The MESS that is Pakistan. It will only get worse? or What?

Our sordid past begins with the war in Afghanistan. the USSR war, that is. A GREAT time line is here: http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline.jsp?timeline=complete_911_timeline&startpos=0&geopolitics_and_9/11=isi
Just a very few reminders about Pakistan:
in 1991, the BCCI, one of the most corrupt banks in the world, with its home office in pakistan, was finally shut down.
The ISI, Pakistan's Secret Police has been allied with bin Ladin and the Taliban since the time that Bin ladin sought refuge in Afghanistan. It still may support him as it now supports the Taliban in Afghanistan again.
prior to Sept, 2001, Pakistan was the second biggest financial and military supporter of Al Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Saudi Arabia was the biggest supporter, giving hundreds of millions to Taliban and Al Qaida, possibly as a bribe to keep them from attacking the Sauds.

When we knew that Pakistan was developing nukes in the 1980s, we did nothing.
When we knew that Dr. Khan was sharing nuke technology with Libya, Syria, and many others, we did nothing.
When we knew that sources inside Pakistan TOLD US intel officers a month before 9/11 that the WTC would be attacked, we did nothing.
When we knew that Al Qaida masterminds were being protected by Pakistan military AFTER 9/11, we did nothing.

We continue to give Pakistan billions in aid. Without that aid, their economy would collapse except for their heroin trade.
So, if the idea of a nuclear armed, missile owning, military dictatorship with a strong and violent muslim sect controlling a good portion of the military, begins to worry you, look not to Iran, but its eastern neighbor.

In today's Politico (not a favorite source, to be sure) we find this gem:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1107/6722.html
"The Pakistani government deployed a team of lobbyists to Capitol Hill on Monday to contain the fallout from the destabilizing actions by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, as congressional Democrats and the Bush administration sought a review of the country’s foreign aid.

“The focus is on the Hill right now,” said Mark Tavlarides, a former national security aide in the Clinton administration whose firm, Van Scoyoc Associates, is paid $55,000 a month from the Musharraf government — a significant boost from the $40,000 the firm earned before July."


OK. Let's think this one through. We spend billions on Pakistan, which pays US citizens to represent Pakistan as lobbyists to our congress. If you need a laugh, check out Nancy Pelosi's "strong" words on Pakistan in the Politico article. Her strong stance will make you tremble. like a limp spaghetti noodle, that is.

So, here's the question. What will congress do about the mess that is Pakistan, at least as far as our aid goes?

as the powerful in our country have chosen to protect the secrecy and privilege of the Bushes and their cronies.

The BEST chance this nation had of preventing Bush2, 9-11, this Iraq war, future war with Iran, and today's chaos in Pakistan was by following up on the outstanding matters listed in that Dec 1992 BCCI report.

BushInc was at its weakest point and at its most exposed when this report came out - how did they end up becoming stronger throughout the 90s along with the global terror networks they had been protecting and funding?

I hope more people are now able to understand why some of us have been keying on Pakistan, BCCI and the network of Poppy's industrialist friends and financiers who profited from the continuing secrecy and privilege that was protected for so long.


Matters For Further Investigation

There have been a number of matters which the Subcommittee has received some information on, but has not been able to investigate adequately, due such factors as lack of resources, lack of time, documents being withheld by foreign governments, and limited evidentiary sources or witnesses. Some of the main areas which deserve further investigation include:

1. The extent of BCCI's involvement in Pakistan's nuclear program. As set forth in the chapter on BCCI in foreign countries, there is good reason to conclude that BCCI did finance Pakistan's nuclear program through the BCCI Foundation in Pakistan, as well as through BCCI-Canada in the Parvez case. However, details on BCCI's involvement remain unavailable. Further investigation is needed to understand the extent to which BCCI and Pakistan were able to evade U.S. and international nuclear non-proliferation regimes to acquire nuclear technologies.

