Pakistan slams 'ignorant' Obama attack warning

[kfrost06]

ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistan accused Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama of "sheer ignorance" for threatening to launch US military strikes against Al-Qaeda on Pakistani soil.

Obama warned Wednesday that if he is elected president, he would order US forces to hit extremist targets on Pakistan's frontier with Afghanistan if embattled military ruler President Pervez Musharraf failed to act.

"Such statements are being made out of sheer ignorance," Pakistan's Minister of State for Information, Tariq Azeem, told AFP. "They are not fully apprised about the ground realities and not aware of the efforts by Pakistan."

Islamabad has bristled against a string of similar threats in recent weeks by the administration of US President George W. Bush, whose top counter-terror official in July refused to rule out US strikes in Pakistan.

Musharraf, struggling to contain a wave of Islamist violence unleashed by the army's bloody storming of the radical Red Mosque in Islamabad three weeks ago, himself firmly rejected any US action last week.

"We have said before that we will not allow anyone to infringe our sovereignty," Azeem said.

"If there is any actionable intelligence they should tell us and only our forces will take action on it and they are quite capable of it."

The minister suggested that Obama's comments were prompted by Washington's inability to curb the ongoing Taliban insurgency in neighbouring Afghanistan, where US-led forces toppled the hardline regime in late 2001.

"This seems to be a reaction to their own failure in Afghanistan to control the US casualties and instead of addressing the situation there, they are finding scapegoats and damaging their own cause," Azeem added.

Pakistan foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam on Wednesday warned against "point-scoring" by US presidential candidates on vital security issues.

Musharraf abandoned Islamabad's support for the Taliban in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

He has said that a top US official warned that Pakistan would be bombed back to the "stone age" if it failed to join Washington's "war on terror".

[kfrost06]

He wants out of Iraq now but wants to bomb a friend, Pakistan
Looks like Hillary will win the democratic nomination.

[Prada]

"We have said before that we will not allow anyone to infringe our sovereignty,"

With his statement he has shown to be less diplomatic.

Pakistan has to be dealt with in the proper manner. They are, after all, nuclear equipped Mr Obama.

[gixxerboy1]

I don't think Obama has enough experience and with comments like he has made it shows. I think he might be a good president some day just not yet.

[Logan13]

I don't think Obama has enough experience and with comments like he has made it shows. I think he might be a good president some day just not yet.

Careful Gixxer, some in here may label you a bigot for saying such things.........

[Tock]

I don't think Obama has enough experience and with comments like he has made it shows. I think he might be a good president some day just not yet.

I agree.

[scriptfactory]

What is wrong with saying the US will attack extremist targets along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border if the Pakistani government doesn't take action? I have friends over there who say the extremists hide out right on the border and take short trips into Afghanistan to do hit and run mission. It's a lot safer for them and it is looking like the Pakistani government just doesn't give a damn that they are harboring these extremists.

[RA]

Using that in a campaign isnt the smartest idea...although I agree with what he said.

[Logan13]

What is wrong with saying the US will attack extremist targets along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border if the Pakistani government doesn't take action? I have friends over there who say the extremists hide out right on the border and take short trips into Afghanistan to do hit and run mission. It's a lot safer for them and it is looking like the Pakistani government just doesn't give a damn that they are harboring these extremists.

I also agree with Obama's statement. But I doubt that the left of his base does.

[Prada]

Obama fails to comprehend that Musharraf is walking a domestic tightrope and in a political battle right now, something even G.Bush seems to understand, unbelievably. It is choice amongst a partially complacent Musharraf or a terrorist supporting islamist in power. Lest not forget that the Taliban was a very useful tool created and used to the benefit of the ISI to control Afghanistan. Something that Mush. has had to abandon. So I dont think Obama really understand the geopolitical situation.

