More Islamic endorsement of US policy....

[Ted Striker]

This little side excursion story set in the middle of bum-f*ck-nowheresville Pakistan means nothing against the greater backdrop of what's going on.

Al Queda has gotten their asses kicked repeatedly.

And this sh1t has only gotten started.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
"
Hmmm, Shi Huangdi sounds out of sorts today. Somewhat grumpy and irrasible"

Not Really. It's just that MtG's repeated trolling gets a little tiring. Esepcially trolls as stupid this one.

What the hell does the OP have to do with Islamic anger at US policy? The Pakistani provinces in question are developing laws that they want to live by, those laws as disgusting as they are. Is MtG really so Americentric to think that they adopt Sharia just as a means of condemning US policy? Now, the election of the Islamics may be tied into anger with US policy, particularly our policy in Afghanistan may have led to fundamentalists getting elected, but that's old news. MtG is just grasping at straws to find any new material for another one of his anti-US foreign policy trolls.

As opposed to being a "question nothing" goose-stepping bootlicker?

Yes, it's just coincidence, and the flowering of Democracy that we want to see in the Islamic world, that the first election since Musharraf decided he'd kiss our ass instead of Omar's resulted in a slap in Musharraf's face. If you'd bothered to pay attention to the campaign, there were little hints like burning American flags, burning Bushes in effigy, and an overtly pro-Taleban, pro-OBL, anti-US and anti-Musharraf message to the campaigning in the NWFP.

It's not "old news" that they are in effect declaring themselves a separate authority from the national government.

[HershOstropoler]

"burning Bushes in effigy"

[Ted Striker]

News Flash:

Man in Iran gets hand cut off for stealing. MTG declares war is lost.

[Shi Huangdi]

"

As opposed to being a "question nothing" goose-stepping bootlicker?"

Awwww..... How Sweet. Now who's emotional?

"If you'd bothered to pay attention to the campaign, there were little hints like burning American flags, burning Bushes in effigy, and an overtly pro-Taleban, pro-OBL, anti-US and anti-Musharraf message to the campaigning in the NWFP."

That happened at the very start of the Afghanistan campaign. The fact is it wasn't that we weren't nice enough to the locals or whatever your accusing about, but that they were opposed to the idea of going into Afghanistan at all. The Islamic world did not want to see the US going into an Islamic country and removing an Islamic government. For siding with US people became angry at Musharraf right from the start, and back then some of the "The Sky is Falling!" crowd predicted Musharraf would be overthrown at the time.

"

It's not "old news" that they are in effect declaring themselves a separate authority from the national government."

They are enacting internal laws that affect their own people. These fundamentalists, wrong as they are, are simply legislating what they believe to be the correct law for their people. It is complete foolishness to think that this has anything to do with US policy. Hence the foolishness of your troll.

[Shi Huangdi]

Originally posted by Ted Striker
News Flash:

Man in Iran gets hand cut off for stealing. MTG declares war is lost.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by Ted Striker
News Flash:

Man in Iran gets hand cut off for stealing. MTG declares war is lost.

Newsflash:

Man in LA thumps chest saying "USA USA USA." Thinks rest of world is impressed.

[Ted Striker]

No, no I thought everyone was impressed except for Nazeem in bum-f*ck-nowheresville Pakistan.

USA!

[HershOstropoler]

My name is not Nazeem.

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
"

As opposed to being a "question nothing" goose-stepping bootlicker?"

Awwww..... How Sweet. Now who's emotional?

There's a difference between emotion and countertroll.

"If you'd bothered to pay attention to the campaign, there were little hints like burning American flags, burning Bushes in effigy, and an overtly pro-Taleban, pro-OBL, anti-US and anti-Musharraf message to the campaigning in the NWFP."

That happened at the very start of the Afghanistan campaign. The fact is it wasn't that we weren't nice enough to the locals or whatever your accusing about, but that they were opposed to the idea of going into Afghanistan at all. The Islamic world did not want to see the US going into an Islamic country and removing an Islamic government. For siding with US people became angry at Musharraf right from the start, and back then some of the "The Sky is Falling!" crowd predicted Musharraf would be overthrown at the time.

