US envoy hears Pakistan concerns on Afghan war

[laststeamtrain]

Source: AFP

US envoy hears Pakistan concerns on Afghan war

By Nasir Jaffry (AFP) – 3 hours ago

ISLAMABAD — US regional envoy Richard Holbrooke held talks Wednesday with Pakistani leaders who are concerned that a US offensive in neighbouring Afghanistan will further destabilise Pakistan, officials said.

US President Barack Obama's troubleshooter for Afghanistan and Pakistan was visiting for a second time in seven weeks for talks the White House said would focus on economic and security issues -- and 1.9 million displaced civilians.

Holbrooke met Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and "exchanged views on important bilateral issues and the regional situation," an official in the premier's office told AFP.

He was also set to hold talks with President Asif Ali Zardari, army chief of staff General Ashfaq Kayani and spymaster of Pakistan's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gJz7Y4NLjhBHPLdBaBRHCVpIcxnw

[InfiniteThoughts]

1. can some sane person explain this ...

All excuses!

* Pakistan receives $1.5 billion per year in non-military aid ('Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009')
* Pakistan received $10 billion in 7 years under Bush as military aid

US has provided enough funds to Pakistan to grow some courage and eliminate terrorists.

It is funny that Pakistan has become a reflection of it's President - Mr. 10% ("Pakistan needs cash incentive to remove their home grown terrorists")

[jman0]

2. i'm no expert but

I imagine it goes something like this:
-USA started it's war of choice in Afghanistan, you remember: -Your Either With Us Or Against Us-
-This results in massive numbers of refugees flooding into Pak, which is a costly result and a destabilizing influence.
-USA is bombing inside Pak territory, thus should pay for damages (both physical and political) that results.

[Vidar]

3. Stop that You're making too much sense.

[InfiniteThoughts]

4. can't agree with you ...

(1) US was attacked by AQ, Taliban & OBL. The war on Afghanistan wasn't a war of choice. In fact, i don't remember any media or expert who criticized the move. The removal of Taliban regime had worldwide support - including from all Middle East countries.

(2) Refugees is a fig leaf for the Pakistan government. Nothing more. If the Pakistan govt had guts, they would have deployed forces on the Pak-Afghan border so as to eliminate terrorists who cross over to Pakistan after attacking a US position in Afghanistan.

(3) US has been forced to bomb inside the Pakistan territory because Pakistan isn't engaging these terrorists

And Pakistan cannot use Terrain as an excuse. PAKISTAN HAS BEEN SUPPORTING TERRORISM in KASHMIR REGION whose terrain is similar if not even harsher. What i find inexcusable is Pakistan's attitude - Fight for every inch of Kashmir but maintain a Laissez-faire attitude on it's western borders ...

[jman0]

5. Refugees a fig leaf ??

(1) It's entirely irrelvant whether the war on Afghanistan had less critics than supporters internationally. It's particularly irrelavent when we are discussing Pakistan expressing it's concerns on the war in Afghanistan which is the topic of this thread. If anything, Pakistan's views at the time of America launching it's war, and whether they were supporters or critics of that move, is relavant to this thread.

(2)How are refugees a fig leaf? That is a bizarre statement. Pakistan has been here before with millions of destitute Pashtun's flooding it's terrority the last time a super-power inverened in Afghan, you remember the Soviet invasion right?

(3)US has been forced to do nothing. Pakistan is not engaging these "terrorists" probably because the political dynamic does not lend itself to waging war on parts of it's own population. At least, not if the powers-that-be in that country wish to remain so.