[PEWN]

Obama fails to comprehend that Musharraf is walking a domestic tightrope and in a political battle right now, something even G.Bush seems to understand, unbelievably. It is choice amongst a partially complacent Musharraf or a terrorist supporting islamist in power. Lest not forget that the Taliban was a very useful tool created and used to the benefit of the ISI to control Afghanistan. Something that Mush. has had to abandon. So I dont think Obama really understand the geopolitical situation.

[kfrost06]

Obama fails to comprehend that Musharraf is walking a domestic tightrope and in a political battle right now, something even G.Bush seems to understand, unbelievably. It is choice amongst a partially complacent Musharraf or a terrorist supporting islamist in power. Lest not forget that the Taliban was a very useful tool created and used to the benefit of the ISI to control Afghanistan. Something that Mush. has had to abandon. So I dont think Obama really understand the geopolitical situation.

Well put and let's not forget a nuclear power.

[BROKEN]

he wount be the Pres anyway

hell he has 2 things going for him that will keep him out of office

[mcpeepants]

Obama fails to comprehend that Musharraf is walking a domestic tightrope and in a political battle right now, something even G.Bush seems to understand, unbelievably. It is choice amongst a partially complacent Musharraf or a terrorist supporting islamist in power. Lest not forget that the Taliban was a very useful tool created and used to the benefit of the ISI to control Afghanistan. Something that Mush. has had to abandon. So I dont think Obama really understand the geopolitical situation.

Those are not the only two choices. We can go back to a democratic government like the one Musharraf overthrew in Pakistan. I think the only reason Islamists are vocal and strong in the middle east and the Muslim world is because Islam is the only powerful and effective way to challenge the autocratic governments in the middle east. Islam has a legitimacy that the people respect and the government can't easily dismiss.

[mcpeepants]

To the people who agree with Obama's statement, would you support Turkey violating Iraqi territory to attack Kurdish terrorists in Northern Iraq and also Iran doing the same to these Kurdish terrorists who have attacked both countries and want to create an independent Kurdish state by taking territory from Northern Iraq, Southeast Turkey, Eastern Syria, and Western Iran? Noting that the Iraqi and US government have failed to act against these groups.

[scriptfactory]

To the people who agree with Obama's statement, would you support Turkey violating Iraqi territory to attack Kurdish terrorists in Northern Iraq and also Iran doing the same to these Kurdish terrorists who have attacked both countries and want to create an independent Kurdish state by taking territory from Northern Iraq, Southeast Turkey, Eastern Syria, and Western Iran? Noting that the Iraqi and US government have failed to act against these groups.

Honestly? I don't care.

[Prada]

Those are not the only two choices. We can go back to a democratic government like the one Musharraf overthrew in Pakistan. I think the only reason Islamists are vocal and strong in the middle east and the Muslim world is because Islam is the only powerful and effective way to challenge the autocratic governments in the middle east. Islam has a legitimacy that the people respect and the government can't easily dismiss.

The problem with that is that it is not really much of a democracy when the same two characters, corrupt, are perpetually the same contestants. At the same time if you would ask Pakistanis "democratically" if they want to support the war on terror using the Pak military, the answer would be an overwhelming no. Islamists in power would inflame the situation, while I consider Musharraf a moderate and IMHO I dont think there is a character in Pakistan who would comply more then him.

[mcpeepants]

The problem with that is that it is not really much of a democracy when the same two characters, corrupt, are perpetually the same contestants. At the same time if you would ask Pakistanis "democratically" if they want to support the war on terror using the Pak military, the answer would be an overwhelming no. Islamists in power would inflame the situation, while I consider Musharraf a moderate and IMHO I dont think there is a character in Pakistan who would comply more then him.

Why should the Pakistanis be concerned on the so-called "war of terror". If I were Pakistanis, I would want my government to stop wasting money on war and invest that in the countries infrastructure, education, and energy development.The policy of supporting governments and people who ally with us and acting as though they are moderate is the guy of stuff that got us in the mess we are in today. Just think about how much money we send to "moderate" regimes like Saudi Arabia and Egypt and how we used to fund bin laden because he was the enemy of our enemy.

