NewsTrust - Pakistan - Most Recent Stories: Opinion (Mainstream)

Romney's Making the Right Play in Iowa

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

New York Times - By By NATE SILVER - Nov. 22 (Opinion) - Jeff Zeleny’s weekend story about how Mitt Romney’s campaign will exert more rather than less effort in Iowa deserves your attention. It reflects what is perhaps the most important strategic decision that any Republican candidate will make this year. Mr.

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U.N. Report Finds Routine Abuse of Afghan Detainees

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 08:41:09 -0700

New York Times - Oct. 10 -

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US preparing for post-Assad Syria: report

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 10:19:00 -0700

Dawn - By Afp - Sep. 20 - Members of Syrian opposition living in Turkey, wave their national and Turkish flags as they stage a protest against the Syrian regime outside the United Nations headquarters in Ankara on September 19, 2011. – AFP Photo WASHINGTON: The United States is i

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America's 'detainee 001' – the persecution of John Walker Lindh

Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0700

The Guardian - By Frank Lindh - Jul. 10 (Opinion) - In 1998, aged 17, my son John Walker Lindh travelled to Yemen to study Islam and learn Arabic. In April 2001 he went to Afghanistan. Then 9/11 happened. He was captured by US troops, tortured, and jailed for 20 years, an innocent victim of America's 'war on terror' John Phillip Walker Lindh, my son, was raised a Roman Catholic, but converted to Islam when he was 16 years old. He has an older brother and a younger sister. John is scholarly and devout, devoted to his family, and blessed with a powerful intellect, a curious mind, and a wry sense of humour. Labelled by the American government as "Detainee 001" in the "war on terror", John occupies a prison cell in Terre Haute, Indiana. He has been a prisoner of the American government since 1 December 2001, less than three months after the terror attacks of 9/11. John is entirely innocent of any involvement in the terror attacks, or any allegiance to terrorism. That is not disputed by the American government. Indeed, all accusations of ...

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How the US can win friends and influence people in Pakistan

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700

The Guardian - By Bilal Baloch - Jun. 19 (Opinion) - In the post-Bin Laden milieu, many musings have been posted and printed about continuing US aid to, or more broadly, a relationship with, Pakistan. It is difficult to convince the populace on either side that this relationship is both vital to US nationa

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A brief history of hacking

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:04:00 -0700

BBC News - Jun. 09 - Sony has suffered a series of attacks by a variety of hacking groups The world is full of hackers, or so it seems. In the past few months barely a day has gone by without news of a fresh security breach. Multi-national companies have been left countin

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Our Fantasy Nation?

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0700

New York Times - By Nicholas D. Kristof - Jun. 06 (Opinion) - If Republicans seek a country with low taxes, little regulation and traditional family values, I have the perfect place for them. Body armor suggested.

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Unsafe Pakistan: Wishful thinking

Sun, 29 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Economist - May. 29 (Opinion) - 6-hour terrorist assault on a naval base in the middle of Karachi, which ended on Monday May 23rd, was brazen even by the recent standards of the Pakistani Taliban and its associates. As ever, official confusion, or obfuscation, initially reigned about what actually happened. The interior minister, Rehman Malik, said that no more than six attackers were involved (including two who escaped). He also said that the 11 Chinese and six American technicians working at the base were never taken hostage. But the initial report the navy lodged with the Karachi police said up to 15 raided the base. And suggestions circulated that Chinese had been taken hostage, before the Chinese foreign ministry denied them. The raid by the Pakistani Taliban on Mehran base was the most troubling terrorist attack on the country’s armed forces in two years. The attackers killed at least ten Pakistani guards in gun battles, turning the site into a war zone. Once again, terrorists made Pakistan’s armed forces look sadly amateur.

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Do the China-Pakistan pipeline shuffle

Fri, 27 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Aljazeera - By Pepe Escobar - May. 27 (Opinion) - China is adamant that the West "must respect" Pakistan's sovereignty. The message was delivered during Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani's recent four-day visit to Beijing, The Times of India reconstructed the message as a stark warning that: "any attack on Pakistan would be construed as an attack on China."