The rabble in the street bit was fairly minor, and didn't lead to the conclusion that popular elections would resoundingly *****slap Musharraf. Some loss of support was expected, but US officials admitted surprise at the strength of the Islamist parties' showing in the elections. Most of the Islamic world was willing to let the Taleban hang - even the Iranians and Saudis had a sort of Fallwell-Phelps thing going with the Taleban.

The US did have a significant opportunity at the time of the Afghani Loya Jurga to provide greater support those Afghani Pashtun tribal leaders who have close ethnic ties with the NWFP Pakistanis, but failed to do that. Two of the stated goals of US policy have been reducing popular support for terrorism, and reducing the poverty and economic issues that majorly contribute to the pool of operators and sympathizers. The popularity of the anti-western, back to the 7th Century or bust movement in strategic allies isn't real helpful, and isn't real encouraging.

Musharraf's problem isn't with direct overthrow by the fundies (not yet, anyway). Musharraf's problem is that he pledged to return the country to democratic elections in a relatively short period of time, and the first provincial elections were decidedly discouraging. He has to risk the possibility of a popular Islamic state (or at least coalition), or maintaining/expanding his grip on power for a longer period of time. That gets dicey domestically, and it also undermines the US claims of seeking democracy in Iraq and elsewhere in the ME (all this reform talk), if we end up supporting another strongman, no matter how compelling the reasons for him keeping power.

The US has staked it's policy on being able to influence the ME in our favor. We know we can bomb the crap out of them, but we're sort of reluctant to kill them en masse, so they can continue to reproduce far faster than we've got the nuts to kill them. Since that approach is out the window, we have to get good at other forms of influence, and our record there isn't exactly great.

"
It's not "old news" that they are in effect declaring themselves a separate authority from the national government."

They are enacting internal laws that affect their own people. These fundamentalists, wrong as they are, are simply legislating what they believe to be the correct law for their people. It is complete foolishness to think that this has anything to do with US policy. Hence the foolishness of your troll.

If OBL and AAZ are in fact still alive, these people are their hosts. This having nothing to do with foreign policy must mean that the beheading of Daniel Pearl, the burning of US flags, repeated anti-US demonstrations are all just random events, and like the joke about hiring a retired US Army sergeant to translate your slogans, these guys had no idea what flag they were burning.

The extension of Sharia here goes into economics and every other aspect of life, as well as village law. BTW, if you want to economically stabilize Afghanistan, the only way (other than paying for their poppies ) is with the pipeline projects to transfer landlocked oil and gas from the Uzbekh-Taijik areas through Afghanistan, to seaports in Pakistan. Guess what part of Pakistan those pipelines have to pass? Guess who you have to play ball with, and rely on for security of the pipeline assets and workers? Your friends and mine....

[MichaeltheGreat]

Originally posted by Ted Striker
No, no I thought everyone was impressed except for Nazeem in bum-f*ck-nowheresville Pakistan.

USA!

Bum****nowheresville is where OBL and AAZ are hanging out, if they're still alive. Plus it's going to be a major pipeline town assuming anyone has the balls to try to run that Uzbek-Afghani-Pakistani pipeline project.

Oh, and it isn't that far from where Musharraf keeps his nukes, so don't be surprised at some point if an al-Salami missile is pointed at your rear end.

[Ted Striker]

No sh1t Sherlock.

So what point is it to go into the ghetto and expect them to be wearing suits and ties and singing do wop 50s songs.

[HershOstropoler]

Shi:

"It is complete foolishness to think that this has anything to do with US policy."

Of course it has to do with US policy, in two ways: On the one hand, US policy is playing into the fundamentalists' hand, on the other hand, a US policy goal is (or should be) to limit the influence of fundamentalists.

You know, this terror problem is slightly different from the shoot-out at the ok corral.

[Ted Striker]

Originally posted by HershOstropoler
Shi:
You know, this terror problem is slightly different from the shoot-out at the ok corral.

They probably have Austrian bank accounts this time Nazeem.

Just give 'em a number and they'll bend over for anybody!

[MichaeltheGreat]

Well, that's what your idol Bushie said was a part of his anti-terror policy. To get them to wear Gucci loafers and ties and subscribe to GQ and donate to the RNC and thump their chest chanting USA!

It ain't working real well so far, Holmes

The homies in this ghetto are spending a lot more time listening to "**** Tha Police" lately.