Pakistan Military Makes A Stand

ISLAMABAD – After several months of backroom wheeling and dealing between the United States and the top brass in the Pakistani garrison city of Rawalpindi, Washington has expressed its full trust in Pakistan’s military leadership and its apparatus, including the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which in turn is preparing to fight the next phase in the South Asia war theater.

This will focus on the hunt for high-profile al-Qaeda targets in the Shawal and Datta Khel areas of Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal area, where it is believed Osama bin Laden’s deputy, Dr Ayman Al-Zawahiri, and the shura (council) of al-Qaeda are hiding. Over the past few weeks, the US has stepped up drone attacks in the region.

United States Senator Joe Lieberman, who recently visited Pakistan, confirmed on Sun! day that the Pakistani army “is on the move” and that there is the “possibility the US will see activity in that volatile northern region [North Waziristan]“. Lieberman met with Pakistan’s military chief, General Ashfaq Parvez Kiani.

In the latest drone attack early on Thursday morning, two missile strikes were reported to have killed 10 suspected militants in a compound in the Pasalkot area of North Waziristan. Several days ago, the US said it had killed 12 people at a suspected Talibantraining center about 30 kilometers west of Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan.

In the latter stages of last year, the Pakistan military waged a months-long offensive in South Waziristan against the PakistaniTaliban, with some success. The operation in N! orth Waziristan, however, will concentrate solely on al-Qaeda and its affiliates.

This understanding was reached after some tricky negotiations. The US initially wanted a broader Pakistani campaign, even suggesting that if Pakistan did not cooperate, it would send in its own special forces for ground assaults and mount daily drone strikes inside North Waziristan.

Pakistan argued that its military was stretched as its forces were already committed in Swat, South Waziristan and the agencies of Mohmand, Bajaur and Khyber.

A senior Pakistani security official told Asia Times Online on the condition of anonymity that Pakistan was also reluctant to undertake a full operation in North Waziristan because that region was not a main sanctuary for the Taliban, as is South Waziristan. The official said that the Americans were therefore told that Pakistan’s participation would be limited to the elimination of al-Qaeda and its affiliate groups. At the same time, he hinted at a possible role for Pakistan in facilitating negotiations with the Afghan Taliban.

The recent deadly suicide attack on a US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) base in Khost province in Afghanistan was plotted by al-Qaeda in North Waziristan. (See US spies walked into al-Qaeda’s trap Asia Times Online, January 5, 2009.)

The dispute over the level of Pakistan’s involvement caused bad blood on both sides. At one point, the Pakistani militaryestablishment clamped down on the many American defense contractors in the country, and even American diplomats were forced to tangle with red tape, so much so that the US ambassador, Anne W Patterson, made a public protest.

Nonetheless, this proved to be just another episode in the love-hate relationship between the two allies who both desperately need one another. As a result, ! communication began at new levels. Sources privy to the military establishment say that a major turnaround was the visit late last year of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Islamabad.

Washington conceded that the government of President Asif Ali Zardari had a “credibility deficit” and the only option was to rely on the Pakistan army. The visit of Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, in the second week of December was also a milestone. He returned to Washington and lobbied in favor of the US dealing directly with Kiani.

There followed a string of visits by American military officials and senators, including that of Lieberman, who confirmed that the Pakistan army was the only hope in tackling the troubles in South Asia.

One of the consequences of this is that Washington has informed Islamabad that the term of the director general of the ISI, Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, should be extended. He is due to retire in March. A few months later, Kiani is due to step down, and if Pasha is not reappointed, Pasha will be the next chief of army staff by virtue of his seniority.

Understandably, Zardari’s government initially reacted badly to being snubbed – and dictated to – by the US. A senior member of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), barrister Kamal Azfar, said in a statement that both the CIA and the Pakistani militaryheadquarters aimed to derail democracy in the country. Then throughout the month of December, Zardari and cabinet members spoke out against the military establishment.

The military hit back, and under its pressure Zardari surprised everybody by giving up the chairmanship of the National Command Authority, which controls the country’s nuclear weapons. It is now firmly under the military’s wing.

On December 29, on the second anniversary of the assassination of his wife, Benazir Bhutto, Zardari delivered an inflammatory speech against the military, taking aback even members of his PPP.

Frantic meetings followed between Zardari and go-betweens for the military, resulting eventually in an understanding that the president would take briefs from the army chief on all issues and then speak accordingly.

The military has effectively put Zardari in his place, just as it has got its way with the US over North Waziristan: Washington andthe Pakistani civilian government have no option but to follow the game accordingly.

Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation At Work In Karachi

When the government was absent, Karachi’s patriots and PakNationalists moved and raised Pakistan’s flag across the area, in a message that Pakistan stands firm and proud despite what our enemies, internal and external, are doing to us.

These pictures were sent by Ibne Qassem, from FIF, one of the groups active in the rehabilitation work. We at PakNationalists and PKKH are proud to support the great work of the young men and women at FIF.

There were two distribution points:

1. First camp was at Light House, where we distributed approx 100 packs, and few sewing machines, to some affected tailors.

2. Second camp was at Bolton where approx 450-500 packs were handed out.

CIA Spy Assassin – An Inside Job?

Seven CIA agents were killed by another CIA agent who had conveniently met with and recorded a video with yet another CIA agent. To untangle this web, we need to ask the age-old question – ‘who benefits?’

