[Peace-discuss] "Believe nothing until it's officially denied"

[C. G. Estabrook]

	Petraeus: Militants Could Topple Pakistan
	April 1st, 2009

CENTCOM Commander General David Petraeus told the Senate Armed Services
Committee today that the assorted militant factions in Pakistan “could
literally take down their state” barring action against them.

Gen. Petraeus also said that the Obama Administration was doing a “deep
dive” of investigation into TTP leader Baitullah Mehsud, who yesterday
claimed his organization was planning to “launch an attack in Washington
that will amaze everyone in the world.” Intelligence officials seemed
quick to dismiss the threaten attack, part of the TTP’s retaliation
against the ongoing US missile strikes against the group in Pakistan’s
tribal areas.

Petraeus and other defense officials portrayed the situation as
“increasingly dire”, and were reportedly pressing the Obama
Administration to add yet another 10,000 troops to the ever increasing
surge of soldiers being sent to Afghanistan.

http://news.antiwar.com/

>> Robert Naiman wrote:
>>> I don't think U.S. ground troops fighting in Pakistan in any
>>> numbers in the forseeable future is a likely prospect. There are
>>> people in the U.S. government who would very much like to do
>>> this, but the Pakistani government and military have made very
>>> clear that this is a red line that they have no intention of
>>> allowing the U.S. to cross.
>>> 
>>> There are many bad things ahead, but this is not likely to be one
>>> of them.
>>> 
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>> 
>>> On Mar 29, 2009, at 10:52 AM, "C. G. Estabrook"
>>> <galliher at illinois.edu> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> [That maxim is ascribed to a number of experienced journalists,
>>>> from the late I. F. Stone to Alex Cockburn's father, Claud.
>>>> Like the psychoanalyst, the observer of governments should
>>>> always ask why something is denied. --CGE]
>>>> 
>>>> Obama Rules Out US Troops In Pakistan
>>>> 
>>>> WASHINGTON (AP) — As he carries out a retooled strategy in 
>>>> Afghanistan, President Barack Obama says he will consult with 
>>>> Pakistan's leaders before pursuing terrorist hideouts in that 
>>>> country...
>>