Comments Related To: US Intelligence Report: Pakistan in Danger of Becoming an Islamist State run by Taliban and Warlords

Bullshit!! they just wanna run down on Pakistan....

LOL @ US dumb a**report. BTW Once US INTELLIGENCE REPORT said Iraq has WPD.. Where are they now? :D

I don't think one needs an intelligence report to gauge the situation in Pakistan at the moment. Its pretty obvious for the entire world to see ! A pity really though, with so many unpleasant consequences, for instance losing out on the cricket world cup.

I forgot to mention that this is a really great report though.

A good & timely article! Internicine political squabbles and factions
in Pakistan may soon lead the country down the road of a "failed state"
that you describe Afghanistan to be. The toehold the Taliban have
gained in the Swat region is foreboding! It seems the NEW Cold War is
not with some Marxist idealogy but with Muslim Fundamentalist zealots
who are twisting a Religion to meet their desires. They play on a
probably rightful suspicion of Western Culture to feed the fires of
Fear. When that doesn't work there is always coertion,Terror and
assasination to fall back on!
There are no easy solutions to patching up the tattered and scattered
political energies of Pakistan as it is. It comes down to the old
adage "which side are you on, boys" for the country is ripe for
upheaval & Revolution of some kind. As you say..it IS an important
state in the region and cannot fall into the suspect schemes of
the Taliban Theocracy. Perhaps like Eisenhower deemed the Normandy
Invasion as the "Great Crusade" against an evil & totalitarian Nazi
machine...perhaps it will be in the cards to come to the assistance
of Pakistan for the "greater good"! A scary scenario..no doubt.
'm reminded of the old Chinese saying "May you live in interesting
Times!" They indeed, are that!

Slydog, why is an intelligent and educated nation like Pakistan allowing itself to be held hostage by these religious fanatics?

I believe there are so many distractions that run the gamut from
extreme poverty, cultural/class differences and squabbles both within
the ruling party and amongst other factions, that the poison of soft
pragmatism has trumped Principles in dealing with the Taliban.
The zealots prey on the people with their Mantra of the West as the
"Great Satan" and bang that drum long and loud! We have learned
Nothing from History, I suppose. You tell the lie loud and often
enough it will soon simply be an accepted Truth. A little German
fella tried this about 70-odd years ago..we ALL know where that lead!

If Pakistan somehow was to become an Islamic Fundamentalist state the worldiwde repercussions would be enormous. A Pakistan ruled by the Taliban would not only face the wrath of the west but also retalitory actions from countries such as Russia, China and India would all but be certain as those countries would far more to fear then the USA.

I think the consequences for Pakistan would extremely disaterous not only from an economic perspective but also possibly militarily. A nuclear armed Taliban will not be tolerated