wnyc.org / 93.9fm / am 820

thanks this is amazing!!!!!!!!!!

I think what West needs is to go for massive labour intensive projects in Pakistan. I can think of i) making Indus River navigable upto Kalabagh ii)Kalabagh Dam iii)Highway from Quetta to Gawadar iv) A modern sky resort on the Qalat hills
Only such projects can absorb the surplus rural labour in Pakistan and Afghanistan and tie up the rural leadersship to West.
This happened in 1960s when US gave funds for so-called link canals- Indus Basin Treaty brokered by US/World Bank.

The recruiting ground for Taliban is rural labour.

Bajwa

There is a growing tendency to blame Pakistan for all the problems united states is having in Afganistan. But before we start blaming Pakistan for harboring taliban and Al-Qaeda forces, we should not forget we would not be in this position had Bush not diverted much needed forces to Iraq instead of killing or capturing of Al-Qaeda forces in Afganistan after 9/11. Now Pakistan and Mussaraf are being made the scape goats of the wrong decisions made by Bush.
There is also a very important factor essentially missing from the reporting of the area in which Al-Qaeda is believed to be resurging. North Western provice of Pakistan is consists of mostly Pashtun tribes who are fiercely loyal to their guests. right or wrong it is a centuries old tradition of protecting one's guests against any harm.

Actually Pakistan's ties to militant Islam has been well known at least in Indian circles for 10-15 years. I find it laughable that Boot talks about democracy in Pakistan. It was when Pakistan was a democracy that the Kargill invasion took place. A democratic Pakistan supported the Jihadists in Kashmir. It was Bhutto and Sharif that had supported the Taliban because they wanted strategic depth against India. The USA with Clinton and Bush Jr was aware of this.

People also forget the history of US-Pakistan relations which goes back since post WW2. You have many institutional realtionships within the State Department and the Military between USA and Pakistan.

Also Musharaff is in a tough bind. I believe that his attack on the mosque may wind up having the same ending as Indira Gandhi and the assault on the Golden Temple in Amristar. Indira Gandhi was assassinated. Will the same fate happen to Musharaf?

Also Musharaf and the USA have been sponsoring Balochs in South West Pakistan to stir up the Balochs in Iran to cause Iran problems. And Pakistan has had to deal with a Baloch insurgency, and area where there are a lot natural resources. They are taking money that should be used to fight Al Queda and using it in Balochistan.

Pakistan is a diverse place with a Punjabi elite running over difference provinces and ethnicities. This is a country that could break apart into separate little states as well . Just like Iraq.

So when we pressure Pakistan we have to understand that there is a lot going on in that country and when we back Musaraf its with the attitude better to deal with the devil you know rather than the devil you don't know.

Lets hope WNYC's producers can find some real experts on the Pakistan situation instead of the clowns that were on the air today.

I'm in no way a war-monger but I don't understand why the Bush Administration never considerd Pakistan to be "harboring" to an extent those Taliban/extremists who are in the area. Would that simply be to radical? Or was that actually addressed through "the threat" by former Asst Sec. Armitage that Musharaf alleges he made immediately after 9/11 that "Pakistan would be raised" if they did not cooperate? I believe Pakistan never delivered on this cooperation as evidenced by the continous presence of these dangerous forces in Wazirastan.

Max Boot is another Bush backer who adheres to failed policies. "If we had done this," "we should have done that," etc. The people now know that the whole strategy was wrong; the tactics were wrong; and the premise was a lie.

One thing we need to do is initiate a massive construction project in the tribal areas of Pakistan. Such a project would include at a minimum, schools and hospitals. Such activities would help undermine support that the tribes provide al Qaeda and if we do need to send troops in, it would reduce the resistance they would face.

Thank you for covering this vital aspect. I was curious if 6 years after 9/11, there is any policy or "justification" that could be utilized by the US to allow them to send forces in to confront the Taliban and foreign militants in that area?