Imran Khan is a frequent flyer to the US and shortly before his Lahore rally he raised $ 140,000 for PTI at two events in Florida. Now what the PTI USA does is perfectly legitimate and according to the US law as they operate under a US tax identification number and maintain a bank account in the US. But the waters become murky when the US taxpayers’ (in this case predominantly Pakistani-Americans) money is channelised to PTI Pakistan and potentially used for whipping up anti-American hysteria there. Chiding the US Secretary of State, as “Chaachi Clinton” can be conceded as just political theatre. However, it gets trickier when the PTI puts US servicemen and women at risk by blocking the NATO supply lines in Pakistan, which it has done at least twice this year.

If one red US cent goes towards putting a US soldier in harm’s way, that does not reflect well on the US officials who had been cosying up to Imran Khan and had a meeting with him just before the Lahore rally.

Pakistani journalist Amir Mir has called Imran Khan a “Taliban without a beard,” and, in fact, the ex-cricket star has made a habit of referring to Taliban terrorists as freedom fighters engaged in a just war against an occupation. Moving from words to actions, Imran Khan has been trying to organize a blockade of NATO supply lines, essentially cutting off our troops and leaving them at the mercy of terrorists.

If Imran Khan’s political movement is being funded by US citizens, that’s troubling. It’s even more troubling to think that US officials are being cozy with this “Taliban without a beard.” We owe it to our troops to find out.

You might wonder how the CIA supposedly caused this flooding. Blowing up a dam? No, too obvious. Opening floodgates? Still too obvious. Manufacturing a gigantic glacier and then melting it with sterno heat? You’re getting closer. Weather control machine? Bingo.

That’s right. According to the Pakistani blogs, the University of Alaska’s High Frequency Active Aural Research Program (HAARP) is really a top secret CIA weather control machine.

Although the U.S. has been leading flood relief efforts in Pakistan, where nearly 20 million people have been affected by the worst floods in 80 years, the Pakistani media continue to publish anti-U.S. conspiracy theories regarding the floods. On August 6, 2010, a Pakistani website released a report titled “Pakistan Flood: HAARP Used in Pakistan? – Urgent,” accusing the CIA and its alleged use of the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP), the Alaska-based U.S. Air Force program, to artificially cause the flooding.

The website, pakalertpress.com, was registered on May 4, 2009 and is one of a family of new websites which have been propagating anti-U.S. conspiracy theories in Pakistan in recent years. Further examples of such websites and blogs are pakistankakhudahafiz.com, ahmedqureshi.com and takmeel.pk. These websites are also involved in conspiracy theories against Israel and India, and the tone of their content is pro-Pakistani military and pro-militant organizations. Some of these websites identify themselves with Zaid Hamid, a Pakistani demagogue who advocates Islamic revolution in South Asia and beyond. A collage of images on the homepage of takmeel.com announces its plan to launch a radio station from the Indian capital, declaring: “Coming Soon – Radio Pakistan Delhi.”

The unidentified authors of the August 6 report, which has been subsequently republished by several other websites, observed: “We have investigated this matter and concluded that HAARP is being used in Pakistan [to cause artificial flooding]…” The pakalertpress.com published another report on August 18, titled “Is the CIA playing the HAARP in Pakistan?” – alleging indirectly that the U.S. military is using HAARP to cause flooding in Pakistan. It observed: “We are now seeing another phase of floods targeting Pakistan.” The report went on accuse HAARP researchers of experimenting with different types of weather weapons in recent years: 2005 – hurricanes; 2004 – tsunami; 2007 – floods; 2008 – tornadoes; 2009 – earthquakes.

Look, if the CIA could control the weather, I guarantee you it would not be so damn hot in Virginia right now.

These are the same people with posts like Six Zionist Companies Own 96% of the World’s Media, and Israel did 9/11, ALL THE PROOF IN THE WORLD!!. These guys also re-post Iranian propaganda that (you’re going to love this)…Barack Obama was a creation of the CIA. No, not the Obama presidency, but the very birth of the man. There is still debate, according to these nutcases, about whether Obama has been brainwashed by the CIA.

This is a real problem. We’re all but dumping money out of helicopters onto Pakistan right now. Pakistan is a key alley in the GWOT, and their democratic government, while certainly imperfect, has proven to be willing to take on a big chunk of the fight against the Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists. But these same terrorists seem to have a lock on the media – certainly online.

I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that a bunch of these websites reported by MEMRI are really Iranian or al Qaeda fronts running psyops campaigns against allied forces. The question I have is why Pakistan’s legitimate media (what there is of it) isn’t outing these guys and setting the record straight?

All in all, Aafia Siddiqui got off pretty easy. Consider this, again from Malkin:

Note that while KSM named her as a principal in U.S.-based plots to bomb gas stations and counterterrorism investigators traced her bank account to Saudi terror funders , she was not convicted of terrorism.

She’ll have to go to prison, sure, where she’ll probably spend the rest of her days like her hero Sheikh Omar writing jihadist tracts and serving as a demented figurehead for al Qaeda’s ladies’ auxiliary.

Unfortunately, the reaction back in Pakistan has revealed a terrible double standard for international relations. After moaning and wailing about how the US has been infringing on Pakistan’s sovereignty by offering billions of dollars in aid (never before has a gift horse been so thoroughly dentally examined), the drone attacks that are taking out the very jihadi terrorists that are bombing them almost daily, and alleged meddling in Pakistan’s internal affairs by everyone from our Ambassador, Anne Patterson, to our service members who are their to help train their military – after all this, you would think that Pakistan would be (A) glad to have another jihadi out of their country and (B) respectful of our own sovereignty.

Apparently not.

Instead of a simple ‘thank you,’ there are cries going up in all the major papers calling for the government to condemn the trial, and even some saying that Siddiqui should be freed from prison and sent back to Pakistan!

This is not just ridiculous, this sort of double standard suggests that there are still elements in Pakistan’s media and political circles that aren’t serious about working with us to defeat al Qaeda and the Taliban, even though these same jihadi terrorists are killing their own people almost every day. Our government clearly bent over backwards, giving this woman a civilian trial complete with a lawyer, the right to dismiss jurors, and the chance to defend herself. Instead of presenting anything close to a coherent case for why she shouldn’t be found guilty (something dimwitted purse snatchers are able to manage every day), the First Lady of al Qaeda chose instead to scream tired anti-Israeli rants and threaten to kill more people. And they want her back?!?

Aafia Siddiqui is going to be spending the rest of her life behind bars after committing cold-blooded murder in the name of jihad. She got off a lot easier than the victims of her jihadi terrorism. Considering the thousands of people killed by these terrorists, you’d think Pakistan would be grateful that we probably just saved the lives of a bunch of their citizens.

Pakistan has stepped up its fight against militant groups this year after decades of ambivalence. For these new efforts to be effective, though, Pakistan requires greater military aid and cooperation from the US and allied forces, said the Ambassador.

Pakistan still needs more military technology including helicopters and night-vision gear that has been delayed by Congress amid concerns that Pakistan could use the weaponry against India, he said. And Predator drones “need to be operated by Pakistanis” or deployed “with Pakistani participation” to minimize resentment.

According to the Ambassador, though, defeating Taliban and al Qaeda militants will require more than just military strength.

Ambassador Haqqani points out that efforts to defeat militants cannot be successful without support for the economic development that provides opportunities for local people to support their communities and families. Currently, much of the support militants receive from locals is the result of economic rather than ideological considerations.

[Ambassador Haqqani] defended the performance of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. He urged the equivalent of the post-World War II Marshall Plan in Europe to create schools and clinics in Pakistan, where U.S. neglect during the 1990s, after mobilizing legions of holy warriors to fight Soviet occupiers, fostered “deep-seated anti-Americanism.”

