# Pakistan Arrests.



## QC (Jun 23, 2011)

http://www.economist.com/node/18836800

WHEN Islamabad’s ambassador to Washington, Husain Haqqani, lectured army officers last month at Pakistan’s National Defence University, he asked the assembled colonels whom they regarded as the greatest enemy. A third of them named America—with which Pakistan supposedly has a military alliance.

That alliance was already turbulent before a raid by American special forces killed Osama bin Laden on May 2nd. Now it has gone into a tailspin. It was an embarrassment for Pakistanis that bin Laden was living in northern Pakistan and that the Americans went in to kill him without telling them—and undetected. Now it emerges that Pakistani authorities have arrested several local informers who had watched bin Laden’s compound for the CIA ahead of the raid. According to a Pakistani source, the arrests include a former army officer, a doctor who had been with the army medical corps. The army is enraged that the CIA has developed an independent spy network in the country.

The arrests come at a time when America badly wants Pakistani co-operation in killing or capturing the remainder of al-Qaeda in the country—including, presumably, Ayman al-Zawahiri, its new leader. The group is struggling to cope with the death of bin Laden and with the American seizure of huge amounts of information on its workings.

Related topics
Central Intelligence Agency
United States
War and conflict
Terrorism
World politics
But Pakistan’s powerful armed forces are wallowing in anti-Americanism. Their relations with various jihadist groups also remain a concern, even while other extremist groups carry out a campaign of terror inside the country.

Last week the CIA director, Leon Panetta, flew to Islamabad and confronted the army with evidence that intelligence America had recently passed on about two bomb-making factories in Pakistan’s tribal areas, being used by insurgents active in Afghanistan, had led to a tip-off. The bomb-makers had vanished from the sites several days before the army showed up.

In turn, the armed forces have haughtily declared they will no longer take cash from the United States (on whom they have long depended for handouts). They have also ended an American military counter-insurgency training mission in the country. Yet behind the bitter words, from both sides, a good deal of co-operation continues. For instance, American “drone” aircraft still fly secretly from an airstrip deep in the desert of Baluchistan province, targeting suspected militants in the country’s tribal areas.

Pakistan’s military is feeling wounded. The bin Laden shock was followed by a daring terrorist raid on a naval base in Karachi, and by accusations that the armed forces’ spy agency was behind the murder of a journalist last month. Domestic criticism unleashed at the army, the country’s dominant institution, is unprecedented. It is usually exempt from scrutiny, mostly out of fear. The army says it has resolved to “put an end” to the disparagement.


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## Marauder06 (Jun 23, 2011)

QC said:


> http://www.economist.com/node/18836800
> 
> WHEN Islamabad’s ambassador to Washington, Husain Haqqani, lectured army officers last month at Pakistan’s National Defence University, he asked the assembled colonels whom they regarded as the greatest enemy. A third of them named America—with which Pakistan supposedly has a military alliance.
> ...



This should surprise no one who has read any major newspapers over the last 10 years.  That's cool- back on you, Pakistan.  Good luck cozying up to China and suppressing that insurgency that's going to kick your ass after we pull out.  Pakistain (yes "pakistain") is the easiest nuclear-armed country for the Islamists to take over.  Once we're out of Afghanistan, they're going to have India, Afghanistan AND a raging insurgency inside their own borders to deal with.  There's only so many times they can send their proxies into Kashmir and Mumbai before either the Indians or the insurgents say "screw this" and make a move on Islamabad.

As for Husain Haqqani... I'm told his name is just an unfortunate coincidence and he has no ties to the Haqqani Network.  From what I read about him he actually seems like a decent dude.  Too bad for him his country is about to implode.


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## QC (Jun 23, 2011)

It comes as no surprise. 

Question without notice: does India really want to own Pakistan?


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## Mac_NZ (Jun 23, 2011)

QC said:


> Question without notice: does India really want to own Pakistan?



I'd say no they don't, they just want to burn it to the ground, annihilate the population and sow salt into the fields.  Basically the usual.


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## pardus (Jun 23, 2011)

Mac_NZ said:


> I'd say no they don't, they just want to burn it to the ground, annihilate the population and sow salt into the fields. Basically the usual.



Sounds fair.

Beers after?


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## Mac_NZ (Jun 23, 2011)

Of course.


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## pardus (Jun 23, 2011)

Cool, see you then.


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## QC (Jun 23, 2011)

I'll bring the BBQ, pork ribs.


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## AWP (Jun 24, 2011)

Mac_NZ said:


> I'd say no they don't, they just want to burn it to the ground, annihilate the population and sow salt into the fields. Basically the usual.



I fail to see the problem. Can I donate some salt to the cause?


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## Chopstick (Jun 24, 2011)

Freefalling said:


> I fail to see the problem. Can I donate some salt to the cause?



Me too..Im trying to cut down on my salt intake anyway.


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