Panic attacks in Pakistan
Mere muttering here …
This Times story re Bush-Cheney scrambling for some sort of control in Pakistan seems telling. Panic in the White House. Everything the Vulcans had been warned against coming to bloody life.
If the americans cannot control the relevant portions of Afghanistan (and it seems they cannot), it would seem they have no competence to act in Pakistan.
And so the Times story — with all this talk of CIA and Pentagon going into action in Pakistan — gives rise to ludicrous visions. Cheney lowing his enraged paranoia. Pounding the table in an empty Situation Room. His israeliocentric warmongerers having all been sprayed by Roving exterminators. And the Times notes:
“Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates … was on vacation last week and did not attend the White House meeting …”
Ludicrous … Somehow brings to mind the last days of the Nixon White House, with the broken, drunken president pulling Henry Kissinger to his knees to pray, pray …
“Admiral Olson also visited the headquarters of the Frontier Corps, a paramilitary force of about 85,000 members recruited from border tribes that the United States is planning to help train and equip.” Like al Qaeda post Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?
What India will do, as Pakistan falls apart and its militant islamicists surge, seems a big question. Nukes in delivery vans? Perhaps merely all out war in Kashmir?
One imagines the threat of disaster out of Pakistan will finally crush what thoughts may have remained in the White House of attacking Iran.
No reason to cheer either way. From Palestine to India the world’s on fire and there is no reason to think it’s going to get better before getting worse.
P.S. Ah, here is Richardson saying he’s all for more US warmaking in Pakistan. And that Musharref is toast and should step aside. Elections. Ha ha. Seems then that Kayani (former head of secret police recently appointed top general as Musharref vacated that chair) is in line to take over. And soon.
