Pakistan Army Has Finally Awoken From Its Slumber And May Make A Move Against Taliban

Pakistan Army Has Finally Awoken From Its Slumber And May Make A Move Against Taliban

(NSI News Source Info) April 25, 2009: WITH districts around Swat seemingly falling like ninepins, the state has been shockingly ambivalent about it plans to restore its writ in northern Pakistan.

But yesterday it appeared that the Pakistan Army has finally awoken from its slumber. The message from the chief himself, Gen Kayani: the militants will not be allowed to run amok and order will be restored.

Pakistani Taliban members hold their weapons as they gather before leaving Buner, northwestern Pakistan on Friday, April 24, 2009. Taliban militants who had seized a district just 60 miles (100 kilometers) from Pakistan's capital began pulling out Friday after the government warned it would use force to evict them. The withdrawal from Buner, if completed, eliminates the most immediate threat to a peace agreement in the neighboring militant-held Swat Valley that the U.S. government worries has created a haven for allies of al-Qaida.

So far the army’s wait-and-watch policy in Malakand division has had dangerous consequences. Buner is now in the militants’ hands and IDPs are pouring into neighbouring districts, especially Swabi, Mardan and Haripur. Meanwhile, Shangla has been penetrated by the militants and Swabi and Mardan are the next likely targets.

Shrewdly taking advantage of the cessation in hostilities in the valley, militants from Swat fanned out into neighbouring areas, expanding the theatre in which they will have to be taken on and ensuring that an even messier fight lies ahead. Why has the army waited? It claims the ‘operational pause’ was meant to give a chance to the forces of reconciliation and not as a concession to the militants. Now that the army has sensed the panic among the people and seen the militants’ determination to expand their territorial control, it has pledged to achieve ‘victory’ against terrorism and militancy ‘at all costs.’

We hope this resolve will not melt in the days ahead. But two points regarding the overall war against militancy need to be flagged. One, the army has been particularly agitated by the recent spate of foreign comments that Pakistan is on the verge of collapse and that the army is unwilling or unable to defeat militancy.

Gen Kayani’s forceful statement that the army ‘never has and never will hesitate to sacrifice, whatever it may take, to ensure [the] safety and well-being’ of Pakistan’s people and its territorial integrity should be noted in foreign capitals.

Whatever the suspicions, the Pakistan Army is an indispensable element in any successful strategy against militancy in Pakistan and the region generally, and riling the army high command to score a few public points cannot be part of a sound strategy. The second point concerns the political component here in Pakistan. While the Pakistan Army isn’t under the full control of the civilians, it has made it clear that it will only fight when there is a political consensus for it to do so.

Thus far the politicians have been woefully divided; whether the dissenters blame America as the root cause of militancy or harp on about fuzzy ideas of dialogue, they have not been able to unite on the need to take on the militants militarily.

That discord may finally be changing. The PML-N, the PML-Q and the religious parties have voiced concerns about militants on the march, while the MQM has come out as the foremost critic of the peace deal in Swat. It is not clear yet whether they will support the military option, but the army cannot fail to note that the politicians are at last beginning to agree on the seriousness of the threat of militancy.

