Neocon Bill Kristol expects Bush to attack Pakistan

PopHistorian

PopHistorian

The Living Force
FOTCM Member
http://www.signs-of-the-times.org/articles/show/136352-Neocon+Bill+Kristol+expects+Bush+to+attack+Pakistan

I've been waiting for an article like this to turn up because I've been thinking the same for a few days as several things regarding a possible Pakistan set-up have entered my perception. It's hitting me now how fast the elements of a possible summer bloodbath are shaping up, what with Bush having zero political capital left (might have to resort to terror on US soil), Iran being demonized and blamed for Iraq like there's no tomorrow, Republicans still jumping ship on support for the slaughters -- and now Pakistan.

For instance, I heard on CNN yesterday an outrageous statement by a reporter who was paraphrasing US intelligence "terrorism experts." They said their "gut feeling" was that the US was going to be "hit" this summer and that the plot would be traced back to Pakistan. Wow -- if you thought investigations of terror plots happened awfully fast once they happened, now they're being solved even before they occur. I thought this was very telling in terms of reckless reporting alone, but it may simply be a cover for acclimation to this idea.

Today I turned on C-Span and there was a House Subcommitte hearing on Pakistan, or, more precisely, what to do about Pakistan. The gist of the message from the chair, John Tierney (D-MA), who was taking in the official statement of the current administration, was that Pakistan is absolutely crucial to US security interests (which, to me means that they have nukes and the US wants to control them, through a proxy like Musharraf or however necessary). He said Musharraf=good, "democratic" (that's a laugh), stands for "civil society," etc., and Pakistanis who want him gone=bad.

The summary of the situation, reinforced by Deputy Sec. of State for Central and South Asian Affairs Richard Boucher, was that Pakistan should be elevated to the new, premier front in the war on terror, and that Pakistan is loaded with Islamic radicals, safe havens for Taliban extremists and terrorist leaders, terrorist training camps, Al Qaeda elements, Islamic fundamentalist sympathizers among the Pakistani military and intelligence service, "uncooperative" people in the barely policed nether regions of the country, and basically all kinds of Islamo-fascist types who love Osama bin Laden and hate the USA, etc., etc., and pose a challenge to Musharraf, who is limited in his ability to crack down on vocal Islamic fundamentalist leaders, and limited in his ability to grant US forces a free hand to come into the country, etc. There was a clear effort to paint the picture of a wave of sentiment-that-America-doesn't-like sweeping across the Pakistani nation. It was surprising to me that all of this was being reeled off as if a list of undeniable facts, without (yet), demonizing Pakistan in the media in any kind of focused way (like they're doing with Iran, China, etc.).

So, we have the matter-of-fact assumption of the US gov't that Pakistan is seething with US enemies and that our puppet ruler Musharraf, custodian of a nuclear arsenal, is straining to keep the lid on. We have the US military conveniently next door in Afghanistan just dying to be let across the border. We have US intelligence experts predicting terror in the US that will come from Pakistan. And now we have Bill Kristol voicing that the US will "have to take military action there over the next few weeks or months... to disrupt that sanctuary."

Anyone else seeing a Pak attack shaping up awfully fast? Don't get me started on the Iran campaign -- TV news reporters are implying and sometimes outright stating that Iran is behind half the horrors taking placing in Iraq these days, what with Sen. Lieberman saying so and everything.
 
Let's hope there's more people waking up to what's really happening and can see behind the 'paths veil of lies.
 
AdPop said:
Anyone else seeing a Pak attack shaping up awfully fast? Don't get me started on the Iran campaign -- TV news reporters are implying and sometimes outright stating that Iran is behind half the horrors taking placing in Iraq these days, what with Sen. Lieberman saying so and everything.
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Well I have noticed the rhetoric too and it doesn't just come from the neocons. On SOTT the other day there was an article where Obama was saying that it might be needed to hit Pakistan and Iran with missile strikes. It was news to me then, that it was right there in the open that Pakistan is seen as a threat.

The article is Obama would consider missile strikes on Iran and Pakistan

Anders
 
Pakistan has way too many secrets about the Neocons... Something is going on behind the scenes there, IMO.
 
Laura said:
Pakistan has way too many secrets about the Neocons... Something is going on behind the scenes there, IMO.
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Even if Pakistan has many secrets about the Neocons, would that be a hindrance if Musharraf and his lackies were promised safety? They have one strong asset and that is that they don't have much in terms of resources such as oil ;-)

But on the other hand war is profitable and it keeps the distraction away from the real issues. Like you say, something is most likely going on behind the scenes and we might only be seeing the smoke and mirrors.
 
