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Posts tagged with: Washington
Oct 18, 2011    |       2 comments

US considered Cyber Attacking Libya & Pakistan

The New York Times is reporting that the United States nearly chose to use “cyber weaponry” just before the American-led strikes against Libya in March by hacking into the Libyan government’s air defense control systems. While the exact techniques remain classified, the goal would have been to break through the firewalls of the Libyan government’s computer networks to sever military communications links and prevent the early-warning radars from gathering information and relaying it to missile batteries aiming at NATO warplanes. But it is reported that the commanding officers balked at the idea fearing that it might set a precedent for other nations, in particular Russia or China

It is then reported that the military commanders again contemplated on using Cyberattack tactics during the Navy Seals raid in Abbottabad that killed Osama bin Laden on May 2.

Naked Security: It is unclear exactly why the US didn’t proceed, but it appears several factors influenced the decision.

Some are suggesting that the urgency of the invasion may not have left an appropriate amount of time for the network attacks to proceed. Gaddafi’s troops were advancing quickly on the rebels, and breaking into their military networks would not have been as simple as it appears in the movies.

Another factor was a US law known as the War Powers Resolution. The President has limited powers to declare war without the approval of the US Congress. Would a cyber attack be construed as assistance to the NATO mission, or an act of war?

Update:- In light of the revelation that the Americans were contemplating to cyber attack Libya & possibly Pakistan. UK Foreign Secretary William Hague declares Britan is prepared to strike first to defend against a cyber attack from an enemy state – Foreign Secretary’s warning to the world is the first clear signal that the UK has developed new weapons for the online battlefield with a estimated £650 million pounds invested in strengthening its resources

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Jun 29, 2011    |       2 comments

Addressing Pakistan’s Sovereignty Deficit

Christine Fair writes a fairly good assessment of the Pakistan-US love-hate relationship at the German Marshall Fund of the United States to say -> The Pakistan government’s inability to provide for the security and prosperity of its own people has led to questions about its sovereignty, whether in terms of its monopoly of violence, fiscal solvency, or human security. Admittedly, the United States has often compromised long-term goals for short-term access.

Pakistan can certainly do better by following India’s example of self-sufficient economic growth. Pakistanis should also question Chinese and Saudi intentions as vigorously as they do those of the United States. Both countries have used Pakistan for their own interests, without attempting to invest in the country’s people. Pakistan can only escape the leash of donors and manipulative outsiders by raising revenue, securing its territory, providing for its citizens, and becoming a responsible international actor. [Read the full text in PDF]

Apr 13, 2011    |       10 comments

The Deal Undone: Pakistan, its Army and the Americans

The deal undone explores the strenuous relationship between the Pakistan – US military establishments. The documentary analyzes a specific period in the history of this relationship during the, following the 9/11 attacks in the U.S.

From the heights of friendship during the early years of the war on terror to the falling out with the passage of the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Act in 2009, are episodes explored in great detail in ‘THE DEAL UNDONE’.


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Mar 24, 2011    |       3 comments

Pakistan gives CIA license to kill Pakistani – asserts ex-CIA Undercover Operative

Talkhaba interviews Robert Anderson a CIA operative who operated in Vietnam some 60 years back recently he wrote an article on CounterPunch on what the undercover work CIA did back then and the similarities with CIA now in terms of running operative like Raymond Davis working in Pakistan

Robert Anderson teaches economics and political science at a U.S. community college. He served in the U.S. Air Force (like Bruce Gagnon) and saw combat during the 1967-68 Tet Offensive in Vietnam. Later, he helped form the Vietnam Veterans Against the War. He traveled to Wounded Knee, South Dakota, in 1973 to support the indigenous struggles for sovereignty. In 2006 he was arrested and banned from the University of New Mexico for pointing out it was wrong for the university to be supporting the Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) without public comment. He is now co-director of Stop the War Machine which has organized major demonstrations opposing Star Wars and the Iraqi war. Bob can be called the Raymond Davis of 60s – Raymond Davis to us Pakistanis is synonymous to CIA Killer Machine.His recent article in Counterpunch titled “I Had Ray Davis’s Job, in Laos 30 Years Ago; Same Cover, Same Lies” led us contact him for an interview for Karachi based newspaper.  He sent us his reaction over Raymond Davis release. Please read on:

The release of Davis in my opinion is just a green light for more killings and assassinations by the US government and the CIA in your country. The pillage and slaughter of Pakistani will increase most likely in the quest of the US for imperial power over your country and region.

The question of justice has been replaced by money. This is the typical way the US works, kill and buy people off.

Pakistan, in my opinion, missed a historic opportunity with Ray Davis to affirm its sovereignty and now has basically returned to its former colonial status, only under the U.S. rather than the British.