Britain: Gurkhas In British Forces Entitled To Settle In UK

Britain: Gurkhas In British Forces Entitled To Settle In UK

(NSI News Source Info) April 25, 2009: Up to 10,000 more Gurkhas and their dependents will be entitled to settle in the UK the Government has announced yesterday, Friday 24 April 2009. Gurkha soldiers of 22 Signal Regiment parade at Beacon Barracks, Stafford (Archive picture) [Picture: 5 Div Media Ops] This is in addition to the 6,000 Gurkhas and their dependents who have already been welcomed to the country. The increased numbers are a result of revised guidance on the rights to settle in the UK by Gurkhas who have left the British Army, and their dependents, issued by the Home Office today. The Minister of State for Borders and Immigration Phil Woolas said today: "We estimate that this guidance will mean that over 4,000 ex-Gurkhas and around 6,000 spouses and children will qualify for settlement rights in the UK. "We will be proud to welcome those individuals to the UK in recognition of the outstanding service that they gave. We will work with the Ministry of Defence to ensure that those who might be eligible in Nepal are fully aware of these changes and of the opportunity for settlement. "The Government both recognises and honours the huge contribution that the Brigade of Gurkhas has made, and continues to make, to the Armed Forces." General Sir Richard Dannatt, Chief of the General Staff, said: Rifleman Awash Limbu, 6 Platoon, 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, requests an ammunition resupply for his light machine gun during Operation Mar Nonu (Archive picture)[Picture: Log (SC) Hammond] "The Army welcomes this announcement, which further underlines our extensive and ongoing commitment to the welfare of former Gurkhas whether in Nepal or the UK. "Generations of Gurkhas have served the UK with great courage, sacrifice and distinction and the Brigade of Gurkhas continues to make a vital and valued contribution to our operations around the world." In summary, the new guidance, available in full on the UK Border Agency website, means Gurkhas and their families will be able to come to the UK to settle where they meet one of the following criteria: *Three years' continuous lawful residence in the UK during or after service; *Close family settled in the UK with whom they enjoy family life within the meaning of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights; *A Level 1-3 Award for gallantry, leadership or bravery for service in the Brigade; *20 or more years' service in the Brigade; *A chronic/long term medical condition which is attributable to, or was aggravated by, service in the Brigade. Additionally, discretion will normally be exercised and settlement in the UK granted if two or more of the following criteria are met: Claimants were previously awarded a UK Ministry of Defence disability pension but no longer have a chronic/long term medical condition attributable to, or aggravated by, service in the Brigade; Claimants received a Mention in Dispatches (Level 4 Award) for service in the Brigade; Claimants completed ten years' service in the Brigade or served less than ten years but received a campaign medal for active service in the Brigade. Gurkha soldiers performing the Kasam Khane ceremony (Archive picture) [Picture: Graham Harrison] The right of Gurkhas to settle in the United Kingdom was given in 2004 to those who had been discharged from the British Army on or after 1 July 1997. This was the date of the handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China and the point at which the Brigade of Gurkhas moved from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom. Guidance was issued to Immigration caseworkers on how to consider applications from Gurkhas who had been discharged before 1 July 1997. In September 2008 the High Court ruled that the policy of using 1 July 1997 as a cut-off date was fair but also found that the guidance used by caseworkers when making decisions on those discharged before 1997 needed to be much clearer in setting out the factors which were to be given weight in assessing which individuals should be offered settlement in the UK. The Government fully accepted this judgement and the revised guidance has been issued today as a result. In line with commitments to the High Court, Mr Woolas said that the Government will now reconsider all outstanding appeals by 11 June 2009. The Gurkhas are fiercely proud soldiers whose motto is 'Better to Die than Be a Coward'. They have fought as part of the British Armed Forces for almost two hundred years, taking part in every conflict side by side with their British and Commonwealth colleagues.

