Terrorist Islamic Republic of Pakistan - September 15, 2009

pgbhat · Post by **pgbhat** » 12 Oct 2009 05:44

Domestic politics is dictating New Delhi to take a tough stand against Pakistan. Elections are due in Mahrashrata and in some other states before the end of the year. And Congress does not want to convey an impression of being weak and “yielding”. The media has played no less a role in shaping this policy towards Pakistan. In the past it was mostly the politicians who competed in acting tough and belligerent towards each other. Now it is the media that has gone hyper- nationalist in India with nearly a hundred channels, including the regional ones competing to outdo each other in drumming paranoia against the nuclear neighbour. {what does he expect from a democracy} Regrettably a similar phenomenon is occurring in Pakistan. {inserting equal-equal} Any move towards reconciliation is viewed as a concession and subject of severe criticism. Commercial interests of media in India today is an overriding factor influencing and shaping Indo-Pakistan relations.

A more detailed scrutiny will show that long-term economic interests of India are not well served by the current state of tension and uncertainty that surrounds the relationship. The Indian Chamber of Commerce is supposedly unhappy with the overall drop in foreign investment since the Mumbai incident. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also alluded that India has to maintain a consistent 8 to 9 percent GDP growth to overcome poverty and for that peace between neighbours is a prime prerequisite. By not agreeing to commence serious negotiations, New Delhi risks running into a cul-de-sac. The situation in Afghanistan is also being adversely affected by the Indo-Pakistan rivalry, creating instability in the region and accentuating the threat to US and NATO forces. New Delhi may derive sadistic pleasure by being adamant but serves no strategic objective apart from strengthening the hands of the militants.

Pakistan too must show its genuine sincerity by making measurable progress in pursuing the cases against the perpetrators of the Mumbai crime. The snail pace movement of the court cases is giving an impression that Pakistan’s establishment is foot dragging and not willing to move against jihadi elements. The delay in case of Hafiz Saeed may well be due to valid reasons of insufficient evidence but the way Islamabad is projecting its case it provides an opportunity for India to keep Pakistan on the defensive. The best course for Pakistan is to clearly demonstrate to the world that it is determined to dismantle and disarm the jihadi entities in its own national interest. The blowback from these organisations on the society is already severe and it is incompatible in the 21st century in a totally transformed global environment to allow such entities to co-exist with the state. This decision has to come from within Pakistan’s power structure and not as an act of compliance to either the controversial “Enhanced Partnership Act” or as a result of Indian pressure.

Vivek_A · Post by **Vivek_A** » 12 Oct 2009 06:11

pgbhat

talat masood today

Pakistan too must show its genuine sincerity by making measurable progress in pursuing the cases against the perpetrators of the Mumbai crime. The snail pace movement of the court cases is giving an impression that Pakistan’s establishment is foot dragging and not willing to move against jihadi elements. The delay in case of Hafiz Saeed may well be due to valid reasons of insufficient evidence but the way Islamabad is projecting its case it provides an opportunity for India to keep Pakistan on the defensive. The best course for Pakistan is to clearly demonstrate to the world that it is determined to dismantle and disarm the jihadi entities in its own national interest. The blowback from these organisations on the society is already severe and it is incompatible in the 21st century in a totally transformed global environment to allow such entities to co-exist with the state. This decision has to come from within Pakistan’s power structure and not as an act of compliance to either the controversial “Enhanced Partnership Act” or as a result of Indian pressure.

Here's this rat a little over a year ago

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.as ... 2008_pg3_2

Pakistan is unlikely to completely give up the jihadi tool against India unless the Kashmir dispute finds a satisfactory resolution. Washington pays scant attention to Pakistan’s security and strategic concerns either with respect to India or Afghanistan, giving rise to the duality in Pakistani policy looked at with such distrust by the US. Pakistan’s new government will find it relatively easier to shut down jihadi networks and dismantle them in due course based on the future of the Kashmir issue. Given that, India has a major responsibility in stabilising the region.

pgbhat · Post by **pgbhat** » 12 Oct 2009 06:31

Read that Vivek_A it is a change in the mentality BUT see this

This decision has to come from within Pakistan’s power structure and not as an act of compliance to either the controversial “Enhanced Partnership Act” or as a result of Indian pressure.

dude is still worried about H&D, they only understand the language of stick up their musharrafs.

