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| India-Pakistan |
| Pakistan to Arm Villagers in Taliban Fight |
| 2009-02-22 |
| A Pakistani border region struggling against Taliban and al-Qaida militants will distribute 30,000 rifles to villagers in hopes that local militias can help the provincial government regain control, a top official said Sunday. The announcement from the North West Frontier Province came after Pakistan's government announced a seemingly conflicting deal in the Swat Valley — a Taliban stronghold within the province — to impose Islamic law if the extremists stop fighting. Pakistan has sought to allay the concerns of U.S. and NATO, whose troops face an escalating Taliban insurgency in nearby Afghanistan, that a peace deal would create a militant haven. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Saturday he would try to "remove the apprehensions of the world community" about the Swat deal in meetings with U.S. officials in Washington next week, the state-run news agency reported. Village militias backed by the United States have been credited with reducing violence in Iraq. A similar initiative is under way in Afghanistan. The United States is spending millions of dollars on programs to stiffen Pakistan's security forces in the rugged frontier region, though there was no sign it was involved in the militia plan. A U.S. Embassy spokesman could not be reached for comment. It was also unclear if the embattled North West Frontier Province government's plan had the backing of national leaders — or if handing out arms in a region already awash with weapons would help. Haider Khan Hoti, chief minister of the provincial government, said authorities would distribute the guns among "peaceful groups and individuals" so they could help police to guard their villages. Officials would consult with local police chiefs before handing out the arms and would take them back if they were not used against "terrorists and troublemakers," Hoti's office said in a written statement. Hoti said the guns were on hand, having been seized from "terrorists and anti-state elements." He also approved a plan for an elite provincial police unit of 2,500 officers and said the province would meet the $40 million cost. |
| Posted by:ed |
| #3 Kind of like giving sand to the Saudis |
| Posted by: Cherelet and Tenille1095 2009-02-22 17:52 |
| #2 the ultimate FU to Obama - we send $ to the Paks, they buy AKs and supply the Taliban. Smart |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-02-22 16:10 |
| #1 Here have an AK, congratulations you're now cannon fodder and weapon supplier to the Taliban. |
| Posted by: Rednek Jim 2009-02-22 16:07 |