RAF and Navy Helicopter Teams Cruise Cunard Liner 'Queen Mary 2' To The Rescue

RAF and Navy Helicopter Teams Cruise Cunard Liner 'Queen Mary 2' To The Rescue

(NSI News Source Info) April 25, 2009: The beginning of this week saw Royal Naval and RAF Search and Rescue helicopter crews called out to airlift passengers from cruise ships off the south west coast of England to mainland hospitals.View of Cunard liner 'Queen Mary 2' from the RAF Search and Rescue helicopter [Picture: RAF] The first cruise ship casualty was a female awaiting a kidney transplant. She had just started a voyage on the Cunard liner 'Queen Victoria' when a donated kidney became available. She was contacted and told to be in hospital by 0900hrs that morning. Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose's duty Search and Rescue helicopter was scrambled and collected her from the liner and transferred her to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge where she was prepared for the transplantation surgery. The second call to a liner involved a 57-year-old passenger suffering from severe abdominal pains shortly after the liner 'Queen Mary 2' had left Southampton en-route to New York. The call was handled by the UK Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre at RAF Kinloss and the duty controller scrambled the RAF Search and Rescue helicopter from Chivenor at 0600hrs which rendezvoused with the 'Queen Mary 2' at 0730hrs, 65 nautical miles west of the Scillies.Co-pilot Flight Lieutenant Jon Evans described the scene: "The weather conditions were absolutely perfect. The sea state was around one to two, almost completely flat calm with a gentle south-westerly breeze. The casualty is carried by stretcher to the winching area identified by Flight Lieutenant Mark Fisk. "RAF paramedic winchman Sergeant Ryan Thomas was lowered to the deck as the 'Queen Mary 2' does not have a helideck and the deck isn't stressed for the weight of a Sea King. "Ryan's assessment was it would be a stretcher evacuation and that the casualty's partner would also have to be winched onboard. We were surprised when the casualty's partner was winched up, bearing a bottle of champagne as a thank-you gift to the crew! "We orbited for 30 minutes whilst Ryan prepared the casualty, then when they were onboard, we set off for the Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske in Truro, Cornwall. The transit took 55 minutes and we touched down at 0855."

Afghanistan: Taliban Trying Gather Military Hardware To Fight NATO Forces

Afghanistan: Taliban Trying Gather Military Hardware To Fight NATO Forces

(NSI News Source Info) April 25, 2009: In southern Afghanistan, Afghan civilians tipped off foreign troops that the Taliban were mounting Russian made 14.5mm machine-gun on the backs trucks and were apparently planning to use it against military helicopters.

Canadian soldiers of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) stand guard near the governor's compound following suicide attacks in Kandahar province south of Kabul, Afghanistan on Saturday, April 25, 2009. Three suicide bombers penetrated the governor's compound in Afghanistan's largest southern city Saturday, killing at least five police officers in the latest multi-pronged attack in the Taliban's spiritual birthplace.

In both cases, air reconnaissance confirmed the reports, and both 14.5mm machine-guns were destroyed with smart bombs, once the vehicles clear of civilians. Anti-aircraft weapons mounted in trucks are called flak (after the German term for anti-aircraft guns) wagons. Both weapons appeared to be the old Soviet ZPU-1 anti-aircraft machine-guns. These weapons have sights for firing at low flying aircraft. The machine-gun itself weighs nearly 200 pounds, and a complete ZPU-1 weighs nearly half a ton. The effective (aimed) range of the 14.5mm machine-gun is 1,400 meters (4,300 feet). Several American helicopters were shot down by these weapons in Iraq, and last year, Sudanese rebels brought down a government MiG-29 that came in low to fire on them as they were making a surprise raid on the capital. Coalition fixed wing aircraft (except for the A-10) rarely come lower than 3-4,000 meters, to avoid such machine-gun fire. What apparently angered the villagers was the fact that the Taliban were practicing with the 14.5 machine-gun outside a village market. The 14.5mm bullets can travel up to 8,000 meters, and even at that maximum range, the two ounce slugs can kill or wound whoever gets hit. Older Afghans have bitter memories of the Russians using their many 14.5mm machine-guns (which were mounted on most armored vehicles) indiscriminately. The maximum rate of fire of the 14.5mm machine-gun is 600 rounds a minute, and it is usually fired in short bursts of 5-20 rounds. Many 14.5mm machine-guns were left over from the 1980s war with the Russians, although most were collected by the government in the past few years, in a campaign to get a lot of these heavy weapons (including mortars and light artillery) out of the hands of civilians. But many of these heavy weapons were not turned in. U.S. Marines had been picking up information from villagers that the Taliban were offering big money for anyone who had a 14.5mm machine-gun hidden away. Some Afghans did, and finally unloaded the weapons (which is why Afghans tend to horde weapons and ammo, even things they don't need themselves). The two that were destroyed were put back in working order, and there are probably more around. The U.S. will probably respond by offering to beat the Taliban price, a tactic that has worked in the past. The 14.5mm machine-gun is the Russian answer to the U.S. 12.7mm weapon. The U.S. 12.7mm weapon entered service in the early 1920s, with the Russian 14.5mm following over twenty years later, after World War II.

