Just outside Islamabad. Perhaps having hoped to bag the Army’s top commander.

Brazen stuff. After attacks on a UN office and on the people of Peshwar earlier in the week.

This as the Pakghanistan policy debate in Washington reaches its crescendo. It would seem the so-called Pakistan Talliban don’t want the Yankees to go home after all.

Let’s go to a new thread to continue following the whither and wherefore in Washington D.C.

When he compares Obama to his old friend Jack Kennedy, he shakes his head.

“He’s twice the intellectual that Jack was, but Jack knew the great world. Remember he spent a long time in the navy, losing ships. This kid [Obama] has never heard a gun fired in anger. He’s absolutely bowled over by generals, who tell him lies and he believes them. He hasn’t done anything. … You have to go by what people tell you. He’s like that. He’s not ready for prime time and he’s getting a lot of prime time on his plate at once.”

See more here.

Twelve dead at first count, 82 wounded.

Indians believe they were the target and Paki folk, of course, behind it.

What is the American War Aim over there? Defeat Terror? It will never be done with guns.

We are at war with Eurasia and we have always been at war with Eurasia. Never mind! We are at war with East Asia and we have always been at war with East Asia …

And Washington Post reports the White House’s experts now believe “there are few, if any, links between Taliban commanders in Afghanistan today and senior Al Qaeda members.”

This Post piece is a major story. See and read.

Pulling Out not an option.

But it seems Obama is indeed resisting sending more.

So McCain warns darkly of “half measures.”

But (Times says) “John Kerry, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said after the meeting that “it would be irresponsible” to send more troops until it became clear “what is possible in Afghanistan.”

That’s the crux.

Obama, by trying to play the middle, is in an almost intractable mess.

Largely tragic, but in part his own doing.

Good perhaps. Declare victory and go home …?

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/obama-talks-up-counterterrorism-efforts/?hp

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/world/asia/06islamabad.html?hp

“I don’t think we have the option to leave. That’s quite clear.”

Clear as mud. But the question of sending more troops remains unsettled and on the table.

Any number of ways to read this. The NY Times headline, over the shoddily written AP story, chooses one.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/05/us/politics/AP-US-US-Afghanistan.html

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/05/world/AP-AS-Pakistan-Taliban-Leader.html

And assures public that the Pentagon will faithfully execute the President’s decisions.

Supports the notion that serious dissent exists across the river.

Suggests (second time now) that Gates perhaps leans more toward the White House than the brass.