“I’d rather that people had the opportunity to make boxer shorts for Wal-Mart than IEDs for the Taliban,” Haqqani said.

Yet Taliban forces on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border benefit from a $3 billion opium trade and “close to $100 million a year” sent from outside Pakistan “under the guise of charities.”

Additionally, there remains a significant lack of investment in the battle for “hearts and minds” of Pakistanis. This despite the fact that sympathy for radical Islamism is tanking.

What Americans don’t realize, he maintains, is how the mood in Pakistan has shifted in important ways. Yes, anti-Americanism is still rampant. But sympathy for jihadist Islam has actually cratered. “In July 2008, public opinion polling in Pakistan showed that only 33 percent of Pakistanis thought that the Taliban were a threat to Pakistan,” he said. “Today it has gone up to 83 percent.” Opposition to al-Qaeda is very high as well, he adds.

Frederick Kagan, resident scholar at AEI, made similar points in a Wall Street Journal column on September 5th, A Stable Pakistan Needs a Stable Afghanistan.

Pakistan is important because it is a country of 180 million Muslims with nuclear weapons and multiple terrorist groups engaged in a mini-arms race and periodic military encounters with India—the world’s most populous state and one of America’s most important economic and strategic partners. Pakistan has made remarkable progress over the last year in its efforts against Islamist insurgent groups that threatened to destroy it. But the fight against those groups takes place on both sides of the border. The debate over whether to commit the resources necessary to succeed in Afghanistan must recognize the extreme danger that a withdrawal or failure in Afghanistan would pose to the stability of Pakistan.

…

Pakistan turned an important—and little noticed—corner in its fight against its own Islamist insurgents this summer. The Pakistani military drove the Pakistani Taliban out of Swat and the surrounding areas, including much of the northern part of the tribal areas. Most recently, Pakistani military operations (with covert American support) decapitated the most dangerous Pakistani Taliban group based in Waziristan by killing its leader, Beitullah Mehsud. He was thought to be responsible for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

In contrast with previous such efforts, the current Pakistani government has retained significant military force in all of these areas and so far appears to be continuing the fight even after these successes. Remarkably, the combat divisions now holding Swat and other areas in the northwest of Pakistan are among those most critical to Pakistan’s strategy to defend against the always-feared Indian attack.

…

Pakistan’s stability cannot be secured solely within its borders any more than can Afghanistan’s. Militant Islam can be defeated only by waging a proper counterinsurgency campaign on both sides of the border.

While the road has been rocky, Zardari has managed to keep the ship upright, and in recent months has made progress towards greater democratization and cooperation with the world community. This has not come without significant political costs as Zardari faces a political opposition and media fueled by rumor and innuendo, as well as a ruthless political climate.

Pakistan Assembly member and PPP spokesperson Farahnaz Ispahani notes the following Zardari successes:

Prudent policies implemented after President Zardari’s election are yielding results. By end-June 2009, fiscal deficit had declined from a high of 7.4% to 4.3% of GDP, current account balance has declined from 8.4% to 5.3% of GDP and inflation had decelerated from a high of 25.3% in August 2008 to 13.1% by end-June 2009 year-on-year basis. Home remittances from Overseas Pakistanis reached a historic high of $ 7.811 billion and the trade deficit declined by 16.5% compared to last year. Foreign Direct Investment started to pick up again and stands at $3.721 billion despite adverse domestic and global environment. Gross foreign exchange reserves have moved back to three months imports (over $ 12 billion).

President Zardari’s principal achievement, however, is that he has proven wrong the prophets of doom and gloom. Pursuing the spirit of reconciliation articulated by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in her final days, the president has reached out across the political spectrum. Unlike some who prefer to seek approval by doing what is temporarily popular, President Zardari is willing to take difficult decisions and make tough choices. He has been elected for a five-year term and he need not seek applause on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. As a democrat he remains tolerant of criticism and has put up with a constant chorus trying to run him down.

As we know too well, though, Zardari’s successes have not come without setbacks. Tuesday, Taliban militants in Pakistan opened fire on schoolchildren, murdering four and critically wounding six others. Despite the government’s willingness to legitimately fight Islamic terrorists, militants remain a significant threat to security and stability. Clearly, Zardari has a long road ahead.

At the end of his first year, we award Zardari a grade of B+. While many might see this as too high a mark considering Pakistan’s continuing challenges, we believe that these challenges create the context in which Zardari’s efforts and achievements must be judged.

This is not to say that things cannot go sour. Zardari continues to face political resistance to cooperation with the West, while having to deal with the growing security threat from Taliban and al Qaeda militants.

In addition, there is some room for improvement – particularly with regard to relations with India over Kashmir, Afghanistan, and trade. Historical animosity on both sides make this a delicate situation, but progress cannot be achieved without Zardari making the tough choice to demonstrate that cooperation works better than antagonization.

What happens in Year Two will largely be the result of Zardari’s ability to maintain a strong will in the face of these challenges, as well as the continued support of Western powers like the US and EU nations.

To its credit, the Pakistani government took swift action to defend Pakistan’s Christian communities and to bring the attackers to justice. In the past, it would not be uncommon to see an immediate reaction by Pakistani leaders to appease the world community, while coddling the very extremists responsible behind the scenes. But the Zardari government has shown, yet again, that a new regime is in place in Pakistan, and real democratization is on the march.

The Daily Times reports today that National Assembly members, led by Farah Naz Ispahani and Javed Hashmi, are pushing for further investigations into the massacre in Gojra and to re-examine the nation’s “blasphemy laws.”

Human Rights Ministry Secretary Farid Khan told the committee that the incident reflected a complete failure on part of the intelligence agencies. “This is a complete failure of our system,” he said.

The committee members, including Farah Naz Ispahani and Javed Hashmi, observed that the incident was result of gross negligence of police who failed to preempt the situation.

Punjab Human Rights Minister Kamran Michael also spoke on the occasion and said it was true that some miscreants flared up the situation but there should be a complete investigation into the tragic incident in which Christians were killed.

This development further demonstrates a real effort on the part of Pakistan’s current government to do more than pay lip service to democratization and resistance to encroachment by militants, and should be encouraged by the world community.

In addition, the desire to revisit “blasphemy laws” which, however well intentioned, too easily invite manipulation by militant forces shows an important move towards liberalizing free speech laws.

As a commenter on a previous post observed,

“This may also be why we seem to be having more trouble in Afghanistan than we used to– it could be that the Taliban is losing its grip on its strongholds in Pakistan so now it’s doing its best to try to re-establish strongholds in Afghanistan.”

Here’s to the day when vicious killers have nowhere left to hide.

Pakistani intelligence officials also said there were indications of violent infighting over who would succeed him, and reported briefly that one of his possible successors, Hakimullah Mehsud, had been killed.

But on Tuesday, Taliban leaders tried to dispel reports of Hakimullah Mehsud’s death or the impression of a rift in their leadership.

Two men claiming to be Hakimullah Mehsud and Waliur Rahman, another Taliban commander, contacted several media outlets to confirm Baitullah Mehsud’s death and put up a unified front. They also announced that Hakimullah Mehsud would take over leadership of the Pakistani Taliban, while Mr. Rahman would lead the Taliban in South Waziristan, the rugged tribal region that had been Baitullah Mehsud’s stronghold.

But Pakistani officials immediately cast doubt on the claims and about whether Hakimullah Mehsud was alive or dead. The Pakistani interior minister, Rehman Malik, contends that Hakimullah Mehsud is dead. Analysts said the public admission of Baitullah Mehsud’s death came after it became increasingly difficult for the Taliban to continue denying it.