Clinton To Iraqis: US Not Going To Abandon You

Clinton To Iraqis: US Not Going To Abandon You

(NSI News Source Info) BAGHDAD - April 25, 2009: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sought to assure Iraqis on Saturday that the Obama administration would not abandon their country even as it presses ahead with plans to withdraw American troops amid a recent surge in violence. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, left, and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, address the media at a press conference in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, April 25, 2009. Clinton condemned a spate of bombings over the past two days in Iraq but says the "reaction from the Iraqi people and Iraqi leaders was firm and united in rejecting that violence."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses representatives of Iraqi civil society and members of the press at a meeting at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, April 25, 2009. Clinton on Saturday assured Iraq that the Obama administration would not abandon the country even as it presses ahead with plans to withdraw American troops amid a recent surge in violence. Clinton said the drawdown would be handled in a "responsible and careful way" and would not affect efforts to improve Iraq's security forces, or complete reconstruction and development projects. But Iraqis, and particularly their security forces, need to overcome sectarian and other differences if they are to build a united, secure nation, she said. "Let me assure you and repeat what President Obama said, we are committed to Iraq, we want to see a stable, sovereign, self-reliant Iraq," she told a nervous but receptive crowd at a town hall meeting at the U.S. Embassy in the capital. "We are very committed, but the nature of our commitment may look somewhat different because we are going to be withdrawing our combat troops over the next couple of years," Clinton said. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari welcomed the overture. "The secretary's message today to all of us was a very assuring message that the United States would continue to support the efforts of the Iraqi government and the enhancement of Iraqi security and stability," he said later at a joint news conference. He also said he had reaffirmed the government's commitment to the timetable despite concerns that the uptick in attacks could prompt a need to reconsider a June 30 deadline for the United States to withdraw combat soldiers from Iraqi cities. "We are doing our utmost and we are coordinating very closely with the multinational forces to ensure that there is no vacuum when that happens, that security is viable," he said. On her first trip to Iraq as America's top diplomat, Clinton said the country has made great strides despite the recent surge in violence. High-profile attacks this past week primarily targeted Shiite worshippers. More than 150 people, many of them Iranian pilgrims, have died. "I condemn these violent recent efforts to disrupt the progress that Iraq is making," she said at the news conference with Zebari. Clinton called the attacks a sign that extremists are afraid the Iraqi government is succeeding. Iran's supreme leader blamed the United States and Israel for the attacks. "Dirty hands and evil brains that founded this blind and uncontrolled terrorism in Iraq should know that the fire will burn themselves," Iran's state TV quoted Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying on Saturday. Clinton rejected the assertion. "It is disappointing for anyone to make such a claim since it is clearly traced to the al-Qaida remnants and other violent groups who wish to disrupt the progress of Iraq," she said. Clinton also praised the restraint shown by Iraqis in the aftermath. "These are tragic and terrible events, but they do not reflect any diversion from the security progress that has been made," she said. "They are certainly regrettable and horrible in terms of loss of life, but the reaction from the Iraqi people and Iraqi leaders was firm and united in rejecting that violence and refusing to allow it to set Iraqi against Iraqi, which is obviously one of its intended goals." Violence is at its lowest since the months following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. But sectarian attacks have exposed gaps in security as Iraq takes over from U.S. forces in protecting the country. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has ordered a military task force to investigate the attacks as well as shortcomings that allowed the assailants to slip through. The government on Saturday also ordered heightened security at major Shiite shrines. The Pentagon plans to hand over responsibility for most urban security in about three months as part of the administration's goal of a complete exit of forces by the end of 2011. U.S. officials say they remain committed to a June 30 deadline to move all forces outside major cities, including Baghdad. But the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. Raymond Odierno, has said American troops could "maintain a presence" in some cities if requested by the Iraqis. "Frankly, some people are afraid," said one participant in the town hall who said many questioned the ability, competence and neutrality of Iraq's security forces, given the U.S. withdrawal plan. "There is nothing more important than to have a united Iraq," Clinton replied. "The more united Iraq is, the more you will trust your security services. The security services have to earn your trust but the people have to demand it." "We will be working closely with the Iraqi government and the Iraqi security forces as we withdraw our combat troops, but we need to be sure that all of you are supporting a strong, nonsectarian security force and we will work to try and help make that happen," she said. Clinton was met at the airport by the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen and the new U.S. ambassador in Baghdad, Christopher Hill.