2. BCCI's manipulation of commodities and securities markets in Europe and Canada. The Subcommittee has received information that remains not fully substantiated that BCCI defrauded investors, as well as some major U.S. and European financial firms, through manipulating commodities and securities markets, especially in Canada, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. This alleged fraud requires further investigation in those countries.

3. BCCI's activities in India, including its relationship with the business empire of the Hinduja family. The Subcommittee has not had access to BCCI records regarding India. The substantial lending by BCCI to the Indian industrialist family, the Hindujas, reported in press accounts, deserves further scrutiny, as do the press reports concerning alleged kick-backs and bribes to Indian officials.

4. BCCI's relationships with convicted Iraqi arms dealer Sarkis Soghanalian, Syrian drug trafficker, terrorist, and arms trafficker Monzer Al-Kassar, and other major arms dealers. Sarkenalian was a principal seller of arms to Iraq. Monzer Al-Kassar has been implicated in terrorist bombings in connection with terrorist organizations such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Other arms dealers, including some who provided machine guns and trained Medellin cartel death squads, also used BCCI. Tracing their assets through the bank would likely lead to important information concerning international terrorist and arms trafficker networks.

5. The use of BCCI by central figures in arms sales to Iran during the 1980's. The late Cyrus Hashemi, a key figure in allegations concerning an alleged deal involving the return of U.S. hostages from Iran in 1980, banked at BCCI London. His records have been withheld from disclosure to the Subcommittee by a British judge. Their release might aid in reaching judgments concerning Hashemi's activities in 1980, with the CIA under President Carter and allegedly with William Casey.

6. BCCI's activities with the Central Bank of Syria and with the Foreign Trade Mission of the Soviet Union in London. BCCI was used by both the Syrian and Soviet governments in the period in which each was involved in supporting activities hostile to the United States. Obtaining the records of those financial transactions would be critical to understanding what the Soviet Union under Brezhnev, Chernenko, and Andropov was doing in the West; and might document the nature and extent of Syria's support for international terrorism.

7. BCCI's involvement with foreign intelligence agencies. A British source has told the Bank of England and British investigators that BCCI was used by numerous foreign intelligence agencies in the United Kingdom. The British intelligence service, the MI-5, has sealed documents from BCCI's records in the UK which could shed light on this allegation.

8. The financial dealings of BCCI directors with Charles Keating and several Keating affiliates and front-companies, including the possibility that BCCI related entities may have laundered funds for Keating to move them outside the United States. The Subcommittee found numerous connections among Keating and BCCI-related persons and entities, such as BCCI director Alfred Hartman; CenTrust chief David Paul and CenTrust itself; Capcom front-man Lawrence Romrell; BCCI shipping affiliate, the Gokal group and the Gokal family; and possibly Ghaith Pharaon. The ties between BCCI and Keating's financial empire require further investigation.

9. BCCI's financing of commodities and other business dealings of international criminal financier Marc Rich. Marc Rich remains the most important figure in the international commodities markets, and remains a fugitive from the United States following his indictment on securities fraud. BCCI lending to Rich in the 1980's amounted to tens of millions of dollars. Moreover, Rich's commodities firms were used by BCCI in connection with BCCI's involving in U.S. guarantee programs through the Department of Agriculture. The nature and extent of Rich's relationship with BCCI requires further investigation.

10. The nature, extent and meaning of the ownership of shares of other U.S. financial institutions by Middle Eastern political figures. Political figures and members of the ruling family of various Middle Eastern countries have very substantial investments in the United States, in some cases, owning substantial shares of major U.S. banks. Given BCCI's routine use of nominees from the Middle East, and the pervasive practice of using nominees within the Middle East, further investigation may be warranted of Middle Eastern ownership of domestic U.S. financial institutions.

11. The nature, extent, and meaning of real estate and financial investments in the United States by major shareholders of BCCI. BCCI's shareholders and front-men have made substantial investments in real estate throughout the United States, owning major office buildings in such key cities as New York and Washington, D.C. Given BCCI's pervasiveness criminality, and the role of these shareholders and front-men in the BCCI affair, a complete review of their holdings in the United States is warranted.

