[DAWN] By any measure, Pakistain is a remarkable country. What has gone on in and around Islamabad's so-called red zone over the past 10 days or so has confirmed just how dramatic and unpredictable high politics in Pakistain is.
Notwithstanding the stakes, however, the drama that has unfolded is likely to deepen the disillusionment that a large number of ordinary people harbour vis-a-vis how this country is run and the role that the proverbial masses play in running it.
Even prior to the advent of 24-hour television, there was little pretence amongst the majority of Pakistain's people that they could even access the structures of power that exist in this country, let alone change them. For a brief and heady period immediately after live TV channels went kaboom! into our lives, a happy lie persisted that the media would be the fountainhead of change.
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Posted by: Fred ||
08/22/2014 00:00 ||
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[DAWN] The beheading of an American journalist by the gunnies of the self-proclaimed organization the Islamic State highlights once again the barbaric mindset that has become the hallmark of terror groups worldwide.
Kidnapped in November 2012, James Foley was a brave journalist whose dispatches, in the words of his mother, "expose[d] the world to the suffering of the Syrian people". The killing was supposed to be the IS leadership's response to the American air strikes on the IS krazed killers.
But, as made clear by Washington, Foley's murder is not going to make America change its policy. Calling Foley's murder "an act of violence that shocks the conscience of the entire world", President Barack Obama
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Posted by: Fred ||
08/22/2014 00:00 ||
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#1
Just before the journalist was beheaded Obama returned to the White House for two days. When Obama left the White House to go back on vacation the journalist was beheaded (after their ransom demands and or the release of a key member, "lady Al Qaeda" was not released?).
Was the short interruption of Obama's vacation and the beheading of the journalist related. Was the journalist immediately beheaded due to Obama's failure in possible last minute negotiations.
The is important as it would have a huge impact on Obama's relations with a key ally of his, the Main Stream Media.
[DAWN] By now, it is a well-known script. In the evolution of virtually every political crisis, there comes a point where the military leadership issues a carefully worded statement that is designed to come across as well-meaning and generous, but is in fact ill-advised and unnecessary.
On Tuesday, after watching silently from the sidelines as the latest political crisis to hit the country ebbed and flowed over several days, the army leadership decided to wade deep into the crisis and offer some political advice to the politicianship.
To some, the ISPR statement will simply reflect an obvious reality: there is a political impasse in the country and the politicianship needs to demonstrate "patience, wisdom and sagacity". Note though that the ISPR had nary a word to say on constitutionalism, democracy and the rule of law. Instead, there was the usual martial language about sacred symbols of the state and the need to protect the national interest.
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Posted by: Fred ||
08/22/2014 00:00 ||
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[DAWN] Consider some of the threats being made by the Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf ...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations.... in connection with its call for 'civil disobedience'. They say, for instance, that the public will not be paying any electricity or gas bills, and if the centre should respond by cutting off electricity supplies to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa ... formerly NWFP, still Terrorism Central... , they will cut off power supply from Tarbela Dam.
I wonder if Mr Mushtaq Ghani, the information minister of the government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa who made this threat, has ever been to Tarbela. The dam has a large powerhouse with a generation capacity of 3500MW. Downstream from the powerhouse is the Ghazi Barotha hydropower project, with an additional capacity of 1300MW.
Both power stations are run by Wapda, a federal entity. The electricity produced from these stations is evacuated to a number of grid stations from Beautiful Downtown Peshawar ...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire. to Burhan on the left bank of the Indus. The grid stations and their transmission network is handled by the National Transmission & Despatch Company which sells it on to the eight distribution companies of the country.
At no point does the electricity travel through any office controlled by the PTI or its government. So how exactly do they intend to deliver on this threat to cut off electricity supplies from Tarbela? Both Wapda and NTDC are federal entities and report to the Ministry of Water and Power and are not likely to take instructions from the PTI or its government in KP.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/22/2014 00:00 ||
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BLUF:
[WND] You might say that the term radical Islam is something of a redundancy. Islam is radical, and by extension, so are its true believers. Some, like ISIS or ISIL, are simply more devoted than others. She nails it, and it's worth the read, but unfortunately her analysis is tainted by her insufferable anti-Bush rhetoric.
#4
Westboro, as despicable as they are, do not rise to the level of the Islamics. The Westboros are annoying and a nuisance but they are not lopping off heads in a killing frenzy as the Islamics. The Westboros have Baptist in their name but I doubt the main stream Baptists would claim them. Hell, even the snake-handlers would not claim them. The bugs built into Islam are considered desirable features by these friggin psychos. Whatever they get, they deserve.
#5
Islam divides the world into believers and non believers and you are allowed to kill non believers.Its as simple as that!
Convert or die!
Posted by: Paul D ||
08/22/2014 14:34 Comments ||
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#6
Methinks that the Ottomans/Europeans/dictators held the lid on tight but now the real Islam emerges. Terrified of the modern world, encouraged by the West's current self-hatred, and willing to go jason Vorhees on innocents.
[Breitbart] Thursday on Fox News Channel's "The Real Story With Gretchen Carlson," network regular Geraldo Rivera expressed deep frustration with President Barrack Obama's reaction yesterday to ISIS beheading American journalist James Foley saying, "Playing golf with his old chums from the hood" was "totally tone deaf and insincere." First Reggie, now Geraldo. Things really are in a downward spiral.
#2
But I'm of the opinion that the more time Baraq spends on the golf course, the better off we'll all be. I mean, you get that guy in the Oval Office and he can do some real damage.
#3
A critical office in the free world. Previous, much less complacent American generations would have impeached him long ago. This will end really bad for this generation.
#4
Pot, Kettle, there Geraldo. As a card carrying member of the Permanent Party Propaganda Machine you're job has been and continues to be keeping the Party in power. Never let principles get in the way of that goal. And, never, ever admit that those who you've piled bilge upon were probably right in their original assessments.
#5
Geraldo has always been confused about what he is; he claims to be a Republican but nothing he says or anything he does would suggest that. He is basically a progressive/lefty/liberal. He exhibits many of the narcissistic traits that Obama does.
#6
Geraldo was conservative at the start of the War on Terror. At least in regards to foreign policy issues. Every other issues is flexible depending upon how good it makes him look.
The sealed by court order college transcripts or the now you see it now you don't birth certificate? Or was it the red line in Syria? The IRS, or Fast and Furious?
Hmmmm, a little on the Captain Obvious here.
Posted by: Bill Clinton ||
08/22/2014 19:45 Comments ||
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It seems that in Obamas America, only certain people are allowed to make their feelings known. During Wednesdays edition of The Kelly File, Mike Tobin captured footage of a heated clash between supporters of Officer Darren Wilson and Mike Brown, the 18-year-old shot and killed earlier this month.
Two white Wilson supporters came out Wednesday to show their support for the officer, but this didnt sit too well with Brown supporters who chucked bottles. Eventually, the two protesters were whisked away by police. Wrongnarrative, now scram or we'll arrest you.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[DAWN] By any measure, Pakistain is a remarkable country. What has gone on in and around Islamabad's so-called red zone over the past 10 days or so has confirmed just how dramatic and unpredictable high politics in Pakistain is.
