Obama is to finish what Bush could not "“ invade Pakistani tribal areas or perhaps the country itself. But before that Pakistan has to be brought on its knees in terms of economy and defense. The IMF deal and the attempt to weaken ISI is part of this plan.  Everywhere we see signatures of covert CIA operations against Pakistan. The war plans are already in advance stages and we are seriously concerned over the developments. PPP government's understanding with Americans is to make some noises but facilitate the U.S. plan.  This betrayal and political impasse over national security issues puts army chief into a very tight corner. Despite the fact that army has seen through the CIA game, it is unable or unwilling to act at the moment as it would mean practically overthrowing the government or confronting it directly. For now, the army chief maintains the protocol, at least for the camera but would be surely conveying his message in many ways.

By ZAID HAMID

Monday, 17 November 2008.

WWW.AHMEDQURAISHI. COM

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan"”"If those in charge of our society - politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television - can dominate our ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not need soldiers patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves." - Howard Zinn, historian and author.

Mr. Zardari is feverishly working on a single-minded and focused strategy: ignore all protests, resistance and complaints and do what you have to do.  He is in a hurry and does not have time for his critics now, not overtly at least. Though he has tasked FIA and his sleuths to track, hunt and identify those who are undermining his game plan.

Before we do our assessment of the latest ground developing situation in Pakistan, it will be a good idea to revisit what we have written last week.

The government has already signed with IMF a deal done in vulgar haste and without disclosing the terms to the parliament or the media. A major obstacle crossed for the PPP government. Opposition has made noises but they are too weak or disorganized to put up any solid resistance to the plan.

The frustration is now going to increase at social and political levels while the civil society and Pakistani nationalists struggle to build the consensus against Mr. Zardari and the government.

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Opposition in NA lashes out at president
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ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: President Asif Ali Zardari, now on a U.S. visit, received a stinging rebuke from the opposition in the National Assembly on Wednesday for his perceived failings "¦ http://www.dawn. com/cgi-bin/ dina.pl?file= top6.htm&date=20081113

Zardari is becoming the target of hate across all cross segments of the society. He even faces serious dissent within the PPP and his government is led by him and run by a cartel of following names, almost all un-elected and considered as agents for external power players:

1. Rehman Malik   -      Advisor to Interior.
2. Mehmud Durrani.        National Security Advisor.
3. Hussain Haqqani.     Ambassador to U.S..
4. Wajid Shamsul Hasan. Ambassador to UK.
5. Sherry rehman.          Minister for Information.
6. Shaukat Tareen       Finance Advisor.
7. Salman Taseer               Governor Punjab.
8. Altaf Hussain                  MQM chief.
9. Asfandyar Wali        ANP Chief.
10. Fazal ur rehman           JUI chief.

This is the real and powerful shadow cabinet within the country running the government and implementing the policies. It has nothing to do with Prime Minister, parliament, democracy, the cabinet of 62 ministers or serving national interests. It is all dictated from Washington and implemented here. Period.

Zardari is going overboard to invite and seek assistance of U.S. to 'stabilize' Pakistan, not withstanding that he is himself the biggest cause of instability and economic suspense due to his reputation as one of the most corrupt rulers in the world today. He was in U.S. last week, demanding more money and intervention, no strings attached.

There is no doubt that there is going to be a policy re-evaluation for Pakistan in the next government of Obama. But there is also no doubt that it is going to be a hawkish policy against Pakistan and not a friendly one. Obama is to finish what Bush could not "“ invade Pakistani tribal areas or perhaps the country itself and create a justification for another Iraq or Afghanistan like invasion. But before that the country has to be brought on its knees in terms of economy and defense and taking out its economic and nuke potential remains a critical part of the whole pre-invasion planning. Former as well as current CIA officials are going to be his advisors on Pakistan.

