Lahore police arrest Sri Lanka cricket team attackers
Copied to here 6th April 2011 from 'Terrorist Attacks in Pakistan' thread.
Hat tip to Circling the Lion's Den, a story I've not seen reported elsewhere, despite the prominence of the original attack, in March 2009:
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Police in Lahore, Pakistan, have announced that another six members of the gang that attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team in March 2009 have been arrested following a tip-off.
Link:http://circlingthelionsden.blogspot....a-cricket.html
Note Circling is not persuaded those arrested are TTP, preferring LeT. There's also the reported arrest of a Bali bombs suspects (back in October 2002) in Pakistan and his likely transfer to Indonesia. Well-timed arrests due to the cricket match between India and Pakistan.
Now will we see those arrested appear in court charged?
David Cameron pledges 'fresh start' with Pakistan
A BBC report on the PM's visit for talks in Islamabad, sub-titled:
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David Cameron has said he wants a "fresh start" in relations with Pakistan as he offered £650m in aid and better security co-operation.
The most substantial aid is for education:
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The prime minister...also pledged £650m of additional aid for Pakistan's schools system...to help more children go to primary school. He said the four-year package of support would help an extra four million children go to primary schools, train an extra 90,000 teachers and provide six million text books.
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12967819
I doubt this aid to schools will be endorsed by the 'man on the Clapham omnibus' as cuts in spending spread here. Given the weakness of the Pakistani school system, as reported by Owen Bennett-Jones (BBC reporter) who never found a teacher present in any state school he visited, implementation will be messy.
What happened to supporting the civil police, as advocated recently?
Squabbling over who deals
Following on Post 114 and the arrest in Pakistan of a Bali bombing suspect in Pakistan.
Today I noted, hat tip to CLS mailing, there is a viewpoint that the suspect should be handed over to the USA, not Indonesia; see NYT story 'The biggest terrorist catch of the Obama era':http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...PcC_story.html
Compromise on drones for Pakistan?
At he same time as a reported drone strike in North Waziristan (multiple sources and only this:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13167425
Elsewhere Reuters reports:
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The United States will provide Pakistan with 85 small "Raven" drone aircraft, a U.S. military official told Reuters, a key step to addressing Islamabad's calls for access to U.S. drone technology.
Note the Raven:
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can deliver real-time colour or infrared imagery, giving troops on the ground an edge on the battlefield.
Link:http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...73K1TB20110421
Will that be enough for Pakistan?
Hard Power Why Pakistan is so difficult to work with.
Hat tip to FP and an excellent article by Anatol Lieven:http://www.foreignpolicy.com/article...power?page=0,0
Interestingly and contrary much expected opinion he opens with:
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Given this explosive situation, is it really possible for the United States and Pakistan to go on working together against terrorism?
The answer is complicated, but basically it is yes.
Here is one potential agreement, painful to quite a few I'd say:
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In fact, the United States should accept and even welcome continued Pakistani military links to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the terrorist group alleged to be behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks, while holding to the absolute condition that the Pakistani military uses these connections successfully to prevent further LeT attacks on India and, above all, the United States.
Near the end:
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Nonetheless, American policymakers need to remain focused on the most important U.S. goal -- and the official reason that the United States is fighting in Afghanistan -- which is to prevent terrorism in the West.
Now I'd add so other nations and parties to having policy goals. I am not convinced they would all share this goal.
Enjoy.
Supply routes to Afghanistan: another thread
Ray,
There is an earlier thread 'Supply routes to Afghanistan' on:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=6386
Just scrolled through that the alternative routes to Pakistani ports, the two you refer to are limited in capacity and at one time permission existed for only non-lethal items. I am sceptical, despite official statements, that much is coming in from these two northern routes.
What would be interesting and maybe dangerous to know (not for OPSEC reasons) are: a) are non-lethal items now allowed to transit and b) can local, not imported overland POL supplies be provided?
There was contingency planning for adjusting, if not stopping, all UK medevac flights out of Afghanistan during the Icelandic volcanic ash eruption and severe restrictions on medical supplies inwards.
My question is can NATO / partners wage a war in Afghanistan, at present scales of kit and numbers, if Pakistani routes are not available?
I am less concerned about the impact on Pakistani itself.
You did ask:
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What will be the effect on the leverage that Pakistan currently enjoys, the intensity of the Drone attacks, and importantly, on the political health of Pakistan as also the on the activities of the Pakistani Taliban.
The impact of the alternative routes on Pakistani leverage? Significant in the short-term and less as alternatives are used and numbers etc are cut. Drone attacks unaffected. Political health? None, for far wider reasons (another time on that subject). Pakistani Taliban activities? None, that war has very different factors and I am amazed the overland routes have not been attacked more.