[Logan13]

Why should the Pakistanis be concerned on the so-called "war of terror". If I were Pakistanis, I would want my government to stop wasting money on war and invest that in the countries infrastructure, education, and energy development.The policy of supporting governments and people who ally with us and acting as though they are moderate is the guy of stuff that got us in the mess we are in today. Just think about how much money we send to "moderate" regimes like Saudi Arabia and Egypt and how we used to fund bin laden because he was the enemy of our enemy.

Please, do not be naive. Pakistan is already spending money on their infrastructure. The same infrastructure that radical muslim keeps blowing up. Are you under the impression that Pakistan is a peaceful, fun-loving country or something? BTW, let's just refer to Darfur as a "so-called genocide" while you're at it.......... .

[Prada]

Why should the Pakistanis be concerned on the so-called "war of terror". If I were Pakistanis, I would want my government to stop wasting money on war and invest that in the countries infrastructure, education, and energy development.The policy of supporting governments and people who ally with us and acting as though they are moderate is the guy of stuff that got us in the mess we are in today. Just think about how much money we send to "moderate" regimes like Saudi Arabia and Egypt and how we used to fund bin laden because he was the enemy of our enemy.

Because its in their best long term interest. The US has provided billions in financial help and arms to pakistan. Now consider that as leeway compared to the economic boon India has fallen upon, which is Paks arch-enemy. You are right that perhaps a common Pakistani citizen doesnt give a damn or fails to comprehend the big picture. Musharraf I believe knew he literally had no choice to comply to US demands. The ISI and Taliban was a powerful and successful tool of Pakistan.

[mcpeepants]

Please, do not be naive. Pakistan is already spending money on their infrastructure. The same infrastructure that radical muslim keeps blowing up. Are you under the impression that Pakistan is a peaceful, fun-loving country or something? BTW, let's just refer to Darfur as a "so-called genocide" while you're at it.......... .

You of all people shouldn't be calling me naive. You've made lots of statements that I have shutdown and when your busted, you resort to arguing tactics that would make an elementary schooler feel embarrassed. There's killing in Darfur but I would not call it a genocide. Both sides are killings each other, both sides are black Muslims, and there main difference is lifestyle: the "arabs" are the herders while the "blacks or africans" are farmers. They are mainly fighting over land and water resources.

[mcpeepants]

Because its in their best long term interest. The US has provided billions in financial help and arms to pakistan. Now consider that as leeway compared to the economic boon India has fallen upon, which is Paks arch-enemy. You are right that perhaps a common Pakistani citizen doesnt give a damn or fails to comprehend the big picture. Musharraf I believe knew he literally had no choice to comply to US demands. The ISI and Taliban was a powerful and successful tool of Pakistan.

Their long term interest or our long term interest? We' have dealt with bad people in the past because it was beneficial to us and it often comes back to bite us. Osama anyone. Musharraf joined the "war on terror" because it was beneficial for him to have good ties with the US and guarantee him billions of dollars in aid as well as "legitimize" his rule to the world.

[Prada]

Their long term interest or our long term interest? We' have dealt with bad people in the past because it was beneficial to us and it often comes back to bite us. Osama anyone. Musharraf joined the "war on terror" because it was beneficial for him to have good ties with the US and guarantee him billions of dollars in aid as well as "legitimize" his rule to the world.

In Pakistans LT interest.

Good statement, at least you seem to comprehend somewhat of the geopolitical situation there and elsewhere, something not many here understand.

[Logan13]

You of all people shouldn't be calling me naive. You've made lots of statements that I have shutdown and when your busted, you resort to arguing tactics that would make an elementary schooler feel embarrassed.

list them.......

[mcpeepants]

list them.......

Military declassifies 'al-Qaeda torture manual' recovered in Iraq

here's one of you ducking the issues. you can dig up some more yourself.

[mcpeepants]

In Pakistans LT interest.

Good statement, at least you seem to comprehend somewhat of the geopolitical situation there and elsewhere, something not many here understand.

nice debate. i guess we will see in time.