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WikiLeaks – Our own truth

Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Dawn - By Faisal Kapadia - May. 24 (Opinion) - On May 2, 2011, the US SEALs carried out the now nefarious mission to kill Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad without knowledge of our armed forces or government until what seems like the last moment. We as a nation woke up in an outrage. We were upset because our territorial sovereignty had been challenged, we [...]

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India and Pakistan: The world's most dangerous border

Sat, 21 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Economist - May. 21 (Opinion) - The late Richard Holbrooke, the Obama administration’s envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, had many virtues as a diplomat, but tact was not among them. His description of his theatre of operations as “AfPak” infuriated the Pakistanis, who wanted the Americans to regard their country as a sophisticated, powerful ally worthy of attention in itself, not just as a suffix to the feuding tribesmen next door. But that was not the only reason the coinage was unwise. It encouraged the understandable American tendency—shaped by the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, the war against the Taliban and now the death of Osama bin Laden—to see Pakistan in the context of the fighting on its north-west frontier, and thus to ignore the source of most of the country’s problems, including terrorism: the troubled state of relations to its east.

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Cannes kicks off with hommage to Bertolucci

Thu, 12 May 2011 11:48:00 -0700

Dawn - By Afp - May. 12 - Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci (L), is awarded with the Honorary Palme d'Or for his career from the president of the Cannes Film Festival Gilles Jacob (C) as President of the Jury Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman, Chadian director Mahamat-Saleh Haroun,

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British boy wears skirt to school in protest

Wed, 11 May 2011 10:57:12 -0700

Dawn - By Afp - May. 11 - LONDON: A 12-year-old British boy wore a knee-length skirt to school in protest against a school uniform policy banning boys from donning shorts during warm weather, according to a report Wednesday. Chris Whitehead also addressed more than 1,350 pupils at morning assembly wearing the black skirt, which boys are permitted to wear due to a [...]

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Osama bin Laden's death: The view from abroad

Sun, 08 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Los Angeles Times - By Emal Haidary - May. 08 (Opinion) - What commentators around the world have said about the significant event. In the days after Osama bin Laden was killed by Navy SEALS in Pakistan, commentators around the world weighed in about what the event signified. Here are excerpts of opinion writing from international publications. They were compiled by Emal Haidary .

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Killing Evil Doesn’t Make Us Evil

Sun, 08 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

New York Times - By Maureen Dowd - May. 08 (Opinion) - It wasn’t bad for college kids to feel good about their country.

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The Two Faces of Pakistan

Thu, 05 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

National Journal - By Michael Hirsh - May. 05 (Opinion) - “We are with you unstintingly.” Those were the words that then-Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said to the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, Wendy Chamberlin, just after 9/11. Musharraf’s promise proved to be largely a lie—but not entirely untrue. Ever since then, whether the Pakistani regime was autocratic or democratic, Islamabad has played a well-thought-out double game with the United States that's involved handing over some jihadis and protecting others for Pakistan’s own purposes.

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Pakistan pays U.S. lobbyists to deny it helped bin Laden

Thu, 05 May 2011 10:45:36 -0700

Reuters - May. 05 - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pakistan's Washington lobbyists have launched an intense campaign on Capitol Hill to counter accusations that Islamabad was complicit in giving refuge to Osama bin Laden.

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Pakistan did its part

Tue, 03 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Washington Post - By Asif Ali Zardari - May. 03 (Opinion) - Together, our nations have suffered and sacrificed. We have fought bravely and with passion and commitment. Ultimately we will prevail. For, in the words of my martyred wife Benazir Bhutto, “truth, justice and the forces of history are on our side.”

