Fears rise that key Pakistani city will fall to Islamic militants

[babylonsister]

Fears rise that key Pakistani city will fall to Islamic militants
By Saeed Shah | McClatchy Newspapers


PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Heavily armed Islamic militants have massed on the outskirts of Peshawar, the strategic provincial capital in northwest Pakistan, and the Pakistani government has dramatically stepped up security around the city amid fears that it could fall.

Taliban groups and other extremist warlords now threaten Peshawar from three sides. Should they take over Peshawar, the rest of the North West Frontier Province could follow, leaving Islamic extremists in control of a region that borders Afghanistan and sits astride one of the main supply routes to U.S. and coalition troops there.

Residents of Peshawar, a city of 3 million, have become alarmed at recent developments. Militants have begun entering Peshawar to threaten record shops and other businesses of which they disapprove. Last week, a band of warriors loyal to warlord Mangal Bagh arrived in Peshawar in pick-up trucks and kidnapped a group of Christians, whom they released 12 hours later.

more...

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/42511.html

[leftchick]

1. I will use Condiliar's line here.....

"Who could have predicted?"


every day we are headed to WWIII with congress's approval. :scared:

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. And now the fighting begins:

Pakistan army attacks militants

The Pakistani military has launched an offensive against militants near the main north-western city of Peshawar, security officials said.

Militants have become more active in and around Peshawar in recent months, say correspondents.

A contingent of troops has blocked the road towards Afghanistan, imposed a curfew and ordered shops to shut.

Pakistani militant leader Baitullah Mehsud said he was suspending peace talks with the government.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7478987.stm

[Igel]

4. Again, the fighting begins.

Now that it's become clear to so many what fools Zardari and Sharif are, and how tentative Kayani was given the then-imminent polls, Kayani is allowed to do things.

Zardari and Sharif will again be in their element, able to criticize those who do while standing on the sidelines, point out how it *should* be done, and *would* be done, were they in power. Too bad they have the prime minister's slot, a majority in the Parliament, and the Cabinet, then it wouldn't be ludicrous.

Meanwhile Aitzaz continues to rant.

Their politics makes most Western politics look downright sane.

[sellitman]

3. How many Nuclear Warheads does Pakistan have?

This could be the real problem in the not to distant future. It would make Iran seem inconsequential.