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India-Pakistan
'US won't tolerate cross-border raids'
2008-05-29
The United States opposes any agreements with tribal militants because they have sworn enmity to the US, and will not tolerate cross-border raids on its troops in Afghanistan from militants based in the Tribal Areas, Senator Russ Feingold told reporters here on Wednesday at the end of his four-day visit to Pakistan. “We are against any agreement with militants, Taliban and Al Qaeda who have sworn to harm the US,” said Feingold, who is also member of the US Senate Judicial Committee.
"You been warned. And I'm the peace lobby back home."
Restoration: Senator Feingold termed the restoration of the judiciary ‘the single most important issue’ facing the Pakistani nation and demanded the immediate reinstatement of all sacked judges. Feingold said the judges were sacked without solid reasons, and added that their restoration was ‘simple enough’ and should not be linked with other constitutional reforms. “I had meetings with a number of people including Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on the issue of judges’ removal, but no one told me that they did anything wrong,” he added.

He rejected the US policy of relying only on President Pervez Musharraf and sidelining the real political elements in Pakistan. He said it was a ‘mistake’ to hitch policy to a person who came into power through undemocratic means.
He was the only game in town, Russ.
However, he refused to comment on the future of President Musharraf, saying it was the prerogative of the people of Pakistan to decide his future. But he reiterated that Musharraf had attained power through unconstitutional methods.

To questions on the Pakistan government’s efforts to engage elements in the Tribal Areas in peace talks, Feingold said there was no harm in engaging with tribal elders, but re-asserted: “I oppose agreements with the Taliban and Al Qaeda. We would not talk to people who want to kill American people.”

He conceded that it was a difficult task to monitor the Pak-Afghan border because of the hostile terrain and porous nature of the border. Nevertheless, he insisted that this fact did not detract from the threat militants from Pakistani territory posed to US troops across the border.

The US senator underlined the importance of Pak-US relations and said the US wanted a solid and genuine friendship with Pakistan. This relationship could be maintained and developed to new heights, he added.

Feingold said democracy in Pakistan was important not only to the US, but also the region. “It will help to improve Pakistan’s image,” he added.

He also spoke highly of Pakistani people, and said he had learnt a lot during his interaction with the Pakistani leadership. Feingold defended visits by US officials and congressional delegations, saying they were ‘important’ for Pak-US relations. “It is a good sign and helpful to understand things.”
Posted by:Fred

#13  the big clue telling me this wasn't about our southern border was;
US won't tolerate

I agree the pandering to the Hispanic vote is killing us. I wonder how many illegals will end up voting in our elections this year, without proper identification being required.
Posted by: Jan   2008-05-29 16:07  

#12  OS - imho - we need to bring back some form of the JTF-6 back to the border. Increase the Army, Corps, or Nati Guard units and rotate line battalions on a permanent basis down to border areas to reinf the wall that should've been built. Have the lads back up the Border Ptrl guys. Task a sqdrn of UAVs, etc to run interdiction/counter flights. Give them a whole compliment of rolling stock to include IFAVs and other recon-fun vehicles.

What you said about shape charging the GOP from inside - I agree with. The fact that so many politicos on our side of the house don't give a rat's arse about nat'l sovereignty tells me that the party of nat'l defense isn't necessarily so. One of the first mandates of the U.S. Mil from the Cont Congress was to secure the borders & our sovereignty. This is one of the biggest complaints I have about Mcpain and his pandering to the so called hispanic vote.
Posted by: Broadhead6   2008-05-29 15:18  

#11  BH6 me and you both on the same frequency.
Posted by: OldSpook   2008-05-29 14:27  

#10  I was hoping this was about mexico.
Posted by: Broadhead6   2008-05-29 12:07  

#9  If the Pakis can't control the NWFP, then it's not really part of Pakistan, and obviously they can't stop us from whacking "cross-border" raiders and their sanctuaries.

Their complaints of "sovereignty violations" mean absolutely nothing where they HAVE no sovereignty, and can be safely ignored.

Lock and load, boys.
Posted by: mojo   2008-05-29 11:47  

#8  Â“Feingold said there was no harm in engaging with tribal elders, but re-asserted: I oppose agreements with the Taliban and Al Qaeda.”

Feingold is a politically ambitious poseur of the worst sort. He maintains his relevance through a constant series of well-timed choreographs. One has to look no further then his phony introduction of legislation to cut-off funding for the Iraq war. Even the leadership of his own party acknowledged it had less then zero chance of passage. But the opportunistic headlines certainly made him a darling with the ignorant anti-war crowd. Here, like a trial lawyer, he regurgitates standing policy and delivers it as if it was original thought. Any politician that visits a war theater deserves a certain amount of accolades but you can be sure that he had one eye on padding his resume. A cabinet position in the Obama Administration probably looks pretty sweet to Ole Russ right about now.
Posted by: DepotGuy   2008-05-29 09:55  

#7  obama lite, or is Obama Feingold-lite? IIUC Feingold has really been in the trenchs fighting for all the liberal-lefty positions, that Obama picked up for the nomination campaign.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2008-05-29 09:24  

#6  Nop0e. He's Obama lite, looking for a pretext to invade Pakistan.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2008-05-29 07:18  

#5  Darn, me three.

Is Feingold up for re-election? He suddenly went all hawkish and sensible.
Posted by: DarthVader   2008-05-29 07:15  

#4  Darn, mee too.
Posted by: twobyfour   2008-05-29 02:49  

#3  I thought this was going to be an article about Mexico.
Posted by: AzCat   2008-05-29 02:24  

#2  Informally speaking, a local Guam reservist IHOO personally believes there will prob be one more major US milfors deployment to the ME + possib a new "surge" before the November 2008 elex, and that regardless of whom becomes POTUS in Jan 2009 there may not be any new deployment or surge for at least six months into 2009??? ALSO BELIEVES ISRAEL WILL BE ALL BUT FORMALLY DEFEATED AFTER 2010 IFF IRAN + TERRORISTS GET NUKES AS DOES NOT BELIEVE ISRAEL CAN SURVIVE EVENA LIMITED/SMALL NUCLEAR-WMD STRIKE- JUST A MATTER OF TIME FOR ISRAEL'S ENEMIES???
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2008-05-29 00:37  

#1  Who knew Russ was such a hawk?
Posted by: DK70 the scantily clad   2008-05-29 00:24  

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