2009.02.10: February 10, 2009: Headlines: COS - Pakistan: Figures: COS - Morocco: Journalism: Bloomberg: James Rupert writes: Pakistan Asks U.S. to Reconsider Missile Strikes on Al-Qaeda

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Pakistan: Peace Corps Pakistan : Peace Corps Pakistan: Newest Stories: 2009.02.10: February 10, 2009: Headlines: COS - Pakistan: Figures: COS - Morocco: Journalism: Bloomberg: James Rupert writes: Pakistan Asks U.S. to Reconsider Missile Strikes on Al-Qaeda

By Admin1 (admin) (151.196.16.73) on Sunday, February 22, 2009 - 12:31 pm: Edit Post

James Rupert writes: Pakistan Asks U.S. to Reconsider Missile Strikes on Al-Qaeda

James Rupert writes: Pakistan Asks U.S. to Reconsider Missile Strikes on Al-Qaeda

While Pakistan repeatedly has demanded that the U.S. halt the missile strikes, which began while George W. Bush was president, Qureshi used diplomatic language in the new appeal to the Obama administration. "We have to weigh both advantages and disadvantages," Qureshi said. "Our view is that these are counterproductive." Pakistan's appeal for more understanding from the U.S. underscored the difficulties President Barack Obama may face in achieving his goal of pushing Pakistan to crack down harder on Islamic militant groups, which the country's army supported in the past. Independent analysts and former U.S. counterterrorism officials say some Pakistani officers still help the militants. Journalist James Rupert, head of Bloomberg's international bureau in Islamabad, Pakistan began his career abroad as a Peace Corps volunteer, teaching mechanics and welding in Morocco.

James Rupert writes: Pakistan Asks U.S. to Reconsider Missile Strikes on Al-Qaeda

Pakistan Asks U.S. to Reconsider Missile Strikes on Al-Qaeda
Email | Print | A A A

By Khalid Qayum and James Rupert

Feb. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Officials in Islamabad told U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke that the Obama administration should reconsider the policy of firing missiles at suspected al- Qaeda fighters in Pakistan, saying the strikes are "counterproductive."

Holbrooke is in the region to review U.S. counterterrorism policies in Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan. In talks today with Holbrooke, President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi urged greater U.S. attention to Pakistan's political and security concerns.

"I am here to listen and learn the ground realities of this critically important country," the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan quoted Holbrooke as saying. Qureshi, speaking to reporters later, said, "This is a welcome change."

While Pakistan repeatedly has demanded that the U.S. halt the missile strikes, which began while George W. Bush was president, Qureshi used diplomatic language in the new appeal to the Obama administration. "We have to weigh both advantages and disadvantages," Qureshi said. "Our view is that these are counterproductive."

Pakistan's appeal for more understanding from the U.S. underscored the difficulties President Barack Obama may face in achieving his goal of pushing Pakistan to crack down harder on Islamic militant groups, which the country's army supported in the past. Independent analysts and former U.S. counterterrorism officials say some Pakistani officers still help the militants.

'Stalwart Ally'

Holbrooke, 67, began his visit a day after Obama said his administration aims "to make sure that Pakistan is a stalwart ally with us against this terrorist threat" in parts of the country controlled by the Taliban and allied Islamic militants. The Taliban and other guerrillas based in Pakistan's ethnic Pashtun tribal zone routinely attack U.S. and Afghan forces across the border.

The army, which ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 61 years of independence, still dominates national security policy. U.S. officials have said Pakistan's fight against the guerrillas often remains half-hearted.

"What we haven't seen is the kind of concerted effort to root out those safe havens that would ultimately make our mission successful," Obama said at a news conference yesterday.

Zardari's coalition government, led by the Pakistan Peoples Party, says Pakistan is doing all it can against the guerrillas. While Pakistan's army has sent troops to attack the Taliban in the Swat Valley and the Bajaur district in the north, it has left the Taliban in control of the strategic Waziristan region, farther south.

Predator Aircraft

U.S. forces have launched missiles from unmanned Predator aircraft flying over Pakistan's border zone with Afghanistan. They have carried out 32 such attacks in the past 10 months, Senator Raza Rabbani, minister for provincial coordination, told lawmakers last month, according to the News, a Pakistani daily newspaper.

Obama has underscored the danger from the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan and is pushing European allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to send more troops there. Army General David Petraeus, who commands U.S. forces in the Middle East and much of Asia, said Feb. 8 that security in Afghanistan has "deteriorated markedly" since 2007.

Obama appointed Holbrooke to coordinate U.S. diplomatic efforts to counter the Taliban, al-Qaeda and other Islamic militant groups in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Under the Clinton administration, Holbrooke was the chief architect of the 1995 Dayton accords, which ended the war in Bosnia that followed the collapse of Yugoslavia.

