pakistani army appears to be testing Obama’s will. ++The US and NATO must take adequate steps to respond to these incidents. ++ It is an opportunity for them to acknowledge that the recent attacks in Mumbai were of global proportions and that it was a major mistake to fight the war
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China’s behavior towards Pakistan is the first big pointer as to whether it will become a responsible stakeholder on the international stage. ++ Both the US and China have for too long engaged in a hands-off approach in Pakistan because of strategic considerations. ++ A coordinated effort from both countries to “bring multilateral pressure to bear on Pakistan” is needed. ++ To
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Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine and South Africa all voluntarily gave up nuclear stockpiles. ++ Pakistan should do the same. ++ The US should offer the Pakistani government the $100bn it has asked for over a 10 year period, along with jet fighters, tanks and attack helicopters. ++ The US has plans to extend its nuclear umbrella to Israel; why not to Pakistan as well? ++ Controlling Pakistan would
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The terrorist attacks in Mumbai were also directed at Pakistan’s democratic government, which is trying to advance the peace process with India. ++ Accusing Pakistan of complicity is wrong. ++ Pakistan is willing to take action against non-state actors, who are threatening the international security. ++ Pakistan, India and the US have to coordinate actions to counteract terrorism. ++ The
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The failure of governance in Pakistan and Somalia has given rise to both terrorism and piracy. ++ The international response to these challenges has thus far been inadequate and ineffectual. ++ Neo-imperialist intervention has the greatest chance of success, but there is a distinct lack of will in the West to fully engage. ++ The US and its allies seem to be waiting for another 9/11 before they
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A recent US report, “World at Risk,” seems to label Pakistan itself as a weapon of mass destruction, but contains solid proposals. ++ Involvement in Central Asian has been characterized by patchwork diplomacy. ++ This bit-by-bit approach goes back to British colonial times, when the alternative was a “military steam-roller.” ++ Sending Holbrooke as envoy to Central Asia would create an important
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In light of the attacks on Mumbai, President-elect Obama’s presidency will become even more complex. ++ Indicators seem to show that the attacks originated in Pakistan and point to Lashkar-e-Toiba, a terrorist group based there. ++ A massive retaliation by India can be expected. ++ Pakistan is becoming the most alarming risk factor on the global stage. ++ Should the situation in Pakistan
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The case for a Pakistani link to the Mumbai slaughter is growing stronger by the day. ++ The failure of favorable US policies towards Pakistan under President Bush are evident. ++ Condoleeza Rice has stressed the need for “complete, absolute, total transparency and cooperation” from Pakistan. ++ In the interests of preventing nuclear war and the collapse of Pakistani democracy,
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“Americans are right to express solidarity with India.” ++ Facing Maoist rebels in the east, separatists in the northeast, organized crime and communal violence, India is a world to itself. ++ Unfortunately, the bloodiest conflict with Pakistan is over Kashmir. ++ The US needs Pakistan to defeat Islamist militants within its borders and in Afghanistan. ++ American mediation over Kashmir would
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New Delhi has been warning the world of terrorist threats emanating from Pakistan, and now the world is listening. ++ “Stabilizing Pakistan means genuinely democratizing its polity and helping its economy grow back to a sustainable level of prosperity.” ++ Most importantly Pakistan’s corrupt military establishment, which is strangling civilian rule, must be ousted from power. ++ Military action
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India has recently suffered dozens of terrorist attacks with thousands perishing, but is it enough to send her over the “red line?” ++ The latest attack, brazen as it was, shows the weakness of al-Qaeda inspired assaults. ++ With the West having implemented stronger security measures, India is a new “soft target.” ++ The motivation of these murderers will probably never be
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President-elect Obama’s toughest international challenge will be Pakistan. ++ To avert rising threats, financial support for Pakistan’s government and military should be limited. ++ Cutting tariffs on agricultural products would be an effective measure to strengthen the economy and provide new jobs. ++ The peace process in Kashmir must be advanced, with more pressure placed on India.
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The lessons, as well as the history of Iraq, have been ignored and are now being repeated in Afghanistan. ++ The US and the UK have only succeeded to “reduce what should be one of the world’s richest countries to shambles.” ++ If there is one lesson from Iraq it is that “foreign expeditions undertaken in a spirit of jingoist revenge, with a crazed optimism and no strategic plan,
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Pakistan should be grateful for IMF supervision. ++ President Zardari seems to think he can add 61 people to his government and magically create money. ++ With a marginal parliamentary opposition and a heterogeneous government, power is in presidential hands. ++ Those responsible for finance and security are unelected. ++ Parliament and the nation remain bystanders to politics that affect them,
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Seven years after the advent of Operation Enduring Freedom, the Taliban, al- Qaeda and various insurgents have regained strength particularly on Afghan and Pakistani soil. The fight for
security in the Middle East has spiralled downward as the Taliban have “established a new “safe haven” in Pakistan. Serious efforts to build a transparent, secure Afghan state with an intact justice system will
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A Washington plan to involve the Pakistani government in the War on Terror has failed. ++ To handle the situation, US General Petraeus has given Saudi Arabia control over aid to Pakistan. ++ It is hoped that a series of religious decrees against terrorism and a continued debate on inter-religious dialogue with Saudi support will reach troubled areas in Pakistan. ++ Saudi involvement risks pulling
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The next administration might find itself entangled in a dispute over Kashmir as Obama wants Pakistan to cooperate in Afghanistan. ++ Obama strongly acknowledges the importance of a Indo-US partnership, but what “Indians fear is that they are being asked to pick up the political tab for America’s failed policy in Afghanistan.” ++ If Obama wants India to cooperate he should
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This election was special; a barrier was crossed and “America’s new deal” will begin. ++ This momentous occasion “will be seen as a miracle which could happen only in America.” ++ Obama, who “embodies the America of today and tomorrow” arrived at the perfect time. ++ Following an epoch of George Bush “go-it-alone belligerence,” Obama can
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19 US missile attacks since September on suspected terrorists are unlikely to win any hearts and minds, will promote ill will, and will do little to dry “the pond that breeds the mosquitoes.” ++ Michael Chertoff’s plea, backed by Robert Gates, for international law codifying the legality of pre-emptive strikes against countries “harboring a potential terrorist threat” is only
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Americans believed that imperialism could trump nationalism but the Afghans proved them wrong. ++ Foreign occupation of Afghanistan is triggering a backlash inside of the country, as well as destabilizing Pakistan. ++ There is a cascading opinion among US allies that this war cannot be won. ++ The Afghans have suffered enough and the US simply cannot afford an open-ended war. ++ Sometimes a war
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The US Congress has approved a deal that offers India access to American nuclear fuel and technology in exchange for safeguards on India’s nuclear program.++ India considers the US the key to great power status. ++ The US views India as essential for solving international challenges. ++ The next administration must improve cooperation that “reflects the shared principles, shared
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US incursions into Cambodia, which led to its destabilization and the rise of the Khmer Rouge, should be remembered. ++ The same mistake is being made in Pakistan, where the dangers are far greater. ++ Undermining Pakistan does not help Afghanistan. ++ A new soft power approach is needed, as “Afghanistan cannot be transformed along Western lines” - a major factor, along with increased bombing
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Pakistan can no longer play its “dangerous double-game”: accepting money form the US while also supporting the Taliban and other extremists. ++ General Kayani has appointed a new spy chief, Lt. Gen Ahmed Shuja, who must work to clean up the intelligence service, root out corrupt officials, and cut ties to extremists that threaten Pakistan’s own fragile democracy. ++ American officials claim that
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By odd coincidence, or perhaps providence, $700bn is roughly the same amount of money squandered on Bush’s “preposterous war in Iraq.” ++ Ironically, the greatest economic crises since the great depression means Obama and McCain won’t have to discuss the “greatest military crisis in America’s history since Vietnam.” ++ This has provided the cover for a strange narrative developing in the US:
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President Bush’s decision to allow US military operations within Pakistan shows how desperate the situation is becoming. ++ But, if the Taliban and other extremists are to be permanently subdued, it must be done by Pakistan itself. ++ The US must convince Pakistan that the fight against extremism is their fight, not just America’s; Pakistan’s leaders must persuade their citizens of the same. ++
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Republicans may praise the latest series of US forays into Pakistan’s sovereign territory, but they trouble Pakistan’s new President. ++ Therefore, Zardari wants to convince the UK that it is crucial to hold the US back. ++ In addition, he will promote his plan for an intergovernmental counter-terrorist body which would also be backed by other powers. ++ Zardari’s announcement that “the war on
