Comments for The Pakistan Policy Blog

Comment on Pakistani-U.S. Raid Nabs Mullah Baradar: Kayani Doctrine in Full Effect by Pakistan Arrests 7 of 15 Quetta Shura Members, CSM Reports « CHUP! – Changing Up Pakistan

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:14:43 +0000

[...] Rafiq, over at the Pakistan Policy blog, (via Five Rupees), further noted, “And equally important, as Afghans have engaged in a multitude of secret peace talks in the [...]

Comment on Pakistani-U.S. Raid Nabs Mullah Baradar: Kayani Doctrine in Full Effect by Hello Baradar | Dao's City for Blog

Hello Baradar | Dao's City for Blog — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 08:40:36 +0000

[...] as Arif Rafiq of the Pakistan Policy blog has argued, Mr Baradar could have been sacrificed by General Kayani as a signal to Mullah Omar—that the [...]

Comment on The Kayani Doctrine by Prize bond list

Prize bond list — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:08:02 +0000

Nice post! Pakistan army is one of the sharpest and daring army in the world. Kiyani is a good leader and he has taken great decisions for keeping peace in Pakistan. I think Kiyani has rightly briefed foreign correspondents.

Comment on The Kayani Doctrine by Saif

Saif — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:38:41 +0000

I don’t think Arif meant the US is perpetually dependent on Pakistan. But it is clearly dependent on it at the moment considering there will be 100,000 troops stationed in their neighborhood pretty soon.

Plus it’s clear that the US has towed a rather harsh line with Pakistan all the while cozying up to India and its markets.

We have to remember that any reluctance to be seen as more strategically or militarily aligned with India isn’t curtailed by the prospect of a jealous Pakistan, rather a further strain in relations with the World’s largest exporter and increasingly advantegous consumer market: China.

China and India have unresolved issues on many fronts and certainly have bad blood between them. Needless to say it’s rather intelligent from an American perspective not to wedge ourselves headlong into an unpredictable rivalry between the world’s two largest nations.

Hence the apparent collusion and dependence with Pakistan, and the apparent distance from India.

Comment on Pakistani-U.S. Raid Nabs Mullah Baradar: Kayani Doctrine in Full Effect by Varun

Varun — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:01:51 +0000

Very intelligent answer (informed speculation?) to a difficult question.

But does Pakistan really see the Americans as able to change the Afghan order? Only that would explain why they care enough to engage more moderate elements and induce behavioral change.

Comment on Pakistani-U.S. Raid Nabs Mullah Baradar: Kayani Doctrine in Full Effect by Guptan Veemboor

Guptan Veemboor — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:52:49 +0000

In this analysis it is told that Pakistan is doing a mild arm-twisting of Taliban.Is it necessary that Taliban should agree. To what extant is Afghan Taliban dependant on Pakistan? If it is fully dependant then this is Pakistan’s proxy war. It cannot be. Even if Pakistan withdraws its support the Afghan Taliban can carry on. Even if Bardar has been captured, Taliban will replace him with someone else which has happened ealier also. Also Taliban is not a very cohesive force. It is a lose coalition of many commanders with their forces. Now since there is a common enemy that is US they are all together. Even if one of the factions make a deal with US/Pakistan it is not necessary that all others will fall in line. Stability will evade Afghanistan. So will Pakistan take the risk of alienating its strategic depths. In all probability the capture drama is a smoke screen for arranging a talk between US and Mulla Omar so that US can get out of Afghanistan without much loss of face.

Comment on Pakistani-U.S. Raid Nabs Mullah Baradar: Kayani Doctrine in Full Effect by Ali Azizi

Ali Azizi — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:53:12 +0000

If Kiyani can pull this off as you describe, he’ll prove himself to be a master chess player.

Comment on Pakistani-U.S. Raid Nabs Mullah Baradar: Kayani Doctrine in Full Effect by Four Views On The Baradar Arrest (Okay, Five) | Tea Break

Four Views On The Baradar Arrest (Okay, Five) | Tea Break — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:33:21 +0000

[...] Arif Rafiq: In my previous post, I speculated that Kayani’s overtures to the Karzai government possibly [...]

Comment on Pakistani-U.S. Raid Nabs Mullah Baradar: Kayani Doctrine in Full Effect by Riaz Haq

Riaz Haq — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:45:17 +0000

The Afghan society is deeply divided along ethnic lines. Almost all of the Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras, part of the Northern Alliance, currently control Kabul along with a small Pashtun urban elite. The NA and its Pashtun allies have always been and continue to be friendly with India (and Russia and Iran) and oppose Pakistani influence in Afghanistan.

The rural Pashtuns, hated by NA and their urban Pashtun allies, have been friendly with Pakistan. The strongest rural Pashtun force is the Taliban, who are the key to peace in the region. Pakistan has to maintain close ties with them and use its influence to bring the war to end on terms favorable to Pakistan.

http://www.riazhaq.com/2009/12/facts-and-myths-in-afghanistan-debate.html

Comment on Pakistani-U.S. Raid Nabs Mullah Baradar: Kayani Doctrine in Full Effect by Hello Baradar | The Acorn

Hello Baradar | The Acorn — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:16:57 +0000

[...] as Arif Rafiq of the Pakistan Policy blog has argued, Mr Baradar could have been sacrificed by General Kayani as a signal to Mullah Omar—that the [...]