Pakistan military prepares to hunt Taliban chief: army

THE STANS

Congress approves 106 bln dollars for war
Lawmakers in Congress on Tuesday passed a 106-billion-dollar emergency bill to finance the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, shore up efforts to fight swine flu, and fund US participation in the IMF. By a vote of 226 to 202, the House of Representatives approved a compromise version of the legislation, to reconcile differing House and Senate versions. The measure is to provide funds through September 30 -- the end of the current fiscal year. Among other budget items, the measure provides 79.9 billion dollars for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and 7.7 billion dollars to combat the A(H1N1) flu virus. The bill also includes eight billion dollars for the International Monetary Fund and a 100-billion-dollar US line of credit for the IMF to help developing countries combat the impact of the global recession. House Democrat David Obey, a key figure during negotiations on the spending measure talks in that chamber, acknowledged resistance among Republican lawmakers to the IMF funding, but said the monies were necessary to bolster a still-sagging global economy. "You know, this is a tough reality. We have to participate in the world, and when the world economy becomes shaky, we have a responsibility to ourselves to try to stabilize that world economic situation," he said. Republicans argued against the funds, which they said could be used to provide financial aid to countries at odds with the United States. But House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on the floor of the chamber called the IMF line of credit "an insurance policy for the global economy." "If all goes well, the money will never leave the United States. But if all does not go well, if the global economy sees another economic shock, this money will help the IMF provide loans to the countries in greatest danger of economic collapse," Hoyer said. Hoyer also hailed the funds to combat swine flu "at a time when the World Health Organization has declared the first worldwide flu epidemic in 41 years." "If anyone intends to vote against flu preparedness today, I hope that they will come to the floor and explain the gamble that they are prepared to make with our nation's health," he said shortly before the vote. The bill also provides one billion dollars for the so-called "cash for clunkers" program to stimulate the struggling auto industry, paying car buyers cash if they trade in their old gas-guzzling cars for newer more fuel-efficient models. The supplemental spending measure was bogged down after the Senate legislation -- over the objections of Democrats in the House -- banned public release of the controversial images allegedly showing abuse of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan at the hands of US military personnel. President Barack Obama broke the logjam last week, however, offering in a letter to negotiators, to "continue to take every legal and administrative remedy available to me to ensure the... detainee photographs are not released." The compromise bill also includes provisions on prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, but does not include the 80 million dollars originally requested by the Obama administration to close the detention facility at the US naval base in southern Cuba, where some 230 detainees remain. Under the agreement reached by the Senate and the House, a Democratic source said the government could transfer some prisoners to US soil only to face trial, although the highly sensitive issue of where they would serve out their sentence remains unresolved.

by Staff Writers
Islamabad (AFP) June 16, 2009
Pakistan's military has received orders from the government and is preparing to launch an offensive against feared Pakistan Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, the army spokesman said Tuesday.

Security forces are already locked in a seven-week campaign against insurgents in three northwest districts, and a governor late Sunday announced a "full-fledged" second front along the mountainous and wild tribal belt.

"As you know the government has taken a principled decision to launch a military operation against Baitullah Mehsud and his network," military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told reporters in Islamabad.

"The army has received the requisite orders. Necessary steps and measures are being taken by the military in this regard."

Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira added: "It has not been officially started."

North West Frontier Province governor Owais Ahmad Ghani late Sunday vowed the government would pursue Mehsud into the semi-autonomous tribal belt on the Afghan border, blaming him for a string of recent deadly bomb attacks.

In a statement, the military also said that 13 suspected militants had been killed in the last 24 hours in the Swat valley operation, which was launched late April after Taliban rebels advanced towards Islamabad.

earlier related report
Pakistani leader in rare visit to NATO, landmark EU summit
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari makes a rare visit to NATO Wednesday and holds a landmark summit with top European Union officials in Brussels focused on Islamabad's fight against the Taliban.

As Pakistani forces prepare a major offensive against the Taliban in an area bordering Afghanistan, Zardari will address NATO ambassadors meeting in a North Atlantic Council.

NATO is struggling to control a Taliban-led insurgency that is undermining its biggest and most ambitious operation ever, aimed at fostering democracy and reconstruction in Afghanistan.

The insurgents, backed by Al Qaeda and criminal gangs, have been using Pakistan's lawless tribal areas as a base, resulting in cross-border shooting involving NATO-led forces or US operated drone strikes.

Zardari's visit and the Pakistani offensive comes amid calls for the European Union and others to do more to help around two million people who have fled the fighting in the northwest tribal belt.

Fears are growing of a broadening humanitarian crisis as fighting spreads.

British-based aid organisation Oxfam called it "the world's biggest and fastest growing human displacement in over a decade" and said funds to help the displaced remained inadequate.

"The total figure of internally displaced persons is likely to rise as military operations extend into other areas," it said in a statement Tuesday.

Oxfam targeted EU for its "feeble response to the humanitarian crisis."

With Pakistan now at the epicentre of efforts to stabilise Afghanistan, the EU has come under increasing pressure to step forward with aid and trade to bolster Pakistan's shaky government.

Indeed deepening trade links and the fight against "terrorism" will top the agenda of the first-ever EU-Pakistan summit later Wednesday, to be chaired by Czech President Vaclav Klaus, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency.

In a draft declaration, the two agree to launch "strategic dialogue" on "development, education, science and technology, security, counter-terrorism, strengthening democracy, human rights and enhancing trade."

The EU would also hail Islamabad's efforts to tackle terrorism and recognise "the sacrifice which the Pakistani people and armed forces are making notably during ongoing operations in North West Frontier Province."

In a separate text, EU leaders at a summit on Thursday will voice confidence that "a successful outcome would greatly strengthen the democratically elected government in achieving its political and development objectives".

Beyond political support, Europe is also set to offer Wednesday more relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance in the Swat valley, according to the draft text seen by AFP.

Klaus and Zardari are also set to agree to boost commercial ties, with the ultimate goal being a free trade agreement.

The EU will "explore" how Pakistan could benefit from its preferential tariff regime, which affords customs privileges in return for respecting principles in the areas of workers' rights and the environment.

Share This Article With Planet Earth

del.icio.us Digg Reddit

YahooMyWeb Google Facebook

Related Links
News From Across The Stans

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS
Solar Energy Solutions
Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ...

Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

THE STANS

McChrystal, new US commander in Afghanistan
Kabul (AFP) June 15, 2009
General Stanley McChrystal, who took command of US and NATO troops in Afghanistan Monday, is a former special operations commander whose elite forces are credited with battlefield successes in Iraq and Afghanistan. Defence Secretary Robert Gates said in May that he nominated McChrystal to replace General David McKiernan because "new thinking" was needed at a time when President Barack Obama ... read more

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2009 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement