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India-Pakistan
Jamaat-e-Islami proposes 4-nation bloc against US and NATO
2009-06-01
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Chief Munawar Hassan has proposed that a bloc comprising Pakistan, Iran, China and Afghanistan is needed against the United States (US) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
But not Israel? I'm shocked. After all, Pakistan exploded their first nuclear device on the claim that Israel was about to attack, Osirik style... the most amazingly disconnected-from-reality idea I've ever heard.
The idea of the four nation bloc plus an Islamic bloc came from the JI chief after Consul General of Iran, Agha Masood Zamani, met him at the JI Karachi office. After the meeting, Hassan said that extremism in Pakistan has increased
True...
due to repeated violation of the nation's sovereignty by the US and NATO forces,
Confusing cause and effect again, Mr. Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Chief Munawar Hassan
who perpetrated drone attacks into Pakistani territory. Hassan expressed his deep concern over US meddling in the internal affairs of Pakistan and the region.

"Many governments of Islamic nations are acting like puppets of the USA and this has caused disappointment among the Muslims. Terrorism has increased due to the US involvement, while Muslim rulers do nothing but to please the US," he maintained.

Meanwhile, Counsel General Zamani said that Iran and Pakistan share similar Islamic views and both countries are striving for peace and unity.
Similar Islamic views? But one is Shiite and the other Sunni -- we're told the two sects loath one another, and therefore could not possibly work together.
They do loathe each other, as evidenced by the attacks on Shi'a throughout Pakistain this past decade century millenium. But needs sometimes overcomes religious hatred, particularly if you can turn a blind eye to what's going on inside the borders of your "ally"...
He said that his country had relations with Jamaat-e-Islami for the past 30 years and hoped that these would continue in the future too.

According to JI officials, they discussed the regional situation, Pakistan-Iran relations, and the stance of the Iranian government against the expansionist and imperialistic role of the United States in the region. The Iranian consul general invited the JI chief to visit Iran and briefed him about the upcoming presidential elections of Iran.
Posted by:Fred

#4  There's power and then there's useable power.

OP, your frustration is understandable. However, you might want to take a deep breath and assess, as objectively as possible, just how strong we actually are at the moment - or aren't.

Our army is very tired. Still fighting and amazingly professional, but tired and strained. A lot of good soldiers and their officers are quietly retiring after their 5th or 6th deployment in the last 8 years - if they think they can land jobs outside.


We have a lot of military equipment to replace, at a time when the economy sucks and is getting suckier by the minute.

The CINC isn't exactly a military strategist. He's played a weak hand -- and is dangerously likely to one day do something really ill-considered to show he isn't weak. Something harsh but counter productive in the extreme. Weak people do that when their egos are large.

And it's worth considering the power that others have over us, as well as our remaining military power.

All it would take is 6 months of $150/barrel crude to put the entire West into massive depression, out of which we might not emerge for a very long while.

Situational awareness isn't always comforting, but action that isn't based on it is pretty much doomed to failure. And the situation we're in right now is less than ideal.

I haven't even mentioned the public's war fatigue but it got Obama elected and I don't see signs that that fatigue has evaporated just yet.
Posted by: lotp   2009-06-01 20:32  

#3  What's this 'We' stuff?

You gonna do the heavy lifting required?
Posted by: Pappy   2009-06-01 17:16  

#2  Let's see, Obsama declared war on the US, more than a dozen Arab/Muslim countries committed acts of terror against the US and its NATO allies over a 30-year period, yet WE are the "agressors". I think we've been far too nice to the Arab/Muslim world. I think a severe smack-down similar to what we inflicted upon the perpetrators of WWII is in order. Maybe if the Arab/Muslim world got their teeth kicked out their bunghole, they'd understand they're not playing intramural any more. We will NEVER make "friends" in the Muddled East - the Koran forbids it. The least destructive (to the US) alternative is to beat the living sh$$ out of our enemies, so they know who's the meanest. As my dad taught me when I was a wee lad, it's better to be feared than to be treated with contempt. We are currently being treated with contempt from most of the Muddled East.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2009-06-01 16:34  

#1  Now why would the Islamists decide that a bloc containing "Godless" China would be a good thing? That says this isn't about religion at all. They are simply playing a role of sapping the US of resources. Why would they align with the most atheist of all countries on the planet?
Posted by: crosspatch   2009-06-01 00:45  

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