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Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
I took his comments to suggest something more than dropping in some rangers for a few hours.
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This is what he said:
"As President, I would make the hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. military aid to Pakistan conditional, and I would make our conditions clear: Pakistan must make substantial progress in closing down the training camps, evicting foreign fighters, and preventing the Taliban from using Pakistan as a staging area for attacks in Afghanistan.
I understand that President Musharraf has his own challenges. But let me make this clear. There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again. It was a terrible mistake to fail to act when we had a chance to take out an al Qaeda leadership meeting in 2005. If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will.
And Pakistan needs more than F-16s to combat extremism. As the Pakistani government increases investment in secular education to counter radical madrasas, my Administration will increase America's commitment. We must help Pakistan invest in the provinces along the Afghan border, so that the extremists' program of hate is met with one of hope. And we must not turn a blind eye to elections that are neither free nor fair -- our goal is not simply an ally in Pakistan, it is a democratic ally. "
Is there an implication of an invasion? Maybe, but I don't see it any more than I see an implication of invasion in any typical tough talk from a President or candidate.
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I don't think it's unhinged, given what musharraf seems to be holding back politically in pakistan.
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What happens if, w/o Musharref's permission, we bomb Waziristan? What's the consequence? I agree that we cannot be seen asking and receiving Musharref's permission to attack a portion of his country, but come on . . . is it reasonable for us to not, if we know where OBL is? Isn't that a core goal of the WoT? Doesn't winning involve breaking some eggs?