The recent assassination of seven CIA spies in Afghanistan at the hands of another CIA spy has raised a host of questions about the operations of the infamous agency. Since its creation, the CIA’s history is replete with murder, drug running, false flag attacks and God only knows what else evil for the sake of the ever-expanding American empire. Could it be that the incident at the Afghan spy base is yet another black feather in the agencies cap?

A Jordanian double agent was able to pass through multiple security checks and blow up the spies in Khost with relative ease in what is the most successful attack on the agency in years. Yet questions were immediately raised when the world was told that the Jordanian was due to meet seven high-ranking CIA officers allegedly in order to exchange critical intelligence on the whereabouts of Ayman al Zawahiri – al Qaeda’s number two.

The CIA’s bread and butter business is murder, theft and extortion, and runs counter to all law, natural or man-made. Yet the agency has for the sake of its operational expediency, a few rules which are inviolable. The meeting itself was a violation of CIA protocol, which dictates that agents meet only with their handlers and no one else. The idea that an astonishing SEVEN agents rushed especially to meet the Jordanian goes totally against the agency rule-book. That this meeting could even take place only makes sense if we surmise that it was authorized from the highest echelons of the agency.

In addition, the video that conveniently surfaced afterwards of the Jordanian bomber holding hands with TTP arch-terrorist Hakimullah Mehsud only further muddies the waters. What did the TTP have to do with targeting the CIA, or anything American, when their primary (only) target has always been Pakistani Muslims? Why would the TTP waste time on making MTV videos when they are desperately on the run from the Pakistan Army? After all, the TTP is itself a CIA sponsored and funded outfit. Why are they physically biting the hand that feeds them?

The fact is, the TTP is on the ropes having been eliminated first from Swat, and then South Waziristan. Its rampage of terror against innocent Pakistani civilians has shocked and appalled the population at large who are now convinced that the group must be destroyed at any cost. Having totally much of its public support, operational capability and ability to destabilize the Pakistani state, the TTP has dramatically faded in value as an asset for the CIA. Meanwhile, with the American war in Afghanistan getting worse and worse in terms of tangible results, the CIA is being targeted by a cross-section of the American media for its continual intelligence failures.

Put simply, seven CIA agents were killed by another CIA agent who had conveniently met with and recorded a video with yet another CIA agent. By having the Jordanian kill its own, the CIA bigwigs may have sought to kill the proverbial two birds with one assassin. First, with its agents dead, the CIA was able to mobilize American public support for the American Afghan surge and respect for its ‘sacrifices’. Second, with the bombers TTP connection, the CIA may have hoped that the terrorist group might regain some of its lost credibility amongst the Pakistani people by being affiliated with a successful attack on the ‘hated’ CIA.

The CIA would kill its own agents without any hesitation at all. It has done so often in its sordid history. The sheer ruthlessness with which this terrorist agency conducts its operations is well documented. But this time its scheme flopped. Pakistani opinion was unmoved regarding the TTP and the American media only asked yet more cutting questions of the agency. Yet when the attempt to resurrect the TTP in Pakistan failed, the CIA desperately diverted the issue by planting stories in the US and Indian media of the possibility of the ISI’s involvement in the attack on its spies. Many stories falsely alleged that traces from ISI origin military grade explosives had been found at the scene. Lies upon lies!

Whereas in some places the CIA inspires fear and awe, in Pakistan, it only inspires anger and contempt. The Pakistani people are wise to the chicanery of this devious organization. Through its sponsorship of the TTP and its buy-out of the corrupt political classes, the CIA has openly declared its malicious intent to balkanize, denuclearize and destroy the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

They plot and they plan, but Allah is the best of Planners!

CIA: BUNGLERS OR CON MEN?

The Blackwater operations run from Camp Chapman close to the Pakistani border could have been for anyone, Iran, Israel, India or one of their dozens of clients. Here are some startling revelations.

Were the seven CIA employees killed in the recent terror attack at Camp Chapman in Afghanistan really CIA? Sources now tell us that some were Blackwater operatives, not CIA at all.
Is the CIA and Blackwater one in the same? Are either one or both working for the United States or has the disease of privatization created a culture of greed and incompetence that has left the United States vulnerable and defenseless? Are we simply “out of our depth” in Afghanistan?

WHO IS PULLING THE STRINGS?

Blackwater/Xe is a multinational corporation with endless divisions who, not only work for the CIA but governments and intelligence agencies around the world. No one has ever successfully penetrated their cover organizations to find who they really are or who they really represent. The Blackwater operations run from Camp Chapman could have been for anyone, Iran, Israel, India or one of their dozens of clients.
We don’t know, the CIA certainly doesn’t know, nobody knows. Was the attack that killed Americans an attack on the CIA, an attack on Blackwater or a carryover from a local drug war? All we do know is that everything we have been told is subterfuge and not necessarily meant to serve the intelligence and security interests of the United States of America.
The secret base in eastern Khost province in Afghanistan is in an area convenient to move personnel and “other things” in and out of Pakistan. The base itself is supposed to be designated for the use of USAID, a division of the State Department meant to aid foreign governments but which has been a front for covert operations for decades, one of the worst kept secrets in the world.
The camp itself is guarded by Afghani tribesmen, not US personnel. No information about their ethnic affiliations, training or qualifications is available. However, the idea of a highly secure CIA compound being guarded under such circumstances is an absurdity beyond human comprehension.
American military and civilian operations inside Afghanistan have proven to be utterly incapable of finding any group within Afghanistan to work with that is free of penetration by Taliban elements. Many lives have been lost already from numerous incidents of Afghani military, police and security personnel turning on American allies.

