Pakistan, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan and Canada stuff
War On Terror News sends us a link to the news that the US government grew a pair sometime during the convention and actually said the words out loud that they have evidence that Pakistan’s security services are linked to the Haqqani terror network, allies of the Taliban;
U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter tells Radio Pakistan there are apparent ties between Islamabad and the Haqqani network. Munter also said those ties must be severed.
The United States has suspected Pakistan’s intelligence agency has ties to the Haqqani network and other militant groups in Afghanistan but rarely says so publicly.
And, that, folks, is how you keep your shithole status in the world.
In regionally related news, Aunty Brat sends us a link to the story that Canada has closed it’s embassy in Tehran and gave Iranian diplomats five days to clear out of their embassy in Canada to protest Iran’s support for the Syrian government against the rebels there.
“Canada’s position on the regime in Iran is well known. Canada views the Government of Iran as the most significant threat to global peace and security in the world today.”
Well, at least someone in the west thinks that Iran is the greatest threat to security. Meanwhile the Obama Administration is focused on China because if China doesn’t attack anyone in the next fours years, he can say that he kept them at bay. Like prescribing chewing tobacco to prevent worms.
Of course, as Aunty Brat says, the impact to the US will be that any US citizens in Iran are pretty much screwed since Canada had been representing our interests in Iran since 1979 when our embassy was forced to close.
Category: Terror War
Should we increase stocking the pantry? Just asking.
My wife is Mormon so our pantry is extremely well stocked.
@1. No, just buy more ammo.
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Haqqani Network? Oh,it’s sandwiched right between the Oprah Network and Cable News Network, I think. As for Munter, the State Dept is probably ‘clarifying’ his statement as I write. Perhaps something was lost in translation or he meant the other Pakistan.
I’m particularly struck by this part of the CBC article:
Pro-democracy activists in Canada renewed calls over the summer for the embassy in Ottawa to be closed.
The calls were sparked by a news report that said Iran’s cultural counsellor in Ottawa, Hamid Mohammadi, suggested Iranian expatriates should be nurtured to be of service to Iran.
Q: How much of that do you think is going on in the USA?
A – Lots
B – Maybe a little
C – Huh? What?
You guys who think I have a Cold War mentality — are you aware that the Russian government has been doing behind-the-scenes support for Hassan’s military?
Oh, yeah — Tice, the freelance reporter (USMC Marine prior to freelancing) who has been in Syria following the rebels, is reportedly being held by the Syrian government.
Actually I would say that Iran is not the greatest threat to the West. The Saudis, Pakistan, and al Qaida are all greater threats. I would say North Korea is a greater threat as well.
China is a serious threat from an asymmetric standpoint, not so much from a military standpoint.
Fred, I think they are all threats.
However, the Haqqani network is the subject of an article by
Gretchen Peters at the Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/haqqani-network-shows-itself-to-be-terrorists/2012/09/05/1737d30a-f753-11e1-8b93-c4f4ab1c8d13_story.html
She writes that Haqqani is extensive, transnational, and has a wide financial network. The article is worth a look.