Chinmayanand · Post by **Chinmayanand** » 12 Oct 2009 06:52

Zaid is back...

Zaid on GHQ attack ...

Zaid proposing PAF attack on Indian engineers in Afghanistan ...

pgbhat · Post by **pgbhat** » 12 Oct 2009 06:55

Unhappy hours ---- Nadeem F Paracha
Did not see this posted.

In 2005, while traveling across Holland, Germany and France, the pangs and cravings for desi food struck me in the middle of a busy shopping district in Paris. Luckily, almost at once I was able to spot a restaurant whose doorman was dressed in a traditional Pushtun dress. I don’t exactly remember the name of the place, but on inquiry, I was told it was owned by two middle-aged gentlemen - one an Indian (from Bangalore), and the other a Pakistani (from Lahore).

What’s more, the waiters too were a colorful sub-continental mix: Pakistanis, Indians and Bangladeshis. It was a fantastic environment, and I was able to speak Urdu/Hindi for the first time during my brief stay in a city where people even struggled with English. It was a joy looking at a menu that I could actually understand.

After ordering some biryani, nihari and a couple of rotis, I turned to the drinks section in the menu. I was delighted to note that the restaurant was also offering Indian beer, which I ordered right away

Lighting myself a cigarette, I waited in enthusiastic anticipation. It took just five minutes for the waiter to bring in the beer and lo and behold! I looked at the bottle and it was Murree Beer!

It was a pleasant little surreal moment discovering Pakistani beer in Paris. I at once called back the waiter and asked him what was the name of a Pakistani beer brand doing under ‘Indian Beers’ on the menu?

The middle-aged man was from Pakistan (Punjab), and he gave me a puzzled look: ‘Sorry, what did you say?’ he politely asked.

From Urdu, I switched to Punjabi: ‘Friend, this is a Pakistani beer brand …’

But before I could continue he interrupted: ‘Sir, goras (Caucasians) usually ask for Indian beer … you want an Indian brand?’

‘Absolutely not!’ I said. ‘I love Indian beer, but Murree has its moments too. Ask your bosses to put it under the heading of ‘Pakistani Beer,’ will you?’

A Arun · Post by **A Arun** » 12 Oct 2009 07:17

Today is the 10 year anniversary of Gola's coup!

Vivek_A · Post by **Vivek_A** » 12 Oct 2009 07:21

Just when you thought you had seen it all from E-a-S, this guy takes it to a whole new level of crazy...makes shrill's new hangout seem positively rational..

http://www.pakobserver.net/200910/12/Articles01.asp

In spite of troop surge taking the total to 107000, Gen Stanley McChrystal pleaded for 40,000 additional troops saying that war will be lost if he didn’t get more troops. He wants carte blanche to intensify killings in order to drown popular opposition to US occupation in blood. He vehemently rejected Joe Biden’s plan of reduction of troops and banking more on missiles terming it as unworkable. He has mustered support of Republicans, Blue Dogs, New Democrats and media. Crying over spilt milk, McChrystal among several reasons he listed of Afghanistan getting out of hand, he has once again drummed up ISI-Taliban linkage fed to him by CIA, RAW, RAAM. USA has added Quetta on its hit list on the plea that Afghan Taliban Shura is stationed there. Threat of drone attacks on Quetta is meant to spread fires of insurgency into Pashtun belt as well and to force settlers to abandon the capital city. It is not the alleged linkage of ISI with Taliban that has complicated military situation in Afghanistan but it is continued occupation of Afghanistan together with disruptive role of RAW that has caused extreme turbulence in Pakistan with its spillback effects on Afghanistan. While feeling upset over ISI-Taliban nexus, Chrystal has no compunction over Pakistan specific Indo-US-Israeli axis that has and is causing immense harm to Pakistan. Weapons are still flowing in from Afghanistan for the militants to prevent stabilisation of restive areas. India and Israel are playing the devil’s role to create mistrust between USA and Pakistan by continuously feeding concocted stories and even faking incidents to mar their relations. Anderson Cooper of CNN showed video of snipers (Mossad or Israeli soldiers) killing American soldiers in Iraq in 2006. Purpose was to enrage US troops so that slaughter continues. Both RAW and Mossad are master at false flag operations. Israeli company Rafael has promoted IEDs in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Afghan soldiers are now being trained by Blackwater to kill US soldiers while conducting joint operations so as to justify troop surge.