Taliban Bar Pakistan Army Convoy As Tension Grows

Taliban Bar Pakistan Army Convoy As Tension Grows

(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD - April 25, 2009: Taliban gunmen stopped an army convoy from entering their valley stronghold Saturday, casting a U.S.-criticized peace deal back into doubt a day after the militants called off a move closer to the Pakistani capital. Pakistani Taliban leave Buner on Friday, April 24, 2009 in Pakistan. Taliban militants began pulling out of a recently seized district of northwestern Pakistan on Friday and returning to a stronghold where they have signed a peace deal with the government, a local official and the insurgents said. About 50 militants blocked the main road leading into the northwestern valley of Swat, halting a column of six army trucks and two jeeps, Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said. The vehicles were carrying extra troops as well as supplies, in violation of the peace accord, Khan told The Associated Press by telephone. A military official confirmed the incident and said the convoy returned to the nearby town of Bari Kot. He declined to give details and spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss it publicly. Pakistani authorities agreed in February to impose Islamic law in Swat in return for a cease-fire after nearly two years of bloody fighting in the former tourist haven. U.S. officials and many Pakistani critics view the pact as a capitulation before extremists who have beheaded opponents, burned girls schools and said they would welcome and protect Osama bin Laden. It also grants the militants effective immunity from prosecution. Western officials worry that Swat could turn into an expanding haven for al-Qaida allies. The trouble also diverts Pakistan from tackling more established militant sanctuaries closer to the Afghan border. But the deal's supporters argue that the concession on Islamic law robs hard-liners of any justification for continuing to bear arms. The pact has been under huge strain since President Asif Ali Zardari signed the bill earlier this month introducing Islamic law in Swat and the surrounding Malakand region, an area of about 10,000 square miles (25,900 square kilometers) near the Afghan border. Taliban gunmen used the deal as a pretext to sweep over the high passes from Swat into adjacent Buner, a rural district by the Indus River just 60 miles (100 kilometers) from Islamabad. They began pulling out on Friday after officials warned that they could review the peace deal — and amid talk that the army was preparing for action. Malakand's top administrator announced Saturday that all the militants had left Buner. But Buner police chief Abdur Rasheed Khan estimated later Saturday that at least 100 of the original 1,000 Taliban forces remained, and that the brief militant takeover had emboldened local sympathizers. A spokesman for the army, which has thousands of troops in Swat currently confined largely to their barracks, said all armed Taliban had to leave Buner. "If we get the confirmed news that they are still present then they will be expelled from the area, and for that maybe we have to move the forces there," Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas told a local TV channel. The Buner advance triggered strong condemnation from the United States, where lawmakers are considering a bill granting Pakistan $1.5 billion in aid each year to help it battle extremism. "We're certainly moving closer to the tipping point" where Pakistan could be overtaken by Islamic extremists, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in an interview broadcast Friday. Several thousand militants and members of the security forces have died in violence in Pakistan since it became an ally of the United States after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. However, most victims have been civilians. The latest to die were nine children in the northwest Lower Dir region, when an old shell they were playing with exploded.

Chinese Defense Chief Due To Arrive On Moscow Visit

Chinese Defense Chief Due To Arrive On Moscow Visit

(NSI News Source Info) MOSCOW - April 25, 2009: The Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie is due to arrive in Moscow on Saturday, Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement. Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie, right, meets U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead in Qingdao, China's Shandong Province, Tuesday, April 21, 2009. Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of its navy on April 23. During his visit, which is at the invitation of Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, Liang will attend a defense minister's meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization starting on April 28. "As part of the visit program the head of China's military is also due to meet the commander of the Northern Caucasus Military District, visit the 20th Motorized Rifle Brigade and the Stalingrad memorial museum in Volgograd," the defense ministry said. Serdyukov and Liang will also discuss bilateral military cooperation at talks on April 28. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a regional security organization comprising Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Russian Attack Aircraft To Join Military Drills In Kyrgyzstan