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Feb 12, 2011    |       25 comments

US in a total Diplomatic fallout over Raymond Davis

Mohammad Malick of The News has shared one of the biggest news stories of his investigative journalism career, he has dug deep into the Raymond Davis issue and has produced some very interesting facts, if most of what he shares is true then I think he has been instrumental in changing the fate and destiny of Raymond Davis – Teeth Maestro

It’s not a rumour, Americans did get Qureshi’s scalp

by Mohammed Malick – 12th Feb 2011 – The News

ISLAMABAD: When powerful men meet to discuss explosive issues, things can change in a big way. And that is precisely what happened after a highly secretive and immensely important meeting at the Presidency a few days back. The subject, not unexpectedly, being the fate of American killer Raymond Davis and that of Pakistan-US relations. Little did anyone know at the time that the huddle would instead end up deciding the fate of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

The meeting, convened by the president was attended by Prime Minister Gilani, Babar Awan, Rehman Malik, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and the DG ISI Gen Shuja Pasha. The president was given an exhaustive overview of the entire situation but quite early in the meeting it became evident that two of the men were standing on the wrong side of the prevalent dominant wisdom and desire of somehow finding a way to retrospectively cough up diplomatic immunity for Davis and to just wish away all the four deaths and the lingering crisis. But since one of the ‘erring’ two dared not be arbitrarily fired, poor Qureshi’s fate stood sealed.
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Feb 10, 2011    |       16 comments

The US conveniently Forgets Diplomatic Immunity for Afghan Ambassador in Islamabad

Considering the hue and cry being raised by the US on the Diplomatic Immunity and his illegal detention of Raymond Davis a few days back from Lahore when he killed two people in cold blood.

It seems the United States of America has a very short term selective memory in 2001 after 9/11 it arrested and picked up Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef from Islamabad who was then the Afghanistan Ambassador to Pakistan. He was detained in Pakistan initially in 2001 and then held until 2005 in the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp.

I am sure the serving Ambassador had full Diplomatic Immunity as accorded to his status under the Vienna Convention, whatsoever may his linkage be with the Talibans but he was beaten, tortured, handcuffed, and dragged naked in a US Helicopter before being airlifted to Guantanamo Bay, where were the laws that time, where was the diplomatic immunity and where was the Vienna Convention at that time. The US so staunchly claims for a consultant employed by the US Consulate in Lahore.

On his release Abdul Salam Zaeef wrote an autobiography titled My Life With The Taliban: An Excerpt, a few alamring sections I have copied below but you can read the entire hair raising ordeal on Cage Prisoners website
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Feb 10, 2011    |       7 comments

Raymond Davis Passport Official Category Stamp does not mean Diplomat

Raymond Davis an American National who shot and murdered two Pakistanis in open daylight with 27 bullets is under arrest in Lahore. A large hue and cry is being made about his diplomatic immunity status, but at the time of the murder, the passport that he had carried a stamp of “Official” which does not in anyway indicate “Diplomatic” there was a significant debate that the Pakistan government does not stamp visas under the “Diplomatic” category but generalizes the usage of the “Official” for all these type of individuals.

The category has existed for some time even the Visa Application form [Off-site form] found on the Embassy of Pakistan in Washington DC clearly shows the DIPLOMATIC option.
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Feb 10, 2011    |       9 comments

Raymond acknowledges himself as Consultant during his 1st interrogation

Watch this video, as it was recorded by Raymond Davis himself during his first investigation interview in the Lahore Police station immediately after he murdered two people in Lahore. One comment that must be carefully observed, he does NOT claim diplomatic immunity or even diplomatic status but claims that he is a consultant for the American consulate in Lahore. This self incriminating evidence going against all bullying tactics deployed by the American lobby as they ply up the Vienna Convention and the protections for diplomatic staff
A consultant in no way comes under the diplomatic immunity umbrella

Feb 8, 2011    |       17 comments

Raymond Davis immunity issue explained in simpler terms

This explanation about Raymond Davis’s immunity issue was shared on the Peoples Resistance Mailing list by Shalahudin Ahmed, a lawyer from Karachi. He shares with us an unbiased, no BS [sic] analysis of the issue at hand – TM

Pakistan is a signatory to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. The substance of both Conventions are part of Pakistani law through the Diplomatic & Consular Privileges Act 1972.

Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, a diplomatic agent cannot be arrested or detained. Period. No exceptions. The same for members of the technical and administrative staff of a diplomatic mission.

Many other countries in the world have adopted this convention and usually hold to the same. Whether an ethical consideration or no, such a convention is also to protect the lives and property of each nation’s own diplomats.
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Nov 6, 2010    |       6 comments

Even the Pakistani Embassy in Washington – DOES NOT trust the Govt of Pakistan

In a very interesting email sent out to Pakistanis in North American the Pakistani Embassy in the United States of America at Washington DC has invited people for a fashion show by Deepak Parwani of which 90% of the proceeds will go towards flood relief, but in an interesting use of words it seems the negative perception of a total lack of trust in the Government of Pakistan in collecting funds exhibits itself in seemingly a desperate attempt to ensur that people come and be a part of the event – they categorically wrote in their email “no portion of the proceeds will go to the Government Pakistan”
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Mar 29, 2010    |       53 comments

USAID’s Global Pulse 2010

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is sponsoring the Global Pulse 2010, a 3-day, online collaboration event, that will bring together individual socially-engaged participants and organizations from around the world.