India established an airbase in Tajikistan which became operational in 2007 and where 14 Indian MiG-31 bombers are parked.

—The writer is Rawalpindi based defence, security analyst and author of several books.

pgbhat · Post by **pgbhat** » 12 Oct 2009 07:28

^^^
They just copy NSN reports and peddle their paper.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 12 Oct 2009 07:33

Pakistan's militants becoming part of same extremist grid - Nirupama Subramanian in The Hindu

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 12 Oct 2009 07:40

Afghan Message to India: Do not be Deterred
Excerpts

The Obama administration told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month that it did not see India’s assistance in Afghanistan as a source of “regional tension” — a charge laid recently by the seniormost U.S. military officer there in a confidential report. Nevertheless, Indian and Afghan officials recognise the need for both countries to tell the American side that Pakistan cannot have a veto over the kind of relationship Kabul wishes to build with New Delhi.

Asked for their view of the Afghan assessment, senior Indian officials told The Hindu that New Delhi was waiting to see what Afghan investigators and the intelligence agencies of other friendly countries were able to turn up. The bomb itself, involving 150 kilos of plastic explosives, was highly sophisticated and more powerful than the device which was used in the July 2008 attack on the embassy.

Closed-circuit television had captured clear images of the Toyota vehicle used by the terrorist.

Although the Taliban officially claimed responsibility for the attack on October 8 by posting a statement in Pashto on its website (shahamat.org), the statement was subsequently deleted from the site.

Afghan agencies are now likely to examine the possibility of the Taliban or Gulbuddin Hikmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami infiltrating a section of the Kabul security establishment.

sum · Post by **sum** » 12 Oct 2009 09:04

Pak ISI station chief in Delhi dies of electrocution

Pak ISI station chief in Delhi dies of electrocution
In a significant development, the Pakistan ISI station chief, MK Afridi, at its High Commission in Delhi got electrocuted “ while drying his hair late Sunday night at his Vasant Vihar residence” and died. His body was taken to Pakistan via Wagah border in the wee hours of morning after intervention at the highest levels.

Government sources told The Indian Express that Pakistan High Commission told the local police that Afridi, who held the post of Counsellor, was electrocuted as he was using a dryer after having bath in the evening at his Vasant Vihar residence. Apparently as no foul play was suspected, no post mortem was conducted. It was at the diplomatic intervention that Pakistan High Commission was allowed to transport the body to Pakistan. It is learnt that the Pakistan High Commission officials took the body via road at 3.00 am this morning and the entourage crossed Wagah around 8.00 am.

Gagan · Post by **Gagan** » 12 Oct 2009 09:12

Great to see that Jahil Hamid is back. He seems fresh from a ISI/Pak Fauj briefing about the various groups in AfPak and the nature of bomb explosions and ownership pattern of those explosions.
How ever as usual his solution to these problems is convoluted and unrealistic, no doubt derived from the strategic brilliance of his Pak Fauj coaches.

CalvinH · Post by **CalvinH** » 12 Oct 2009 09:38

sum wrote:Pak ISI station chief in Delhi dies of electrocution
Pak ISI station chief in Delhi dies of electrocution
In a significant development, the Pakistan ISI station chief, MK Afridi, at its High Commission in Delhi got electrocuted “ while drying his hair late Sunday night at his Vasant Vihar residence” and died. His body was taken to Pakistan via Wagah border in the wee hours of morning after intervention at the highest levels.

It is learnt that the Pakistan High Commission officials took the body via road at 3.00 am this morning and the entourage crossed Wagah around 8.00 am.

Delhi to Amritsar in 5 hours flat....that would be some kind of record on NH1. What was the hurry?

CalvinH · Post by **CalvinH** » 12 Oct 2009 09:40

Vivek_A wrote:Just when you thought you had seen it all from E-a-S, this guy takes it to a whole new level of crazy...makes shrill's new hangout seem positively rational..

http://www.pakobserver.net/200910/12/Articles01.asp

[/b]

India established an airbase in Tajikistan which became operational in 2007 and where 14 Indian MiG-31 bombers are parked.

—The writer is Rawalpindi based defence, security analyst and author of several books.

amazing facts from author of several books

Malayappan · Post by **Malayappan** » 12 Oct 2009 09:44

"Pak ISI station chief in Delhi dies of electrocution"

Is there such a designation? Or it is just Indian Counterintelligence telling 'we know!'?