12. BCCI's collusion in Savings & Loan fraud in the U.S. The Subcommittee found ties between BCCI and two failed Savings and Loan institutions, CenTrust, which BCCI came to have a controlling interest in, and Caprock Savings and Loan in Texas, and as noted above, the involvement of BCCI figures with Charles Keating and his business empire. In each case, BCCI's involvement cost the U. S. taxpayers money. A comprehensive review of BCCI's account holders in the U.S. and globally might well reveal additional such cases. In addition, the issue of whether David Paul and CenTrust's political relationships were used by Paul on behalf of BCCI merits further investigation.

13. The sale of BCCI affiliate Banque de Commerce et de Placements (BCP) in Geneva, to the Cukorova Group of Turkey, which owned an entity involved in the BNL Iraqi arms sales, among others. Given BNL's links to BCCI, and Cukorova Groups' involvement through its subsidiary, Entrade, with BNL in the sales to Iraq, the swift sale of BCP to Cukorova just weeks after BCCI's closure -- prior to due diligence being conducted -- raises questions as to whether a prior relationship existed between BCCI and Cukorova, and Cukorova's intentions in making the purchase. Within the past year, Cukorova also applied to purchase a New York bank. Cukorova's actions pertaining to BCP require further investigation in Switzerland by Swiss authorities, and by the Federal Reserve New York.

14. BCCI's role in China. As noted in the chapter on BCCI's activities in foreign countries, BCCI had extensive activity in China, and the Chinese government allegedly lost $500 million when BCCI closed, mostly from government accounts. While there have been allegations that bribes and pay-offs were involved, these allegations require further investigation and detail to determine what actually happened, and who was involved.

15. The relationship between Capcom and BCCI, between Capcom and the intelligence community, and between Capcom's shareholders and U.S. telecommunications industry figures. The Subcommittee was able to interview people and review documents concerning Capcom that no other investigators had to date interviewed or reviewed. Much more needs to be done to understand what Capcom was doing in the United States, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Oman, and the Middle East, including whether the firm was, as has been alleged but not proven, used by the intelligence community to move funds for intelligence operations; and whether any person involved with Capcom was seeking secretly to acquire interests in the U.S. telecommunications industry.

16. The relationship of important BCCI figures and important intelligence figures to the collapse of the Hong Kong Deposit and Guaranty Bank and Tetra Finance (HK) in 1983. The circumstances surrounding the collpase of these two Hong Kong banks; the Hong Kong banks' practices of using nominees, front-companies, and back-to-back financial transactions; the Hong Banks' directors having included several important BCCI figures, including Ghanim Al Mazrui, and a close associate of then CIA director William Casey; all raise the question of whether there was a relationship between these two institutions and BCCI-Hong Kong, and whether the two Hong Kong institutions were used for domestic or foreign intelligence operations.

17. BCCI's activities in Atlanta and its acquisition of the National Bank of Georgia through First American. Although the Justice Department indictments of Clark Clifford and Robert Altman cover portions of how BCCI acquired National Bank of Georgia, other important allegations regarding the possible involvement of political figures in Georgia in BCCI's activities there remain outside the indictment. These allegations, as well as the underlying facts regarding BCCI's activities in Georgia, require further investigation.

18. The relationship between BCCI and the Banca Nazionale del Lavoro. BCCI and the Atlanta Branch of BNL had an extensive relationship in the United States, with the Atlanta Branch of BNL having a substantial number of accounts in BCCI's Miami offices. BNL was, according to federal indictments, a significant financial conduit for weapons to Iraq. BCCI also made loans to Iraq, although of a substantially smaller nature. Given the criminality of both institutions, and their interlocking activities, further investigation of the relationship could produce further understanding of Saddam Hussein's international network for acquiring weapons, and how Iraq evaded governmental restrictions on such weapons acquisitions.

