That will not end well.

They didn't give them control, necessarily.

But the Pakistani government is still f--king things up big time. Everyone's pissed at them, it seems - secular folks through the Taliban - , and this ain't helping.

What the Taliban wants they can't give 'em, anyway. Nor should they even attempt.

This will end well.

The Taliban already had control of that region.

No outside government has really ruled those tribal folks in a very long time. The Brits tried for 100 years before Pakistan was formed.

What if they gave the Taliban some cheese instead?

/prefers cookies

Pakistan is boned.

"i demand a glass of milk!"

Looks like we need a final solution to this Taliban question.

Dirt-Dog: The Taliban already had control of that region.

No outside government has really ruled those tribal folks in a very long time. The Brits tried for 100 years before Pakistan was formed.

the area in question isn't part of the tribal border region you're talking about.

The Pak gov't has nukes. I predict that The Glassy Mountains will not be a popular tourist area.

Meh, the ISI have been known to play both sides of the fence for decades, and nothing goes on down there without their approval.

Serriously, they make the CIA look like limp-dicked punks by the way they run shop over there. Tribal leaders and government officials alike fall in line with whatever they want. Otherwise familiy members disappear, and they got a shiat ton of large interconected families.

I wouldn't be supprised if this recent appeasement was orcastrated in order to marginalize Taliban influence away from Kabul and intentionally focus more activity towards the Afghan border where we are able to pluck them off in a consolidated area. This reduces the direction of support in Kashmir, and is a great alternative to the more spread out influence the Taliban held througout years past.

However, it's only a matter of time before the pet bites the master. Either a) Pakistan takes a serrious hardline approch to weakining it's militants or b) they piss of their neighbors to the breaking point and it's a jolly round of bum-rush the borders with either us or India.

Either way, this level of instability is pretty scary from a nuclear proliferation aspect, but really farking sexy for us warmongers.

Interesting...

burndtdan: Dirt-Dog: The Taliban already had control of that region.

No outside government has really ruled those tribal folks in a very long time. The Brits tried for 100 years before Pakistan was formed.

the area in question isn't part of the tribal border region you're talking about.

Indeed; this region, and Swat in particular, were actually popular tourist attractions not too long ago. I think this is a terrible move by the government... one would think that they'd have learned their lesson after the last few failed attempts at "cease-fires" with terrorists.

Biological Ali: burndtdan: Dirt-Dog: The Taliban already had control of that region.

No outside government has really ruled those tribal folks in a very long time. The Brits tried for 100 years before Pakistan was formed.

the area in question isn't part of the tribal border region you're talking about.

Indeed; this region, and Swat in particular, were actually popular tourist attractions not too long ago. I think this is a terrible move by the government... one would think that they'd have learned their lesson after the last few failed attempts at "cease-fires" with terrorists.

and here's a map

Hot as the sun.

A poem from my childhood came roaring back...

The Akond of Swat

WHO or why, or which, or what,
Is the Akond of SWAT?

Is he tall or short, or dark or fair?
Does he sit on a stool or a sofa or chair,
or SQUAT,
The Akond of Swat?

Is he wise or foolish, young or old?
Does he drink his soup and his coffee cold,
or HOT,
The Akond of Swat?

Does he sing or whistle, jabber or talk,
And when riding abroad does he gallop or walk,
or TROT,
The Akond of Swat?

Does he wear a turban, a fez, or a hat?
Does he sleep on a mattress, a bed, or a mat,
or a COT,
The Akond of Swat?

When he writes a copy in round-hand size,
Does he cross his T's and finish his I's
with a DOT,
The Akond of Swat?

Can he write a letter concisely clear
Without a speck or a smudge or smear
or BLOT,
The Akond of Swat!

Do his people like him extremely well?
Or do they, whenever they can, rebel,
or PLOT,
At the Akond of Swat?

If he catches them then, either old or young,
Does he have them chopped in pieces or hung,
or SHOT,
The Akond of Swat?

Do his people prig in the lanes or park?
Or even at times, when days are dark,
GAROTTE?
O the Akond of Swat!

Does he study the wants of his own dominion?
Or doesn't he care for public opinion
a JOT,
The Akond of Swat?

To amuse his mind do his people show him
Pictures, or any one's last new poem,
or WHAT,
For the Akond of Swat?

At night if he suddenly screams and wakes,
Do they bring him only a few small cakes,
or a LOT,
For the Akond of Swat?

