Afghanistan News & Discussion - April 2016

[vera_k]

Wonder how many Indians are similarly stuck. News seems hard to get out now that most people have left the country.

Taliban holding Americans hostage

[g.sarkar]

https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/09/02/af ... WKxVpUWoH4
Afghanistan Was a Ponzi Scheme Sold to the American Public
When a scam falls apart, it collapses fast.
Alan Richards, Professor Emeritus at UCSC, and Steven Simon, the Robert E Wilhelm Fellow at the MIT Centre for International Studies and a senior research analyst with the Quincy Institute. September 2, 2021
As the political fight over who lost Afghanistan gets bloodier, the latest round has shifted from lamentation over the probable return of al Qaeda to the disorderly exit from Kabul. Vivid images of chaotic activity at the airport underscore this concern. But, in fact, the withdrawal could never have been orderly, as critics unthinkingly imply. An orderly, carefully prepared exit was structurally impossible.
To understand the U.S. exit from Afghanistan, think of Bernie Madoff. It is helpful to see the U.S.-built Afghan state as a Ponzi scheme—it was all a house of cards, and, at some level, everyone knew it. Certainly, anyone who was familiar with the U.S. government’s own inspector general reports over the past 10 years would know.
For those unaware of the Madoff scandal, a Ponzi scheme is a series of lies, with little or no factual basis, that are sold to investors as brilliance. It depends on a continual infusion of funds from new investors; the new payments are initially used to pay the original investors. So long as more and more investors can be conned into providing their money, funds are found to pay previous investors, and the scam can continue. When it becomes hard to get continued funding, or when important investors begin to withdraw, others notice, become skeptical at first, then panic, and finally withdraw their money—and, as in a bank run, the rush for the exits ensues.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) notes that “Ponzi scheme organizers often use the latest innovation, technology, product or growth industry to entice investors and give their scheme the promise of high returns. Potential investors are often less skeptical of an investment opportunity when assessing something novel, new or ‘cutting-edge.’”
This definition can easily be applied to Afghanistan. First, there was a promise of very high return with little or no risk to the investor framed as a guarantee that the United States could defeat jihadis supported by and umbilically linked to Pakistan’s sprawling intelligence service, on their home turf, with only a small force, in a time frame tolerable to Americans, and with relatively few American casualties. Coming after a decade of American hubris following the demise of the Soviet Union, and amid the widespread fear and general panic after 9/11, the U.S. public was primed to believe in magic.
Investors were then told fantastical things by the Bush administration about how it had devised an entirely new approach to a terrible scourge and how it would eliminate evil. These promises were framed in terms of American exceptionalism, the mystique of special operations, the uncanny accuracy of armed drones, and the mysteries of counterinsurgency warfare decoded and applied by uniformed wizards.
This seduction often involved mystical and even incomprehensible ideas about why the original scheme was viable and would pay off. In 2001, Richard Armitage, then-President George W. Bush’s deputy secretary of state, exemplified this mumbo-jumbo in his comments to the head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, who had tried to explain to him the complex history of the region, saying that “no, the history begins today.”
Centuries of life in the valleys and mountains that became Pakistan in 1947—amid an exodus and religious pogroms that killed at least 500,000 people—were rendered irrelevant by the entry of the U.S. military into Afghanistan in 2001. The magical assumption was that Pakistan’s military and intelligence elite would not pursue their own national interests—as they defined them—which, of course, included continuing to support the Taliban and to provide safe havens across Pakistan’s 1,660-mile border with Afghanistan.
.....
Gautam

[Ambar]

Wonder how many Indians are similarly stuck. News seems hard to get out now that most people have left the country.

Taliban holding Americans hostage

At this point i am not even sure if we have or ever had a Afghanistan policy . Everyone and their uncle has their fingers in the pie, from Pakistan to Qatar to US, UK, Turkey, Iran, China, Russia, Uzbekistan etc except India. The way we had to seek US and Qatar's help to evacuate our consulates shows that we were unprepared and did not have sound intel, and now that Panjshir is close to falling and everyone is trying to make some sort of a deal, India is found practicing its signature "strategic restraint" again . I can maybe understand it is difficult logistic wise to assist the northern alliance, but why let pakis get away so easy ? We should be lighting up the loc. If the news of paki drones killing Fahim Dashty and Abdul Wadood are true then our absolute "do nothing" policy becomes even more questionable.

