Biden: US in Region to Prop Up Pakistan
Issues Conflicting Claims on al-Qaeda's Threat to Pakistan
Speaking today on NBC’s Meet the Press, Vice President Joe Biden insisted that the reason the United States still has some 100,000 troops in Central Asia is to “make sure that terrorists do not, in fact, bring down the Pakistani government.”
Biden insisted that al-Qaeda remains a serious threat to topple Pakistan’s civilian government, but declined to mention that al-Qaeda’s presence in Pakistan’s tribal areas began in the wake of the 2001 US invasion of Afghanistan.
It also seems the Vice President forgot, at least momentarily, that President Obama’s Thursday speech was centered around alleged claims of “progress” in the region and predictions of victory, but seemed to recover later, insisting that al-Qaeda in Pakistan was growing “weaker” and had been forced to “lower their ambitions.”
While it certainly is difficult to dispute the notion that the Zardari government could fall at any moment, the reality is that it would be yet another military junta taking over the country, not al-Qaeda, which seems to have next to no presence in the nation outside of tribal regions thazt are only nominally part of Pakistan to begin with.
Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz
- No Deal: US Restarted Pakistan Drone Strikes Despite Objections - February 22nd, 2012
- Syrian National Council Demands Foreign Invasion - February 22nd, 2012
- State Dept.: Pakistani Taliban 'Not Welcome' at Truce Talks - February 22nd, 2012
- Israeli FM: Our Decision to Attack Iran None of US, Russia's Business - February 22nd, 2012
- Hunger Strike Ends, but Adnan's Detention Without Charges Doesn't - February 22nd, 2012





davidgrayling
December 19th, 2010 at 11:02 pm
America propping up Pakistan? What a joke. It's like inviting a nest of white-ants to prop up your timber house!
America doesn't prop up. It destroys. It undermines. It seeks out the weaknesses and uses them for its own advantage. America is a rogue nation and should be treated as such.
Don't believe its rhetoric. Look at what it does.
http://www.dangerouscreation.com
theothercanada
December 19th, 2010 at 11:49 pm
Evil Empire and its Quislings are making sure Pakistan disintegrates and falls apart.
Johnny_Warbucks
December 20th, 2010 at 5:25 am
Aren't the Afghans lucky? And, essentially, what brainless Joe here is telling us that Iraq and Afghanistan were just an elaborate plot to get into Pakistan, right?
skulz fontaine
December 20th, 2010 at 7:36 am
Biden says, 200,000 boots are in central Asia "to make sure that terrorists do not, in fact, bring down the Pakistani government." 200,000 boots cause you know, the grunts got to have two boots. Each. At least. What the freaking hell is 'zionista' Joe blathering about?
Oh wait, the US must have changed up the "game plan" and didn't bother to tell the American people. Figures. OR, 'zionista' Joe is just blowing smoke out his arse. Again.
Mental moon beam?
pendulum
December 20th, 2010 at 9:55 am
now we know Biden is as simple as he looks
guests
December 20th, 2010 at 10:48 am
If there is any force that have a plan or want to bring down the Pakistani government and occupy the country is US and NATO. This has been the US and EU agendas since the invasion of Afghanistan and then Iraq, the 2006 Israeli’s attacking Lebanon and etc., in another word, the US and EU interests are within the framework of Zionism which is to occupy the entire Middle East and central Asia from Mediterranean sea to the end of Persian Gulf, later this idea needs to be expended to all obstacles’ that are on the US and EU way.., namely the China.
What is happening in the Korean peninsula is indicating the idea so is the fact in provoking China to act., Bill Clinton did that by bombing the Chinese embassy during Yugoslavian – Balkan war, yet US foreign policies, as always, trying to find a excuse for its actions, if is not the WMD in Iraq then it must be the Taliban or Iran atomic energy or communism or whatever they could find to manipulate the peoples mind.
Druthers
December 20th, 2010 at 11:57 am
Why does this changing of the guard sound like the Bush/Cheney song and dance in Iraq?
Remember, we went to look for WMDs, then to protect the Irasuis from Sadam, then to protect the women and then…
Now we are propping up Pakistan – but oh pipeline of my heart, where art thou?
Dr Sig Fraud
December 20th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
The US should prop up its own country because the v.p. should read the latest job numbers: greater unemployed than during the 1930's and 1970's combined. How good is propping up other countries when you cant stimulate the economy? Take your $125,000 a year linguistic contractor job to Pakistan and the hell with the rest of US!
John_Mohammad
December 20th, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Um… we're in Pakistan to 'prop them up' in the name of defense against the Taliban/Al-Quaeda/Bad Guy of the Week, or are we there to prop them up in order to 'spread democracy'?
Somehow I get the sneaky suspicion- just a suspicion, mind you- that the motives of the US in the Afghanistan-Pakistan theater are little muddled and a lot… let's see, how do you say it in english… CORRUPT?
WAKE UP, AMERICA- how much longer does this insanity have to continue before our own government leads us to ruin? I guarantee you, one day Rev. Wright's infamous 'chickens come home to roost' speech will sound more prophetic than anything else- and it will be because we've done it to ourselves by electing bad politicians and supporting even worse policies at home and abroad.