Islamists Reject Pact's Call To Disarm

Despite Creation Of Islamic Courts, Refusal Of Key Component Of Gov't Peace Deal May Lead To Bloodshed, Officials Warn

(CBS)  By CBS News' Farhan Bokhari in Islamabad, Pakistan

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Taliban militants agitating for an Islamic system of justice in a remote northern valley of Pakistan refused to lay down their arms Sunday, one of the conditions of a peace agreement, opening the way for a possible round of bloody confrontation, senior government officials warned.

On Saturday, authorities in the northwest frontier province (NWFP) of Pakistan announced the creation of an Islamic appellate court - a key demand by Taliban-styled Islamists, but officials warned that the move was linked to a Taliban promise to disarm.

"Now, anyone carrying arms would be treated as a rebel," the provincial minister of information in the NWFP government, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, said at a press conference announcing the creation of a "darul qiza" (Islamic appellate court).

However, a senior government official of the NWFP, speaking on condition of anonymity, told CBS News Sunday that the Taliban in Swat (where the Islamic justice system has been introduced) "are refusing to lay down their arms on the crazy pretense that keeping arms is a way of life for people of the area."

In Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, a senior official said the government was actively considering all options for the area, including the possibility of launching a military operation in the valley, if the Taliban refused to "disarm completely."

"Right now, the outlook appears to be very bleak," said another senior Pakistani government official who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity. "Do we show more patience or do we simply go in and take charge? All options are on the table."

Conditions in Swat may be one of the issues to be discussed when Pakistan’s president Asif Ali Zardari visits Washington for a two-day visit beginning Wednesday. His schedule includes a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama.

American officials have recently shown alarm over an increased determination by Taliban militants to spread out from Swat - and the apparently weak response up to now from Pakistan's civil and military outfits to block the Taliban's expansion.

In the past week however, the Pakistani military has launched attacks on areas near Swat, including the Dir and Buner districts.

(Left: In Jammu, India Sunday, a cyclist looks on as Sikh activists burn tires and a Taliban effigy. The protesters allege that Sikh and Hindu families in Pakistan's northwestern frontier province and tribal areas have left their homes and moved to Punjab after being targeted by the Taliban for failing to pay a "religious tax.")

However, a senior western diplomat warned that the U.S. remains concerned over Pakistan's long-term future - an issue that is likely to be discussed when President Zardari meets with President Obama.

"Even if Pakistan shows determination right now to act, there is the question of a long-term commitment." said the diplomat. "The effort to beat back these people must be a long-term one."

But on the streets of Pakistan, opinion is divided between those who fear the advance of the Taliban and their reputation for harsh treatment of women (as well as of non-Muslims), as opposed to those who see their value in representing a growing anti-Western sentiment in the country.

Naeem Khan, an Islamabad fruit vendor, believes that the Taliban represent a force that could step up pressure on the country’s rulers (owing to public support of the militants) to improve living conditions for those driven to abject poverty.

"This trend (of Taliban expansion) is an indication of how many Pakistanis support their cause," he said. "Whenever you have people driven to extreme poverty, there is always a chance that oppressed people will react in unpredictable ways."

[quapawsix]

then explain why members of the 7th Cav were awarded medals of honor for that campaign and why the Sioux Nation is pushing the government to strip the members of the 7th Cav of their medals

[hamiltongrad]

Tallibanians ! Get better PR. Like the PLO and HAMAS you are using home made rockets, and fighting a force with overpowering planes, bombs and such. A disproportionate use of FORCE by the PAKIS vs. you.

Cant you muster up a group of dead babies to show to the BBC or CNN ??

[hamiltongrad]

KARL , come on, Israel has a court system that is fair and equal under the law to all, sometimes to the aggravation of Israelis.

There is no death penalty in Israel, even for baby killers, crossing the border to terrorize.


NEW CBS IGNORES: PART 19
Oh, by the way, the "moderate" PLO on the WEST BANK just legally ordered the death sentence to a husband and wife for selling their land to a Jewish investor. DEATH PENALTY. What is noteworthy, that historically under Arafat, anyone doing this was just murdered by the mob rule , so called ARAB STREET. Moderate ABBAS, had it done legally. Tell me, where would you rather live ?? Are you able to dirrentiate between an imperfect Democracy ( Israel) trying to be fair and just, and those EVIL players we are fighting, HAMAS = HEZBOLLAH=Talliban = ABBAS et al = and others = NAZI

[thetrajectory]

the Pakistani government had initiated a policy of appeasing the Taliban and now have to the pay the price for it. Having gained the concession of implementing the Sharia, the taliban have decided to push the Government further into complete surrender. The argument that the Sharia was a response to local demands is acceptable to me, but my point is why was Sharia enforced only when the Taliban demanded it? If the Sharia had popular support the Governemnt should have implemented the traditional judicial system on its own accord rather than as a demand of the Taliban.
the government of Pakistan is too confused and lacks a coherent strategy for dealing with the Taliban.
http://thetrajectory.com

[hamiltongrad]

quakpa: What was done to the American Indigenous peoples was very wrong, and evil.

[primapatria]

... 7th Cav killed women and children and old people at wounded knee...
Posted by quapawsix at 4:45 AM : May 4, 2009

Well Custer wasn't hailed as a hero in any history books I've read - at least not for Wounded Knee ... would have been tough since Wounded Knee occurred in Dec 1890 and Custer died at the Little Big Horn in June 1876 ... Just for accuracy's sake the commander of the 7th Cavalry at the time of the Wounded Knee incident was COL James William Forsyth - who was tried and acquitted of slaughtering the innocent. Indian casualties totalled 150 dead, and 50 wounded. US Cavalry casualties were 25 dead, and 39 wounded ... and there is a heck of a difference between the 7th Cav and Islamic extremist organizations ... about the same gap as between a comprehensive understanding of history and a knee jerk post.

[jsf14]

Why aren't Muslims everywhere protesting LOUDLY denial of education for girls and women? Wasn't the Prophet Mohamed illiterate? And didn't his first wife, who encouraged him in his work, know how to read and write?

[quapawsix]

Hamas, Hezbolla and NASI
So what, Custer and the the 7th Cav killed women and children and old people at wounded knee and the battle of Wasatch river and was heralded as hero in the history books whats the difference.

[quapawsix]

are refusing to lay down their arms on the crazy pretense that keeping arms is a way of life for people of the area."

This is the truth, and someone thinks it's a crazy pretense, the reporter that wrote this is an Idiot and has no clue as to what has been happening in this Area for hundreds of years, guns are a way of life for theses people this NWO thing is a plan of a small group of evil people who are bent on enslaving the world.

[nim99]

Please spare 6 minutes of your life and watch this film. Over 2,000,000 people have watched and shared this film, who care about hunger and human inequality. If you deem appropriate, please share it with your members, friends, students, and family - all who care about hunger and its impact on human race.

----------------------------------

THE FILM : It is a TRUE STORY

Chicken a la Carte
Director: Ferdinand Dimadura | Genre: Drama |

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/1081/Chicken-a-la-Carte

This film is about the hunger and poverty brought about by Globalization. There are 10,000 people dying everyday due to hunger and malnutrition. This short film shows a forgotten portion of the society. The people who lives on the refuse of men to survive. What is inspiring is the hope and spirituality that never left this people.

[hamiltongrad]

"Horace"



Evil is not "in the eye of the beholder". The appreciation of a glass or wine, a cigar, or a work of art may, be, but not in any way evil.

Evil is evil.


If you can not deny that the NAZIs were evil, or..... HAMAS... for example - PLEASE READ!!

///// that the Hamas "hero" Kuntar who smashed the head of a 4 year old Israeli girl with his rifle butt, ( in front of her mother) having dragged the little girl, in the middle of the night, from sleep, onto the beach, out of her apartment in Nahariya in 1979, and he, this monster, MONSTER, is now celebrated as a hero - and declared a national day of celebration by officials of HAMAS for his act of violence that he and all the terrorists so disposed are evil------you either have to be a moral idiot, or, I bet, a graduate student.

Graduate students , truly sadly, can not make generalizations, and cannot define good vs. evil, or right vs. wrong. If neither of the two, then sadly you are one of them, the not decent.

[HoraceP-McTitties]

Taliban = Hamas = Hezbollah = Iran = Syria = Al Queda = Nazis.

Every generation has to fight against evil.

Once we understand this, it all becomes a bit more simple.
Posted by hamiltongrad at 4:06 PM

evil is in the eye of the beholder

[hamiltongrad]

Taliban = Hamas = Hezbollah = Iran = Syria = Al Queda = Nazis.

Every generation has to fight against evil.

Once we understand this, it all becomes a bit more simple.