[AshishA]

^^We should have put pressure on LOC since the starting for Taliban offensive, not have ceasefire with Pakis while they help put their Taliban buddies.

[Deans]

At this point i am not even sure if we have or ever had a Afghanistan policy . Everyone and their uncle has their fingers in the pie, from Pakistan to Qatar to US, UK, Turkey, Iran, China, Russia, Uzbekistan etc except India. The way we had to seek US and Qatar's help to evacuate our consulates shows that we were unprepared and did not have sound intel, and now that Panjshir is close to falling and everyone is trying to make some sort of a deal, India is found practicing its signature "strategic restraint" again . I can maybe understand it is difficult logistic wise to assist the northern alliance, but why let pakis get away so easy ? We should be lighting up the loc. If the news of paki drones killing Fahim Dashty and Abdul Wadood are true then our absolute "do nothing" policy becomes even more questionable.

I'm not sure if there is something we could or should do now, or if there was anything wrong with our Afghan policy. We recognised the legitimate govt of Afghanistan. We earned some goodwill with soft power and whatever development work we did - work that was apparently more useful and with less corruption compared to the US.
We did not send a military force to Afghanistan, so our military isn't retreating like NATO & US.
Every country evacuating its citizens from Afghanistan has cooperated with each other. I think we have managed a complex logistical task quite efficiently.
If no other country is, as of now, helping the northern Alliance or attacking Pakistan, I don't see why we should be the exception. It will simply get the jihadis focused on us as their sole enemy. Our best bet is that they act like ISIS and export militant Islam, first to Pak and then get the West concerned enough - with their treatment of women, drug operations, sheltering of other Islamist groups etc, to act with us to start undermining the regime.

[Deans]

^^We should have put pressure on LOC since the starting for Taliban offensive, not have ceasefire with Pakis while they help put their Taliban buddies.

People suggest that we light up the LOC, or variants of that theme. India and Pak have rough parity along the LOC. If we attack them after agreeing to a ceasefire, we take the same level of casualties they will. More importantly, China can take advantage and we will be seen as irresponsible. Since the ceasefire, infiltration and terrorist incidents have been at their lowest for a decade. If we can get to winter, without the Chinese doing anything more, we would have enough time to strengthen our infrastructure in the East (East Ladakh) to deter the Chinese in future, while using the winter to strengthen our positions on the LOC and neutralise the militants in the valley (its almost reached a point where the local insurgency is dead).
Domestically, we need to get past Covid and to double digit GDP growth.
Of course, we can't trust Pak and I would expect that next season there will be renewed infiltration led by Taliban fighters. We need to use the ceasefire to be better prepared for them.

[Manish_P]

^ +1

Could you list the main items required on urgent basis (where we are deficient) to strengthen our defence - primarily against infiltration and also against Pak army providing cover fire to aid infiltration.

Basic items like BPJs, NVGs, IR/Thermal wide area scanners, Small arms (assualt rifles, DMRs and LMGs), Ammunition, Mortars, Carl Gustafs/RPGs.

And now importantly anti-drone systems. Right from the basic jugaads of LMGs rigged as ultra-light AADs, to jammer and specialist hard kill systems.

[Pratyush]

WRT, Indian Afghanistan policy. I remember many Indian observers stating that if the Americans left. We would be out on the next aircraft.

So that being the case, an not really surprised at what happened. To me the only surprise is when things happened.

It's time to hunker down for the long haul and develop a very thick skin.

If people are thinking about our ability to trade with the central Asian republics. I will not worry so much about that.

Sooner rather than later the Taliban will get into a fight with PRC. Once that happens our opportunity will come.

[nam]

The only silver lining is that the cavemen are now in the open. An insurgency can now target their units and leaders. Just like Pak, a Tajik drone can drop something on the HQ...

We should atleast make sure Afghanistan has access to internet in some form. More the atrocities of the cavemen are shown to the world, difficult it will become for the western countries to support them.

Regarding Pak, I am seeing lot of hue & cry on teetar about Pak's involvement. Now they are saddled with a failed state and getting a bad PR. Afghanistan is now a open field for trouble.

[nachiket]

People suggest that we light up the LOC, or variants of that theme.

I really doubt whether it would have made any difference. The pakis weren't fighting the ANA themselves. They have more than enough talibunnies to do that. Not that there was much fighting anyway looking at how meekly they surrendered except for the small group holed up in Panjshir which is basically the remnants of the erstwhile Northern Alliance. The new ANA which the Americans created folded up as soon as the US soldiers started leaving. Americans are absolute shit at setting up and training local forces in the areas they occupy. Nothing we could have done to fix that.

[Deans]

People suggest that we light up the LOC, or variants of that theme.

I really doubt whether it would have made any difference. The pakis weren't fighting the ANA themselves. They have more than enough talibunnies to do that. Not that there was much fighting anyway looking at how meekly they surrendered except for the small group holed up in Panjshir which is basically the remnants of the erstwhile Northern Alliance. The new ANA which the Americans created folded up as soon as the US soldiers started leaving. Americans are absolute shit at setting up and training local forces in the areas they occupy. Nothing we could have done to fix that.

Exactly. They did not pull out any of their formations from the LOC after the ceasefire. The Taliban leadership are officers and JCO's seconded from the Pak army (some JCO's may be retired), or from the Frontier corps, which is largely a Pashtun force. The actual Taliban foot soldiers are illiterate Madrassa youth, local unemployed Afghans, or criminal elements. 90% of the ANA are also functionally illiterate and paid less.

[Deans]

The only silver lining is that the cavemen are now in the open. An insurgency can now target their units and leaders. Just like Pak, a Tajik drone can drop something on the HQ...

We should atleast make sure Afghanistan has access to internet in some form. More the atrocities of the cavemen are shown to the world, difficult it will become for the western countries to support them.

Regarding Pak, I am seeing lot of hue & cry on teetar about Pak's involvement. Now they are saddled with a failed state and getting a bad PR. Afghanistan is now a open field for trouble.

Internet penetration has happened, at least in the major cities. Probably the only unifying factor among various ethnic groups is Bollywood. Indian soft power has made decent inroads into Afghanistan - though, as many here have warned, it does not mean we open up to Afghan refugees, or provide aid.
AIR has a Baluchi service and a Pashto service is on the cards (should have started years ago).

[Haresh]

BBC shuts down senior academic when she talks about how Pakistan has harboured and nurtured terrorists

https://www.opindia.com/2021/09/bbc-pak ... tine-fair/

[Ambar]

BBC shuts down senior academic when she talks about how Pakistan has harboured and nurtured terrorists

https://www.opindia.com/2021/09/bbc-pak ... tine-fair/

The "senior academic" is our Fair madam. Shutting people down who counter her arguments or stooping to downright profanity and name calling in debates has been her trait for years now, so karma and all that. All that aside she was absolutely bang on about Pakistan's role in the Afghanistan debacle. BBC and Al Jazeera are two sides of the same coin, the propaganda arms of their governments. Is it any surprise that when Al Jazeera international was formed, the first thing they did was poach reporters and hosts from BBC !

[vimal]

A lot of talk about goodwill, Bollywood and soft power of India on this thread, seems like the same old woolly headed response to every failure. I won’t be surprised if the recent LoC ceasefire was at the behest of Biden bhaijaan to give pakis space for an orderly chance of managing Taliban advance. Fact is that Pakis have managed to add a massive landmass to their sphere of influence and India could not even take back what’s rightfully her is a sad state to be in. AfPak is just Pak for all practical purposes.

Good thing is with the withdrawal of Khan chacha there is a power vaccum which can be filled with any number of players and can get pretty unstable. I’m not sure what exactly is India’s strategy going forward. A few well placed shots with cruise missiles might have been very useful.

[Ambar]

No one likes to call a spade a spade and everyone especially our babus and mantris try to rationalize our shortcomings through endless "chintan bhaitaks" (one just concluded yesterday in Delhi about Afghanistan). We never really developed or tried to develop much diplomatic, political or intelligence clout in Afghanistan especially after PDP , but now it looks like we have no interest in even making our presence felt in Afghanistan. Not saying the final outcome would have been any different but if our arch enemies are so deeply involved in a conflict, i fail to see how is it smart on our part not to help those who are fighting them ? If PAF is using drones, then arm those who are fighting them to bring down the drones. If PA is sending SSG to fight its way upto Panjshir then make it really really expensive for them. After all, isnt this the same game USSR and China played in Vietnam against US ? US played in Afghanistan against the Soviets, or Russia in Yugoslav wars against EU/US ? Pak army have genocided pakthuns, and if we have failed to capitalize on those emotions then the failure is on us. It is hardly surprising that little countries from Nepal to Lanka to Maldives has no fear of an Indian reprisal when they harm our interests.

