BBC:
At least 40 people have been killed in a suicide attack on a gathering of tribal elders and local officials in north-west Pakistan, reports say.Where are the foreign occupiers and Northern Alliance government in this story? Nowhere. Taliban are mainly killing Pashtuns.
Scores of people were hurt in the blast, near the town of Dara Adam Khel.
Officials say that the blast happened as the elders were discussing the security situation in the area. . . .
The attack took place when tribal elders and officials had gathered for a traditional jirga, or assembly, to discuss increased Taleban activity in the area. Witnesses said thousands of people were involved in the meeting. . . .
Reports said a young man went up to the elders and blew himself up. "It was a huge explosion and left body parts and blood scattered on the ground," Ramin Khan, who was injured in the blast, told the Associated Press news agency. Doctors said many of the injured were in a critical condition and the death toll could rise. It is the third attack in as many days in north-west Pakistan. On Friday, a suicide bomber attacked a funeral in the troubled Swat valley, killing at least 38 people.
.
8 comments:
"Where are the foreign occupiers and Northern Alliance government in this story? Nowhere. Taliban are mainly killing Pashtuns."
I do not weish any violence anywhere, but all I care about is that we not become involved. I hope I am not finding you suggesting intervention.
I want us out of Iraq and Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The US occupation of Iraq, Afghanstan, Palestine, and Pakistan, (yes even Pakistan via CIA covert influence and presence) is devestating and horribly dangerous to the world. I am not a believer in God, but maybe I should reconsider just in case this US medling causes a global disaster. It certainly seems headed in that castestrophic direction.
"Our Father who art in heaven...."
So, as I understand you, your point is that the Pakistani Taliban are engaged in a power struggle w/in Pakistan that has little to do w/ "foreign occupation"? Just what is your point, b/c that (above) doesn't jive w/ some other stuff you've written on this topic. Are you saying the BBC has poor coverage?
I guess M. Rubin only posted this to add to his earlier argument (see last week's "Across the borderline" post) that the idea that the Taliban are Pashtun insurgents fighting an occupation is rubbish. He asks : "why did a Taliban “Pashtun insurgency” kill hundreds of Pashtuns in Kandahar, while Tajiks and Uzbeks quietly went about their business from Badakhshan to Bukhara? (...) If Taliban are “just Pashtuns” (...), then who was voting in NWFP on February 18?"
Good questions, but I would like to add a cautionary note : I can very well imagine a Pashtun-dominated Taliban being worried more about a tribal Pashtun reaction against Taliban activity than about the government and its army that have not been very successful in battling the Taliban.
Likewise, I do not find it too hard to imagine Pashtun Taliban attacking their fellow Pashtun who happen not to adhere to the same ideology, and even singling them out for attacks.
As for the elections, another commenter already pointed out the very limited voter turnout and percentage of the ANP votes: "The Awami National party candidates mostly won their constituencies with votes from about 5% - 15% of registered voters. For example:
Peshawar 1: 15% (32% of 48% turnout).
Peshawar 3: 10% (49% of 20% turnout).
Peshawar 4: 6% (26% of 22% turnout)."
This is not to say I believe the Taliban is only a Pashtun thing, but I would caution against pushing this too far and suggesting the Pashtun have nothing to do with the Taliban because they are its principal victims.
If anything, the elections and attacks on Pashtuns indicate the Pashtun are after all not a monolithic bloc, that they are individuals who have their own opinions. Who would have guessed?!
Peter
When Asfandiar Amir Zeb was killed by a bomb in the Swat Valley area , I thought then that things were going down hill. Now with all these other boombing I think they are under the hill. This definately needs to be handled and handled quickly.
The ANP winning in the NWFP and Pashtun resistance to the Taliban is the single most important development of this election. While voter turnouts are significant (and I thank the poster for the info), the reality is that a new government will come to power with a mandate, however limited, to confront the rise of Taliban influence in the region.
Remember Ross Perot.
Ralph Nader Ron Paul Dennis Kucinich Mike Gravel.
Cynthia McKinney.
United by truth elicit fear smear blacklist.
Wrenches in the gears lives not lived in vain.
Human League awakened sheep.
President Carter understands
wow gold cheap wow gold buy wow gold world of warcraft gold wow world of warcraft wow gold WoW Warrior WoW Hunter WoW Rogue WoW Paladin WoW Shaman WoW Priest WoW Mage WoW Druid WoW Warlock power leveling powerleveling wow power leveling wow powerleveling wow guides wow tips food flower google排名 google左侧排名 google排名服务 百度推广 百度排名 网站推广 商业吧 机床 LED灯 电池 塑料 摄像机 移民 甲醇 染料 福州热线 体育博客 股票博客 游戏博客 魔兽博客 考试博客 汽车博客 房产博客 电脑博客 powerlin518 logo design website design web design 商标设计
Post a Comment