“300,000” seems like a fairly large number, no? I know there’s all sorts of exciting things happening in Denver right now, but I’m not alone in viewing Pakistan as a sort of lynchpin to what happens in the Middle East/Central & South Asia. Reuters:

By Mian Saeed-ur-Rehman

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Authorities in northwest Pakistan are urgently seeking millions of dollars to help up to 300,000 people who have fled from fighting between government forces and militants.

The displaced people are one more problem for a coalition government riven by disputes and grappling with mounting militant attacks and a sagging economy.  Read more 

Slain as she left an election rally, with at least 16 more dead, in Pakistan.
Bhutto was the first woman elected to head a Muslim nation.

The outlook for Taliban-infested Pakistan: not so good.

Dear Mr. Bush, here’s my citizen’s PDB: The time for you and Mr. Cheney to step down is now, because this job requires something you don’t possess — competence.  Read more 

Shave and a Haircut One Hundred… I don’t think so:

“The government is unable to protect us so we will abide by what the Taliban tells us to do and stop shaving beards,” said Niamat, a barber in Khar, the headquarters of the Bajaur tribal agency along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

And the Taliban mean business, On Sunday night, bombs destroyed two barber shops and three others suffered partial damage after the owners refused to follow the orders.  Read more 

The absurdity never ends.

KARACHI - The Pakistani establishment has made a deal with the Taliban through a leading Taliban commander that will extend Islamabad’s influence into southwestern Afghanistan and significantly strengthen the resistance in its push to capture Kabul.

One-legged Mullah Dadullah will be Pakistan’s strongman in a corridor running from the Afghan provinces of Zabul, Urzgan, Kandahar and Helmand across the border into Pakistan’s

Balochistan province, according to both Taliban and al-Qaeda contacts Asia Times Online spoke to. Using Pakistani territory and with Islamabad’s support, the Taliban will be able safely to move men, weapons and supplies into southwestern Afghanistan.  Read more 

WTF:

Senior leaders of Al Qaeda operating from Pakistan have re-established significant control over their once battered worldwide terror network and over the past year have set up a band of training camps in the tribal regions near the Afghan border, according to American intelligence and counterterrorism officials.

But I thought that the Pakistanis were our friends?

American officials said there was mounting evidence that Osama bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, had been steadily building an operations hub in the mountainous Pakistani tribal area of North Waziristan. Until recently, the Bush administration had described Mr. bin Laden and Mr. Zawahri as detached from their followers and cut off from operational control of Al Qaeda.

“The chain of command has been re-established,” said one American government official, who said that the Qaeda “leadership command and control is robust.”

Geez, the six-foot bearded guy pulling the kidney dialysis machine that Bush never could find is still in the game? I’d forgotten about him!  Read more 

More rapid fire posting and then I’m really outta here. But you’ve got to read this interview with a very savvy and organized seeming member of the Taliban. Registan has some good stuff too. Also, did you notice? US and Iran are going to talk about Iraq. You can hear the wingnut heads exploding a hundred miles away. Note too Baker is back in the mix, and working hard to clean up Junior’s little mess. How he must hate that.

Lifted from TLC’s soccerdad

Pakistan has reportedly released over 2500 foreigners many of who are member of Taliban or al-Qaeda.  Read more 

The Pakistani army announces it will not go after Osama, as long as he remains a mellow dude.

If he is in Pakistan, bin Laden “would not be taken into custody,” Major General Shaukat Sultan Khan told ABC News in a telephone interview, “as long as one is being like a peaceful citizen.”

Pakistan is also declaring the border area with Afghanistan a permanent party zone:

In addition to the pullout of Pakistani troops, the “peace agreement” between Pakistan and the Taliban also provides for the Pakistani army to return captured Taliban weapons and prisoners.

Schweet. For more on why this subcontinental military dictatorship has the Almighty US of A over a barrel, check out  Read more