The Washington Post reports today that the Pakistani military is not letting up, increasing attacks on militant forces in Southern Waziristan.

Pakistani helicopter gunships stepped up attacks on Taliban positions in the South Waziristan region on Wednesday, a day after militants confirmed that their leader was dead and announced his successor.

…

Security forces have made significant gains in an offensive against the Pakistani Taliban in the Swat valley, northwest of Islamabad, since late April, and have also been attacking Mehsud’s men in South Waziristan.

Helicopter gunships attacked militant hideouts in Madi Jam, an area 20 km (12 miles) east of South Waziristan’s main town of Wana, on Wednesday after Taliban attacked a military convoy, killing two soldiers, intelligence officials and residents said.

Residents in Wana saw armoured personnel carriers heading toward Madi Jam.

“Helicopters dropped leaflets asking people to leave the fighting area,” Mohammad Aslam, a resident of Madi Jam, told Reuters by telephone.

In addition to fighting militancy, the Pakistani government is working towards real reform to increase democratization in their own government.

Pakistan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Wajid Shamsul Hasan has said PPP was committed to the implementation of Charter of Democracy in letter and spirit as the document was the best way to consolidate democracy in the country.

Pakistan is building momentum and acting as an example to other nations struggling with religious extremism and anti-democratic forces. Democratic nations like the US must continue supporting the Pakistani government, which has shown a willingness to make the hard decisions necessary to move towards playing a vital role in the international community.

Today’s Asia Times reports that the attacks were carefully planned by Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists in the region. Bishops in the region have leveled allegations against Nawaz Sharif, the politician who controls the area, as an accomplice in the attacks.

A leading bishop, Almas Hameed Masih, however, takes a different view and he has registered a complaint case with the police against the district’s entire administration, which was handpicked by the province’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), led by former premier Nawaz Sharif.

…

“There are so many question marks in this whole event,” Rahman Malik, an advisor to the prime minister on interior matters, told Asia Times Online.

“I will not say anything because a judicial inquiry is being set up. But our biggest fear is that the whole event could have been engineered for some vested interests,” Malik said.

Malik refused to comment on Bishop Masih accusing the PML-N of complicity.

“Like all other aspects, we are reviewing this aspect and I will not say anything before an inquiry finishes.”

Investigations by Asia Times Online indicate that the attackers in Gojra comprised two main groups – Muslim clerics of different schools of thought, and non-political actors including traders’ associations. The PML-N, the largest political force in the town, appears to have been the binding force, led by local party president Abdul Qadir Awan

As I’ve well noted before, Nawaz Sharif has a troubling history of kow-towing to radical Islamists including Osama bin Laden himself. Most people don’t really believe that Sharif is an Islamist at heart – he’s much too much of a playboy. But there is historical evidence that Sharif has in the past been willing to use radical Islamism as a means of seizing power, and, despite his recent assurances that he’s done with that, new concerns are arising in connection with these attacks on Christians.

In fact, the government has issued a warning to Sharif not to attempt to use Islamic radicals to destabilize the current government and seize power.

If indeed the PML-N is implicated in the attack on the Christians, one can only speculate on its motives. A few weeks back, Nawaz Sharif created a political storm when he suggested that presidential powers be curtailed.

The military’s General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and a Washington envoy have immediately intervened, warning Sharif against taking any action that could destabilize the government and its battle against the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

Nawaz Sharif has been cozying up to diplomats and representatives of the current American Administration in an attempt to gain favor. This is a dangerous situation. We cannot allow Nawaz Sharif to become the next Ahmadinejad, especially in a country that is already a demonstrated nuclear power.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the violence, immediately dispatching the Minister for Minority Affairs along with police and Rangers to protect Christian citizens.

Zardari said the state must protect civilians under attack from a handful of vengeful and armed groups, APP reported, citing presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar. A judicial inquiry will be held into the incident that will “give some comfort to the victims that the state is not biased,” the president said.