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Obama to reassess strategy on Pakistan, Afghanistan
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WASHINGTON, Nov 9: One of the first priorities of the Obama administration will be to reassess U.S. strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, his aides say. And as a first step, he has appointed Bruce Riedel, a former CIA official and adviser to three U.S. presidents on South Asia and the Middle East as his adviser on Pakistan.. 
http://www.dawn. com/cgi-bin/ dina.pl?file= top5.htm&date=20081110

Everywhere we see signatures of covert CIA operations against Pakistan. The war plans are already in advance stages and we are seriously concerned over the developments. "The new 9/11 is going to be from Pakistani tribal areas" is the buzz word these days suggesting that plans are already finalized and the targets designated for a media blitz to create a supportive global environment to create justifications for the "pre-emptive" or "reactive" attacks on Pakistan. We are NOT making this up, but reading the media noise and clatter to decipher the unfolding geo-political game for which Pakistan is being set up just as Iraq was set up on false pretexts of WMD's.

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Every major terror threat involves Pakistan: CIA
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WASHINGTON, Nov 14: CIA director Michael Hayden has warned that every major terrorist threat confronting the world has ties to Pakistan.  In a speech to the Atlantic Council on Thursday, Mr Hayden also claimed that Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden was hiding in Fata...http://www.dawn. com/cgi-bin/ dina.pl?file= top5.htm&date=20081115

The following statements of U.S. Commander confirms our earlier assessments that drones are controlled by CIA and not U.S. army. CIA has been tasked to eliminate all pro-Pakistan tribal leaders and militants who are posing as a threat to CIA sponsored gangs of TTP and Baitullah Mehsud. The game is dirty and indeed sinister. The elimination of pro-Pakistan militants remains critical to any future U.S. military intervention in the region and all CIA assets are working over time these days to prepare the grounds for future invasions.

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Isaf chief refuses to discuss drone attacks
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ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: General David McKiernan, the Commander of International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) in Afghanistan, has distanced himself from drone attacks in Pakistan "¦ during a briefing to a select group of parliamentarians at the residence of U.S. Ambassador Anne W. Patterson on Thursday, said he had nothing to do with the missile attacks being carried out by drones. "I cannot speak on this issue as these drones do not come under my command."...   http://www.dawn. com/cgi-bin/ dina.pl?file= top7.htm&date=20081114

PPP government is only to pretend its "anger" but would not give orders to the army to shoot them down or threaten any action against U.S. or NATO. It is all being done under a tacit understanding.

This betrayal and political impasse over national security issues puts army chief into a very tight corner. Despite the fact that army has seen through the CIA game, it is unable or unwilling to act at the moment as it would mean practically overthrowing the government or confronting it directly.

For now, the army Chief is going along with the government while deploying army's own policy in the tribal areas to isolate the "bad Taliban" from the "good ones" and taking the bad ones out one by one. That is why CIA had to jump into the equation to set the balance right but that has only confirmed our analysis, increased anger in Pakistan army and exposed the CIA / RAW game plan.  For now, the army chief maintains the protocol, at least for the camera but would be surely conveying his message in many ways.

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Kayani to attend Nato defense chiefs' meeting
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ISLAMABAD, Nov 13: Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani will leave for Brussels on Nov 18 to attend a meeting of defence chiefs of Nato. During the three-day meeting, the army chief will call for a comprehensive approach towards complexities of security, including implications of drone strikes in Fata....  http://www.dawn. com/cgi-bin/ dina.pl?file= top16.htm&date=20081114

The analysts at CIA HQ Langley would be wondering if the brazen attack on NATO convoy within Pakistan was genuine Taliban attack or a 'signal" by the Pakistan army of shapes of things to come if U.S. and NATO continue to disregard Pakistan's national security and support terrorist groups inside Pakistan which are directly attacking army in the mainland. 

Though the attack was carried out by anti-U.S. militants in the region and the army had to mobilize gunship to recover the hijacked Humvee convoy, the message in Langley would be read differently.  FC is not trusted by U.S. at all and relations between Pakistan army and U.S. are strained for the first time. U.S. feels that it has to keep Pakistan army on its side for any possibility of sustaining military operations in Afghanistan but following incidents continue to increase suspicion on both sides.  There is a reason why CIA tried to bring ISI under its control by placing it under Rehman Malik and the move was met with fierce resistance by the army. Things have not become normal ever since. Now very soon we should be seeing NATO supplies being used by Taliban or sold in Peshawar black-market.