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The Helicopter That Crashed in the Bin Laden Raid Was a Secret Stealth Helicopter

Tue, 03 May 2011 18:19:00 -0700

Popular Science - May. 03 - It was a secretly developed stealth helicopter, probably a highly modified version of an H-60 Blackhawk. Photos published in the Daily Mail and on the Secret Projects board show that the helicopter's tail features stealth-configured shapes on the boom an

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Osama bin Laden: US responds to questions about killing's legality

Tue, 03 May 2011 08:34:33 -0700

The Guardian - By Owen Bowcott - May. 03 - Doubts remain over manner in which al-Qaida figurehead died but US officials defend Barack Obama's actionThe chorus of official applause from international leaders over the death of Osama bin Laden has failed to silence doubts about the killing's legality.Despite widespread backing for the raid, there is a growing demand for the precise legal basis of the US operation to be explained, particularly given the absence of prior debate in the UN security council.Some are asking was it an "execution" or an "assassination"?The immediate justification for the killing was that the head of al-Qaida had long ago declared war on the US and other nations."In war you are allowed to attack your enemy," a US embassy spokesman in London said.Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, echoed Barack Obama's assertion, stating: "Osama bin Laden is dead and justice has been done."A more thorough explanation of the legal basis was given last year by Harold Hongju Koh, legal adviser at the US state department.He told a meeting of the American Society of International Law: "Some have argued that the use of lethal force against specific individuals fails to provide adequate process and thus constitutes unlawful extrajudicial killing."But a state that is engaged in an armed conflict or in legitimate self-defence is not required to provide targets with legal process before the state may use lethal force."The principles of distinction and proportionality that the US applies are …implemented rigorously throughout the planning and execution of lethal operations to ensure that such operations are conducted in accordance with all applicable law."He added: "Some have argued that our targeting practices violate domestic law, in particular, the longstanding domestic ban on assassinations."But under domestic law, the use of lawful weapons systems – consistent with the applicable laws of war – for precision targeting of specific high-level belligerent leaders when acting in self-defence or during an armed conflict is not unlawful, and hence does not constitute 'assassination'."John Bellinger III, who served as the state department's senior lawyer during George W Bush's second term as president, also insisted the strike was legitimate."The killing is not prohibited by the longstanding assassination prohibition in executive order 12333 [signed in 1981] because the action was a military action in the ongoing US armed conflict with al-Qaida and it is not prohibited to kill specific leaders of an opposing force," he wrote."The assassination prohibition also does not apply to killings in self-defence."The executive branch will also argue that the action was permissible under international law both as a permissible use of force in the US armed conflict with al-Qaida and as a legitimate action in self-defence, given that Bin Laden was clearly planning additional attacks."Human rights groups have reacted with caution. "Osama bin Laden took credit for and supported acts around the world which amounted to crimes against humanity," said Claudio Cordone, senior director at Amnesty International."He also inspired others to commit grave human rights abuses. His death will put an end to his role in organising or inspiring such criminal acts."We do not know the full circumstances of his killing and the others with him and we are looking into that."One area of anxiety is the suggestion that the intelligence needed to locate Bin Laden's refuge might have been obtained through torture of suspects detained at Guantánamo Bay or other secret holding centres.Whether or not the Pakistan government authorised the assault on its territory might technically affect the legality of the operation under international law.But the enthusiastic support of the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, for the killing is likely to silence any critical voices in the security council."The death of Osama bin Laden … is a watershed moment in our common global fight against terrorism," Ban said. "Personally, I am very much relieved by the news that justice has been done."Osama bin Ladenal-QaidaPakistanHillary ClintonUS politicsUnited StatesUnited NationsAmnesty InternationalBan Ki-moonGlobal terrorismInternational criminal justiceObama administrationUS foreign policyUS militaryOwen Bowcottguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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After Osama Bin Laden ...

