If You Are Having Trouble Becoming Pessimistic About Afghanistan...

The Times continued its drumbeat of gloom on Afghanistan:

Pakistan Is Said to Pursue Foothold in Afghanistan
By JANE PERLEZ, ERIC SCHMITT and CARLOTTA GALL.

This article is by Jane Perlez, Eric Schmitt and Carlotta Gall.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan is exploiting the troubled United States military effort in Afghanistan to drive home a political settlement with Afghanistan that would give Pakistan important influence there but is likely to undermine United States interests, Pakistani and American officials said.

The dismissal of Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal will almost certainly embolden the Pakistanis in their plan as they detect increasing American uncertainty, Pakistani officials said. The Pakistani Army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, preferred General McChrystal to his successor, Gen. David H. Petraeus, whom he considers more of a politician than a military strategist, said people who had spoken recently with General Kayani.

Pakistan is presenting itself as the new viable partner for Afghanistan to President Hamid Karzai, who has soured on the Americans. Pakistani officials say they can deliver the network of Sirajuddin Haqqani, an ally of Al Qaeda who runs a major part of the insurgency in Afghanistan, into a power-sharing arrangement.

In addition, Afghan officials say, the Pakistanis are pushing various other proxies, with General Kayani personally offering to broker a deal with the Taliban leadership.

Well, maybe a negotiated settlement won't be so bad, and we always knew there might be some strange bedfellows.  Obama alluded to welcoming back some of the Taliban when he did the hokey-pokey surge last December:

We will support efforts by the Afghan government to open the door to those Taliban who abandon violence and respect the human rights of their fellow citizens.

Perhaps the Taliban will abandon violence after the government surrenders to them, and they will respect the right of all Afghan citizens to live under Taliban rule.

Obama's pesky withdrawal deadline is back:

Coupled with their strategic interests, the Pakistanis say they have chosen this juncture to open talks with Mr. Karzai because, even before the controversy over General McChrystal, they sensed uncertainty — “a lack of fire in the belly,” said one Pakistani — within the Obama administration over the Afghan fight.

“The American timetable for getting out makes it easier for Pakistan to play a more visible role,” said Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, the spokesman for the Pakistani Army. He was referring to the July 2011 date set by Mr. Obama for the start of the withdrawal of some American combat troops.

Darn, that July deadline was meant only as a reassuring signal of weakness and vacillation to the anti-war left.  Who could have guessed that the Pakistanis and the Taliban were listening?  Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Gates repudiated it a day later, Obama repudiated it yesterday, and still the people in the area think Obama is edging towards the exit.  So inscrutable.

Comments

[Danube of Thought]

This will all end in tears.

[matt]

expect some very serious pushback this time. The LSE report documents Pakistani duplicity and support of the Haqqanis and Taliban that is in direct conflict with our military. US troops are dying because of Pakistani involvement at a fundamental level.

Taliban commanders are being directed to perform specific missions, usually the most violent destabilizing missions, under Pakistani supervision and planning. It doesn't get much worse.

If the safe havens are taken away, the chance for peace increases exponentially.A few drone missions targeted at the ISI and their allies are needed.

We are far too afraid of "destabilizing" Pakistan to act in our own national interests at present.

Pakistan is an artificial construct at war with itself and all of their neighbors. Their fear of Pashtunistan,of Indian influence, and of a strong Afghanistan drive their national policy against ours almost as starkly as our existential battle with the Soviets.

Throw in the Deobandist/Wahhabist intolerance of any views but theirs, and that just seals the deal.

Pakistan is the can of worms, and until we can establish physical security in Afghanistan on our terms, we are urinating in the wind.

[narciso]

How hard is it to understand this, when the son of a top official in the Govt, is charged
with blowing up Times Square, that should have been the signal. It's like they've missed
the story of the last 20 years

[Clarice]

Come now. Let's not let the facts about Pakistan undermine the long developed DoS meme about that pustule.

[Jack is Back!]

I'm getting one of those 80's feelings all over again.

BTW, I am in Belgium and when JOM loads I am greeted with ads on the sidebar in Flemish and French since the server is located here in Antwerp. So, TM, you truly are a multi-national merchandiser and seller of opinion. The NYT's has to use the IHT to do the same job. You are one step ahead. Give yourself a pat on the back. Any chance you will soon have a JOM French and Dutch edition?

However, the ads are for meeting single available young women. Site is called Flirtez for the French speaking and Jetz Flirten for the Dutch speaking and the women look like Eastern European types not your northern european blonds we expect here in Flanders and Holland.

[Uh-huh.]

And the Pakis have his visa paperwork.
=====================

[Cecil Turner]

Interesting spin out suggesting GEN McChrystal really is stupid (and putting a big hole in the "career suicide by reporter" theory):

On Friday, however, officials close to McChrystal began trying to salvage his reputation by asserting that the author, Michael Hastings, quoted the general and his staff in conversations that he was allowed to witness but not report. The officials also challenged a statement by Rolling Stone's executive editor that the magazine had thoroughly reviewed the story with McChrystal's staff ahead of publication. [emphasis added]

That's his defense? Assuming that's true, what was he thinking? "Hey, he can be trusted"? "We're all liberals together here"? Or what?

I'd like to think the General was smarter than Dave Weigel . . .

[Pofarmer]

Don't try to rationalize a liberal Cecil.

[Pofarmer]

This is pretty hilarious.

Alter quotes Biden as saying, "in July of 2011, you're going to see a whole lot of people moving out. Bet on it."

Biden’s office, however, has since downplayed the statement, saying Biden had made a hurried, off-hand remark.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38984.html#ixzz0rxaOiRYO

Joe Bite Me Sooper Dooper Genus.

[Danube of Thought]

Minus 14 at Raz today.

[narciso]

Matt's contention seems to already have a basis in fact: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-06-25/taliban-mcchrystal-sacking-a-victory/> taliban, mcchrystal sacking a victory

[Clarice]

Very funny, Cecil.

[Captain Hate]

LUN for some change I can believe in

[narciso]

They chickened out, they know the Israelis will not hesitate to put a hole through their hull, unlike the Brits about three years ago

[MikeS]

When ever I hear astonished people ask, "How can liberals be so naive and well, stupid?", I try to explain to them that it's the chicken or egg question.

[Neo]

"Son, this ain't a dream no more, it's the real thing."

[Giggle T]

This shouldn't surprise anyone that Pakistan would take advantage of the situation.

@Captain Hate: I second your comment.

We should just cut our losses and get out of Afghanistan.