[hemant_sai]

Ridiculous reporting by Indian media TV9 -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFTBm1NkEQk

check 0:35 and 4:36 - showing F15 as pakistani jet - This shows level of Indian media - how can such media counter people like RDakait when they don't want to take pain to research, be accountable and provide meaningful information.

[Haresh]

The "senior academic" is our Fair madam. Shutting people down who counter her arguments or stooping to downright profanity and name calling in debates has been her trait for years now, so karma and all that

Do you have any links ? All I have found is her views on pak.

Any info appreciated.

[Ambar]

Our mainstream media including the pro-national ones like Republic and Times Now are bunch of amateurs and clowns ! It was Times Now which first showed a F15 and called it PAF F16, they even tweeted about it and later deleted it ! Now Republic TV is doing one better on Times Now by airing a "exclusive footage" from a video game and calling it PAF drones !

[Ambar]

The "senior academic" is our Fair madam. Shutting people down who counter her arguments or stooping to downright profanity and name calling in debates has been her trait for years now, so karma and all that

Do you have any links ? All I have found is her views on pak.

Any info appreciated.

Follow her on twitter and it wont take you long to see how easily and how often she flies off the handlebar when someone disagrees with her. You can also look up her tweets equating hinduism to islamism, and the usual far left propaganda about RSS = AQ and all that rubbish. She is well known on this forum and in the early part of this century she ironically sounded exactly like her recent nemesis Michael Kugelman speaking almost like the official spokesperson of the ISI. Somewhere when OBL was caught napping in Abbotabad she fell foul with the establishment in pindi and started singing a different tune.

[anupmisra]

At this point I am not even sure if we have or ever had an Afghanistan policy.

India's foreign policy summed up in two words: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

[ldev]

Iran is speaking up about Pakistani involvement in Panjshir:

https://twitter.com/TehranTimes79/statu ... 5296533508

Tehran Times
@TehranTimes79

Iran state-affiliated media
Replying to
@TehranTimes79
#BREAKING
Iran FM Spokesman
@SKhatibzadeh
: The intervention of Pakistan in #Panjshir attacks is currently under examination. Iran considers inter-Afghan talks as the only solution to Afghanistan problem.

Tehran Times
@TehranTimes79
·
9h

Iran state-affiliated media
#BREAKING
Iran FM Spokesman
@SKhatibzadeh
: We are currently examining possibility of foreign intervention in #Panjshir attacks.

Tehran Times
@TehranTimes79
·
9h

Iran state-affiliated media
#BREAKING
Iran FM spokesman
@SKhatibzadeh
: The "martyrdom" of the Panjshir commanders is utterly disappointing. Iran in the strongest way condemns last night's attacks.

Tehran Times
@TehranTimes79
·
9h

Iran state-affiliated media
#BREAKING
Iran FM Spokesman
@SKhatibzadeh
: Afghan history shows that direct and indirect intervention will only result in the defeat of the aggressors.

[Atmavik]

The "senior academic" is our Fair madam. Shutting people down who counter her arguments or stooping to downright profanity and name calling in debates has been her trait for years now, so karma and all that

Do you have any links ? All I have found is her views on pak.

Any info appreciated.

CheckOut her Twitter feed and plenty of YouTube videos

[surinder]

Not sure of her history, but her recent spate of articles have been spot on and quite frank on Pakistan and its terror machine. She deserves our support for this message--a lone messenger in a sea of pro-paki media and academics.

The BBC anchor just accidentally revealed their bias for Pakistan. The state they created is a state they will defend.

Anchors don't argue like the way she did. She should've let Fair speak. But seemed she was determined, or told to be so, to not let strong clear truths about Pakistan be spoken.

[surinder]

We need more reports and details about TSP direct involvement in Panjshir attacks. Why is Uncle silent?

TSP'ians hate Panjshiris. With a passion.

There is a story of Musharraff losing his temper with Amrullah Saleh when he told him that OBL was in TSP near Abbottabad region a decade before he was actually found there by Uncle.

TSP hates those who talk frankly about them. Most Indians leaders haven't been bluntly honest about like Saleh was. Nor our media or our academics.

[ldev]

The BBC anchor just accidentally revealed their bias for Pakistan. The state they created is a state they will defend.

Anchors don't argue like the way she did. She should've let Fair speak. But seemed she was determined, or told to be so, to not let strong clear truths about Pakistan be spoken.

