Obama’s charge against Pakistan serious: BJP

[audtatious]

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday said the United States presidential nominee Barack Obama’s charge against Pakistan was a serious issue and the Manmohan Singh government should take it up with the Pakistan High Commissioner here.

Mr. Obama had accused Pakistan of misusing American aid for preparing for a war against India.

BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said it was known that terror attacks in Kashmir had increased recently and Bangladesh had become the new nerve centre for Islamic fundamentalists. Now Mr. Obama had made a specific charge against Pakistan.

Now that Asif Ali Zardari had been elected Pakistan President, the government must take up the issue and point out that in an agreement with India, Pakistan had said it would not allow its territory to be used for terrorlst activity against New Delhi. Pakistan must implement that agreement, Mr. Prasad said.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/0...0.htm

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Has Obama made his first serious foreign policy blunder and he hasn’t even been elected yet?

[rn79870]

Sounds more like Obama told the truth about the misuse of American aid. Maybe accountability isn't a bad thing after all.

[audtatious]

Maybe it is just a predictor of an Obama Presidency as well. Why, I'm sure people over in that country hate us even more now because of Obama.

[rn79870]

Maybe the US needs to relook at its role over there....We attacked into their country, without their permission, and they react...

Pakistan has reportedly blocked a major fuel supply route for Western forces in Afghanistan in response to a raid by US forces in northwest Pakistan earlier this week, the defence minister said.

US forces attacked suspected fighter groups inside Pakistani territory on Wednesday, killing 20 people including women and children, Pakistani officials said, drawing a furious response from the Pakistani government.

Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Pakistan's defence minister, said on Saturday: "We have told them that we will take action and we have already taken action today.

"We have stopped the supply of oil and this will tell how serious we are," he told Pakistan's Dawn Television

[szh]

FWIW, I would not take the BJP particularly seriously.

However, the remarks that Obama made about Pakistan were not well received there, I can assure you of that. They were clearly made in ignorance of foreign policy matters.

Z

[szh]

Maybe the US needs to relook at its role over there....We attacked into their country, without their permission, and they react...

Under Obama, it might get worse. He had threatened to invade Pakistan - not just "chase after terrorists".

Z

[audtatious]

Maybe the US needs to relook at its role over there....We attacked into their country, without their permission, and they react...

This article said nothing about the attack the other day. Maybe you should stay on topic?

[szh]

Under Obama, it might get worse. He had threatened to invade Pakistan - not just "chase after terrorists".

The specifics - links are in the quote:

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama said on Wednesday the United States must be willing to strike al Qaeda targets inside Pakistan, adopting a tough tone after a chief rival accused him of naivete in foreign policy.

Obama said if elected in November 2008 he would be willing to attack inside Pakistan with or without approval from the Pakistani government, a move that would likely cause anxiety in the already troubled region.

Another one:

US presidential candidate Barack Obama has said he would use military force if necessary against al-Qaeda in Pakistan even without Pakistan's consent. Mr Obama made the comments in a speech outlining his foreign policy positions.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said any threat to act against al-Qaeda from within its territory should not be used for political point-scoring.

Earlier this month, Mr Obama's chief rival, Hillary Clinton, described him as "naive" on foreign policy.

In an effort to counter Hillary Clinton (yes, the other Democrat who ran!), Obama made a naive foreign policy statement out of the blue. Pissed people off in Pakistan for sure.

Back then (mid 2007) I gave him the benefit of the doubt ("junior senator", "too naive about foreign policy to know better", "he will learn", etc.).

Now, I just hope that he does not get into the office to "learn on the job as POTUS".

Z