Military historian Gareth Porter talks about the expansion of the “war on terror” into Pakistan, in what he says is another instance of a major disconnect between the Bush administration and the US intelligence community, and military operations directed by the Bush administration doing exactly what al Qaeda wants done, that in al Qaeda’s view Iran and the US are in reality “allied” to fight Islam and that al Qaeda is doing its utmost to drive a wedge between the two countries and foment a US attack on Iran.
Why is Bush helping them?
September 10, 2008 – 7 min 24 sec
Gareth Porter: US attacks tribal areas, al Qaeda celebrates 9/11 (Pt. 1)
And why has Barack Obama also been pushing an invasion of Pakistan in efforts to appear “strong on national security” in the presidential campaign?
In the first part of this series, investigative military historian Gareth Porter analyzes al Qaeda’s demonization of Shi’ites; the rationale behind US special commandos conducting attacks against alleged al Qaeda and neo-Taliban operatives deep inside the Pakistani tribal areas; the overall counterinsurgency strategy of Gen. David Petraeus; and the surge in Iraq compared with what is now a surge in Pashtun-dominated lands inside Pakistan.
Part Two of series published on Friday.Gareth Porter is a historian and investigative journalist on US foreign and military policy analyst. He writes regularly for Inter Press Service on US policy towards Iraq and Iran. Author of four books, the latest of which is Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam.
Has anyone else noticed that seemingly every “problem” these people find to go to “war” against just keeps growing… and growing… and growing… and growing…?
“War” on drugs, for example. Or “War” on poverty. And “War” on terror.
It’s a good thing they slipped up and also started a “War” on thinking…
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Q: what is the most obvious result that will come from this escalation of the situation?
A: a dangerous destabilization of Pakistan, and thus of the region.
Q: who benefits from the destabilization of the region?
A: al-Qaeda.
Q: why is the US helping al-Qaeda by escalating the situation?
A: …
al-CIA-duh has long determined US foreign policy.
He’s been a highly regarded investigative reporter since the Vietnam War era. I’m now reading his latest book, the one you mention in your essay, Edger. It’s very detailed and very well referenced.
Fomer CIA officer Marc Sageman who has experience in the Afghanistan region wrote a book with the title Leaderless Jihad. The book is dated a bit, it came out about a year ago, but he basically says the same thing Gareth Porter points out.
Here’s a link with some information. There’s more info on what Sageman has concluded and written from this link at the Wahsington Post but it’s not coming up for me now.