Sure enough, Pakistan is all over the US news, now, portrayed as a "threat." Yesterday, CNN's Jack Cafferty asked viewers to email an answer to his question, "Under what conditions should the US enter Pakistan?" He means invade it, of course, but the question itself (which presupposes, matter-of-factly, as if everyone should know by now) indicates that the US population is undergoing a very rapid acclimation to the idea that Pakistan is a threat, always has been, etc., and that the US is considering an invasion, and no one should be surprised that.

This is truly Orwellian. Remember, from 1984, "We have always been at war with East Asia."
 
OK, thought I'd revive this thread because now Benazir Bhutto's assassination is all the news can talk about. CNN just paraded every "major" presidential candidate onto the screen to play the "what would you do?" game, and each of them disgustingly used the opportunity for self-promotion.

It's very interesting to watch the "programming." CNN has been showing non-stop film of people rioting, alternating with nuclear missiles blasting off with a voiceover repeating "the next Afghanistan ... Taliban ... al Qaeda" -- managing to break every now and then to show CFR prez Richard Haass calling Pakistan "terror central." That should be enough assure that a US move on Pakistan is still in the cards and closer than ever. Oh, and President Bush took a brief time-out from his vacation to say a word or two.
 
AdPop said:
CNN just paraded every "major" presidential candidate onto the screen to play the "what would you do?" game
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Listening to the fellow from Carolina made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Talking about how much USofA money is 'given' to Musharraf. He talked that Musharraf (with the billions being received) should be able to be levered into conforming with USofA goals. (USofA continued attemps at building that ole Empire).?.?.?
Also, while listening to all that so-called "news", something popped into my head and would like to throw out this idea to see if I'm just paranoid? Is this perhaps a test run? Testing the waters, so to speak? A test to observe mass reactions as what it'll take to stop an election from happening?

edited for typoes & clarification

Thinking about this 'test'. Whacking one person just wouldn't be enough justification for stalling the USofA election. But what if many major players of the parties were suddenly 'removed'. Like when they're grouped together, like at a convention....8|
 
Laura said:
Pakistan has way too many secrets about the Neocons... Something is going on behind the scenes there, IMO.
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Yes, you get the impression that Musharraf is holding some cards that make the U.S. very very nervous. One wonders what precipitated his revelation last year that Pakistan's involvement in "the war on terror" was a little less than voluntary (US Threatened to Bomb Pakistan). Seems to me he was putting the U.S. "on notice" that he could do them some serious damage if they don't continue to prop him up....
 
Re-reading my initial post, it appears that Iran is moving into the background at the same time Pakistan is moving into the foreground. Interesting. Also, just found this surprising bit:

_http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/dec-2007/27/index1.php
and
_http://blog.washingtonpost.com/earlywarning/2007/12/musharrafs_woes_have_opened_a.html
and elsewhere.
By William M. Arkin | December 26, 2007; 6:00 AM ET

EARLY next year, US special forces are expected to vastly expand their presence in Pakistan, as part of an effort to train and support indigenous counter-insurgency forces and clandestine counter-terrorism units, according to American defence officials involved with the planning, reports Washington Post.

These Pakistan-centric operations will mark a shift for the US military and for US-Pakistan relations. [...]
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So, perhaps they're already there and "working."
 
ugh as i read over this thread all I can think about is transmarginal inhibition. They're pulling the ole switcheroo, it's Iran, It's Pakistan.... Suicide bombing, assassination... it just seems like they're bombarding the airwaves with political disaster left and right. Soooo glad i don't have cable.
 
Cyre2067 wrote: << Soooo glad i don't have cable. >>

Or satellite? Well, you'll soon have to (almost) if you want keep up with the pathocratic propaganda.
Analog broadcasting stops in a little over a year! _http://www.dtvtransition.org
 
QueenVee said:
Laura said:
Pakistan has way too many secrets about the Neocons... Something is going on behind the scenes there, IMO.
Click to expand...
Yes, you get the impression that Musharraf is holding some cards that make the U.S. very very nervous. One wonders what precipitated his revelation last year that Pakistan's involvement in "the war on terror" was a little less than voluntary (US Threatened to Bomb Pakistan). Seems to me he was putting the U.S. "on notice" that he could do them some serious damage if they don't continue to prop him up....
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Mmmmm, I wonder if this might be one of the cards that Musharraf has been holding?

For sale: West’s deadly nuclear secrets
UK Sunday Times, Jan.6/07
Link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article3137695.ece

A WHISTLEBLOWER has made a series of extraordinary claims about how corrupt government officials allowed Pakistan and other states to steal nuclear weapons secrets.

Sibel Edmonds, a 37-year-old former Turkish language translator for the FBI, listened into hundreds of sensitive intercepted conversations while based at the agency’s Washington field office.