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 12 Oct 2009 09:53

Aha. . .now we know why GHQ attack happened

The security of the GHQ situated in the thickly-populated area of Rawalpindi stood exposed yet another time in the wake of the Saturday’s terrorist attack on it.

Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani halted the construction of the new GHQ in the federal capital last year when the federal government declined to provide assistance for the building of the complex in Islamabad under the pretext of economic meltdown. The armed forces and the federal government would review the decision to shelve the GHQ construction next month so that its construction might be restarted without any further delay.{And, everybody will make money}

The planned GHQ in Islamabad would fulfill the criteria’s of the new and secure GHQ, the sources said.{The security breach is all design fault, you see. That's why a new complex is needed. AoA}

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 12 Oct 2009 09:57

Sacking of two top men delayed after GHQ attack - Hamid Mir

The GHQ attack saved, at least, two top players of the present set-up from being sacked for creating misunderstanding between the Army and the President House.

It was decided in a high-level meeting on Friday that these two men, considered close to the president, would be sacked from their jobs. The decision had also been conveyed to the Army leadership. However, the attack on the GHQ delayed the implementation of the decision for some time.

According to the sources, the US authorities actually want to clip the wings of the ISI because they consider the spy agency a threat to their objectives against the nuclear programme. It’s learnt the Army high command wants action against all those who facilitated DynCorp secretly and illegally for establishing its network in Pakistan, which is not aimed against the Taliban and al Qaeda but to break Pakistan’s nuclear security.

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 12 Oct 2009 10:01

One of the two men is Husain Haqqani. Accused of being complicit in the Kerry-Lugar affair thereby "creating misunderstanding between the Army and the President House". Maleeha Lodhi was expected to replace him. He might be off for a few days, but if the takleef over K-L continues, it is only a matter of weeks before he is sent packing.

Rangudu · Post by **Rangudu** » 12 Oct 2009 10:07

Haqqani and Rehman Malik are the two people in question. Haqqani is toast barring a US attempt to save him.

Gagan · Post by **Gagan** » 12 Oct 2009 10:17

Haqqani has been a eyesore for the Paki establishment. More so after his book in which he says 'The ISI is pushing the Al Qaida to expand its activities in Indian held Kashmir'

Haqqani has got a breather at most, his fate is sealed.

kittoo · Post by **kittoo** » 12 Oct 2009 10:21

Malayappan wrote:"Pak ISI station chief in Delhi dies of electrocution"

Is there such a designation? Or it is just Indian Counterintelligence telling 'we know!'?

Hmmmmm........

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 12 Oct 2009 10:36

GHQ Attackers Were Ex-Military

Again, what if those guarding nukes also become defectors?

Avinash R · Post by **Avinash R** » 12 Oct 2009 10:45

sum wrote:Pak ISI station chief in Delhi dies of electrocution
Pak ISI station chief in Delhi dies of electrocution
In a significant development, the Pakistan ISI station chief, MK Afridi, at its High Commission in Delhi got electrocuted “ while drying his hair late Sunday night at his Vasant Vihar residence” and died. His body was taken to Pakistan via Wagah border in the wee hours of morning after intervention at the highest levels.

Government sources told The Indian Express that Pakistan High Commission told the local police that Afridi, who held the post of Counsellor, was electrocuted as he was using a dryer after having bath in the evening at his Vasant Vihar residence. Apparently as no foul play was suspected, no post mortem was conducted. It was at the diplomatic intervention that Pakistan High Commission was allowed to transport the body to Pakistan. It is learnt that the Pakistan High Commission officials took the body via road at 3.00 am this morning and the entourage crossed Wagah around 8.00 am.

To be read along with this news.

ISI agent found shot dead in Nepal hotel

Piyush Srivastava
Lucknow, October 7, 2009

Abdul Majid Siddiqui alias Majid Manihar, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agent wanted by the Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra Police for supplying counterfeit currency notes and illegal arms in India, was found dead in a Nepal hotel on Tuesday.

Majid was found shot dead in the Nepalganj area of Banke district, about 8 km from UP's Bahraiajid, which was his native place. He was said to be close to Paras, the controversial erstwhile prince of Nepal, Mirza Dilshad Beg, a criminal-turned MP of Nepal who was killed in 1998, and mafia don Dawood Ibrahim, said to be in Pakistan under the ISI's protection.