Units of the Rangers security force are in the Gojra area keeping order, Zardari said.

It was quickly discovered that the alleged desecration was fabricated, and that no anti-Islamic provocations had occurred.

Punjab Chief Minister Rana Sanaullah has ruled out purported ‘desecration’ of the Quran by people of Christian community, which is seen as the prime reason behind Saturday’s communal violence in Gojra town in which seven Christians, including three women, were burnt alive and over dozen wounded.

“Authorities had investigated the allegation of a Quran being defiled, and our initial reports say that there has not been any incident of desecration,” Sanaullah said.

Particularly troubling, though, is the seeming absence of Nawaz Sharif, leader of the PML(N) which controls Punjab.

New information is emerging that suggest that the violence may have been exacerbated, at least in part, by PML(N) officials.

The reaction was further inflamed by a person Qadeer Awan (who is an official of PML-N) who sent people to Jhang to import activists, some of whom came masked and surrounded the Christian village. There was firing into the village and some christians defending the village by firing in the air to scare away the people. Police was present but took only evasive action and used teargassing. This continued for 5 hours and then busloads of people joined the mob, with the police backing away, ransacked the entire village and burnt six Christians alive and shot dead one.

Witnesses claim that the PML(N) controlled local police failed to protect the minority community as the violence broke out. With PML(N) leader Nawaz Sharif’s recent attempts to remake himself as a political moderate following his history of cooperation with Islamic radicals, one would think he would want to quickly make statements condemning the attacks and stand up for the rights and defense of Pakistan’s minority communities.

Instead, his silence speaks volumes.

Baitullah Mehsud is associated with al Qaeda and the Taliban and is considered the architect of the assassination of PM Benazir Bhutto, wife of current President Zardari.

The current Pakistani government appears to be taking this threat seriously after years of neglect by previous administrations of Mufharraf and Nawaz Sharif, both of whom coddled and supported the Taliban and other homegrown terrorist organizations.

Current President Asif Zardari said this week that his government views religious extremism as the single greatest threat to the country, and he will not stop until it is defeated.

“Military operations are all across the board against any insurgent whether in Karachi, Lahore or whether he is in any part of Pakistan,” said Mr Zardari. “My problem is terror. I have focused myself on terror. The PPP has focused itself against the extremist mindset. Terror is a regional problem, it cuts across borders.

“I would love to be remembered for creating a Pakistan where militancy – I know it can’t totally be diminished – is defeated.”

A day earlier Mr Zardari gained important support when Pakistan’s army chief, Gen Ashfaq Kiyani, said that the “immediate internal threat” of Taliban militancy was greater than any “external threat” – code for India. Diplomats took comfort that Mr Zardari appeared to speak for the most important power brokers in Pakistan.

President Zardari has reversed course in Pakistan in more ways than one, embracing the Karzai government and ending the practice, perfected by Nawaz Sharif, of holding the hands of religious extremists in Afghanistan.

Another apparent taboo that Mr Zardari has breached is to disregard the hankering within the Pakistani establishment for a religious-based government in Afghanistan that would be hostile to India and the West. In recent months, he has been one of the few Pakistani leaders to befriend Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai. “Karzai and myself are friends,” he said. “Our military chiefs have met, our intelligence chiefs have met.”

Zardari and the PPP appear to be a legitimate partner to the West in a region overrun with opportunists and thinly veiled Talibani. For years, democratic nations have been receiving lip service from the likes of Musharraf and Nawaz Sharif, only to see these same individuals cutting backroom deals with the sort of terrorist that buy and sell children to use as bombs.

There remains a long and hard fight in Pakistan and Afghanistan – two nations that have suffered neglect by their leaders, if not outright cooperation with Taliban and al Qaeda militants. There does appear to be a dawn on the horizon, though, thanks to Zardari and Kiyani’s actions over the past few months. Let’s pray this progress continues.