Russian Attack Aircraft To Join Military Drills In Kyrgyzstan

(NSI News Source Info) BISHKEK - April 25, 2009: Russian Su-25 Frogfoot close air support aircraft will take part on Saturday in the active phase of the military exercises conducted by Kyrgyzstan's Armed Forces, the Kyrgyz Defense Ministry said. The Sukhoi Su-25 is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. It was designed to provide close air support for the Soviet Ground Forces. The first prototype made its maiden flight on 22 February 1975. After testing, the aircraft went into series production in 1978 at Tbilisi in the Soviet Republic of Georgia. NATO assigned the new aircraft the reporting name "Frogfoot". Russian pilots nicknamed it "Grach" ("Rook"). Kyrgyzstan is holding Security-2009 tactical exercises in the south of the country, which involve over 500 servicemen, armored vehicles self-propelled artillery and aircraft. The exercises with live-firing drills are aimed at practicing counterterrorism operations. "A flight of Su-25 attack aircraft from the Kant airbase and Kyrgyz Air Force Mi-24 helicopters will provide aerial fire support during the drills, the ministry said in a statement. The Russian base in Kant, about 20 miles west of the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, was established in October 2003, and currently deploys about 400 troops, including 250 officers and NCOs and 150 conscripts, as well as several Su-25 Frogfoot attack aircraft and Su-27 Flanker fighters, two Mi-8 combat transport helicopters, and four L-39 combat trainers. The 2003 bilateral agreement between Russia and Kyrgyzstan stipulates the presence of the Kant air base in the Central Asian republic for 15 years with an automatic extension every five years after the expiration of the original term. The Kant base is intended to provide air cover for possible operations by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) joint forces in Central Asia. The CSTO comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Earlier this year, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev issued a decree to close the only U.S. base in Central Asia, located at Manas international airport near the capital, Bishkek, following talks in Moscow when he reportedly secured more than $2 billion in aid and loans. Both Russia and Kyrgyzstan have denied any link between the aid deal and the closure of the U.S. base.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Says Pakistan Abdicating To The Taliban

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Says Pakistan Abdicating To The Taliban

*Analysis: What is Pakistan administration real motive on this episode? And is Pakistan a failed state or in the process of being? The whole world is being held hostage on the wimp of a few Islamic militants and Pakistan administration is taking it for a joy ride and at the same time requesting for a financial bail out from the international donors.

What are the real motives of Pakistan's Zadari administration? The most worrisome factor, if elements of Pakistan forces side with Taliban and handover the equipment it would be the biggest disaster in mankind. China US and other countries should rethink of resupply of military equipment to Pakistan. (DTN Defense-Technology News)