Shaping Policies

Holbrooke's trip will help him shape the administration's policies in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the surrounding region, said Daniel Markey, a South Asia specialist at the Council on Foreign Relations. "The next real direction on Afghanistan is wide open," Markey said.

Holbrooke also is scheduled to visit Afghanistan and India, U.S. officials said.

In India, U.S. officials are weighing whether to press the government for concessions to help settle the Indian-Pakistani dispute over the Kashmir region, which has helped to popularize jihadist guerrilla groups in Pakistan, Markey and other analysts said. India opposes foreign mediation in Kashmir.

To contact the reporters on this story: James Rupert in New Delhi at upert3@bloomberg.net; Khalid Qayum in Islamabad at kqayum@bloomberg.net.




Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: February, 2009; RPCV James Rupert (Morocco); Peace Corps Pakistan; Directory of Pakistan RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Pakistan RPCVs; Figures; Peace Corps Morocco; Directory of Morocco RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Morocco RPCVs; Journalism





When this story was posted in February 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers RSS Feed

 Site Index Search PCOL with Google Contact PCOL Recent Posts Bulletin Board Open Discussion RPCV Directory Register

PCOL's Candidate for Peace Corps Director Date: December 2 2008 No: 1288 PCOL's Candidate for Peace Corps Director
Honduras RPCV Jon Carson, 33, presided over thousands of workers as national field director for the Obama campaign and said the biggest challenge -- and surprise -- was the volume of volunteer help, including more than 15,000 "super volunteers," who were a big part of what made Obama's campaign so successful. PCOL endorses Jon Carson as the man who can revitalize the Peace Corps, bring it into the internet age, and meet Obama's goal of doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011.

Director Ron Tschetter:  The PCOL Interview Date: December 9 2008 No: 1296 Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL Interview
Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters, the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL previously did an interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez.

Jan 24, 2009: RPCVs March in Inauguration Date: January 25 2009 No: 1309 Jan 24, 2009: RPCVs March in Inauguration
Peace Corps Community marches in Inaugural Parade 20 Jan
Jane Albritton writes: Memories of Maury Albertson 18 Jan
Sarah Chayes writes: Failing Afghanistan 15 Dec
Volunteers in Guinea are Safe 23 Dec
Jim Walsh reflects on 20 years of service 28 Dec
Public service in Driehaus' blood 3 Jan
An Interview with Kathleen Stephens 3 Jan
Robert P. Cristo returns to Nigeria 4 Jan
Sarah Holt makes 2,663-mile hike along the Pacific Crest Trail 5 Jan
Zophia Kneiss is metal sculptor 11 Jan
Harris Wofford is Godfather of National Service 12 Jan
Melanie Edwards founds Mobile Metrix 14 Jan
Jody Olsen Named PC Acting Director 16 Jan
Lawrence Leamer writes: Obama betrays the Peace Corps? 18 Jan
George Packer writes: Obama's Inaugural Address 20 Jan
Obama going to do something great for Peace Corps 21 Jan
John Bridgeland writes: Volunteer to Save the Economy 22 Jan
Foy Spicer writes: Electricity as a scarcity 23 Jan
Carl Pope to Step Down as Sierra Club Chief 23 Jan
James Rupert writes: US Missile Attacks Kill 15 24 Jan
Jeffrey Tayler writes "Murderers in Mausoleums" 25 Jan
Read more stories from January 2009 and December 2008.

Some PCVs return to Bolivia on their own Date: October 23 2008 No: 1279 Some PCVs return to Bolivia on their own
Peace Corps has withdrawn all volunteers from Bolivia because of "growing instability" and the expulsion of US Ambassador Philip Goldberg after Bolivian President Evo Morales accused the American government of inciting violence in the country. This is not the first controversy surrounding Goldberg's tenure as US ambassador to Bolivia. Latest: Some volunteers have returned to Bolivia on their own to complete their projects.

PCVs Evacuated from Georgia Date: August 19 2008 No: 1254 PCVs Evacuated from Georgia
The Peace Corps has announced that all Volunteers and trainees serving in the Republic of Georgia are safe and they have been temporarily relocated to neighboring Armenia. Read the analysis by one RPCV on how Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili believed that he could launch a lightning assault on South Ossetia and reclaim the republic without substantial grief from Moscow and that Saakashvili's statements once the war began demonstrated that he expected real Western help in confronting Russia.



Read the stories and leave your comments.








Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: Bloomberg

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Pakistan; Figures; COS - Morocco; Journalism

PCOL42897
61


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: