Weeks before it is to begin, an ambitious American aid plan to counter militancy in Pakistan's tribal areas is threatened by important unresolved questions about who will monitor the money and whether it could fall into the wrong hands, according to American and Pakistani officials and analysts familiar with the plan.
The disputes have left many skeptical that the $750 million five-year plan can succeed in competing for the allegiance of an estimated 400,000 young tribesmen in the restive tribal region, a mountainous swath of territory left destitute by British colonialists and ignored by successive Pakistani governments. Today, the Taliban, Al Qaeda and other foreign militants use the area as a base to fuel violence and instability in Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan and to plot terrorist attacks abroad.
Critics of the aid plan say the region is rife with corruption, and even Pakistan's own government has limited reach there. But the risk of leaving it isolated and undeveloped is greater than ever. This month, Bush administration officials acknowledged they were reviewing their Afghan war plans top to bottom.
Sounds to me like the cons are sticking close to the roadmap outlined by Catherine Austin Fitts
quote:
- Phase One--Break It: Private syndicates make money destroying a place through organized crime, covert operations, warfare or a variety of both;
- Phase Two- Buy It: The profit generated from breaking it is used to buy or seize “legal control” at a discount;
- Phase Three- Fix It: Government funding, credit and subsidies are then used to “fix it” while harvesting remaining assets, including with narcotics trafficking, sex slavery and any other form of liquidating the human, intellectual, environmental and physical capital in a place:
- Phase Four—Declare Victory: Victory is then declared and a flow of foundation and academic grants funded by the “break it-fix it” profits generate awards, photo opportunities and official archives and documentations for the perpetrators to be admired for their bringing of advanced civilization to the natives.
Somehow this aid seems to be tied to the supply and distribution of one of the cons favorite commodities, drugs.
A hearty welcome to Zuma, a fellow Agonist.org contributor with a background in aviation and stuff. Zuma was at Miami International during Iran Contra, and anyone with this in their life story can frankly post whatever they want (within the Bluehost usage policy):
Rex Wheeler was the head of security [at TAMPA Aviation]. I noted the autographed framed picture on his wall -of George Bush. I noted the confusing mystery of it all even though privy to much private documentary activity, even officially as I was the consulate courier among other duties. Ostensibly TAMPA, like dear ol Dad, was on the side of the good guys. I still believe that, but do know there were those within not playing by the rules or on 'our' side. These were the Iran-Contra era circumstances... I'll tell you now, there is for me no index of suspicion. The CIA is in the drug business completely. -Down there. All of us in Cockroach Corner at Miami International Airport knew who Southern Air Transport was. That may have blown their 'cover' but they could not so quickly suspend activity. Their activity was twofold and quite contradictatory. Interdiction *and* facilitation. In short, manage those who were allowed and disallow those who were unmanaged. Not just any pirate could run drugs. Who was to decide? That was the prize and question.
Whenever I read these articles, it never ceases to amaze me how little understanding our government has of different cultures and societies.
This is why we are in such a mess in Iraq and have virtually no real influence any longer in Afghanistan.
I wonder when we as American citizens are going to elect intelligent leaders who actually even know where Pakistan is on a map, let alone try to control its "tribal areas".
"Yeehaw" is not a foreign policy!
Posts: 875 | Location: The Emerald City | Registered: 02 January 2007
"Not torturing is changed into an act of barbarism.. Torture, the atom bomb and the globalization strategy-all save life. State terrorism presents itself as humanist realism, the only way of securing life."
"As a Chilean general said, national security is like love; there is never enough."
Rhinoceros can talk but they're silent for fear of being dragged to work. Work becomes a corpse but work fetishism and work fanaticism continue (cf. Manifesto against Labor on www.krisis.de)
Posts: 73 | Location: Portland OR | Registered: 27 March 2007
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