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If the US goes ahead with its plan to take the war on terror into Pakistan, Pakistani army will loose its credibility and may end up caught up between American troops and al-Quaeda.++ Weakening Pakistani army would backfire on the campaign against terror and make further attacks inside America much more probable. ++ Only the government in Islamabad has a full understanding of the situation on the
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In July President Bush decided to increase attacks by US forces against the Taliban in tribal areas. ++ This increase is in response to the Taliban’s growing strength in Pakistan, more attacks on NATO forces in Afghanistan, and an increase in terrorist threats. ++ The US must find a way to balance its relations with President Zardari of Pakistan, and also continue its attacks against the Taliban
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Asif Ali Zardari is committed to a democratic, moderate and progressive Pakistan. ++ If elected president, he promises to return the constitutional balance the powers of the presidency that were altered by Zia ul-Haq and Musharraf, to reconstruct an independent judiciary, and to confront and c ontain terrorism. ++ Dictatorial forces are trying to destabilize the new democratic government, but
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While
Pakistan is often called a failed state it is more accurately labeled as a flailing
state. The PPP-PML coalition cannot solve every problem alone but needs help
from India, China and the US. These nations, which had once contributed to the
distortion of Pakistani politics, may now play a positive role in assisting
Pakistanis develop a democratic order to cope with several critical
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Mr. Zadari is expected to win the presidential election in Pakistan. ++ He portrays himself as a pro-Western candidate, but he is merely a caricature of the country’s immoral Westernized elite. ++ Therefore, he serves as a propaganda target for al-Qaeda and the Taliban, which is likely to fall on fertile soil: According to a recent poll, 71% of Pakistanis oppose cooperating with the US in counter
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There is no quick fix for Pakistan. ++ Policies need to put the Pakistani people ahead of public figures, and institutions ahead of simplistic solutions. ++ The economy needs to be stabilized and an international plan to improve infrastructure, healthcare, and education should be the next step. ++ US partisan politics undercut democracy and create greater instability. ++ The unaccountable
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The US has to realize that it cannot fight terrorism in Afghanistan successfully without expanding the war on terror into Pakistan. ++ The US should revitalise the coalition of the willing, enhance the cooperation with the Afghan and Pakistani armies, and establish a military bases on Pakistani soil. ++ Furthermore, a supreme commander, with Afghan and Pakistani deputies, should be appointed to
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Musharraf’s resignation as president allows the country to move toward full democracy and this process should not be seen as a threat in Washington. ++ With Musharraf’s exit the “war against terror will in fact be pursued with much more vigor and much less political manipulation” and anti-Americanism among the Pakistani population is likely to decline. ++ Now, US-Pakistani relations have the
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Musharraf’s resignation ends an exquisite relationship between him and the Bush administration. ++ The latter created the myth that Musharraf had “joined the free world in fighting the terrorists” after 9/11. ++ The truth is, Musharraf neither supported the war on terror, nor stopped making deals with the militants. ++ But the Bush administration chose to hide Musharraf’s policies in order to
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Sharif and Zardari, who lead the governing coalition, use President Musharraf’s impeachment to portray themselves as representatives of democracy, but in truth, neither of them were elected. ++ They head the two most corrupt parties, have absolutely no mandate, and so far, the situation in Pakistan has gotten even worse under their management. ++ There are signs that militants are gaining power
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The Pakistani government finally decided to impeach President Musharraf. ++ The US declared the impeachment “an internal matter” of Pakistan, which demonstrates that Musharraf has lost the support of the US, his biggest advocate in the past. ++ But in the light of Musharraf’s domestic unpopularity, a working relationship with the new civilian order has better chances to serve US interests. ++
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US government has a tendency to “squash mosquitoes with TNT,” which shows in its treatment of Iran. ++ There’s no need to fear Iran: Ahamadinejad is only a figurehead putting on a show of might to gain respect in the Muslim world; the real power is in the hands of religious leaders, many of whom are sympathetic to the West. ++ The fact that Americans don’t see that reveals they
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Yousaf Raza Gilani, the new civilian prime minister of Pakistan, is visiting Washington this week. ++ Talks between the leaders of Pakistan and the US are an opportunity to recast bilateral relations and start a closer cooperation to promote democracy and fight al-Qaeda. ++ To achieve that, Bush must express his commitment to the cause and declare more economic assistance and carefully monitored
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Even though it is Afghanistan that is the main security threat to the US, the road to improvement in that part of the world starts in Pakistan. ++ Al-Qaeda has found a safe haven in Pakistan’s lawless region near the Afghan border, where it has regrouped and reached pre-9/11 strength. ++ The critical role Pakistan plays in security policy has been recognized by Washington; last week Congress
