Operations in Pakistan’s Tribal Areas
Moderator's Note: An old thread 'Waziristan: campaigning in the past and soon?' has been merged into this thread.
Strategic Design Considerations for Operations in Pakistan’s Tribal Areas: Dust-up along the North-West Frontier by William McCallister at SWJ Blog.
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Ideas as to what constitutes good governance various among individuals, groups and cultures. The current definition of good governance as outlined in a recent report on threats from safe havens and ungoverned areas is a case in point. The report defines governance as the “delivery of security, judicial, legal, regulatory, intelligence, economic, administration, social and political goods and public services, and the institutions through which they are delivered”. The definition implies a social service centric function for government emphasizing “delivery” and distribution of social services. It further implies that only democratic institutions are a safeguard against militancy, extremism and terrorism. Not all cultures view the role and function of government in quite the same way. Tribal society, particularly along the North-West frontier between Pakistan and Afghanistan judges the role and function of effective government quite differently...
Religion can build nations
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Originally Posted by
Ray
One also wonders if religion alone, as its sole raison d’être, can make a nation!
How about Holland? A country that freed itself from Spanish Catholic rule and can be described as a successful country (leaving aside current criticisms of a growing Muslim population). I am no expert on Dutch history, just a quick thought.
Religion is one factor in nation building, potent too.
davidbfpo
Reforming Pakistan's Police
ICG, 14 Jul 08: Reforming Pakistan's Police
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After decades of misuse and neglect, Pakistan’s police force is incapable of combating crime, upholding the law or protecting citizens and the state against militant violence. With an elected government taking over power after more than eight years of military rule, the importance of reforming this dysfunctional force has assumed new importance. Elected representatives will be held accountable if citizens continue to see the police, the public face of government, as brutal and corrupt. The democratic transition could also falter if deteriorating security gives the military a new opportunity to intervene, using, as it has in the past, the pretext of national security to justify derailing the democratic process on the grounds of good governance. Major reforms and reallocation of resources are required to create an effective and accountable police service.....
The 34-page report also provides a decent, if very brief, pre-Musharraf background on the Pakistani police, beginning with the Colonial era and running up from independence in '47.
Scenic Pakistani valley falls to Taliban militants
From the AP:
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The Taliban activity in northwest Pakistan also comes as the country shifts forces east to the Indian border because of tensions over last month's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, potentially giving insurgents more space to maneuver along the Afghan frontier.
Militants began preying on Swat's lush mountain ranges about two years ago, and it is now too dangerous for foreign and Pakistani journalists to visit. Interviews with residents, lawmakers and officials who have fled the region paint a dire picture.
A suicide blast killed 40 people Sunday at a polling station in Buner, an area bordering Swat that had been relatively peaceful. The attack underscored fears that even so-called "settled" regions presumptively under government control are increasingly unsafe.
The 3,500-square-mile Swat Valley lies less than 100 miles from the capital, Islamabad
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...7LLJgD95COON80
FATA - a Most Dangerous Place
Caught sight of this new report, written by a Pakistani analyst and will need a longer read, even a hard copy: http://mtblog.newyorker.com/online/b...ok_low-res.pdf
This seems the best place to add it.
davidbfpo
From 1/27/09 Hujara Online (KhyberWatch.com)
There is growing anti Taliban and al Qaida sentiment evident over recent months and days on the above blog/website. These writers, some high school and college studens in UK, are helping plan a major demonstration against slaughers going on in Northern Pakistan currently, particularly inside Swat.
Thought this snippet might be of interest to you all.
George Singleton
http://www.khyberwatch.com/forums/sh...9199#post59199
Posted by: aimal khan
On: Today 03:22 PM
I am not against Islam as a religion( faith+worship+morality) and spiritual institution but I am totally against the extremist Islam in any shape like Salafis, Ahle hadith, Wahabis, Taliban, Panjpeeris, Ishate tawheed wa Sunna , and some extremist Deobandis. They are one of the most important causes of terrorism in today´s world. Politics of USA are power politics and they desrve it. Muslims used to do the same when they were in power rather worse than USA today as USA is not directly conquering the lands inspite of the necessary resources they have.Muslims started from MAKKAH and MADINA and conquered almost the whole known world to them at that time. Although that time they were not terrorists. they were fighting against their enemies according to all the established rules of war. Todays extremist muslims dont have power and try to fight against their enemies by the tool of terrorism whis is absurd, cruel, unjust and stupid.
All the best,
Global Hujra: A Pakhtun Cyber Land
Kyberwatch, Frontierpost and Other News of Interest
http://asinstitute.org/home.php?page=1
Issue #98 came out by direct e-mail today, 31 Jan 09.
Give it a few days and #98 will be on this website, too, which now only has the Jan. 09 issue.
Site based in Lahore, Pakistan with focus among other things on both Pakistan and Afghanistan, but also on Africa and other areas.
Again, may be of "broadening" interest as we will be dealing more heavily with, perhaps in Pakistan from now on.