(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - April 22, 2009: Pakistan's government has abdicated to the Taliban in agreeing to impose Islamic law in the Swat valley and the country now poses a "mortal threat" to the world, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday. US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said on Wednesday that Pakistan's policy of ceding territory to Islamic extremists poses a serious threat that cannot be overlooked. During testimony before the foreign policy committee in the House of Representatives, Clinton called on Pakistanis "to speak out forcefully against a policy that is ceding more and more territory to the insurgents, to the Taliban, to Al-Qaeda, to the allies that are in this terrorist syndicate". Taliban militants in Pakistan's Swat valley have continued to extend their authority since last week's agreement with the government allowing the militants to impose strict Islamic codes on the population in the northwest region. Surging violence across Pakistan and the spread of Taliban influence through its northwest are reviving concerns about the stability of the nuclear-armed country, an important U.S. ally vital to efforts to stabilize neighboring Afghanistan. U.S. President Barack Obama, who on March 27 unveiled a new strategy that seeks to crush al Qaeda and Taliban militants in Afghanistan and those operating from across the border in Pakistan, meets the presidents of both countries May 6-7. The talks illustrate U.S. anxiety that Afghanistan could again become a haven for al Qaeda militants to launch foreign attacks more than seven years after U.S.-led forces toppled the Afghan Taliban regime that sheltered the September 11 attackers. Speaking to U.S. lawmakers, Clinton said the Pakistani government had to provide basic services to its people or risk seeing the Taliban, and other extremists, fill the vacuum. Under pressure from conservatives, Zardari earlier this month signed a regulation imposing Islamic law in Swat, a northwestern valley once one of Pakistan's most popular tourist destinations. Asked about the matter, Clinton bluntly replied: "I think that the Pakistani government is basically abdicating to the Taliban and to the extremists." Speaking before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Clinton said, ominously, that the situation in Pakistan "poses a mortal threat to the security and safety of our country and the world." Swat was a major tourist spot until 2007, when militants infiltrated the valley from strongholds on the Afghan border to the west in support of a radical cleric. U.S. DEPLOYING 21,000 MORE TROOPS After inconclusive military offensives and a failed peace agreement, Pakistani authorities accepted an Islamist demand for sharia, or Islamic law, in February. Teresita Schaffer, a former U.S. diplomat who served in Pakistan and now heads the South Asia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank in Washington, said many analysts share Clinton's assessment. "There is deep concern in the U.S. government, and elsewhere in this country, about the implications of the deal in Swat," Schaffer said. "It represents a cession of state authority to people who have been slitting the throats of policemen in the public square." Schaffer said she did not believe Clinton viewed the Pakistani state itself as a mortal threat. Rather, she said Clinton may have been suggesting that events in the country, where militants are believed to have plotted foreign attacks and set off a series of domestic suicide bombings in the last month, threaten other nations.

The White House says the May 6-7 talks between Obama, Karzai and Zardari will include a three-way meeting. The talks represent the U.S. president's effort to ease tensions and forge more cooperation between the two countries. Kabul has accused Islamabad of not doing enough to stop militants crossing the border to launch attacks in Afghanistan. However, ties have improved under Zardari, whose country is facing its own Islamist insurgency. Obama has authorized the deployment of 21,000 additional U.S. troops and hundreds of new diplomatic and other civilian officials to Afghanistan to try to quell the Taliban insurgency in the south and the east of that country. A senior U.S. commander said U.S. and NATO forces were close to achieving "irreversible momentum" in their battle with insurgents in eastern Afghanistan, saying this was partly due to an influx of some 4,000 U.S. troops to the area this year.

Pakistani Taliban Invite Osama bin Laden To Settle In Swat

Pakistani Taliban Invite Osama bin Laden To Settle In Swat

(NSI News Source Info) ISLAMABAD - April 22, 2009: The Taliban in Pakistan’s Swat Valley say they would welcome militants from Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries who intend to settle in the region, a media report said Tuesday. Pakistani Taliban are on alert during a rally of their leader Sufi Muhammad in Mingora, capital of Pakistan's troubled valley of Swat on Sunday, April 19, 2009. A hard-line cleric who mediated that deal demanded the government take meaningful steps to enforce the new system over the next month, including setting up proper appeals courts in four days. Already, a handful of judges trained in Islamic law have begun hearing cases. Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said the group would welcome insurgents of Arab origin who are willing to fight the US-led troops in neighbouring Afghanistan. ‘Yes, we will help them and protect them,’ he said. Khan said: ‘Osama (Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden) can come here. Sure, like a brother they can stay anywhere they want.’ Alarmed over Khan’s comments, Pakistan’s Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said that ‘the country would never let him (Muslim Khan) shelter the likes of bin Laden’. ‘We would have to go for the military operation. We would have to apply force again. We simply condemn this. We are fighting this war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban,’ the Press TV quoted the minister as saying to a daily. Last Monday, President Asif Ali Zardari under pressure from the Taliban agreed to introduce Islamic Sharia laws in the restive Malakand division, comprising six northwestern districts including Swat valley. The group vowed to extend the Islamic Sharia across the country. ‘The day is not far when Islamabad will be in the hands of the mujahideen,’ a Taliban commander earlier said. Taliban militants Tuesday refused to leave the Buner district, just 100 km from Islamabad, which they forcibly occupied.