Does he live on turnips, tea, or tripe?
Does he like his shawl to be marked with a stripe,
or a DOT,
The Akond of Swat?

Do he like to lie on his back in a boat
Like the lady who lived in that isle remote,
SHALLOTT,
The Akond of Swat?

Is he quiet, or always making a fuss?
Is his steward a Swiss or a Swede or a Russ,
or a SCOT,
The Akond of Swat?

Does he like to sit by the calm blue wave?
Or to sleep and snore in a dark green cave,
or a GROTT,
The Akond of Swat?

Does he drink small beer from a silver jug?
Or a bowl? or a glass? or a cup? or a mug?
or a POT,
The Akond of Swat?

Does he beat his wife with a gold-topped pipe,
When she lets the gooseberries grow too ripe,
or ROT,
The Akond of Swat?

Does he wear a white tie when he dines with friends,
And tie it neat in a bow with ends,
or a KNOT,
The Akond of Swat?

Does he like new cream, and hate mince-pies?
When he looks at the sun does he wink his eyes
or NOT,
The Akond of Swat.

Does he teach his subjects to roast and bake?
Does he sail about on an inland lake,
in a YACHT,
The Akond of Swat?

Some one, or nobody, knows, I wot,
Who or which or why or what
Is the Akond of Swat!

Edward Lear

i just can't believe they're letting terrorists into swat

Personally, I don't care.

IMO, the pakistani government needs to work at developing those regions somehow.

When people become better educated and more prosperous, they tend to become less extremist. It will take 30-40 years, but it will happen.

burndtdan: "i demand a glass of milk!"


Awesome! +1 internets to you, sir!

Mr Logo: When people become better educated and more prosperous, they tend to become less extremist. It will take 30-40 years, but it will happen.

Care to take a look at the education level and prosperity of the 19 fellas that ran amok on September 11, 2001?

Nuke em let god or who ever sort it out

Paging Neville Chamberlain, paging Neville Chamberlain! Please report to Pakistan for round 2.

Unavailable for comment.


/link as hot as he is ignorant.

flannelled fool: Mr Logo: When people become better educated and more prosperous, they tend to become less extremist. It will take 30-40 years, but it will happen.

Care to take a look at the education level and prosperity of the 19 fellas that ran amok on September 11, 2001?

Seriously (this).

Wealth and education seem to make for a higher likelyhood towards mass murder among members of the ROP.



Son of a lawyer father and an old money mother, brother of an M.D. and a PHD, and a top engineering student himself.

FatherDale: The Pak gov't has nukes. I predict that The Glassy Mountains will not be a popular tourist area.

The Taliban is too dispersed a target to make nukes useful. I seriously doubt there is any target in the area other than perhaps a cave that wouldn't be wiped out by a FAE.

flannelled fool: Mr Logo: When people become better educated and more prosperous, they tend to become less extremist. It will take 30-40 years, but it will happen.

Care to take a look at the education level and prosperity of the 19 fellas that ran amok on September 11, 2001?

Of course there will always be exceptions at the extreme ends of society. That's why I said 'tend to become', and not 'always become'. I mean, look at George Bush. He is educated, prosperous, yet he is an extremist who does not feel a thing when he causes hundreds of thousands of people to loose their lives.

The best way to discredit fundies in the eyes of the people is to let them take control. See Iran, the *people* there are the most pro-American, anti-fundie of all the people in the region specifically because their fundie overlords have farked things up so much.

Ghenghis Khan had no problem controlling this region...

Bucky Katt: Pakistan is boned.

Pakistan has always been boned. When India could have taken anything from them, they took the most miserable place on Earth, Bangaladesh. It's like a home invasion where the robbers don't want your wife, wallet, car, electronics, tv, jewelry, or money; the best thing they can find to steal is an old turd in the litter box.

It sucks to be Pakistan.

burndtdan: "i demand a glass of milk!"

flannelled fool: Mr Logo: When people become better educated and more prosperous, they tend to become less extremist. It will take 30-40 years, but it will happen.

Care to take a look at the education level and prosperity of the 19 fellas that ran amok on September 11, 2001?

Neocons are brainwashed, often educated people as well. What's your point? The brainwashing will still occur, but the communities won't be as wholly complicit in extremist action.

brukmann: Neocons are brainwashed, often educated people as well. What's your point? The brainwashing will still occur, but the communities won't be as wholly complicit in extremist action.

