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Original poster

Cameron was right about Pakistan, wasn't he?

38 replies

Chil1234 · 03/05/2011 07:15

He got slated at the time by David Milliband and others for speaking out about the terrorist connections to Pakistan when visiting India, but he was quite right as it turns out. Good call.

OP posts:
laptopwieldingharpy · 03/05/2011 12:38

yes it is quite a shock that he was so close to Islamabad and from what pakistani friends say literally next door to military barracks.

Everybody has always known Bin Laden was in Pakistan, it is a big blow that it has know been confirmed that they were harboring him.

With so many front already open at the moment, I wonder how we can stretch resources further AND forgo those lucrative military deals.....considering the electoral agenda.

meditrina · 03/05/2011 12:11

Yes, it's quite different to the situation had he been found in the tribal areas. And to be fair, all previous reporting about the hunt suggested he did move around a lot, specifically to evade capture. I don't think we can assume he spent all of his time holed up in the location where he was finally taken. But I am wondering what else happened at that site, and who else from the AQ hierarchy used it. And rumours about ISI have never been satisfactorily laid to rest.

But, absent a regime change and wholesale clear out in ISI and the military (which may not be advisable, given wider strategic considerations) then I do agree that engagement, not isolation, is the only pragmatic way ahead.

Original poster
Chil1234 · 03/05/2011 12:00

The difference is that we now know that for some of the last 10 years they've been home to Bin Laden. This ups the ante, as it were, and the 'huffing and puffing' has considerably more weight. The Afghans are thrilled that he wasn't found on their soil. The Pakistanis are now in a very embarrassing position and 'trust us we know what we're doing' is not a line they can continue to take. If it's face-saving they want, they're have to work really hard to rescue this one.

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laptopwieldingharpy · 03/05/2011 11:22

Yes Meditrina, now it IS crucial to probe Pakistan and start witholding aid bribes and military contracts. Is it realistic?
The fact that it has not been done in the last 10 years when Pakistan was obviously a problem as big as Afghanistan, makes me seriously doubt that its going to be more than huffing and puffing.

laptopwieldingharpy · 03/05/2011 11:17

India does have very decent measured politicians but a huge population and is struggling on a grassroots level to contain fanaticism on both sides of the religious fence.
I feel it was counterproductive to allow Indian politicians to nod approvingly to a british PM (which they do not want to be seen to do) and on such a sensitive issue (which they would have had to do).
I don't know maybe i think differently because I live in Asia and its all about "face" in human relations.

meditrina · 03/05/2011 11:13

Thanks, Chil.

Here's a link to what he's saying today, which chimes with the above, and points out why he thinks dialogue with and assistance to Pakistan is the way ahead.

thaigreencurry · 03/05/2011 11:08

I agree with laptop. It was his timing that was the issue.

laptopwieldingharpy · 03/05/2011 11:07

Agree completely but bad form nonetheless in complicated bilateral relations and coming from the former colonial ruler.

I have a very close group of friends intermarried between pakistanis and Indians and on both sides, it was received with a bit of scorn.

here in very measured words, is an example of what a major Indian newspaper says of Cameron's political courage outspoken stance when it comes to sovereign nations with a bit of history with Britain.

complimentary · 03/05/2011 11:01

YES he was right.

Original poster
Chil1234 · 03/05/2011 10:10

I think there's been far too much diplomatic treading on eggshells where Pakistan is concerned. Sometimes it takes an outspoken 'what everyone else is thinking but not saying' remark to force the pace. Pakistan's government is poorly run. Happy to take military and humanitarian aid from Western nations, but not tackling the threat from within effectively.

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laptopwieldingharpy · 03/05/2011 07:35

Pakistanis themselves think along those lines but diplomacy is all about timing and context.
A british PM making that speech in India is never going to go down well.
Everyone agrees but wrong pulpit.

Original poster
Chil1234 · 03/05/2011 07:28

It was the famous speech when he accused Pakistan of 'looking both ways'. Link here The Pakistani administration was hopping mad at the time, denying the accusation.

OP posts:
meditrina · 03/05/2011 07:17

Link?

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