Watch Part 2 of Rethink Afghanistan - Pakistan, "The Most Dangerous Country"
If you need further evidence of why our war in Afghanistan is so de-stabilizing for Pakistan, or how Pakistan's "Strategic Depth" is a threat to the United States, or, of course, why General Kayani's "silent coup" in Pakistan means we need to accelerate our withdrawal, then look no further than this New York Times article [emphasis mine]:
The documents, to be made available by an organization called WikiLeaks, suggest that Pakistan, an ostensible ally of the United States, allows representatives of its spy service to meet directly with the Taliban in secret strategy sessions to organize networks of militant groups that fight against American soldiers in Afghanistan, and even hatch plots to assassinate Afghan leaders.[...]Some of the reports describe Pakistani intelligence working alongside Al Qaeda to plan attacks. Experts cautioned that although Pakistan's militant groups and Al Qaeda work together, directly linking the Pakistani spy agency, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, with Al Qaeda is difficult. [...]
The man the United States has depended on for cooperation in fighting the militants and who holds most power in Pakistan, the head of the army, Gen. Parvez Ashfaq Kayani, ran the ISI from 2004 to 2007, a period from which many of the reports are drawn. American officials have frequently praised General Kayani for what they say are his efforts to purge the military of officers with ties to militants.
The US must stop escalating in Pakistan and end the war in Afghanistan. Afghanistan's future government is already taking shape, and Pakistan has enough of a powerful progressive movement that they can stabilize their country, and bring their government into line, provided that we end our war in both countries. Our troops should not be dying for General Kayani's proxy war with India and they should not be dying in a civil war on behalf of President Karzai.
David Swanson writes:
On the House calendar for this week is a vote on a $33 billion supplemental bill to escalate the war in Afghanistan. The Senate did not accept the House version (passed without a vote on July 1st). The House will likely now vote on the Senate version or something close to it. This will likely mean something quite unusual: a straightforward vote in which yes means yes more war, and no means no.[...]Our message is simple:
Vote no on funding this escalation of war, regardless of whether it's a procedural vote, and regardless of any good measures attached to it.
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I am the Afghanistan Blogging Fellow for The Seminal and Brave New Foundation. You can read my work on The Seminal or at Rethink Afghanistan. The views expressed below are my own.
Follow Josh Mull on Twitter: www.twitter.com/joshmull
What should be understood, what MUST be understood are the ramifications for women in the country if we do pull out: A power vacuum will be filled by those who are most violent and most determined to undermine civil society. In this case, The Taliban. They will be ruthless in their implementation of shariah law, they will undermine ANY effort at peace, stability, rule of law, women's rights, or civil liberties. And they will continue to to brutalize the good people of Afghanistan: Publicly executing women for imagined crimes (without a trial), pulling little girls out of schools and executing raping and them for having the audacity to pursue an education. Forcing other underage girls to become married and subsequently (yet again) raping them, and brainwashing little boys to follow their strict interpretation of the koran, hate and fear outsiders and westerners, and continue the cycle of generational abuse. We simply cannot allow this to happen.
Please, friends...
You absolutely MUST see this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9aw6Cnw0hY