She approached The Sunday Times last month after reading about an Al-Qaeda terrorist who had revealed his role in training some of the 9/11 hijackers while he was in Turkey.

Edmonds described how foreign intelligence agents had enlisted the support of US officials to acquire a network of moles in sensitive military and nuclear institutions.

Among the hours of covert tape recordings, she says she heard evidence that one well-known senior official in the US State Department was being paid by Turkish agents in Washington who were selling the information on to black market buyers, including Pakistan.

The name of the official – who has held a series of top government posts – is known to The Sunday Times. He strongly denies the claims.

However, Edmonds said: “He was aiding foreign operatives against US interests by passing them highly classified information, not only from the State Department but also from the Pentagon, in exchange for money, position and political objectives.”

She claims that the FBI was also gathering evidence against senior Pentagon officials – including household names – who were aiding foreign agents.

“If you made public all the information that the FBI have on this case, you will see very high-level people going through criminal trials,” she said.

Her story shows just how much the West was infiltrated by foreign states seeking nuclear secrets. It illustrates how western government officials turned a blind eye to, or were even helping, countries such as Pakistan acquire bomb technology.

The wider nuclear network has been monitored for many years by a joint Anglo-American intelligence effort. But rather than shut it down, investigations by law enforcement bodies such as the FBI and Britain’s Revenue & Customs have been aborted to preserve diplomatic relations.

Edmonds, a fluent speaker of Turkish and Farsi, was recruited by the FBI in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Her previous claims about incompetence inside the FBI have been well documented in America.

She has given evidence to closed sessions of Congress and the 9/11 commission, but many of the key points of her testimony have remained secret. She has now decided to divulge some of that information after becoming disillusioned with the US authorities’ failure to act.

One of Edmonds’s main roles in the FBI was to translate thousands of hours of conversations by Turkish diplomatic and political targets that had been covertly recorded by the agency.

A backlog of tapes had built up, dating back to 1997, which were needed for an FBI investigation into links between the Turks and Pakistani, Israeli and US targets. Before she left the FBI in 2002 she heard evidence that pointed to money laundering, drug imports and attempts to acquire nuclear and conventional weapons technology.

“What I found was damning,” she said. “While the FBI was investigating, several arms of the government were shielding what was going on.”

The Turks and Israelis had planted “moles” in military and academic institutions which handled nuclear technology. Edmonds says there were several transactions of nuclear material every month, with the Pakistanis being among the eventual buyers. “The network appeared to be obtaining information from every nuclear agency in the United States,” she said.

They were helped, she says, by the high-ranking State Department official who provided some of their moles – mainly PhD students – with security clearance to work in sensitive nuclear research facilities. These included the Los Alamos nuclear laboratory in New Mexico, which is responsible for the security of the US nuclear deterrent.

In one conversation Edmonds heard the official arranging to pick up a $15,000 cash bribe. The package was to be dropped off at an agreed location by someone in the Turkish diplomatic community who was working for the network.

The Turks, she says, often acted as a conduit for the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Pakistan’s spy agency, because they were less likely to attract suspicion. Venues such as the American Turkish Council in Washington were used to drop off the cash, which was picked up by the official.

Edmonds said: “I heard at least three transactions like this over a period of 2½ years. There are almost certainly more.”

The Pakistani operation was led by General Mahmoud Ahmad, then the ISI chief.

Intercepted communications showed Ahmad and his colleagues stationed in Washington were in constant contact with attachés in the Turkish embassy.

Intelligence analysts say that members of the ISI were close to Al-Qaeda before and after 9/11. Indeed, Ahmad was accused of sanctioning a $100,000 wire payment to Mohammed Atta, one of the 9/11 hijackers, immediately before the attacks.

The results of the espionage were almost certainly passed to Abdul Qadeer Khan, the Pakistani nuclear scientist.

Khan was close to Ahmad and the ISI. While running Pakistan’s nuclear programme, he became a millionaire by selling atomic secrets to Libya, Iran and North Korea. He also used a network of companies in America and Britain to obtain components for a nuclear programme.

Khan caused an alert among western intelligence agencies when his aides met Osama Bin Laden. “We were aware of contact between A Q Khan’s people and Al-Qaeda,” a former CIA officer said last week. “There was absolute panic when we initially discovered this, but it kind of panned out in the end.”

It is likely that the nuclear secrets stolen from the United States would have been sold to a number of rogue states by Khan.

Edmonds was later to see the scope of the Pakistani connections when it was revealed that one of her fellow translators at the FBI was the daughter of a Pakistani embassy official who worked for Ahmad. The translator was given top secret clearance despite protests from FBI investigators.