Global Pulse 2010 is an online “virtual” event. Registration is free and participants can join from any computer with internet access. The event has already live, to span a period of 3 days, and is hosted online using IBM’s award-winning Innovation JamTM solution. “Similar to the collaborative spirit of musical ‘jamming,’ participants gather online to collaborate on ideas around real societal issues, build on each other’s contributions, find shared solutions — or simply connect.
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Mar 12, 2010    |       72 comments

Why perceptions matter more than grievances: Conspiracy theories, our Achilles heal?

Conspiracy theories are making a big splash in both the domestic and international media. While we in Pakistan are often angered as to how Pakistan is portrayed in the Western media, the same people seem to be supporting various individuals and right wing parties who are also gaining much traction with foreign correspondents in Pakistan.

Recent articles in the NY Times, Times and The Guardian all highlight some of the more outlandish (outlandish for me, common sense to others) arguments to explain the various challenges that the country faces. These articles and conspiracy theorist skeptics recognize that by offering elaborate and complex explanations for Pakistan’s miseries politicians, generals, media personalities etc are trying to deflect responsibility onto un-provable external actors. Not only are they deferring any questions that may be linked to their contribution to the nations state of affairs, by making statements such as “external actors cannot be ruled out” the narrative of the Pakistani state being constantly under siege is maintained.
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Nov 28, 2009    |       45 comments

Jermey Scahill talks about Blackwater on Democracy Now

blackwaterJermy Scahill, the defense analyst who recently published an article in The Nation, is interviewed by Amy Goodman on Democracy Now. Jermey Scahill says that when he was about to go to press with the article, he got some frantic calls from US Joint Chief of Staff General Mullen. He goes on to discuss the Kestral Logistics a Pakistani firm and its owner Liaquat Ali Baig having close contacts with being the front end for Blackwater’s operations in Pakistan. The numerous covert drone attacks were also analyzed. The first 20 minutes are relevant to the Blackwater controversy

Nov 2, 2009    |       30 comments

Open Letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

Feryal GoharYour Excellency,

Allow me to apologize to you for not being able to be present during your address to civil society at the hallowed campus of Government College University in my beloved city of Lahore. Much as I would have wanted to benefit from the wisdom of your analysis and foresight, I could not make the journey quickly enough from the remote town of Chilas where I was in consultation with the proponents of a major dam which shall displace 32,000 people and submerge 32,000 ancient rock carvings if and when built. Allow me to further explain that since flights were cancelled from the nearest airport in Gilgit, a tedious five hour journey on the Karakoram Highway, I was compelled to take the road journey over the Babusar Pass situated at an altitude of 14,000 feet above sea level, travelling a total of eighteen hours to Islamabad.

Your Excellency, it was during this eighteen hour journey through some of the most desolate yet spectacular landscape of my country that I imagined speaking to you, being unable to join the privileged few who were invited to hear you speak both in Lahore and in Islamabad. As the vehicle carrying us made its way carefully over open culverts fashioned by the able engineers of the China Construction Company, as it slid over six inches of freshly falling snow, as it dipped into crevices swirling with glacial melt, and as it glided smoothly over the bits of tarmac which have survived the devastation of the 2005 earthquake which killed 70,000 people in these remote parts, I spoke to you, imagining that you were truly interested in what I, an ordinary citizen of this, my beloved, blighted country had to say.
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Oct 5, 2009    |       44 comments

Kerry-Luger Bill: Signing a Political Death Warrant

kerry-luger-billKashmir policy, acquiring nuclear asset(s) and Army has been sensitive issues for Pakistan since its birth in 1947. Though there can be no disagreements that Army rule could not bring change by ridding corruption and opening flood gates of economic progress by sacking popular leaderships in their four trials in 1958, 1969, 1977, and 1999 respectively. Having said that there has not been a paradigm shift in the love for its main stream Army, lust for independence of Kashmir and acquiring a sustainable mechanism to hold on to nuclear assets for a just deterrent, and maintaining state sovereignty.

Kerry Lugar Bill entails conditions quite to the opposite of Pakistani people’s psyche and character. USA has always been supportive of Pakistan’s military regimes and to some critic it’s a long standing policy of the west to mentor its upcoming generals and through nexus of Judges and Generals bring about a Govt of military Generals after a brief spell of civil rule on the name of ridding corruption, economic progress, stability and accountability. Past state record of Pakistani governments supports itself of that version of theory.
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