Barak Obama said in a speech on Wednesday that he would not hesitate to strike at terrorists in pakistan if elected president, and if proper intelligence warranted such a bold manuever. "There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again," Obama said. "If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf will not act, we will." This statement outraged Pakistan's leaders, who criticized the remark as "irresponsible" and declared that it was a statement aimed at getting votes in the coming election. They also noted that such a statement denied much of Pakistan's contribution in the war on terror, which included backing the US in Afhanistan and also deploying 90,000 troops to its own tribal regions to fight the local militias and root our terrorists. Hundreds have died in these attacks, although now a cease-fire, the the US sees as somewhat of a failure/compromise, is in place.
I agree with the Pakistani government that such statements accusing their people of not doing enough are, in this case, very unfair. Pakistan was one of the heaviest supporters of the Taliban government in Afghanistan, until 9-11, when they switched to back our country instead. Such a stance should not be so easily forgotten. Something else that shouldn't be so easily dismissed is the hundreds of Pakistani lives given in the cause of engaging the rebels in the North and South Waziristan areas. That being said, I also side with Barak's comments. I say this because I don't think that policital correctness should stand in the way of moral correctness. If we offend some other people in the cause of what is right, and in my opinion fighting terrorism wherever it is is right, than such is a necessary stance. I don't think that we should ignore some terrorists in certain areas just because we're trying to stay on good terms with the reigning government. ( If I'm sounding like an ignorant ass, I'm sorry. Im not trying to, but this is what I think). Pakistan has been sacrificing much in the name of fighting terrorism and I am really am not trying to disrespect their people or their government by these views, but which terrorists we fight should not be cherry picked; they should all be engaged, wherever they are
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I wonder about the part about "if President Musharaf will not act, we will" because that sounds like a definite threat to me. But the question is, will President Musharaf act? That should be determined first, before we get to the "male posturing" (sorry, but that's how I see it). I wonder if Obama said that in response to something that implied that Musharaf would not act? It sounds like Pakistan is with us on this, so I'm not sure where this comment came from.
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