Mon, 02 May 2011 00:00:00 -0700

New York Times - By Nicholas Kristof - May. 02 (Opinion) - President Obama has just announced that the United States killed Osama bin Laden today in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and recovered his body. It has been nine years and seven months since Osama orchestrated 9/11, but an American team finally killed him. His body is in American hands. This is revenge, but it’s also deterrence and also means that bin Laden won’t kill any more Americans. This is the single most important success the United States has had in its war against Al Qaeda. So what does this mean? First, it is good for the United States reputation, power and influence that we finally got bin Laden. Bin Laden’s ability to escape from the U.S., and his apparent impunity, fed an image in some Islamist quarters of America as a paper tiger — and that encouraged extremists. Bin Laden himself once said that people bet on the strong horse, the horse that will win, and the killing underscores that it’s the United States that is the horse to bet on. Moreover, this sends a message that you mess with America at your peril, and that there will be consequences for a terror attack on the United States. That said, killing bin Laden does not end Al Qaeda. Ayman al-Zawahri, the Egyptian No. 2, has long played a crucial role as Al Qaeda’s COO. And Al Qaeda is more of a loose network than a tightly structured organization, and that has become even more true in recent years. AQIM, the version of Al Qaeda in North Africa, is a real threat in countries like Mali and Mauritania, and killing bin Laden will probably have negligible consequences there. The AQIM terrorists may admire Osama and be inspired by him, but they also are believed to be largely independent of him. And Anwar al-Awlaki, the Qaeda-linked terrorist in Yemen, likewise won’t be deterred by bin Laden’s killing — Awlaki’s ability to engage in terrorism will be affected more by the upheavals now taking place in Yemen and whether that country has a strong and legitimate government that takes counter-terrorism seriously. It’s also true that bin Laden’s killing might have mattered more in 2002 or 2003. At that time in countries like Pakistan, many ordinary people had a very high regard for bin Laden and doubted that he was centrally involved in the 9/11 attacks. Over time that view has changed: popular opinion has moved more against him, and you no longer see Osama t-shirts for sale in the markets. Some people still feel a bit of respect for his ability to outwit the United States, or they are so anti-American that they embrace anybody we don’t like, but bin Laden has been marginalized over time. Osama’s declining image also means that he won’t be a martyr in many circles (although if Americans appear too celebratory and triumphant, dancing on his grave, that may create a sympathetic backlash for Osama). Many ordinary Pakistanis, Yemenis and Afghans will simply shrug and move on. His death won’t inspire people, the way it might have in 2002. And Al Qaeda is already going through a difficult time because it has been sidelined by the Arab Spring protests; on top of that, losing its top leader will be a major blow. It will be fascinating to see what the Pakistani reaction is to a U.S. military operation on their soil. It seemed to me that President Obama was going out of his way to sound deferential to Pakistan — and to emphasize that Osama was an enemy of Pakistan as well as of America — precisely because he was concerned that Pakistanis might react with outrage at an American military operation.

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Karachi security put on high alert - The News International

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:02:48 -0700

The News International (PK) - Apr. 29 - ReutersKarachi security put on high alertThe News InternationalPolice and Rangers' officials and security wings' officials continued patrolling around residential areas and office buildings of Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Army in view to thwart any potential bomb attack, keeping in view recently ...Politicians denounce attacks on navy busesDaily TimesPakistan Navy Sailors Killed In Terrorist Attack On BusThirdAgeThree attacks, 48 hoursThe Express TribuneDAWN.com -MiamiHerald.com -South Asian News Agency (SANA)all 1,116 news articles »

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Africa: Vast Majority of Stillbirths Found in Developing Countries

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 05:43:00 -0700

AllAfrica - Apr. 15 - United Nations — According to a special series in the medical journal The Lancet presented in New York Wednesday at the U.N. children's agency UNICEF, over 2.6 million stillbirths occur worldwide annually, affecting mostly African and Asian women who lac

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Baby steps to revive trade - Times of India

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:57:02 -0700

Times of India - Mar. 31 - Foreign PolicyBaby steps to revive tradeTimes of IndiaNEW DELHI: India and Pakistan are expected to take gradual steps to revive bilateral trade ties and there should be no expectations of any big bang announcements, a top government official said on Thursday. The two sides have decided to resume dialogue ...The AfPak Channel: Moving past Mohali: what next for India and Pakistan?Foreign Policyall 11 news articles »

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Pakistan faces educational 'emergency', says government

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 09:20:59 -0800

BBC News - Mar. 09 - The GuardianPakistan educational 'emergency'BBC NewsThe report says 25 million children in Pakistan do not get primary education, a right guaranteed in the country's constitution. Three million children will never in their lives attend a lesson. The report says that while rich parents send their ...Education Emergency PakistanDAWN.comPakistan faces "education emergency" with 10 per cent of world's out-of-school ...SifyMarch for education in PakistanDaily TimesAssociated Press of Pakistan -The Guardian -The Express Tribuneall 19 news articles »

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