At a press conference on Tuesday, additional director general of UP Police Brijlal said Majid had become a threat to his ISI bosses. He was gunned down by two of his aides.

While Majid had been staying in the hotel for the past few days, two of his friends and the suspected ISI agents joined him two days ago.

"The ISI decided to get Majid eliminated because he had turned dangerous for them. After his son's arrest by the Indian and Nepal police, they were worried he would spill the beans in exchange for the youth's release," Brijlal said. "It is clear the ISI is behind his killing. We are awaiting more information."

A close aide of King Gyanendra, he was allegedly privy to the secret behind the shootout in King Bijendra's Kathmandu palace on June 1, 2001. Bijendra, queen Aiswarya and prince Dipendra were killed in that shootout. Majid, the ISI reportedly feared, would surrender in India and reveal all his associates and their activities.

According to a police officer from Bahraich, Majid had broken down after his son Javed Siddiqui alias Vicky Manihar was arrested on August 28. Vicky was nabbed in a joint operation by the anti- terrorism squad (ATS) of the UP Police, Bahraich police and Nepal's Banke police.

Sources said Majid had tried to strike a deal for Vicky's release.

However, he later decided to own up to all the crimes, including those committed by Vicky.

Vicky reportedly told the ATS that his father was not only working for King Gyanendra and his son Paras but also for the ISI. "Ever since I can remember, he had been supplying counterfeit Indian currency.

Looks like an attempt to erase evidence that may expose the fake indian currency that is being pumped into india by pakistan.
Since this afridi was the isi station chief, he would the main man giving directions to people like "vicky".

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 12 Oct 2009 10:49

Satya_anveshi · Post by **Satya_anveshi** » 12 Oct 2009 11:05

K-L bill is actually a document of surrender

The purpose of nuclear buildup is not to counter Chinese threat, which is not there, but to render Pakistan impotent.

The Kerry-Lugar bill has a clause wherein Pakistan will not only prevent proliferation of nuclear-related material and expertise but will also dismantle supplier networks relating to nuclear expansion of nuclear stockpile.

The US will not provide any assistance that may help in expanding nuclear stockpile.

It implies that Pakistan will be debarred from undertaking any kind of upgradation of its nuclear assets, even from its own resources. It is widely seen as a document of surrender.

ASIF HAROON RAJA

Rawalpindi

kittoo · Post by **kittoo** » 12 Oct 2009 11:06

Self delete. Double post. Damn power cuts!

arun · Post by **arun** » 12 Oct 2009 13:00

sum wrote:Pak ISI station chief in Delhi dies of electrocution

Was going to X Post that from the ISI thread but you beat me to the draw

.

harbans · Post by **harbans** » 12 Oct 2009 13:06

On handing over the body of the ISI 'station chief', is it proper to to do so in such a hurry? What if Paki's conduct their own PM and say he was murdered in Delhi and create a perfectly avoidable diplomatic incident. Paki's have a lot of capability in the PR dept to make all the sort of 'appropriate' noises to embarrass India. Indian diplomatic staff in Pakistan and elsewhere should be careful. These people might actually try and murder some to do an 'equal equal' of sorts.

Suppiah · Post by **Suppiah** » 12 Oct 2009 13:13

kittoo wrote:
Malayappan wrote:"Pak ISI station chief in Delhi dies of electrocution"

Is there such a designation? Or it is just Indian Counterintelligence telling 'we know!'?
Hmmmmm........

I think they may be telling each other if not openly, at least under table because otherwise if caught doing something nasty it is gallows

shravan · Post by **shravan** » 12 Oct 2009 13:20

Blast rocks north-west Pakistan

At least six people have been killed in an explosion in the Shangla district near the Swat valley in north-west Pakistan, officials say.

The explosion hit a market close to a police station in Alpurai, reports say.

---
At least 4 security personnel killed in Shangla blast: police

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 12 Oct 2009 14:06

25 die in another blast in Shangla
Same as the fist blast Shravan has reported above; but death toll has rapidly risen.

Twenty-five persons have been killed in a blast occurred in tehsil Alpuri of Shangla district, MPA Fazullah said.

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 12 Oct 2009 14:10

Pak court dismisses case against 26//11 accused Hafiz Saeed

This was expected all along! Now what is GoI going to do!

