5 replies to this topic

[Simpleton]

Top US general coming to Pakistan

By: The Nation Monitoring |  March 07, 2012 |


WASHINGTON - The top US commander in the Middle East said on Tuesday he will travel to Pakistan in about 10 days to talk with leaders about reopening ground supply routes that have been closed since late November, reported Washington Post, quoting an American news agency.

General James Mattis, commander of US Central Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the US needs those supply routes to facilitate the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

Pakistan shut down the supply routes in an uproar over US airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in an exchange of fire at the Afghanistan border on Nov 26.

US officials have worked to try and repair the tattered relations with Islamabad.

Pakistan has rebuffed any US military visits since the airstrikes, and Islamabad’s parliament is working out new guidelines to define the US-Pakistan alliance.

Mattis also told legislators despite a recent wave of murders of US servicemembers by Afghan security forces, the United States will stick with its strategy based on battlefield partnership between troops from the two nations.

Gen Mattis said that most Afghan troops have maintained discipline during a wave of public anger following the burning of Qurans by US troops.

“Even their performance during the last two weeks – disciplined, restrained, standing by us – is an indication that this is a force that has come a long way,” he said. There will still be stumbles, said Mattis, who appeared with Adm William McRaven, commander of US Special Operations Command.

The United States is on track to end its combat role in December 2014, he said. The goal of having 352,000 Afghan security troops in service will be reached this spring, months ahead of schedule, he said.

Brewing conflicts in the Middle East dominated much of the hearing, with Arizona Senator John McCain repeating his call for an attack on Syria, saying that assisting the Syrian opposition with supplies and logistics won’t do the job. “The only realistic way to do it is foreign air power, and the time has come for it,” McCain said.

He appeared to grow irritated after Mattis said he believed Al Qaeda was operating within the Syrian resistance. “You know what that flies in the face of, general?” McCain said. “People who yearn for liberty and not living under an oppressive, brutal dictatorship.”

Mattis said stopping the Syrian regime’s violence would require international cooperation.

Mattis also told legislators that Al-Qaeda is beginning to make a comeback in Iraq in the wake of the US pullout, and beginning to make its presence felt in Baghdad.

McRaven told legislators special operations forces are operating in about 78 countries worldwide, with about 80 per cent of the deployed force in Central Command.

Mattis said possible military intervention against the regime in Syria would be ‘extremely challenging’ given the country’s advanced air defences.

Syria has Russian-made missiles and radars that would complicate any outside effort to use air power to protect civilians or resistance forces, General James Mattis, head of US Central Command, told the committee.

“The Russians have provided very advanced integrated air defence capabilities - missiles, radars, that sort of thing - that would make imposition of any no-fly zone challenging if we were to go that direction,” Mattis added.

[1Pakistani]

What's the point they just need to throw $$$ at Kayani and co and they will bend over backward. I cannot fathom the fact that they pricks have allowed drone attacks after all the huff and the puff.

I guess he will be seeking more concession for killing Pakistanis.


Damn good to be back on PDF.

[Dizasta]

Pakistan should send the General back with a simple answer ...... 'No borders will be open for America or NATO!.

It is prudent and in the well being of Pakistan, that it embarks upon an economic re-building plan, which ensures safer public environment, accountability and improved Law Enforcement and internal stability. With these things started up, Pakistan should also guarantee the protection of Chinese Technicians and Engineers, when they come to Pakistan to build more Hydro, Thermal and Nuclear Power Plants.

The time has come, when Pakistan comprehensively moves away from America as it's ally or friend. Keep the relationship purely business, where there is an even handed trade and that is it. Nothing more and nothing too much on the lines where American Black Ops and CIA run rampant in our country, inflicting carnage, chaos and violence. Every American should be kicked-out/deported out of Pakistan and should not be given visas at all.

Maintaining contact with America, should be only on the basis where Pakistan and Pakistanis try an establish a people-to-people/business-to-business relationship with the American people, NOT THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT.

[Simpleton]

Security and deals

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Since the Nato strike on the Salala check post last November, we are told Pakistan has been undertaking a ‘complete review’ of its partnership with the US. As a result of fury from the ranks and junior officers livid with the Americans, the army chief even told troops to respond to any future attack without waiting for approval from commanders. And yet, before the results of this ‘complete review’ of ties has been put before a joint session of parliament as promised, there is news that the army is gearing up for a deal for the transport of US-Nato-Isaf supplies via Pakistan’s land routes in the near future. The deal has reportedly been signed between the military-led National Logistics Cell and the Railways, under which the cell will repair 30 railway locomotives, of which 15 will be used to carry freight booked by the NLC, including Nato supplies.

So while the common citizens have been waiting for the results of the parliamentary review of bilateral relations ordered after the Salala incident, behind the scenes, the Pakistani and US sides seem to be negotiating the terms and conditions for transporting Nato and American supplies to Afghanistan. By mid-February, we were under the impression that Nato supply routes had been completely suspended – until it became clear that Nato still had access to our air routes. At that point, the defence minister tried to save face by saying the government had allowed Nato to use Pakistani airspace for a limited period only and on humanitarian grounds to allow food items to be carried to Afghanistan. By late February, however, it became clear this was not true: according to Air Force General William Fraser III, head of the US Transport Command, arms and lethal weapons were also being carried by aircraft. And now we learn about a deal to use the railways for supplies to Nato forces in Afghanistan. What is going on? How can such a deal be signed when the foreign minister has reiterated time and again that ties will remain on hold until the parliamentary review is completed? Should we believe that the Salala incident simply provided an opportunity to the security establishment to increase its leverage vis-à-vis the US and that the noise about national security was just a display of diplomatic brinkmanship? What about the decision not to allow the US Special Representative for Af-Pak, Marc Grossman, to come to Pakistan on the pretext that until our review was done, we wouldn’t re-engage? Where has the review process reached and when, if ever, will we learn the results? This nod-and-wink approach will no longer suffice; the citizens demand a transparent foreign and security policy. Let’s not give them yet another reason to never again believe anything those in power tell them.

