I don't think enough people are talking about this - if Pakistan falls to the Taliban over the next few months, and it looks like it might, what would be the effect on the global markets? Dollar Bullish?
Perfect excuse to deploy our troops in Pak'n. The wind down in Iraq troops will hurt our economy, and the military is looking for a place to stuff the extra bodies. Don't think that economics isn't a factor. Bullish on equities, until Al Qaeda detonates one of Pakistans nukes....then things are not so bullish.
The US has bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, do you think they would let Pakistan fall to the Taliban. They will probably just take Pakistan over.
I don't think we ( the US ) will let it fall. I was extremely critical of Bush and Cheney, but give credit where do. Did anyone notice how they stepped up attacks with predator drone/hellfire missiles in Western Pakistan in the end of their respective terms. I am glad to see that Obama has kept up this pressure. This isn't like that stupid war in Iraq. We know where the enemy is they are hiding in Waziristan among other places. We need to beat them down and kill them. I am quite confident are special forces are training daily to take control of their nukes should the country fall. This issue is starting to receive the attention it is due. It's a major issue. Pakistan is a failed nation state, or better put, on the way to failure. When part of their ISI supports Jihad freaks you are bound to have a real problem.
Militarily, you have to think that an anti-US organization would be trying very hard to take over Pakistan to get control of the nuclear arsenal. So, the US is going to pull out every stop, even going to war with Pakistan to keep this from happening.
Agreed. I am sure that was discussed this last week at the White House. Get your backyard in order, with our help, or we will step up and take over to protect our own interests.
I can promise you all, with 100% certainty, that Petraus is pushing for a US incursion into Pakistan. The Mush isn't there to grant it to us anymore. We'll have to see what happens in the early fall, after the troop rotations.
ON WHAT PLANET... The TALIBAN have about 35,000 rag tag guys strung out over the AF Pak area and they are not well organized or have any decent communications... and they have only automatic weapons and not much sophisticated heavy weapons... The idea of them overtaking... beating... whatever... the 650,000 (over half million) well trained Pakistani army is ludicrous - ridiculous and not even close to possible... The Pakistani army is the one which helped the USA in Somalia when they were in trouble !!... remember the hit movie... They have more men in their armed forces then the USA does in their armed forces and a lot of sophisticated weaponry.. The USA is again pushing an unnecessary war through fear based paranoia one more time.. ad infinitum To be clear: It Is Another USA Lie... "I do so love the smell of napalm in the morning"
I think the pak military will prevail enough to keep the Taliban at bay. Pak will have another bloodless military coop though. Musharif is ready to come back if the generals want him in charge again. If they don't, and the U.S. has to send in troops to restore order it will be worse than Vietnam. The best thing we could do is remove the nukes then do surgical strikes against Al qada and the Taliban. Or maybe let India take care of them.