Somehow by throwing a pile of money into an area and raising the level of education (males only, of course, since this is the Taliban) and affluence of the populace you can mitigate the effects of radical 7th century islam? Why not call it what it really is, jizya?

TomD9938: flannelled fool: Mr Logo: When people become better educated and more prosperous, they tend to become less extremist. It will take 30-40 years, but it will happen.

Care to take a look at the education level and prosperity of the 19 fellas that ran amok on September 11, 2001?

Seriously (this).

Wealth and education seem to make for a higher likelyhood towards mass murder among members of the ROP.

I am not talking about individuals, but society as a whole.

Mahomed Atta grew up in Cairo in the 70's and 80's. Back then Cairo was a very poor place with strong fundamentalist culture.

Even look at Republicans. The worst ones tend to come from the areas that are poorer, with worse levels of education, and are more insular. Even if they are themselves rich, they have grown up in that culture.

But I stand by what I said. The Pakastani government should try to increase education and prosperity in these areas, because doing so truly improves people's lives.

Not to mention the Doctors in Glasgow:

"Dr Abdulla is an Iraqi and Dr Asha is from Jordan. Having studied at universities in their homelands, they sought and obtained work in British hospitals to complete their medical training.

"While here, as the evidence demonstrates, in fact they turned their attention away from the treatment of illness to the planning of murder.

"Material found in their possession after their arrests reveals that both men hold or adhere to extreme Islamic belief and that both share, despite their professions and their obligations to save life and avert suffering, they both share the same extreme religious and murderous ideology as has inspired other terrorists who have struck at or threatened this country in recent years."

Link (new window)

Pakistanistan needs tables.

PNSFW

ODDwhun: Unavailable for comment.


/link as hot as he is ignorant.

Invisible blow job. Heh.

gorgor: Pakistanistan needs tables.

PNSFW

And all of fark suddenly longs to be that decimal point.

Oh, bunny! Welcome, welcome back!!

Of course giving them the region will pacify them.

Look how well it worked in Gaza.

Unavailable for comment.

Sarcastica75: And all of fark suddenly longs to be that decimal point.

Oh, bunny! Welcome, welcome back!!

You light up my life bunny lol:)
NSFW (new window)

flannelled fool: brukmann: Neocons are brainwashed, often educated people as well. What's your point? The brainwashing will still occur, but the communities won't be as wholly complicit in extremist action.

Somehow by throwing a pile of money into an area and raising the level of education (males only, of course, since this is the Taliban) and affluence of the populace you can mitigate the effects of radical 7th century islam? Why not call it what it really is, jizya?

Yes. But I'm not necessarily advocating it here. I was calling your response, to someone suggesting it, short-sighted. And, how is it jizya?

Beware the Dane at the gate.

WHUT? (new window)

gorgor: Sarcastica75: And all of fark suddenly longs to be that decimal point.

Oh, bunny! Welcome, welcome back!!

You light up my life bunny lol:)
NSFW (new window)

Wut wut?

/in da butt!

gorgor: WHUT? (new window)

That is ONE! Singular sensation...

Actually, before criticising the Pak government, did y'all know that America pays the militias in Iraq not to kill American troops?

gorgor: WHUT? (new window)

That's actually from the flag-lowering ceremony at the Wagah Border between Pakistan and India. Went to see it twice as a kid - loved it both times. A crowd of frenzied, chanting Pakistanis on one side, a crowd of frenzied, chanting Indians on the other - and at the center of it all is this ceremonial, militaristic and surprisingly gay spectacle. A surreal sight, to say the least.

Pestifer: Unavailable for comment.

WIN

Sarcastica75: That is ONE! Singular sensation...

I think I just felt it lol ;)

Biological Ali: That's actually from the flag-lowering ceremony at the Wagah Border between Pakistan and India. Went to see it twice as a kid - loved it both times. A crowd of frenzied, chanting Pakistanis on one side, a crowd of frenzied, chanting Indians on the other - and at the center of it all is this ceremonial, militaristic and surprisingly gay spectacle. A surreal sight, to say the least.

My groin hurts just thinking about kicking that high:)
What is the feast for a day like that?

Mr Logo: IMO, the pakistani government needs to work at developing those regions somehow.

When people become better educated and more prosperous, they tend to become less extremist. It will take 30-40 years, but it will happen.

I love the "somehow." Ever check out the land you're discussing. Developing the dark side of the moon would be easier, if you had air. The only thing that will grow there that's worth any money is.....yeah, you guessed it. The opium poppy.