Richard Engel's story being told on Maddow's show ought to scare the shit out of this country.

[Stinky The Clown]

He's telling the story of how Pakistan kept giving the Taliban what they wanted ..... including Sharia (religious) Law.

To me, the thing that ought to be scary to any reasonable thinker is the very notion of religious law. Pakistan's fragility is the result.

Wow ......

[MadMaddie]

1. Stinky The Clown

This shows that the last 8 years of focus on Iraq and strengthened and emboldened the Taliban. We gave Pakistan arms and money.....The * Administration has put America and the world in more danger by not dealing with the Pakinstani problem.

[Stinky The Clown]

2. I agree with you completely

on edit

My point was the abhorrence of a country run under religious law.

[jbnow]

9. Imagine living in the area and suddenly ruled by Sharia law.

It was shocking that Pakistan handed over Swat Valley as an agreement to get the Taliban to disarm. Obviously they didn't, they just claimed more places. But I'd hate to have the president give over my state to some fundamentalist law for any reason. The people of Swat Valley had no say...
and now more.
Here is a report on some changes by a reporter there

The Swat valley used to have a reputation for producing talented artists and dancers. But last December a female dancer called Shabana, who had defied Taliban laws to continue performing at weddings and public events, was killed. Her body was found in a town square, littered with broken CDs, money and pictures from her albums. A member of the Taliban admitted to the killing on the radio – apparently it was done as a warning to others not to defy their ban on un-Islamic vices.
Men are now afraid to shave and most of the hairdressing salons in town are closed. Women keep covered up by their burqas. Everyone is afraid of the cruel punishments, such as beheading or limb amputation.

Most of the people in Swat are now leaving the valley. There are about 400,000 displaced Swat residents living in camps established by the UN and central Pakistan government. They live in miserable conditions with up to 12 people crammed into a tiny tent and no water or toilets. These are the same people who before the arrival of the Taliban were living in comfortable conditions and enjoying life. It is a real tragedy.

The recent agreement between the Taliban and the government that allows sharia law to come into force in the valley is more bad news for the peaceful people of Swat. They know it can only make the repression worse. But they face a dilemma. On one hand they don’t want Taliban rule, but on the other they're not happy with the number of innocent lives being lost to US air strikes and other operations by the Pakistan army. But with Taliban influence spreading to other parts of Pakistan, the future is looking bleak for all of us.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

14. Incredible courage.........

That reporter is heroic, and I fear for him.

All this just reinforces my deep-seated hatred (yes, that's the word) of organized religions. Nothing good comes of any of them, not in the long haul, and it goes on and on.

These poor, poor people.......................

[Tangerine LaBamba]

3. Pakistan has been behind all of it -

they were the folks who nurtured the Taliban and all the 9/11 folks. Their ISI is one of the most dangerous organizations in the world, and they have run rings around the US for decades. If we start fucking with Pakistan, Iraq - and Vietnam - are going to look like Sunday picnics in the park.

Pakistan is the scariest country in the world. I'm serious. This one should scare the hell out of everyone. Even the Mossad fears the ISI.........

[Stinky The Clown]

4. And it gets more and more fragile with each passing day.

Pakafghanistalibanistan

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. Oh com'on it wasn't ONLY the ISI

we also funded the Taliban in the 1980s, they were the good guys fighting the ruskies

But this is truly blowback... fine grade, 100% blowback

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. Adjust your reading comprehension ............

Who said they were the "only" ones?

Jesus, it's annoying when someone uses something not written as a platform for her own post of the achingly obvious and irrelevant ....................

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. So stating that we also funded them needs me to adjust

my readying comprehension?

How much of history (which is quite gray mind you) do you want me to ignore?

Jeeeessus freaking age, it is NOT just the ISI, but a good dose of CIA too... if... big if, the Ruskies never invaded Afghanistan and engaged in the grand old Central Asian game, PERHAPS we would not be there

[Tangerine LaBamba]

10. Again ............

I never said it was the "only" organization involved, nor did I even imply it. Your inference on that score is out your butt.

That was my only point. Your grandstanding is gratuitous........................

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Whatever, you took statements of facts as grandstanding

Your issue, not mine

Have a good evening

[Tangerine LaBamba]

13. Lovely word, "whatever......"

Used by someone with absolutely nothing to say, but who can't admit to a sloppy reading of a simple statement.....................

[Hanse]

8. No one could have foreseen this happening.

:eyes:

[Thrill]

11. How long will India allow Pakistan to be run over by the Taliban?

If they get their hands on those Nukes, I feel sorry for India