THE REAL FACE OF TERRORISM

The region of Camp Chapman is a staging area for terrorist operations, not only against Americans in Afghanistan but against Pakistan as well. Some of the terrorist groups are working for India and Israel, some for the Taliban and, frankly, most are working for both.
America and the CIA are totally out of their depth, ill informed, uninformed and being played, not only by our supposed Kabul allies, but by India, Israel and our private contractors who are playing both sides against the middle.

BLACKWATER AND PAKISTAN

Camp Chapman, now identified as a Blackwater command post near the Pakistan border has an unclear mission. Continual reports coming out of Pakistan indicate that Blackwater and/or other US contracting firms have become involved in criminal activities and terrorism.
Top Pakistani military analyst, Brigadier General Asif Haroon Raja has tied Blackwater and other US contractors to the assassination of Pakistani army officers, attacks on government installations and ties to terrorist groups who have killed hundreds of civilians.
Raja has indicated that, rather than being employed as CIA contractors in search of high profile terrorists, these contractors are working with, among others Israel and India coordinating terrorist operations meant to destabilize the government of Pakistan, America’s only military ally in the region.
If US contractors are working inside Pakistan, under cover of the CIA but actually serving the intelligence services of India or Israel, primary enemies of Pakistan, but also countries who are doing nothing to aid the US in Afghanistan, this would represent a serious threat to US security.
It has been reported that US personnel have been arrested carrying explosives and weapons near Pakistani nuclear facilities. Are they working for Israel or are they working for Iran? How would we know?

WHAT DRUGS?

Is there a danger in having unsupervised privateer mercenary operators working in the midst of the world’s largest narcotics production area? What if such a company also owned private airlines that can fly from country to country without any supervision by customs or drug enforcement organizations?
With the press filled with reports of organized crime activities tied to mercenary contractors working for the US in Iraq and Afghanistan, reports of murder, drug running, money laundering and arms smuggling, is there some possibility that tying groups involved in these acts to CIA intelligence gathering capabilities a poor strategy for success?
Why are the papers filled with accusations of every imaginable crime from mowing down civilians with automatic weapons to blowing up mosques and yet no mention of the remote possibility of participation in the regions $50 billion plus per year drug industry?
In fact, is participation in drug production, smuggling and related money laundering the only real secret we seem to be keeping?

THE BUSINESS OF FAILURE

America mourns 7 dead citizens, victims of an attack, maybe terrorism, maybe “business,” now uncertain as to who were loyal Americans and who were private contractors working for the highest bidder. CIA secrecy keeps us from knowing our heroic dead. Criminal absurdity keeps us from knowing the truth.
Decades ago, the CIA got involved with the Mafia in an attempt to assassinate Fidel Castro, someone who has outlived everyone sent to kill him.
We are told that we never hear of the successes, only the failures. However, the failures are of such a devastating and catastrophic nature, the communist takeover of Cuba, the fall of Iran and the Iran/Contra scandal, the Chile coup, bungled buddies: Noriega and bin Laden, the Russian coup against Gorbachev, Vietnam, 9/11, the Ames spy case, the Iraq War, Afghanistan and so many others, that the “secret successes” are unlikely to measure up.
What could possibly be done to take a failed organization and make it worse? We only need to sit and watch, you can be assured that everything possible, humanly and otherwise, will be done as it always has.
Is it possible that decades of claimed incompetence and bungling is simply a cover for serving masters other than the United States of America? Can 70 years of consorting with dictators, swindlers, gangsters, war criminals, drug lords and politicians have blurred the CIA’s vision?

Are Hindu Extremists Going To Sabotage This Year’s Commonwealth Games In India?

After reports of threats made by the Hindu Extremist party, Shiv Sena, against the Australian cricket team, the Australian government and media are now very concerned about the safety of their players in India. So they should be. This threat was issued in reaction to incidents of random violent attacks against Indian nationals in some Australian cities. While the concern of the Indian government about the safety of its citizens is justified, it should be noted that Shiv Sena or the Army of Lord Shiva, is the same right wing Hindu extremist political party that has over the past years orchestrated violence against minorities in India, intimidated political opponents and carried out a reign of terror and intimidation against anyone who dares to speak against their hate-mongering leader Mr. Bal Thackeray. Hence if Bal Thackeray has issued a threat against the visitors, it is indeed a worrisome development for the international community in terms of the security of their players during the Commonwealth games which are to be held in India this year. There is a long list of heinous acts of violence that have been perpetrated by Hindu extremist parties like Shiv Sena for decades in India.

Apart from a history of genocide against Muslims, more than 2500 Muslims were massacred in 2002 in the Indian state of Gujarat where horrible scenes of arson, mutation and rape were perpetrated by the Hindu extremists against the unarmed Muslims. However, the hatred of the Hindu extremists is not limited towards Muslims; As recently as 2009 there have been violent attacks and alleged “reconversion” of over 1,700 Christians in the week leading up to Christmas by Hindu extremists. Something similar happened in August 2008 when around 600 Christians became victims of violent attacks by Hindu Extremists in Eastern India. It is noteworthy that Shiv Sena, the party that has issued threats against the Australian cricketers, is also one of the main military wings of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu extremist organization that influences the policies of every single political party in India, be it BJP, Congress or any other. In a recent talk show, RSS spokesman Tarun Vijay dubbed Australians as the “most atrocious and horrendous racists on this planet”. It is indeed ‘atrocious’ that this statement came from an organization that leads all the Hindu extremists groups, which are many and are mushrooming into newer and deadlier groups, and adhere to the violent ideology that Hinduism is the only religion and culture acceptable for humanity and that it is perfectly legitimate to use violence as means to achieve their goals. Perhaps, this is the reason why some officials in Australia are already sounding the alarm and casting doubts on Australia’s participation in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Sunshine Coast swimmer Nick D’Arcy alleged that he has been told by Swimming Australia insiders that the 2010 Commonwealth Games may have to be abandoned due to security concerns. Apparently, it’s not just the Aussies who are feeling the heat. England too, is seriously considering pulling out of this year’s Commonwealth Games in India over fears its athletes will be victims of a terrorist attack, only this time the threat is from India’s home-grown Hindu fanatics.

This threat also puts the thousands of Australian and other foreign professionals currently working or residing in India in a very risky position, for it is likely that in such a situation they might be targeted by this politically and ideologically motivated bunch of Hindutva activists. A recent cartoon, likening the Victorian police with the Ku Klux Klan shows the extremes to which the Indian media has gone to portray the incidents in Australia in a racial light. Therefore, a little urging from the likes of Bal Thackeray will be enough to set off mobs of inflamed and angry right wing militants seeking ‘revenge’ on the visitors. The extent of this concern can be determined by the reports that the Australian athletes participating in the Commonwealth games, if (and that is a big If) they are held in India at all, will be accompanied by members of the Australian Federal Police. If this happens, it will be a complete embarrassment for the Indian government as it would be a clear indication that it is entirely incapacitated and helpless before the right wing Hindu extremists.

The international community should perhaps seriously weigh in on the options that they have in terms of holding the Commonwealth games in another country as the simmering tensions between India and Australia, especially in view of the threats issued by Shiv Sena set a dangerous precedent for all those attending the games. Adding to this threat is the havoc that Maoist rebels are creating inside India along with several other separatist movements by rebel groups in the North East. The country is fast turning into a dangerous cocktail of Right Wing Hindu extremism and unrest among the minorities that have been long-oppressed by the Brahmin ruling elite. It would only be rational and responsible on behalf of all the relevant governments to think twice before sending their athletes to what is fast turning into one of the most dangerous places in the Sub-Continent for non-Hindus

‘In just 3 yrs, Islamist Pak will dump West’

London: Pakistan is likely to become a more Islamist state and increasingly anti-American in the coming years, complicating US efforts to win its support against Islamist militants, a report released on Tuesday said.

The report, which looks at Pakistan over a one-to-three year time horizon, rules out the possibility of a Taliban takeover or of it becoming the world’s first nuclear-armed failed state. “Rather than an Islamist takeover, you should look at a subtle power shift from a secular pro-Western society to an Islamist anti-American one,” said Jonathan Paris, who produced the report for the Legatum Institute, a London-based think tank.

Paris forecasts that Pakistan is most likely to “muddle through”, with its army continuing to play a powerful role behind the scenes in setting foreign and security policy. “Speculation of a Taliban takeover dramatically overestimates the willingness of the political and military elites to surrender power to the Taliban,” says the report, the result of months of research on the outlook for Pakistan.

Paris, who also works for the Atlantic Council of the US, nonetheless sees Pakistan slipping away from the west at a time when Washington needs its support in Afghanistan. “US and UK leverage over Pakistan is not growing. It is decreasing. Pakistani society is moving toward anti-Americanism and toward more sharia law,” says Paris.

The rising influence of Islamist political parties and of militant groups in its Punjab province will slowly transform Pakistan by exploiting local grievances. “The danger for the army, and for Pakistan generally, is not Talibanisation but Islamisation from Punjabbased militants and their allies,” the report says.

2010 dawns, but Delhi unprepared for Commonwealth Games

NEW DELHI: Delhi steps into the year of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) struggling to battle infrastructural delays, unending construction work and unimaginable traffic snarls.

The Oct 3-14 Games will have 17 disciplines to be organised at six venue clusters and five stand-alone stadiums in the metropolis. Yet, not a single venue is anywhere near completion.

Work at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies, is way behind schedule and India’s sports minister announced on Monday that it will be ready only in June. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has admitted the slow pace of work is making her nervous.

Over 100,000 visitors are expected during the Games and there is a big shortfall in the number of rooms ready for them. As against 40,000 rooms required, only 10,000 rooms are available. The tourism ministry is trying to rope in budget hotels and guest houses near the New Delhi Railway Station and the suburbs. A clearer picture will emerge only by mid-year.

Home Minister P Chidambaram had informed the Lok Sabha during the winter session that the city skyline will be clear of the tangled mesh of cable TV, Internet and telephone wires and that the cabling will go underground.

Another major concern is Delhi’s serpentine traffic as well as poor public transport system. The Delhi government’s Public Works Department (PWD) is racing against time to give the city a makeover.

The civic authorities have already spent billions of rupees on building flyovers, roads, and new bus stops as well as on street-scaping and signages.

“We are constructing 24 flyovers for the Games. Of these, 12 are operational and another 12 will be ready in time for the Games. The infrastructure is not essentially for the event, it is part of the city’s routine developmental work,” PWD secretary KK Sharma said.

To ease traffic congestion, the public transport system is being strengthened and, in three months, the notorious Blueline buses are expected to be phased out.

About 3,500 low-floor buses will replace the Bluelines, but the recent fires in them has put a question mark on their safety. Around 950 low-floor buses are running on city roads now.

The only agency which seems to be meeting the deadlines is Delhi Metro, but its reputation, too, was tarnished in 2009 with a couple of accidents leading to loss of life.

Several countries scheduled to participate in the Games have raised concerns over security, but the government is firm in saying that they need not have any fears. The authorities have approved installation of an integrated security system (ISS), estimated to cost Rs.370 crore (Rs 3.7 billion), to cover all the venues.

Though the government has been promising security upgradation, it is still in the process of purchasing the equipment, raising questions on whether the security agencies would have enough time to train their personnel to handle the gadgets.

A big worry is the air quality during the Games. The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, has developed a System of Air Pollution Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) that will start functioning in a couple of months.

“The system will tell us the quality of air at a given moment and also what it will be 24 hours later, thus alerting people and helping them avoid immediate exposure to unhealthy air,” Gufran Beig, SAFAR scientist and project director, said.

The Commonwealth Games Organising Committee recently launched a programme — Delhi United — to recruit and train 30,000 volunteers to present Delhi’s culture and etiquette.

The authorities are also training thousands of bus, taxi and auto drivers to converse in English and make them sound polite and tourist-friendly.

The centre and the state governments have lined up a host of cultural programmes during the Games. Neighbouring state Haryana is chipping in with a fair on the lines of the Surajkund Mela.

The question is how fast the plans fructify and whether everything will be in order before the opening ceremony Oct 3.

US screening plan ‘genocide’ of cultural values: Rabbani

ISLAMABAD: Senators have demanded that the president and the prime minister should not undertake visits to the United States till the US government withdraws new screening guidelines for body search of Pakistani citizens.

The Senate on Wednesday began discussion on an adjournment motion regarding issuance of new set of screening guidelines by the United States subjecting Pakistani passengers to special scrutiny. The motion was moved by Mian Raza Rabbani and Deputy Chairman Jan Muhammad Jamali.

Leader of the Opposition Senator Wasim Sajjad demanded that the US should officially be conveyed that such a treatment of Pakistani passengers was not acceptable. He also proposed that the issue should be raised at the UN Human Rights Commission. He said the president and the prime minister should not visit the US till Washington withdraws such body search restrictions on Pakistanis.

Wasim Sajjad also suggested that the foreign minister should visit the United States to convey concerns of the Pakistani nation and parliament over undignified behaviour with Pakistani citizens at American and European countries airports.

Earlier, initiating the debate, Mian Raza Rabbani, who was one of the two co-movers, said these screening guidelines are sheer violation of the International Human Rights Charter and the government should raise the issue at global forums. He also demanded that a protest memorandum should be handed over to the US Embassy in Islamabad. Rabbani termed the new screening guidelines genocide of cultural values, saying the citizens of third world countries also enjoy the rights equal to those of developed countries.

He said the US restrictions were also sheer violation of Article 1 and Article 2 of universal declaration of human rights. ANP’s Senator Haji Adeel called for tit-for-tat response to the Americans. Jan Muhammad Jamali, the other mover, demanded that Americans should be subjected to the same screening guidelines on their arrival in Pakistan.

The Senate also unanimously passed the Federal Board of Revenue (Amendment) Act 2009 further to amend the Federal Board of Revenue Act 2007. Online adds: Minister for Housing Rehmatullah Kakar informed the Upper House that the members of parliament had not been allotted plots in the federal capital, however proposals in this regard are underway.

Pakistan warns India against hegemonistic mindset

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan warned India on Wednesday against its relentless pursuit of military preponderance and said it would have severe consequences for peace and security in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region.

The National Command Authority, which met here under Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, took serious note of recent Indian statements about conducting conventional military strikes under a nuclear umbrella and said such irresponsible statements reflected a hegemonic mindset, oblivious of dangerous implications of adventurism in a nuclearised context.

The NCA also took note of the developments detrimental to the objectives of strategic stability in the region. It observed that instead of responding positively to Pakistan’s proposal for a strategic restraint regime in South Asia, India continued to pursue an ambitious militarisation programme and offensive military doctrines.

“Massive inductions of advanced weapon systems, including installation of ABMs (anti-ballistic missiles), build-up of nuclear arsenal and delivery systems through ongoing and new programmes, assisted by some external quarters, offensive doctrines like ‘Cold Start’ and similar accumulations in the conventional realm, tend to destabilise the regional balance,” the meeting noted.

A statement issued by the PM House said: “Pakistan cannot be oblivious to these developments.” It was the first meeting of the NCA after President Asif Ali Zardari promulgated the National Command Authority Ordinance and divested himself of the powers of its chairman in November last year.

The meeting expressed satisfaction over the safety and security of Pakistan’s strategic assets and effectiveness of its strategic deterrence. It emphasised the importance of Pakistan’s policy of credible minimum deterrence and maintaining strategic stability in South Asia.

The authority reaffirmed Pakistan’s policy of restraint and responsibility and its resolve to continue efforts to promote peace and stability in South Asia. It underscored the need for preventing conflict and avoiding nuclear and conventional arms race in the region.

The NCA noted that the India-specific exemption made by the Nuclear Suppliers Group and subsequent nuclear fuel supply agreements with several countries would enable New Delhi to produce substantial quantities of fissile material for nuclear weapons by freeing up its domestic resources.

It reiterated that while continuing to act with responsibility and avoiding an arms race, Pakistan would not compromise on its security interests and the imperative of maintaining a credible minimum deterrence.

The meeting reviewed plans for generation of nuclear power under IAEA safeguards as part of national energy security strategy to ensure sustained economic growth and welcomed the renewed international interest in nuclear power generation to meet the challenge of climate change.

As a country with advanced fuel cycle capability, it said, Pakistan was in a position to provide nuclear fuel cycle services under IAEA safeguards, and participate in any non-discriminatory nuclear fuel supply assurance mechanism.
The NCA expressed satisfaction at steps taken by Pakistan at the national level for nuclear safety and security, which would continue to be important considerations in the context of national nuclear power development plans.

N-disarmament

It reaffirmed that as a nuclear weapon state Pakistan was committed to working as an equal partner in international efforts for general and complete nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. In this regard, the NCA stressed the need for non-discriminatory policies and accommodation of the reality of Pakistan’s nuclear weapon status for promoting global non-proliferation goals.

The meeting emphasised that promotion of nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament objectives in South Asia were linked with regional security dynamics and the need to address existing asymmetries and resolution of outstanding disputes.

The NCA stressed that as the sole disarmament negotiating forum the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva should play its due role in global nuclear disarmament. As far as a Fissile Material Treaty at the CD was concerned, Pakistan’s position would be determined by its national security interests and the objectives of strategic stability in South Asia, it said.

“Selective and discriminatory measures that perpetuate regional instability, in any form and manner, derogate from the objectives of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and, therefore, cannot be accepted or endorsed. Pakistan will not support any approach or measure that is prejudicial to its legitimate national security interests.”

An official told Dawn after the meeting that India’s ‘Cold Start’ strategy was a threat to strategic stability of South Asia. India’s growing military prowess, capabilities and aggressive designs implied war-provoking intent by practical manifestation of the ‘Cold Start’ doctrine.

He said the hit and mobilise concept would further squeeze space for diplomacy and political manoeuvres for avoiding a conflict. This strategy was likely to increase the threat in an unpredictable manner at various rungs of the escalation ladder, he added.

He said it was inherently flawed to further engage nuclear South Asia in an arms race rather than diverting efforts and resources to alleviate social needs of poor segments of society. Strategic equilibrium prevalent in the subcontinent would be impacted with negative repercussions, he said.

Explaining the concept of the ‘Cold Start’ doctrine, a defence analyst said it envisaged applying linear ground forces for multiple thrusts, backed by massive fire power well before Pakistan completed its mobilisation and international community could intervene.

He said the doctrine laid stress on offensive strike, but without giving battle indicators of mobilisation to maintain chances of strategic surprise while remaining below nuclear threshold. Political decision for war would be taken at the outset.

Talking about the broad contours, he said traditional operational art of maintaining distinction between strike and defensive formations would be done away with. The war was planned to be fought by integrated battle groups (IBGs) synergised and supported by Indian Air Force and Navy.

Since the IBGs would be pre-positioned closer to international border and the Line of control, these would commence operations with least build-up and preparation and would thus achieve surprise under the doctrine, he added.

Shaping the battlefield through new concept of war, incorporating all available technical-driven assets and fire power platforms would remain the hallmark of an Indian offensive.

Analysts observed that in Indian military planners’ view there was space available for a short notice, short-duration war with curtailed objectives despite the nuclear factor. Nuclear capability has added to Pakistan’s security by impinging upon India’s liberty of action under the nuclear overhang.

As the efficacy of all-out conventional war within the nuclear environment became questionable, India started studying the possibility of a limited conflict with curtailed application of military instrument and objectives.

Turkish Foreign Minister: No Dialogue With Israel Until it Ends the Occupation and Stops Killings

Turkish Ambassador made to sit in a lower seat and Turkish flag removed in front of Israeli media.

By Mehmet Nedim Aslan | Middle East Monitor

Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu, has made his strongest criticism yet of Israel and its policies. After talks with his British counterpart David Miliband at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, the two ministers held a joint press conference during which Mr Davutoğlu answered questions about his country’s lukewarm relations with Israel. Asked whether Turkey’s criticism of Israel was attributed to a policy of “Islamisation”, Mr. Davutoğlu denied the existence of any such policy and said that Turkey had worked actively for regional peace; indeed, until 2008 Turkey had had very good relations with Israel, even to the point of bringing it to the same table with Syria. The war in Gaza a year ago changed this, said Mr. Davutoğlu. “By attacking Palestinians in Gaza, Israel ruined our peace efforts and we cannot tolerate this. Attacking children and women is unacceptable,” he added.

Davutoğlu emphasised that his country’s relations would not be normalised as long as Israel is occupying and attacking Palestine. “If Israel ends its occupation and unacceptable treatment of Palestinians, then we will be ready the next day for normalised and good relations,” he said. “Turkey’s foreign policy is based on equality both with its neighbouring countries and others. A Jewish kid is not superior to a Palestinian kid. Both should be treated as equal. This is our vision for the region.”

Later, Mr. Davutoğlu gave a speech at London University’s King’s College on the topic “Converging Interests of Turkey and the UK in an enlarged EU and beyond”. Answering questions from the audience afterwards the Foreign Minister was asked why Turkey has close relations with “extremists such as Iran and HAMAS”. Emphasising again his country’s commitment to regional and global peace, Mr. Davutoğlu pointed out that HAMAS had been elected by the popular vote and those in the West who lecture the rest of the world on democracy should respect the Palestinians’ choice. He added, “The Palestinian election was the most democratic and transparent election held in the region and the Palestinians elected HAMAS. There is no such thing as ‘moderates and extremists’. When you occupy a land and kill its people you leave them no choice but hopelessness. One cannot call a country moderate which kills Palestinian children and women every day.”

Mr. Davutoğlu also criticised the US former President George Bush’s Middle East policy that labelled Iran and Syria members of the ‘axis of evil’. “We don’t want a Cold War in our region. We don’t believe that the use of military force and a policy of isolating countries will bring peace. The only way to bring peace to the region and the world is to be inclusive, not exclusive, and this is what Turkey has been working on. That’s why Turkey has good relations both with HAMAS and Iran. Anything that happens on our doorstep affects us, so our vision is to minimise tension and bring countries together politically, socially and economically.”

There is a common belief in the Muslim world that US foreign policy is biased towards Israel thanks to the Israel-Jewish lobby. Ever since the foundation of the state of Israel on Palestinian land in 1948, all US administrations have been ardent in their support of Israel, both politically and economically. In a practical sense, therefore, there appears to be very solid evidence for such a belief; indeed, some would say that the influence exerted by the Israel-Jewish lobby and the resultant Israel-bias by successive US administrations is, quite simply, a fact.

The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy by American professors John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt makes it very clear, in an objective way, how the Israel-Jewish Lobby goes about its work in this respect. In Britain, a Channel 4 documentary film, Inside Britain’s Israel Lobby, showed how Britain has been kept on a short rein in terms of its relationship with Israel. The situation in the UK is not as serious as in the USA, but it was still shocking to see how some British politicians are bankrolled by the Israel lobby to support Israeli interests at the expense of the Palestinians. One of many important points raised in the programme was the very subtle ‘threat’ to the Guardian newspaper for its report on ‘Israeli crimes against Palestinians’.

Israel maintains a formidable “hasbara” (propaganda) campaign worldwide to develop good relations within the media so that empathic coverage of the conflict caused by the Israeli occupation of Palestine favours Israel and ignores, covers-up or seeks to justify Israeli crimes against Palestinians. The hasbara campaign to lobby politicians and the media does not exist only in the west. Surprisingly, the Israel lobby also operates in Muslim countries to such an extent that in some places it influences the policy-making process. One of those countries, without doubt, is Turkey. It is true that the AK Party in government has, unlike previous governments in Turkey, demonstrated its opposition to Israeli policies, cancelling a military exercise with Israel, for example, and PM Erdogan’s public condemnation of the assault on Gaza 12 months ago. This is countered, of course, by the fact that Turkey was the first country with a majority Muslim population to recognise Israel.

The unofficial but very strong Israel lobby in Turkey has always been a hot topic of discussion among Turkish politicians, intellectuals, media and ordinary people who follow political affairs. As in many other countries, when the subject of Israel is debated, the ultra-secular mainstream media in Turkey has condemned critics of the Zionist state as being biased against Jews or Israel, and try to downplay the severity of the Israeli occupation and killing of Palestinians. Conversely, when rockets are fired into southern Israel from Gaza, the news in the mainstream media focuses on the suffering of Israelis at the hands of Palestinians without mentioning the historical and political context that Palestinians are resisting Israel’s illegal occupation, as they are legally entitled to do.

On the first day of the Gaza attack last year, when Israel bombarded the police academy compound in Gaza, Hurriyet (which is similar to Egypt’s semi-official Al-Ahram newspaper in terms of its connection with the state’s ideology and is the most influential Turkish newspaper) commented: “After 200 rockets fired by Hamas into Israel, Israeli forces have fought back.” This gave a clear message to its readers that Israel was “forced” to resort to violence, but ignored the fact that a Hamas-Israel truce had been broken by Israel in November 2008, prompting a Hamas response, to which Israel’s murderous assault was the response.

When huge rallies were held in Turkey to protest against the deliberate targeting and killing of Palestinian civilians by Israel’s war machine, in Hurriyet and its sister newspaper Milliyet, Posta and Radikal there was little coverage. Hurriyet’s editor-in chief, Ertuğrul Özkök, once called ‘the most influential journalist’ in Turkey, wrote in his daily column that he feared these protests might result in arousing anti-Jewish sentiments.

Anyone who does not know Turkey well may find this surprising, even shocking, but it is a reality that the most influential media organs in Turkey are indifferent to the plight of the Palestinians but very enthusiastic about Israel. This enthusiasm for Israel among Turkey’s ultra-secular establishment is rooted in their campaign against Islam, which they see as an obstacle to the hegemony of the country’s founding Kemalist ideology. Israel is, in their eyes, a natural ally in the fight against their common enemy.

Because the foundation of modern Turkey was based on the removal of religion from public life – by coercion or ‘coerced consent’ if necessary – while anything connected with Islam was rejected as backward and an obstacle to the development of the state and society, this ultra-secular ideology used very subtle methods so that its indoctrination was not counter-productive. Hence, the word ‘Islam’ was not used in their campaign of secularisation. Instead, they used the terms Arabs, Sheikhs, Sherif Hussain, and Mullahs to indicate where the blame for what happened to the Ottoman Empire should be lodged; they overlooked the fact that the secular establishment was hostile to the Ottoman Empire too. Following the Gramscian concept of hegemony, in which the state, through building state-funded civil and bureaucratic institutions to control society, the Turkish establishment attacked, and continues to attack, religion using all of the apparatus at its disposal.

As Islam was suppressed by the establishment of modern Turkey, so was the ideology of “Turkishness” promoted by the state. The idea was that if people have the political nous to take pride in being a ‘Turk’ as a member of a superior race, then religion would disappear altogether. Looked at in the current context, it is interesting to note that some Jewish politicians have been among those who were promoting the new anti-Islam ideology. For example, Moez Cohen, a member of the Jewish community in the early years of modern Turkey, changed his name to a pre-Islamic Turkish name, Tekin Alp , was a leading member of the Turkish nationalist movement and once said “Down with Islam”.

In the 1990s the Turkish army generals backed a media campaign supporting Israel and Israeli interests. In 1996-97 Necmettin Erbakan’s government brought together eight Muslim countries to form the ‘D-8’ (Developing Countries) organisation aimed at tackling political, social and economic problems faced by Muslim nations. This alliance of Muslim countries was seen as a threat to Israel so the Turkish media started a campaign intended to provoke the generals by claiming that this move could take Turkey back to the ‘dark ages’ and Erbakan’s agenda was to impose shari’ah law. As a result of this campaign, Israel’s friends in the media succeeded in bringing the government to its knees.

After the 2002 general election in Turkey friends of Israel in the media and politics were cautious about the newly-formed AK Party government, adopting a “wait and see” policy. The AK Party took on a heavy agenda, from the EU reforms to the collapsed economy, so did not get involved immediately in the Palestine issue, with the result that the media seemed to be friendly towards the government. In turn, as its self-confidence grew, the government found its voice against Israeli attacks on Palestinians. The reaction of Dogan Media – owning newspapers, including its flagship Hurriyet, TV channels, weekly and monthly magazines and about 50% of the whole media sector in Turkey – was a campaign claiming that opposition to Israel would damage Turkey’s goal of joining the European Union. Some commentators went further, saying that it was not Turkey’s business to get involved in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Those who were against such Turkish involvement were, at the same time, and for the sake of Israel, upset at the Turkish government’s decision not to allow on its soil US troops involved in the occupation of Iraq.

An ‘official partnership’ between Israel and Turkey’s Dogan Media was uncovered when tax investigators discovered this year that Dogan had evaded taxation on its share sales to German media company Axel Springer AG in 2006. This prompted journalists working for other companies to investigate further the details of Dogan’s sales to its German partner. Yener Donmez, working for Vakit newspaper, found that Axel Springer’s employees must adhere to five main principles, one of which is “support for the vital rights of the State of Israel”; the journalist wrote that since Dogan was Axel Springer’s partner, the same principle would require Dogan’s journalists not to report anything against Israel. The newspaper also claimed that the Israeli state had shares in Axel Springer, making Dogan and Israel partners.

Releasing a statement about its partnership with Axel Springer and the claims that Israel is immune from criticism across its media output, Dogan did not deny its partner’s principle of supporting Israel, but said “Axel is a German company and even if the claims in Vakit were true, this would not affect their publishing policy.”

Today, whether Dogan Media is directly linked to Israel or not, it still owns almost 50% of the Turkish media sector and has not withdrawn its subtle support for Israel. However, its voice is not as powerful as it was a few years ago and may disappear altogether in the light of the tax evasion charges. Be under no illusions, though, for ‘the lobby’ will plan new strategies and find new friends, such is its influence.

Kaira puts a spin on report 24 hours after its denial

By Ansar Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: The political and legal circles are
deeply confused and worried about the latest PPP government spin on a
baseless report about a meeting between Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz
Sharif and Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

The
government statement was made by Information Minister Qamar Zaman
Kaira, despite the fact that not only the newspaper which had first
published the meeting story, apologised and fully retracted its report
but the Punjab government also denied it totally.

Yet Mr Kaira
attacked the Chief Justice, which immediately resulted in a sharp and
strong rejoinder by the Supreme Court spokesman who said those trying
to politicise this baseless issue would be taken to task.

Analysts
and observers are trying to figure out what the motive of Information
Minister Kaira was to ignore the total apology, denials and retraction
of the said report full 24 hours before he made the comments on the
imaginary meeting.

Talking to the media outside the Parliament
building, Kaira had stated that the CJP should himself take notice of
his meeting with the Punjab chief minister. Either totally ignorant of
the denials or deliberately raising the issue, Kaira persisted with his
comments as if he believed that Shahbaz Sharif did meet CJ Chaudhry.

Immaturely
behaving like a street boy instead of a federal minister, he added that
the detailed judgment on the NRO was still awaited that the news of
Chief Justice’s meeting with Shahbaz Sharif had appeared, while no
clarification has been made in this regard.

Supreme Court’s
spokesman immediately reacted with a strongly worded denial terming
Kaira’s outburst needless and warning that strict action would be taken
against those who were debating and making statements on a baseless
report.

The spokesman said that English daily The Nation had not
only offered apology but also published a clarification in this regard.
The paper also asked its reporter to give explanation on the issue, the
statement said. The spokesman further said that some elements were
debating this report to achieve their vested interests.

“The
report is baseless and uncalled for and is an attempt to affect the
reputation of the institution,” it said, adding, “Those issuing any
statement in this regard will have to face serious consequences.”The
spokesman said that if anyone had any authentic information about the
meeting, he could present to the Registrar of the Supreme Court.

When
The News correspondent Ahmad Noorani talked to Kaira late in the
evening to get his views over what he had said early in the day, the
information minister was not willing to offer any comments or offer an
apology.

Kaira was repeatedly told about the front-page apology
of the newspaper as well as the Punjab government categorical denial
but still he said that he did not want to discuss the issue.

Analysts
were left with the feelings that Kaira’s utterances were part of the
post-NRO government campaign against the superior judiciary and the
Chief Justice of Pakistan. This impression was strengthened when some
mediapersons were also encouraged to file speculative stories on the
conjectured meeting between the CJP and the Punjab CM.