Article

2009-05-27 India-Pakistan

Taliban strike ISI headquarters in Lahore, 35 killed, 250 wounded

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Posted by trailing wife 2009-05-27 08:21|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [336064 views ] Top
File under: ISI

#1 Isn't this red on red?

I'm so confused.

Posted by AlanC">AlanC 2009-05-27 08:51|| 2009-05-27 08:51|| Front Page Top

#2 "biting the hand..."

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2009-05-27 08:55|| 2009-05-27 08:55|| Front Page Top

#3 This could make it significantly more difficult for the Taliban allies within the ISI to continue to provide assistance, at least at the level that has been normal. Or it could be effective at stopping the nascent anti-Taliban wing of the ISI. We'll see.

Posted by Glenmore 2009-05-27 08:55|| 2009-05-27 08:55|| Front Page Top

#4 Anywhere outside of Wonderland, we wouldn't see Hafiz Saeed getting sprung, as have virtually all his henchmen, and we wouldn't see any "ceasefires," humanitarian or otherwise in NWFP.

However, this is Pakistain. The name of the song is Haddock's Eyes.

Posted by Fred 2009-05-27 09:25|| 2009-05-27 09:25|| Front Page Top

#5 Hafiz Saeed walks and ISI provincial HQ gets boomed the very next day.

Hmmm.

Posted by Seafarious 2009-05-27 09:44|| 2009-05-27 09:44|| Front Page Top

#6 The Monster turns on Dr. Frankenstein.

Posted by mojo 2009-05-27 10:58|| 2009-05-27 10:58|| Front Page Top

#7 Wheels within wheels. Otherwise, it makes no sense.

Posted by Jonathan 2009-05-27 11:22|| 2009-05-27 11:22|| Front Page Top

#8 Pakistan has severe problems... I just hope Barry is COMPLETELY SERIOUS about dropping in special forces to secure their nukes if the Taliban makes its another 60 miles to Islamabad.

Posted by bgrebel 2009-05-27 11:37|| 2009-05-27 11:37|| Front Page Top

#9 bgrebel,

Perhaps I missed it. Please link to any statement made by Obama indicating he has a plan, let alone the balls, to secure Paki nukes in the event of a taliban takeover of Paki-land.

Thanks.

Posted by MarkZ 2009-05-27 12:12|| 2009-05-27 12:12|| Front Page Top

#10 Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: HE'S GOT A ROTTEN BRAIN! IT'S ROTTEN, I TELL YA! ROTTEN!

The Monster: RAAAAAAAA!

Igor: Ixnay on the ottenray.

Posted by mojo 2009-05-27 12:53|| 2009-05-27 12:53|| Front Page Top

#11 It makes complete sense to me....they have always played with fire because they hate India and now they are getting burned by their own tools.

Posted by Clomoling Black6393 2009-05-27 13:27|| 2009-05-27 13:27|| Front Page Top

#12 Red-on-red indeed.

Tell me again which side I'm supposed to root for? I'm so confused....

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2009-05-27 13:37|| 2009-05-27 13:37|| Front Page Top

#13 Proper secret police procedure in this case would be to send a battalion of secret police to several prisons, and execute every Taliban in the place. A few thousand is optimal.

Posted by Anonymoose 2009-05-27 13:43|| 2009-05-27 13:43|| Front Page Top

#14 Lahore has a very large Shiite population. The Taliban may be settling scores.

Posted by balthazar 2009-05-27 15:07|| 2009-05-27 15:07|| Front Page Top

#15 I just hope Barry is COMPLETELY SERIOUS

Illusions, illusions, smoke & mirrors bgrebel!

Pakistans nukes: US trusts Zardaris assurances
May 12th, 2009 - 10:38 am ICT by IANS
Taliban By Arun Kumar

Washington, May 12 (IANS) The United States has reiterated it full faith and confidence in Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari saying they have been reassured about Islamabads commitment to dealing with the Taliban and safety of its nuclear arsenal.

We were assured by President Zardari that they have complete command and control of the nuclear weapons in Pakistan, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters Monday when asked whether the US had made any promises about helping to protect Pakistans nuclear arsenal.

Asked how the US would verify Pakistans claim, he said: We have full faith and confidence in President Zardari.

Kelly agreed that after the last weeks three-way meetings with Afghanistan and Pakistan there was increased assurance in Washington that Zardari has the full support and command of the military and is fully committed to dealing with the Taliban.

Posted by Willy 2009-05-27 15:34|| 2009-05-27 15:34|| Front Page Top

#16 An image to add to the repertoire:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/88345903@N00/911881435

Posted by Penguin 2009-05-27 18:04|| 2009-05-27 18:04|| Front Page Top

#17 Tell me again which side I'm supposed to root for? I'm so confused....

Root for both to lose.

Posted by Redneck Jim 2009-05-27 20:16|| 2009-05-27 20:16|| Front Page Top

#18 Pakistan is a Punjabi supremacist entity, and a large majority of that group is itching for a dirty war against Pashtuns. Unfortunately, a "hammer and anvil" strike by US forces in conjunction with Pakistan's army is hampered by President Obama's reluctance to seize border regions. Afghan opium crops in Obama protected areas will likely total $2,000,000,000 this year. Taliban gets a 15 to 20% cut of that. A dual blitzkreig could solve both the terror and drug problem. Peaceful negotiations is the option of fools who can't see that a rich Taliban is a dangerous Taliban. Pre-2002, when they were raking in huge Saudi subsidies, Taliban used Afghanistan to train al-Qaeda. Seven years later that is going on in Waziristan. It is a rule of military strategy: do nothing to empower an enemy. Obama makes his own rules.