Edmonds says packages containing nuclear secrets were delivered by Turkish operatives, using their cover as members of the diplomatic and military community, to contacts at the Pakistani embassy in Washington.

Following 9/11, a number of the foreign operatives were taken in for questioning by the FBI on suspicion that they knew about or somehow aided the attacks.

Edmonds said the State Department official once again proved useful. “A primary target would call the official and point to names on the list and say, ‘We need to get them out of the US because we can’t afford for them to spill the beans’,” she said. “The official said that he would ‘take care of it’.”

The four suspects on the list were released from interrogation and extradited.

Edmonds also claims that a number of senior officials in the Pentagon had helped Israeli and Turkish agents.

“The people provided lists of potential moles from Pentagon-related institutions who had access to databases concerning this information,” she said.

“The handlers, who were part of the diplomatic community, would then try to recruit those people to become moles for the network. The lists contained all their ‘hooking points’, which could be financial or sexual pressure points, their exact job in the Pentagon and what stuff they had access to.”

One of the Pentagon figures under investigation was Lawrence Franklin, a former Pentagon analyst, who was jailed in 2006 for passing US defence information to lobbyists and sharing classified information with an Israeli diplomat.

“He was one of the top people providing information and packages during 2000 and 2001,” she said.

Once acquired, the nuclear secrets could have gone anywhere. The FBI monitored Turkish diplomats who were selling copies of the information to the highest bidder.

Edmonds said: “Certain greedy Turkish operators would make copies of the material and look around for buyers. They had agents who would find potential buyers.”

In summer 2000, Edmonds says the FBI monitored one of the agents as he met two Saudi Arabian businessmen in Detroit to sell nuclear information that had been stolen from an air force base in Alabama. She overheard the agent saying: “We have a package and we’re going to sell it for $250,000.”

Edmonds’s employment with the FBI lasted for just six months. In March 2002 she was dismissed after accusing a colleague of covering up illicit activity involving Turkish nationals.

She has always claimed that she was victimised for being outspoken and was vindicated by an Office of the Inspector General review of her case three years later. It found that one of the contributory reasons for her sacking was that she had made valid complaints.

The US attorney-general has imposed a state secrets privilege order on her, which prevents her revealing more details of the FBI’s methods and current investigations.

Her allegations were heard in a closed session of Congress, but no action has been taken and she continues to campaign for a public hearing.

She was able to discuss the case with The Sunday Times because, by the end of January 2002, the justice department had shut down the programme.

The senior official in the State Department no longer works there. Last week he denied all of Edmonds’s allegations: “If you are calling me to say somebody said that I took money, that’s outrageous . . . I do not have anything to say about such stupid ridiculous things as this.”

In researching this article, The Sunday Times has talked to two FBI officers (one serving, one former) and two former CIA sources who worked on nuclear proliferation. While none was aware of specific allegations against officials she names, they did provide overlapping corroboration of Edmonds’s story.

One of the CIA sources confirmed that the Turks had acquired nuclear secrets from the United States and shared the information with Pakistan and Israel. “We have no indication that Turkey has its own nuclear ambitions. But the Turks are traders. To my knowledge they became big players in the late 1990s,” the source said.

How Pakistan got the bomb, then sold it to the highest bidders

1965 Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan’s foreign minister, says: “If India builds the bomb we will eat grass . . . but we will get one of our own”

1974 Nuclear programme becomes increased priority as India tests a nuclear device

1976 Abdul Qadeer Khan, a scientist, steals secrets from Dutch uranium plant. Made head of his nation’s nuclear programme by Bhutto, now prime minister

1976 onwards Clandestine network established to obtain materials and technology for uranium enrichment from the West

1985 Pakistan produces weapons-grade uranium for the first time

1989-91 Khan’s network sells Iran nuclear weapons information and technology

1991-97 Khan sells weapons technology to North Korea and Libya

1998 India tests nuclear bomb and Pakistan follows with a series of nuclear tests. Khan says: “I never had any doubts I was building a bomb. We had to do it”

2001 CIA chief George Tenet gathers officials for crisis summit on the proliferation of nuclear technology from Pakistan to other countries

2001 Weeks before 9/11, Khan’s aides meet Osama Bin Laden to discuss an Al-Qaeda nuclear device

2001 After 9/11 proliferation crisis becomes secondary as Pakistan is seen as important ally in war on terror

2003 Libya abandons nuclear weapons programme and admits acquiring components through Pakistani nuclear scientists

2004 Khan placed under house arrest and confesses to supplying Iran, Libya and North Korea with weapons technology. He is pardoned by President Pervez Musharraf

2006 North Korea tests a nuclear bomb

2007 Renewed fears that bomb may fall into hands of Islamic extremists as killing of Benazir Bhutto throws country into turmoil
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