This bias is not confined to this particular anchor/newsreader, Philippa Thomas. A few weeks ago another anchor/newsreader (male) was interviewing another person - male (more prominent than Dr. Fair). I wish that I had recorded that snippet. Unfortunately I have forgotten the name of the anchor as well as the guest. But during that interview, in response to a question the guest specifically said words to the effect, "outside interference by Pakistan is the reason for a lot of the problems in Afghanistan". The anchor responded, "yes outside interference". He never mentioned Pakistan and then ended the interview quickly. It wasn't quite as dramatic as the ending of Dr. Fair's interview but this is now a clear pattern that the BBC has a pro Pakistan bias at least in relation to Afghanistan. At that time I thought it was an oversight that the anchor did not say Pakistan in response to the guest's comments. But now it is clear that BBC anchors are on orders to actively suppress any discussion on Pakistan's interference in Afghanistan.

[Cyrano]

BBC is full of staffers of Paki descent who have wormed their way into the system. Heck if the British cant call out the Paki grooming gangs who horrendously abused their children for decades across the length and breadth of their own land, why are we expecting the decrepit BBC to call out what Pakis are doing in Afghanistan or India?

[nam]

Internet penetration has happened, at least in the major cities. Probably the only unifying factor among various ethnic groups is Bollywood. Indian soft power has made decent inroads into Afghanistan - though, as many here have warned, it does not mean we open up to Afghan refugees, or provide aid.
AIR has a Baluchi service and a Pashto service is on the cards (should have started years ago).

There was a video of a US lady officer, who was telling her deployment experience. The guys who were caught for interrogation, naturally had their phone checked.

All they could find was bollywood songs! "bollywood musical of actress on color fields"

[sanjaykumar]

TSP hates those who talk frankly about them. Most Indians leaders haven't been bluntly honest about like Saleh was. Nor our media or our academics.


Abdul Basit the former Pak high commissioner did reveal that Pakistanis were told to hosh mein ao (Come to your senses). I also have other reason to believe that Indian officials can be brutally frank.

[la.khan]

Today, Mon. 6th Sep. 2021 @ 10 PM IST, I saw Arnab interview Christine Fair over her fracas at the BBC. She said, in her interactions with the British government, MoD, BBC, she found them very hesitant to name pa*is as they may receive a phone call from an MP about agitated voters in his area.

Is the street power of pa*is in Britain so high that the govt and/or media are cautious in naming them in public? Is this the reason all the grooming gangs are referred to as British Asians and not as British pa*is?

[sanjaykumar]

Britain values domestic tranquility.

[kit]

Today, Mon. 6th Sep. 2021 @ 10 PM IST, I saw Arnab interview Christine Fair over her fracas at the BBC. She said, in her interactions with the British government, MoD, BBC, she found them very hesitant to name pa*is as they may receive a phone call from an MP about agitated voters in his area.

Is the street power of pa*is in Britain so high that the govt and/or media are cautious in naming them in public? Is this the reason all the grooming gangs are referred to as British Asians and not as British pa*is?

quote the word Muslim and everyone is on the edge right from NZ to UK. You know they could be terrorists but then.... ( apparently there is no consensus what to do in these situations., but if anyone of those get trigger happy/knife stabbing., shooting them dead seems to be the rule)., even blogs and comments are muted but his does not mean that the whites do not know what is going on., they are wary but muted.

[nachiket]

Today, Mon. 6th Sep. 2021 @ 10 PM IST, I saw Arnab interview Christine Fair over her fracas at the BBC. She said, in her interactions with the British government, MoD, BBC, she found them very hesitant to name pa*is as they may receive a phone call from an MP about agitated voters in his area.

Is the street power of pa*is in Britain so high that the govt and/or media are cautious in naming them in public? Is this the reason all the grooming gangs are referred to as British Asians and not as British pa*is?

BBC like most MSM in US and UK has a very pro-leftist bias. In the UK that means the Labor party politically which has faced electoral disaster in recent times. Pakis/BD's are still a solid Labor votebank there while Labor has been hemorrhaging voters from some other groups so they need to cling on to them for dear life.