“Anti-terror law does not apply to Saeed,” the high court said while dismissing the case.

sum · Post by **sum** » 12 Oct 2009 14:13

harbans wrote:On handing over the body of the ISI 'station chief', is it proper to to do so in such a hurry? What if Paki's conduct their own PM and say he was murdered in Delhi and create a perfectly avoidable diplomatic incident. Paki's have a lot of capability in the PR dept to make all the sort of 'appropriate' noises to embarrass India. Indian diplomatic staff in Pakistan and elsewhere should be careful. These people might actually try and murder some to do an 'equal equal' of sorts.

Absolutely....Indian embassy staff in Isloo better be careful, esp the "cultural secretaries" and "political counselors" (not that they aren't already)...
Good that lots of anti-Indian folks are getting bumped off in last few days..GHQ folks, Nepali Paki pigs, now station chief in Delhi.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 12 Oct 2009 14:32

tsriram wrote:Pak court dismisses case against 26//11 accused Hafiz Saeed
“Anti-terror law does not apply to Saeed,” the high court said while dismissing the case.

The case against him was for the exhortation to jihad and for collecting funds by a banned organization. It would be interesting to see what the learned judge said about those two charges.

In BRf, we had said that Hafeex Saeed's line of argument would be 'jihad' was 'jihad al nafs' and not 'jihad al saif' and JuD was not banned at all.

shravan · Post by **shravan** » 12 Oct 2009 15:00

SSridhar wrote:25 die in another blast in Shangla
Same as the fist blast as reported above; but death toll has rapidly risen.

Attack on Market in Pakistan Kills at Least 40

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A suicide car bomber attacked a military vehicle in a crowded market in northwest Pakistan on Monday, killing at least 40 people and wounding dozens more, police and hospital officials said.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 12 Oct 2009 15:33

http://enduringamerica.com/2009/10/10/a ... n-embassy/

Afghanistan: Was Pakistan’s Intelligence Service Involved in Attack on Indian Embassy?

Posted by: Scott Lucas in Afghanistan, India & Pakistan

Editor’s Note: Josh Mull send this in on Thursday night, 15 hours after the bombing in front of the Indian Embassy in Kabul. We were caught up with other stories, and we also wanted to see if developments supported his theory. An hour ago, this emerged: “Afghan Ambassador to the US, Said T Jawad has claimed Pakistan’s spy agency ISI was behind the suicide bomb blast at the Indian Embassy in Kabul on Thursday, which claimed 12 lives and injured over 80 people. Jawad said that there is enough evidence at the ground level to suggest that ISI was behind the attack.”

Could Pakistani intelligence be linked to this attack? First we have some clues on the operational capability of the perpetrators: “The assailant in a car managed to enter the neighbourhood despite stringent security arrangements put in place. The 500-metre road stretch has been barricaded for a year in the wake of a deadly suicide assault on the Indian Embassy.”

Further details came from an analyst via Twitter:

Vehicle was apparently a Lexus, to circumvent checkpoints there. Reportedly a VBIED [vehicle-delivered improvised explosive device] against National Directorate of Security (NDS) hospital, next to the Ministry of the Interior. More specifically, the blast was between the MoI, NDS hospital and Indian Embassy. That road is normally blockaded.

Photographs of the vehicle used for the attack indicated it’s a larger car, too small for an industrial vehicle or truck. This lends credence to the Lexus theory although it’s not 100% solid.

This was a well-funded and well-coordinated attack. It would not be impossible for the Taliban to accomplish something like this, but it would take a long, long time and extensive resources to spare. On top of that, some considerable luck would be involved getting past the layers of security. Luck or (abnormally expensive) bribery.

Did the attackers have help? For that we have a bit more information:

A number of Indian mission employees were among the casualties, a spokesman for the militant movement told Pajhwok Afghan News over the telephone from an undisclosed location.

Zabihullah Mujahid said Khaled, a resident of Paghman district, carried out the attack on the embassy. At least 35 Afghan and international security personnel were killed and several others injured in the assault, he claimed.

Right away we can knock out the claim of 35 killed, seeing as how the Taliban did not have any forensic teams in the area, and certainly the perpetrator wasn’t around to do any counting. But the real meat is in the assertion that they managed to kill Indian workers. What does the Islamic Emirate of the Taliban care about a handful of Indians when they just wiped out 35 (their claim) security personnel and Minstry of Interior collaborators with the Crusaders? Why make the point?