19. The alleged relationship between the late CIA director William Casey and BCCI. As set forth in the chapter on intelligence, numerous trails lead from BCCI to Casey, and from Casey to BCCI, and the investigation has been unable to follow any of them to the end to determine whether there was indeed a relationship, and if there was, its nature and extent. If any such relationship existed, it could have a significant impact on the findings and conclusions concerning the CIA and BCCI's role in U.S. foreign policy and intelligence operations during the Casey era. The investigation's work detailing the ties of BCCI to the intelligence community generally also remains far from complete, and much about these ties remains obscure and in need of further investigation.

20. Money laundering by other major international banks. Numerous BCCI officials told the Subcommittee that BCCI's money laundering was no different from activities they observed at other international banks, and provided the names of a number of prominent U.S. and European banks which they alleged engaged in money laundering. There is no question that BCCI's laundering of drug money, while pervading the institution, constituted a small component of the total money laundering taking place in international banking. Further investigation to determine which international banks are soliciting and handling drug money should be undertaken.

Have you some cites of sites for further sightings?

document that included 5 years of investigations and the stonewalling of documents.

That list of outstanding matters I posted was the last page of the report.

No administration would facilitate the access to the documents long needed.

fuck them.

And this is why I don't want a president who only makes noble, uncompromising decisions.

Pakistan has nuclear weapons. It's a Muslim state with nuclear weapons. It's a Muslim state with nuclear weapons which hates its neighbor India which also has nuclear weapons. It shares a border with oil-rich Iran that thinks nuclear weapons would be kicky.

And your decision is to....piss them off because they're being bad?

yesterday, a local nuke expert was being interviewed on local news. He complained that in his visits in Pakistan, the nukes are almost completely unguarded, as compared to the US ones. Heh, at least they didn't lose 6 on a B-52 scheduled to deploy to Iraq, eh?

In fact, in 2003, the US and Israel planned a mini-invasion of Pakistan to relieve it of their burden.

It is not like we have many good choices, but there are some that are less horrible. I guarantee you that Bush/Cheney will pick the worst ones, though.

As to pissing them off, have you followed Rubin who was blogging from Islamabad? or Juan Cole, who explained nicely that our current stance is doing wonders at pissing off the locals even more than before? Exactly who are you referring to when you want to avoid pissing "them" off?

Couldn't possibly be anything Poppy Bush did, could it?

In fact, let's all be like the corpmedia and not discuss the truth at all - it's too dangerous. Yes - the truth is dangerous...... for the fascist agenda.

"Truth."

Would you tell a crippled child, "You're ugly, deformed, misshapen, and your inability to wash yourself makes you smell funny"?

Even if it's the truth?

I wouldn't, personally. Not just because the child's feelings would be hurt, but because the child might resent me and grow into a vengeful adult with a strong desire to harm me and those I love. So, yeah, truth is damned dangerous.

Tell me, though, in your infinite wisdom, what the history of these nukes has to do with containing them?

Or do you have some magic plan to sterilize this sinful, greedy world so that all our dealings are right and pure and just? (You could try the guillotine. Heads in a basket can work for over a decade.)

It would make a huge difference to those people, too, if they understood that it is the powermongers in the world who have betrayed ALL of us, and that people's religions and faiths are being used to help distort and distract from those facts.

A Truth and Reconciliation panel.

"WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 — President Bush on Monday urged Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistani president, to hold elections and give up his army post “as soon as possible,” but gave no indication that the general’s imposition of emergency rule would bring about any significant change in American policy.

The comments were the first by Mr. Bush since General Musharraf’s move over the weekend ignited a constitutional crisis. Mr. Bush would not comment about what the United States might do if the Pakistani leader ignored the pleas, saying only, “I hope he takes my advice.”

Mr. Bush also praised General Musharraf as a “strong fighter against extremists and radicals.”"

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/06/world/asia/06policy.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

WE ARE SCREWED for at least the next 4 decades right along with the rest of the world - all because the books on BushInc are kept closed so NO COUNTRY can reconcile with any other or use the truth to attempt it.