This is a fallacy. The only thing extremists recognize is force. You need to kick them in the teeth until they apologize KEILL them.

TooTall on May 5, 2008 at 10:53 AM

simple fix

I know the tribal areas of Pakistan are not Iraq, but could the same thing happen there as in the Sunni triangle? Meaning, the more restrictive, vindictive, and barbaric the Islamists become, the easier it is to turn the local populace against them? A kind of “darkest before dawn” condition that leads to the eventual throwing off of the yoke of these barbarians?

VolMagic on May 5, 2008 at 12:29 PM

The problem with this is that, in Iraq, the Sunnis had someone else to turn to: the US Military. In the Pak Frontier, they have no such alternative, not even the Pak Gov’t. Besides, beards and music are one thing, but AQI was chopping heads and hands.

Islam: the Alzheimer’s of religions.

profitsbeard on May 5, 2008 at 10:37 AM

Or maybe –

Islam: the Cancer of illnesses.

Two words for Pakistan:

SPECIAL FORCES.

Virus-X on May 5, 2008 at 10:18 AM

Got two bettah words for ya:

Nucular weapons.

The new Pakistani government has obviously not learned much of the lessons of appeasement since the 1930s. If they continue to refuse to recognize the danger of their policy and allow these lunatics loose in the frontier regions, the US has to make clear that we do not consider ourselves bound by that decision.

I don’t think that the U.S. has exactly set the best example in the world.

There are all those U.S.-fostered constitutions that enshrine Sharia law [Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestinian Authority] — just the sort of ideological concession our forebears would never have made.
- Diana West

/doomsaying

The new Pakistani government has obviously not learned much of the lessons of appeasement since the 1930s. If they continue to refuse to recognize the danger of their policy and allow these lunatics loose in the frontier regions, the

The new Pakistani government has one of the parties (Bhutto’s PPP) that created the Taliban in the first place, and another party that is allied to the idea of Islamization of the country. Their problem is not how to deal with the Taliban – their problem is how to deal with the US and avoid giving the impression of them being pro Jihad while being pro Jihad.

US has to make clear that we do not consider ourselves bound by that decision.

Such a decision should have been made in October 2001, when everyone, including Pakistan themselves, expected serious repercussions for 9/11. Allowing Pakistan to pretend to switch sides was a big mistake.

A Pakistani Taliban leader has warned local tribesmen to grow beards within the next two months in accordance with Islamic teachings or face harsh punishment, residents said Monday.

I know the tribal areas of Pakistan are not Iraq, but could the same thing happen there as in the Sunni triangle? Meaning, the more restrictive, vindictive, and barbaric the Islamists become, the easier it is to turn the local populace against them? A kind of “darkest before dawn” condition that leads to the eventual throwing off of the yoke of these barbarians? Anyone with some knowledge on the tribal areas wanna sort me out on this?

The new Pakistani government has obviously not learned much of the lessons of appeasement since the 1930s.

In Pittsburgh, the wise elders of the City Council decided that they were going to combat graffiti vandalism, by declaring a wall along a bike path a legal place to do graffiti. New incidents of graffiti haven’t gone down since this bold strategy was taken. It’s fair to say that the wise elders of the Pittsburgh City Council learned nothing relevent to the situation of Pakistan.

When Democrats taunt me with the “Republican War on Science”–which is effective since I agree with what they have to say–I reply with the “Democratic War on Economics and History”. I point out that minimum wage laws and captial gains tax are no less insane relative to economics than Creationism is to biology. And then I mention Democrats, appeasement, and all of recorded human history. I encourage other people to use the term “Democratic War on Economics and History”. I’ve found it quite effective in making my point.

TooTall on May 5, 2008 at 10:53 AM

You aim too high, sir.

A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often….

The leaders of the new Pakistani government insist that only peaceful negotiations will end the strife with radical Islamists in the frontier areas of western Pakistan.

This is a fallacy. The only thing extremists recognize is force. You need to kick them in the teeth until they apologize.

A must read below, but Ignatius misses the mark in his conclusions because he simply does not understand the new counterinsurgency strategy for which he lays credit for defeating al Qaeda. That new strategy is not one of a smaller……

Two words for Pakistan: SPECIAL FORCES.

Virus-X on May 5, 2008 at 10:18 AM

Nah. Fence it off and stay on the outside. Isolate them, let them rot and kill each other. Lob nasty, murderous explosive in there from time to time. Carpet bomb the Iran – Pakistan border and make it unpassable by road.

They want the 7th century – give it to them.

It is un-Islamic to shave beards

These bastards shave their beards when they want to strike Western targets and kill innocent people; but na, that’s not un-Islamic.

Brains are another thing.

Islam: the Alzheimer’s of religions.

SPECIAL FORCES.

Ok, somebody please tell me again why they call this the “Federally Administered tribal Area”?

Why don’t they just let the taliban have a section of Waziristan, change the name to Talibanistan, let them all move in and settle there and then we just bomb it back … ooops, I mean forward into the Stone Age?