[Simpleton]

http://forum.pakista...showtopic=98410
NLC contract


From the Newspaper | Editorial
9|hours ago

Reports that the National Logistics Cell is eyeing contracts to transport currently stalled goods for American troops to Afghanistan raise questions once again about transparency in Pakistani commerce and foreign policy. Most details about the negotiations remain unknown, including their status, and the army has denied any involvement. But the institution does have links with the NLC, and its involvement in commercial activities is already a source of much scepticism. And this is not just any commercial activity; it is connected to the war in Afghanistan and the Pak-US relationship, national-security and foreign-policy issues that raise a host of possible conflicts of interest. The plan will apparently use Pakistan’s rail network, and if so a less worrying approach would have been to give the contract to Pakistan Railways, with security perhaps outsourced to the army or the Frontier Corps. That would also have had the benefit of reviving a struggling enterprise that provides an important public service. The matter also raises concerns about the advantages the NLC might enjoy as it tries to win business away from private contractors.

Given the reality of the company’s influence, however — its board includes high-level government officials and bureaucrats in addition to army representation — it will not be surprising if it is able  to leverage the current suspension of American supplies to negotiate a role for itself. Still — if handled transparently and fairly —  the scheme could have some benefits. For one, the passage of these goods through Pakistan, especially fuel, has become a security hazard given the attacks on them. Presumably a higher level of security would accompany NLC transport. Second, Railways might still benefit from the use of their network. The NLC has offered to fund the repair of 30 PR locomotives, of which it will reportedly use 15 for transporting American supplies, with the cost of this to cover freight charges owed to PR in the near term. This could work out well for PR — provided the cost of the repair work is fair (no public bidding process has been held) and that the freight charges offered are in line with what Railways would normally charge.

The questions don’t end there, though. Given the repeated postponement of the parliamentary review on ties with the US, sceptics will wonder if negotiations for this lucrative contract are behind the delay. Addressing concerns about this and the plan as a whole will require transparency about the process and terms of any agreement, including the benefit to PR, and, somehow, a demonstration that larger foreign policy concerns are not being held up by commercial interests.

[Simpleton]

Pakistan agrees to restore NATO supplies, revive normal ties

WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD: Senior US officials say they have been informed by Pakistani authorities that a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Wednesday agreed in principle to restore supplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan and to revive normal relationship.

President Asif Ali Zardari presided over the meeting and was attended by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani Air Chief Marshal Qamar Suleman and DG ISI Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha. Senior coalition leaders including Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, the ANP Chief Asfandyar Wali Khan and MQM leader Farooq Sattar were also attending the meeting.

The rare meeting of the country’s top civilian and military leadership as well as key allies was called just days ahead of the joint session of the parliament that will mark the new parliamentary year but will mainly focus on the debate on the future relationship with the US and NATO allies.

Although the government spokesmen told the media that the meeting reiterated the government’s earlier stance that the parliament will take decision on the NATO supply and relationship with the US, the leaders agreed to restore land route for NATO and revive normal ties with the US.

Senior US officials in Washington said they have been conveyed after the Islamabad meeting about the decisions.
In return the U.S. will also allow the equipments delivery to Pakistan which had been blocked after Islamabad blocked NATO supply line in November.

Pakistan blocked supplies for nearly 150,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan as protest against the air strikes by the American fighter jets and helicopters in Muhmand triabl region and killed 24 soldiers.

Pakistan had also vacated the key Shamsi airbase from the US army and had boycotted the Bonn conference on Afghanistan as a protest.

Pakistan had also refused to welcome top US military leaders and diplomats until parliamentary review is completed, which had also been delayed for some time.

But the meeting also decided to receive the top US visitors whenever they want to visit Pakistan and they agreed with the proposed visit of the US Centcom chief General Mathis, who is likely to visit later this month.

General Mathis told reporters in Washington last week that he will discus, besides other important issues, the plan of using Pakistan land route for the American troops at the time of withdrawal from Afghanistan.

“This has also been conveyed to the U.S. authorities in Washington,” the US sources said. The US plans to withdraw several thousands troops this year as part of its Afghan exit strategy.

The summoning of long-awaited joint session of the parliament to meet on March 17 is also in line with the understanding reached in the Wednesday’s meeting, sources told Online in Islamabad.

The Parliamentary Committee on National Security had been tasked with giving recommendations to reevaluate ties with the U.S./NATO and ISAF following the the NATO, which has already submitted its recommendations.

Participants of the meeting were of the view that the coalition will have no problem to dominate the join session of the parliament during debate on US ties as they are now in complete command of both houses of the parliament, official sources in Islamabad said.

The US sources said that after positive signals from Islamabad, the Obama administration also decided to release defence equipment for Pakistan that had been stopped in reaction to Pakistani steps.

In another major development, the army chief has told the meeting that the military will fully respect decision by the parliament and civilian leadership, sources in Islamabad said.