Synopsis: For the first installment of this three-part series on the calamity and chaos that is the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area, the Plaid Avenger talks about some geographic places names that define this most dangerous zone on planet earth. Politics of the Great Game,the creation of the Durand Line, and the subdivision of British India all played a part in the how we have such named areas as Pakistan, Afghanistan, the FATA and the NWFP in today’s world…and more importantly, how this history explains the chronic conflict which still plagues these areas right on up to today, and for the foreseeable future!
Synopsis: Poor Pakistan has been getting pile-drived and pummeled with painful plague after plague?.and it has culminated in a stand-off with their American allies! Say what? Yes, Pakistan has for years now been on the brink of total chaos and collapse, and this semester has increased the hurt: first, a flood of biblical proportions inundated the state, which in turn caused the increase of terrorist Taliban activity, which in turn resulted in increased cross-border attacks into Pakistan from US/NATO troops chasing down Taliban elements?.and unfortunately several Pakistani soldiers were killed in those American-led raids. Crap. That caused the Pakis to become so pissed that they shut down the NATO supply lines through their territory, increasing the tension between all parties even more!
But perhaps we should back up this supply line and cover some background of this entire area to better understand this complex situation unfolding in Pakistan right now. Here is a three-part plaidcast on the whole messy back-story of the Af-Pak border area, and at the end of those 3 we will revisit the current Paki status, which is disintegrating rapidly?just as their relationship with the US and ?the West? is reaching an all-time low.
Synopsis: Holy Kyrgyzstani coup crap cakes! All hell broke loose in Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday April 7, as protestors demanding the resignation of their crooked-ass President took to the streets of the capital Bishkek….and then were gunned down by riot police! The protestors/mob then went apeshit and attacked the cops and pretty much burned the whole freakin’ place down. This uprising is based almost solely on the absolute disastrous rule of President Bakiyev (soon to be ex-President) of Kyrgyzstan, who robbed the place blind and then tried to double the taxes on the peeps to make even more money. But wait! Even though this sounds like a totally internal affair, there is much interest in this place from both Russia, who considers it a sphere of their influence, and the United States, who has a critical air base there. The Avenger explains all about this crazy, corrupt, chaotic Kyrg mess!
Summary: US President Barack Obama had a busy month of Asian persuasion in November. He went on his first Asian tour since taking office, meeting with Japanese, Chinese, and Korean leaders, but also stopping off in Singapore to meet with APEC and ASEAN. As soon as he got home, he hosted the Prime Minister of India at the first official White House dinner. All of these moves reflect a serious attitude shift of Obama, the US, and the entire world to the overwhelming importance of Asia in this century….as an historic shift from the Europe/US/Atlantic-centered economy towards a Pacific-centered world is underway. And the US don?t want to get left behind!
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Keywords: Barack Obama, Pacific, Asia, ASEAN, APEC, Yukio Hatoyama, Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao, Lee Myung-Bak, Manmohan Singh, US, China, Japan
Synopsis: For the final installment of this three-part series on the calamity and chaos that is the Afghanistan-Pakistan border area, the Plaid Avenger talks about the particular problems of note that are causing the consternation for the world. The Pashtuns in this border region have been fired by the friction/hatred between Afghanistan and Pakistan, blowed up and and bombed by the Soviets, and further manipulated by the Pakistani ISI….all of which have helped spawn the birth of the Taliban, which is now the group fighting the US/NATO as well as the Afghan and Pakistani governments too. This Taliban monster is now out of control and split into two different factions which are separately challenging the existence of both Afghanistan and Pakistan itself. Learn the how, when and why is this angst-ridden Avenger rant!
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