It could be that Pakistan’s intelligence service ISI was directly involved (acquisition of vehicles, clearances, etc) since they would definitely have the ability to acquire them easier in Kabul than the Taliban would. And they certainly have motive to help: in the last few days the Indian Foreign Minister has expressed the desire to negotiate with the Taliban as well as India’s support for a continued US presence in Afghanistan. A report leaked to Indian papers on Wednesday detailed a supposed plot by ISI to infiltrate Taliban fighters into Kashmir and India. (http://www.zeenews.com/news568886.html).

That leaves me stuck with two theories. Either this was an extremely sophisticated and devastating attack by the Taliban against the Ministry of Interior, or it was a terribly ineffective attack by the Taliban and ISI against the Indian embassy and/or Indian personnel. Nothing I’ve listed is enough to confirm either theory, but we do have hints. If anyone can add to this, please do so.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 12 Oct 2009 16:20

x post

Pak sends a message via Kabul bomber Attacks, outside and inside

The second suicide attack on the Indian mission in Kabul in 15 months will strengthen a partisan view at the CGO Complex off New Delhi’s Lodhi Road, the seat of India’s external intelligence agency, that the terrorist attack on Mumbai last November was actually Pakistan’s answer to India for regressing on the progress made over several years towards resolving Kashmir in detailed talks with General Pervez Musharraf, both by the NDA and UPA governments.

Such a view is based on an assessment that Pakistan considerably dismantled its terrorist infrastructure against India, particularly across the Line of Control in Kashmir, during the Musharraf years, but has not been rewarded in any significant way by the political process in New Delhi aimed at redressing Islamabad’s perceived grievances on bilateral relations.

Between November last year and now, the establishment at the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and elements in the Prime Minister’s Office and the cabinet secretariat with intelligence backgrounds have strenuously tried to put the lid on this view, which has serious ramifications for New Delhi’s Pakistan policy.

Today’s attack in Kabul will, however, reinforce this view, albeit in whispers in intelligence circles. Because it has come 10 days after Krishna took a tough line at his meeting with Qureshi, the suicide bombing will be seen as a warning to India not to go back, once again, on the process started by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart in Sharm-el-Sheikh in July to restart their bilateral dialogue.

Pakistan clearly sees Krishna’s stand at his meeting with Qureshi as tantamount to rolling back the Sharm-el-Sheikh process.

When Qureshi emerged with Clinton yesterday to speak to reporters, he was almost fatalistic about India and had low expectations. “The meeting that I had with Mr Krishna... was, in my view, a positive meeting, a constructive meeting. And being a politician, I can read between the lines and I can tell you I got positive vibes, because my message was positive, my engagement was positive, my intentions are positive.... Obviously, he is going to go back and consult with the leadership in Delhi and we will take it from there. But I have suggested a way forward.”

The attack in Kabul, which has all the hallmarks of an ISI-inspired plot, is also a warning to Pakistan’s civilian leadership not to compromise its interests in Afghanistan and in bilateral relations with India amid signs of a deterioration in cordiality between the Pakistan army and the government of President Asif Ali Zardari.

The attack was executed a day after foreign secretary Nirupama Rao made a policy speech on Afghanistan at a meeting in New Delhi outlining India’s priorities in Kabul.

Neshant · Post by **Neshant** » 12 Oct 2009 16:23

boom!

----------
Blast near Pakistan's Swat valley kills 32

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/0910 ... s_pakistan

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A suspected suicide bomber killed 32 people in an attack on the Pakistani military on Monday as the Taliban claimed responsibility for a weekend raid on the army's headquarters.

arun · Post by **arun** » 12 Oct 2009 17:08

The death toll among the SSG personnel attempting to retake the GHQ of the Pakistan Army has now climbed to 5.

Pretty mediocre performance on the part of the SSG given that the GHQ was held by 5 attackers of whom 4 were killed and 1 captured, who presumably also had to watch their back as they held 39 prisoners from the Pakistan Army who arguably could put up resistence:

3 injured commandos of GHQ security office operation expire

sum · Post by **sum** » 12 Oct 2009 17:20

5 SSG men killed to rescue 40 TFTA TSPA army men who are supposed to be soldiers themselves and should have finished the terrorists the moment external diversion by the SSG was created?

Pretty pathetic effort from the super-duper SSG...