vote for your favorite liberal

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
I don't know what's up with Oerdin. He mouths leftist platitudes most of the time, but every once in a while he goes off on fascist rants. Maybe he has multiple personality disorder.

And maybe you just can't tell when someone is bored and looking to troll?

[SlowwHand]

KH needs to plot the mathematics of a situation before he offers opinion.
He's a little ambidextrious.

[Sava]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
Pakistan supported the Taliban

So did the United States.

[Drake Tungsten]

So did the United States.

No, we just blindly gave equipment and money to the Pakis, who funneled it to certain mujahideen groups friendly to their interest (like the Taliban). Stupid on our part, but not nearly the same as actively supporting the Taliban over other Afghan militias...

[Sava]

The United States gave direct support (MONEY) to the Taliban.

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
Go read a history book, dude. It's not my job to educate you.

Whew! 'Cause you obviously have no idea what's going on.

[Drake Tungsten]

I screwed up the timeline a bit. The Taliban didn't come into existence until after the Soviets had already been kicked out of Afghanistan, so the US played even less of a role in the formation and rise to power of the Taliban than I had thought. It was almost solely a Pakistani/ISI operation...

[Zkribbler]

The Taliban was formed by Afghani religious students.

Now, admittedly, there were (and still are) a lot of ultra-religious schools in Pakistan, and radical Muslims pockmark the nation -- including at the time of 9/11, the head of Pakistani Intelligence.

However, since 9/11, those guys have been purged from the government. Nationwide sweeps have gathered up most of the dangerous terrorists we have captured. Radicals have, on numerous occasions, attempted to assassinate Pakistan's President.

I'm not saying there's not a radical element in the country, especially in the northwestern provinces, but the government is pro-US and anti-terrorists. These are the guys who are on the front lines of the War on Terror.

[Drake Tungsten]

The Taliban was formed by Afghani religious students.

The Taliban originated around 1993-1994. Naseerullah Babar, interior minister during Benazir Bhutto's second government from 1993-1996, along with other Pakistani military and ISI intelligence top brass got together in the province of Quetta, located on the border with Afghanistan, to form a militia movement consisting of religious students in Pakistani extremist religious schools known as madrassas to gain control of Afghan mujahidin government.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban

However, since 9/11, those guys have been purged from the government.

Bull****. Islamists still run the ISI, which is why Musharaff lives in constant fear for his life.

Radicals have, on numerous occasions, attempted to assassinate Pakistan's President.

Yeah, radicals that control his own country's intelligence service.

I'm not saying there's not a radical element in the country, especially in the northwestern provinces, but the government is pro-US and anti-terrorists. These are the guys who are on the front lines of the War on Terror.

You're terribly ill-informed about just what's going on in Pakistan.

[Sava]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

Yeah, radicals that control his own country's intelligence service.

Elements friendly to the Taliban (the "radicals" as you call them) hardly have enough influence to control Pakistani intelligence.

You're terribly ill-informed about just what's going on in Pakistan.

Wow, you two have something in common.

[SlowwHand]

The USA gives money to every swingingdick in the world. Who knew punk students would go all ballistic?

[Drake Tungsten]

Elements friendly to the Taliban (the "radicals" as you call them) hardly have enough influence to control Pakistani intelligence.

Dude, Pakistani intelligence created the Taliban. It would be amazing if they weren't friendly to the Taliban given that fact, don't ya think?

[Dinner]

If the dictator of Pakistan can't even get the ISI to give up funding terrorist organizations in Kashmir or in Afghanistan or get the military to seriously crack down on militants in the tribal region then who can? If Musharraf really tried to stop any of those things then he'd be assassinated or over thrown in a month. That's why he gave up even trying to pretend to surpress the militants and now lets them do what ever the hell they want.

[Drake Tungsten]

Christ Sava, Oerdin is making more sense than you now! Is that really what you want?

Oerdin

[SlowwHand]

Oerdin is just lobbying for the title.
It's ok, Oerdin. I voted for you.