[ToolMangler1]

It is all about 'Power', who has it and who doesn't. "Organized Religion" is the single greatest cause of pain and death on this planet. Greed is a very close second. "Organized Religion" (Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Atheism, Agnosticism and every Deity worshipping cult in the world that Thinks their way is the only way and is willing to die to make the world over in 'their' image. I am a Christian (if you want to know more.... ask me sometime) but I do not believe in these people that would force me to live my life in their fashion. Most Nations have "Laws of the land" that prohibit harming another human. These laws are understood by most peoples on Earth. They are common sense laws. They encompass such concepts as "Do not kill", "Do not steal", "Do not Lie", Not one of these are religious precepts. They and a 'few' more are sufficient in most cases without a judge or lawyer. and this is the way it should be, (Now We will hear from the extremist viewpoint)

[hamiltongrad]

HELP ! THE PLIGHT OF THE TALIBANIANS



The world cringes as more violence erupts against the insurgent Taliban. A rag tagged group of locals, with home made weapons and fire power no match for the US supported Pakistani army.

"This disproportionate use of FORCE against a group of indigenous Muslims must stop." Demanded Peace leaders, in a historic signed statement, from the world capstone of ideas, universities and KPFK radio station, marching in solidarity with grassroots peace activists, from NYC West Side and LA's Malibu community .

By UN count, the peace lovingTaliban insurgents have lost over 2500 people including 699 children and 1888 women, all pregnant. The Pakistan Army reports no deaths, and only minor injury to one male soldier during staffing of a Taliban school for girls, during prayer, at mid day, and also during a funeral, at mid day.

"The land in dispute must be given to the historical rightful peoples." Taliban leaders pleaded for help and support in their peaceful quest for justice. " What kind of people would allow these army thugs to take away their heritage lands. My grand father once had relations with a goat on this very hill." Cried Alfonla Bur Yupmysssa. Others just wailed and climbed over a wreck of a car, looking for white chicklets.

The international community will be hosting a special DERBIN session next week , to focus on the PLIGHT OF THE TALIBINiaNS..

WHEN WILL THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE END ? CAN it HALT ITSELF AND SET ITSELF UPRIGHT ?


Does anyone see any IRONY is this re Hamas and Hezbollah vis a vis ISRAEL ???

[ayatoldya]

There are communities of Muslims and Christians within the US who who follow their own versions of law and justice of varying degrees. From the spot lighted Fundamentalist Later Day Saint Church in Texas (headquartered in Utah) to the obscure Islamic communities such as Islamberg (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,510218,00.html) near NY City and the openly radical Muslim in the Red House community located in Southern VA (http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/188103.php). Very little is being done to enforce state and federal laws within these communities.

[Tu_eres]

POVERTY CREATES TERRORISTS, AND POVERTY CREATES CRIME,
POVERTY MIGHT BE CALLED THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL

by pythoncharly
Valid points, but not all encompassing.
The 9-11 hijackers were educated and were not from poor families. Bin-Laden is educated, and certainly did not come from poverty. Dr. Ayman Muhammad Rabaie al-Zawahiri, bin Laden's second in command is also educated. One of the alarming trends, is/and has been, the emergence of educated, middle class Middle Easterners willing to martyr themselves.

[debinok1]

I went and searched for zaar's comment on taquiya. I was more than a little shocked. Even more concerned.

""Taquiya refers to dissimulation, the process of disguising one?s true intentions by erecting a facade pleasing to his victims.""

If this is SOP for Islam and the Muslim religion, then there is a big problem. We have muslim communities in almost every country worldwide, where they have moved in and to all outward appearances have adjusted to that particular countries laws and customs. We never hear a word from those communities in response to the atrocities being committed by the muslim extremists. Yet when there is retaliation against the same extremists, they riot in the streets.

[ayatoldya]

Maybe now the Pakistani government is very aware the Taliban have zero long term plans to live in a democratic country. Rather the Taliban's plan in Pakistan is identical to its plans in Afghanistan; which is to have both countries run by a Taliban Potentate, similar to Iran's Supreme Leader (with the blessings of Satin).

[gca2]

".............DId u hear the plight of sikhs under Taliban who are being forced to pay Jajiya. Jajiya is a inhuman tax which Innocent Dhimmis(Non -muslims) are forced to pay in a islamic state............ No Islamic Scholar will tell you this Truth..Let me not go into Taquiya...search yourself Posted by zaahirkhan at 11:52 AM : May 3, 2009 ............."
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This is the first I have heard of this. Thanks for letting us know .....