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Cruelbreed
05-03-2009, 03:56 PM
US general says Pakistan could be just two weeks from collapse

There may be just two weeks left to prevent the Taliban from overthrowing Pakistan’s government, Gen David Petraeus, the commander of American forces in the region, has told officials.



By Isambard Wilkinson in Islamabad
Last Updated: 8:53PM BST 01 May 2009

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01395/David-Petraeus_1395264c.jpg David Petraeus: Gen Petraeus has now grown weary of the government's excuses, apparently telling colleagues "we've heard it all before". Photo: BLOOMBERG


American officials have watched with growing anxiety as Taliban fighters have strengthened their grip on north-western Pakistan.
Militants advanced to within 60 miles of Islamabad, the capital, last month and were pushed back only when the US put pressure on Pakistan to launch a counter-offensive.


Gen Petraeus, the head of Central Command, which covers all US forces in the Middle East and south Asia, is reported to have said that “the Pakistanis have run out of excuses” and now accept that tough action has to be taken to guarantee the government’s survival.
Gen Petraeus, who oversaw the American troop surge credited with quelling the insurgency in Iraq, is reported to have wearied of Pakistan’s excuses for failing to take on the Taliban.
According to Fox News, he told colleagues “we have heard it all before”.
He is reported to have urged concrete action to destroy the Taliban in the next two weeks before determining the United States’ next course of action.
Gen Petraeus made the assessment in private talks with congressmen and members of the senate, according to Fox.
Senior officials in President Barack Obama’s administration are said to have more confidence in Pakistan’s army, led by Gen Ashfaq Kayani, than President Asif Ali Zardari’s civilian government.
Hillary Clinton last week publicly accused Islamabad of “abdicating to the Taliban”.
The issue is likely to come to a head when Mr Zardari visits Washington next week with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan for a tripartite summit with Mr Obama.
Gen Petraeus’s comments came amid an escalating battle between security forces and Taliban militants yesterday.
Fighting in Buner district, just 60 miles from Islamabad, left up to 60 dead even as Pakistan’s government pressed on yesterday with a much-criticised peace plan in the region, officials said.
Maj Gen Athar Abbas, a spokesman for the Pakistani army, said at least 55 militants had been killed in the previous 24 hours, bringing to more than 100 the total dead since the offensive began on Tuesday. Two Pakistani soldiers were killed and eight others injured when weapons they were destroying exploded.
Gen Abbas said ground troops backed by helicopter gunships destroyed nine suicide vehicles and six vehicles of “fleeing militants”.
Three “suicide motorcyclists” were also shot dead by ground troops advancing on narrow mountain tracks while a suicide bomber blew up a booby-trapped house, killing two paramilitary soldiers and wounding eight others. it took Pakistan’s overall losses to 13 during the offensive.
Gen Abbas said the militants included foreign fighters who were well organised and armed with mortars and anti-aircraft machine guns.
The militants were still in control of parts of Buner valley, although Pakistani troops had secured the main town of Daggar after helicopters dropped forces behind enemy lines. In another district, Upper Dir, more than 50 militants stormed the headquarters of a paramilitary force and kidnapped 10 people.
Buner, Upper and Lower Dir are part of the North West Frontier Province’s Malakand Division, where the government agreed to allow Islamic law in February if militants gave up violence in their stronghold of Swat valley.
In recent days, the Pakistani army has sought to reverse that tide, retaking control of strategic points in the district of Buner even as the Taliban struck back by kidnapping scores of police and paramilitary troops.
It remains unclear whether the Taliban truly seeks to overthrow Mr Zardari’s government or merely to carve out a territory within Pakistan in which it can establish safe haven, impose Sharia law, and plot attacks on external targets.





http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/5257571/US-general-says-Pakistan-could-be-two-weeks-from-collapse.html



U.S. going to get more involved?

ghost
05-03-2009, 10:30 PM
We fucking need to. Whenever Obama is done with his fucking tupperware party with our enemies.

GTFPDQ
05-04-2009, 12:54 AM
You know, if this has been some faceless politician or "focus group" I would wonder about these reports. BUT when Gen Petraeus has the guts to stand up to say what he sees as a real possibility, then Ill take him at his word.