Posted by Uloluns Scourge of the Bunions1692 2009-05-27 20:39|| 2009-05-27 20:39|| Front Page Top

#19 Hey Fred! Haddock's Eyes? I had to go look that up, AND read a couple of very odd poems. Thankyouverymuch. Not very illuminating. It seems nothing is as it seems, so it seems. I find the wacki's quite opaque enough without you adding to it, thank you. My Ranger Buddy was a Pak Major, name of Khan, and some time later I got the pleasure of visiting fair Pakistan - and walking across most of it. Interesting place. As in Chinese 'may-you-live-in-interesting-times' interesting (although in truth you can always find nice people somewhere). Off topic: my adds to Chinese curse: 'May the Emperor know your name', and 'May the Emperor's concubine speak fondly of you'.

P.S. Hope the recent oil change, lube and ball joint maint is working out. Jim

Posted by Whiskey Mike 2009-05-27 21:27|| 2009-05-27 21:27|| Front Page Top

#20 perhaps I should rephrase my comments; the below article details a DOD plan to seize Pakistan's nuclear weapons if the Taliban is on the verge of a takeover... I do not think even Obama would let the Islamic fascists get nuclear weapons. Keep in mind Robert Gates and the JCS of Staff have some voice in the administration.

U.S. Has Plan to Secure Pakistan Nukes if Country Falls to Taliban

- American intelligence sources say the military's chief terrorist-hunting squad has units operating in Afghanistan on Pakistan's western border and is working on a secondary mission to secure foreign nuclear arsenals if the Taliban or Al Qaeda overwhelm Pakistan.

The United States has a detailed plan for infiltrating Pakistan and securing its mobile arsenal of nuclear warheads if it appears the country is about to fall under the control of the Taliban, Al Qaeda or other Islamic extremists.

American intelligence sources say the operation would be conducted by Joint Special Operations Command, the super-secret commando unit headquartered at Fort Bragg, N.C.

JSOC is the military's chief terrorists hunting squad and has units now operating in Afghanistan on Pakistan's western border. But a secondary mission is to secure foreign nuclear arsenals -- a role for which JSOC operatives have trained in Nevada.

The mission has taken on added importance in recent months, as Islamic extremists have taken territory close to the capital of Islamabad and could destabilize Pakistan's shaky democracy.

"We have plans to secure them ourselves if things get out of hand," said a U.S. intelligence source who has deployed to Afghanistan. "That is a big secondary mission for JSOC in Afghanistan."

The source said JSOC has been updating its mission plan for the day President Obama gives the order to infiltrate Pakistan.

"Small units could seize them, disable them and then centralize them in a secure location," the source said.

A secret Defense Intelligence Agency document first disclosed in 2004 said Pakistan has a nuclear arsenal of 35 weapons. The document said it plans to more than double the arsenal by 2020.

A Pakistani official said the U.S. and his country have had an understanding that if either Usama bin Laden, or his deputy, Ayman Zawahiri, is located, American troops and air strikes may be used inside borders to capture or kill them.

What makes the Pakistan mission especially difficult is that the military has its missiles on Soviet-style mobile launchers and rail lines. U.S. intelligence agencies, using satellite photos and communication intercepts, is constantly monitoring their whereabouts. Other warheads are kept in storage. U.S. technical experts have visited Pakistan to advise the government on how to maintain and protect its arsenal.

Also, there are rogue elements inside Pakistan's military and intelligence service who could quickly side with the extremists and make JSOC's mission all the more difficult.

"It's relatively easy to track rail-mounted ones with satellites," said the intelligence source. "Truck- mounted are more difficult. However, they are all relatively close to the capital in areas that the government firmly controls so we don't have to look too far."

JSOC is made up of three main elements: Army Delta Force, Navy SEALs and a high-tech special intelligence unit known as Task Force Orange. JSOC was instrumental in Iraq in finding and killing Abu Musab Zarqawi, the deadly and most prominent Al Qaeda leader in the Middle East.

There is speculation in the intelligence community that a secondary reason for Army Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal being named the next commander in Afghanistan is that he headed JSOC in 2006-08 and is read-in on its contingency missions in Pakistan.

Adm. Michael Mullen, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, this month said that based on the information he has seen Pakistan's nuclear warheads are safe.

"I remain comfortable that the nuclear weapons in Pakistan are secure, that the Pakistani leadership and in particular the military is very focused on this," he said. "We the United States have invested fairly significantly over the last three years, to work with them, to improve that security. And we're satisfied, very satisfied with that progress. We will continue to do that. And we all recognize obviously the worst downside of -- with respect to Pakistan is that those nuclear weapons come under the control of terrorists. "

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/14/plan-pakistan-teeters-falling-taliban/

Posted by bgrebel 2009-05-27 23:34|| 2009-05-27 23:34|| Front Page Top

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