[williams]

No one likes to call a spade a spade and everyone especially our babus and mantris try to rationalize our shortcomings through endless "chintan bhaitaks" (one just concluded yesterday in Delhi about Afghanistan). We never really developed or tried to develop much diplomatic, political or intelligence clout in Afghanistan especially after PDP , but now it looks like we have no interest in even making our presence felt in Afghanistan. Not saying the final outcome would have been any different but if our arch enemies are so deeply involved in a conflict, i fail to see how is it smart on our part not to help those who are fighting them ? If PAF is using drones, then arm those who are fighting them to bring down the drones. If PA is sending SSG to fight its way upto Panjshir then make it really really expensive for them. After all, isnt this the same game USSR and China played in Vietnam against US ? US played in Afghanistan against the Soviets, or Russia in Yugoslav wars against EU/US ? Pak army have genocided pakthuns, and if we have failed to capitalize on those emotions then the failure is on us. It is hardly surprising that little countries from Nepal to Lanka to Maldives has no fear of an Indian reprisal when they harm our interests.

Supply Panjshir from where sir? We don't have the logistics infrastructure in place to create a supply route from Tajikistan. Our relationship with Iran is dwindling. Russia is slowly getting aligned with the chinese and are basically fences sitters. Now if we developed such infrastructure in the past 20 years while building dams and libraries we could have used it. But we did nothing of that sort. Right now sitting tight until pieces fall in place is the only option I can think off.

[Amoghvarsha]

Apparently jets flying from Tajikistan are bombing talibunnnies in Panjshir.

[nachiket]

Apparently jets flying from Tajikistan are bombing talibunnnies in Panjshir.

Please provide a link to such news.

[nachiket]

No one likes to call a spade a spade and everyone especially our babus and mantris try to rationalize our shortcomings through endless "chintan bhaitaks" (one just concluded yesterday in Delhi about Afghanistan). We never really developed or tried to develop much diplomatic, political or intelligence clout in Afghanistan especially after PDP , but now it looks like we have no interest in even making our presence felt in Afghanistan. Not saying the final outcome would have been any different but if our arch enemies are so deeply involved in a conflict, i fail to see how is it smart on our part not to help those who are fighting them ? If PAF is using drones, then arm those who are fighting them to bring down the drones. If PA is sending SSG to fight its way upto Panjshir then make it really really expensive for them. After all, isnt this the same game USSR and China played in Vietnam against US ? US played in Afghanistan against the Soviets, or Russia in Yugoslav wars against EU/US ? Pak army have genocided pakthuns, and if we have failed to capitalize on those emotions then the failure is on us. It is hardly surprising that little countries from Nepal to Lanka to Maldives has no fear of an Indian reprisal when they harm our interests.

You cannot compete against someone who has a 2600km border with Afghanistan to supply their pets through. How exactly were we to supply the NA or what's left of them. They were completely surrounded in Panjshir. They couldn't even secure a corridor to Tajikistan. We have zero ways of directly intervening there. And we did do what we can before, when the Ghani govt. was nominally in charge. The Mi-25's we gave to the ANA all flew to Uzbekistan when the Taliban came except for the one which fell into Taliban hands. We invested in infrastructure and had good diplomatic relations with the government which is now in Taliban hands. Even with 20-20 hindsight there is no real plan you can propose which would have made a difference if we had followed it earlier. Now way to get around the unfortunate geographical disadvantage and the fact that the ANA turned out to be a joke.

[chetak]

@BHL 5 Sep

Just received from #PanjshirValley credible informations about: #Pakistan commandos fighting #Massoud’s people; one commander of #SSG on the ground; cobra helicopters in air; few #Pakistani ID left on battlefield; and, in #Kabul, maybe coordinating, Lt Gen Faiz Hamid from #ISI .

via @BHL 5 Sep

[Deans]

The "senior academic" is our Fair madam. Shutting people down who counter her arguments or stooping to downright profanity and name calling in debates has been her trait for years now, so karma and all that

Do you have any links ? All I have found is her views on pak.

Any info appreciated.

Fair Didi is well known on this forum. I think our relationship with her should be strictly transactional. Once a favorite of GHQ Rawalpindi, she's currently going through a Pak bashing phase. Enjoy while it lasts.

[Cain Marko]

Do you have any links ? All I have found is her views on pak.

Any info appreciated.

Fair Didi is well known on this forum. I think our relationship with her should be strictly transactional. Once a favorite of GHQ Rawalpindi, she's currently going through a Pak bashing phase. Enjoy while it lasts.

Just saw her interview on wion. One thing that caught my attention was the statement that TSP conducted air strikes in Panjshir in supporting taliban forces. WTF

What is all the more galling is that pos like tsp punches so much above its weight while a country like India that has 10x the heft won't attempt anything of the sort.