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The US failed to capitalize on its initial military success in Afghanistan and what seemed to be a finished matter has now redeveloped into a serious threat. ++ “America has only itself to blame” for the current situation. ++ It was distracted with problems in Iraq, failed to eliminate al-Qaeda, and gave insurgents the opportunity to regroup in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas within
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The Pakistani Army no longer fights the counterinsurgency war on their western border. ++ Instead Pakistani troops are deployed at the border to India, where 80% of US aid since 9/11 has been used, although given to fight the Taliban insurgency. ++ Civilian government and the attempt to improve governance and fight corruption in Pakistan and Afghanistan suffer by the withdrawal of troops from the
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The question of whether al Qaeda is engaged in a “leaderless” Jihad or one that is “alive and well” - a fundamental issue when determining US counter-terrorism policy - provides for heated discussions in the US. ++ Al Qaeda is in fact both resilient and disorganized: it has reconstituted itself and spread geographically yet its lack of grassroots supporters and constructive ideology will
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India’s ascension as a nuclear weapon state ten years ago was a mistake. ++ Fallacious confidence in the doctrine of deterrence has had the opposite effect, encouraging reckless behavior in Kashmir and strengthening Pakistan’s military leadership, making South Asia more volatile. ++ The ensuing arms race with Pakistan and China has been funded at the expense of the social-sector, and led to a
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Democratic governance in Pakistan is now a reality and the new government plans to act boldly and clearly in full awareness of the stakes of both success and failure. ++ The government will continue the war against terrorism not because of international pressure but because the eradication of terrorism is of primary importance to Pakistan. ++ The government intends to demonstrate to its “people
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Musharraf and Bush’s failure to calm Pakistan’s lawless border enabled Al Qaeda to take refuge and gain strength. ++ Pakistanis now think the war is Washington’s because of the civilian casualties. ++ New government has adopted a different course. ++ US should develop a new military strategy, provide more non-military aid, and support the new government which has exceeded
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The fate of NATO’s Afghanistan mission is strongly interlinked with developments in Pakistan. ++ Stability of both countries depends on an effective strategy to fight the Taliban/Al Qaeda in Pakistan’s tribal border areas. ++ Taliban’s capabilities against coalition forces in Afghanistan are a threat. ++ Joint US-Afghan-Pakistan military intelligence centers and counter-terrorism operations are
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Iran and the US are not doomed to remain eternal enemies. ++ The two countries share profound strategic interests such as stabilizing Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan; preventing the spread of Russian influence; and ensuring that Middle Eastern oil flow smoothly to Western markets. ++ A path towards comprehensive negotiations should be adopted as it is low cost and could yield extremely remarkable
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Taliban and al Qaeda members sheltered in Pakistan are serious threats to US and NATO troops in Afghanistan. ++ Frontier Corps need to be improved and the US should be spending more than $150 million a year on the eastern front. ++ The US should clearly support reconciliation, getting the military out of politics, a new tribal area policy, and above all, democracy in Pakistan.
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Washington continues to rely on Musharraf to stop cross-border incursions of terrorist militants into Afghanistan and to keep Karzai’s regime standing. ++ Yet US military and financial aid has been inefficient due to Musharraf’s leniency towards the Taliban and militants’ control of lawless areas. ++ The Bush Administration needs a new policy and Musharraf’s
consent to deploy troops on Pakistani
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Freedom House’s annual review revealed that 2007 was yet another year in which worldwide freedom declined. While this report is discouraging, too much weight must not be placed on the events of a single year and there are still reasons to remain optimistic for democracy’s long term future. First of all, “most people in most places still want democracy” and are willing to take huge risks in order
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The kinship of tribes is key to building stability and establishing a balance of justice in areas like Iraq and Pakistan with both eroding and nascent political institutions.
The disorderly and anarchic conditions in these countries, says Robert D. Kaplan in The Atlantic, answer to the overlapping actions of multiple groups seeking to maximize their power. In these lawless places, it is not
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Dr. Isaac Kfir, researcher at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, examines threats to the Pakistani state and international implications relating to Pakistan’s role in the war on terror. Islamic, ethno-nationalist groups and the Taliban are gaining influence, and Pakistan remains one of the likely hiding places for bin Laden and other senior members of al-Qaeda. Additional
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