Andy Martin on Al-Jazeera English, July 29th
Obama author and American foreign policy expert Andy Martin will be a guest on Al-Jazeera's program "Inside Story," discussing the visit of Pakistan's Prime Minister to Washington. Sanctuaries, not sovereignty, will be the issue going forward," says Martin. "The forgotten war is on the verge of being remembered; Pakistan is headed for the hot seat."
ANDY MARTIN
Executive Editor
ContrarianCommentary.com
“Factually Correct, Not
Politically Correct”
AMERICA’S #1 POLITICAL
BLOG ON THE 2008 CAMPAIGN
Obama author and American foreign policy expert Andy Martin will be a guest on Al-Jazeera's program "Inside Story," discussing the visit of Pakistan's Prime Minister to Washington.
"Sanctuaries, not sovereignty, will be the issue going forward," says Martin.
"The forgotten war is on the verge of being remembered; Pakistan is headed for the hot seat," Martin predicts.
(NEW YORK)(July 29, 2008) American foreign policy expert Andy Martin will be a guest on the Al-Jazeera English program "Inside Story" at 10:00 A.M. New York time on Tuesday, July 29th. Martin has extensive experience in Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as the Middle East, where he served as Baghdad Bureau Chief in 2003. "I was the first name on George Bush's enemies list," says Martin jokingly. "I told him in 1999 he was obsessed with Iraq, and I was right. I told them in 2003 the war would be a disaster, and they would not listen. I ended up in Baghdad as a bureau chief, and again I was early with accurate predictions of policy failures.
"To some extent the war in Afghanistan has been the 'forgotten war.' Well, it is about to be remembered. Barack Obama says Afghanistan is his policy priority. John McCain endorses that view. They are both correct.
"Up until now President Bush has been entirely too patient with Pakistani leaders. We are seven years into a 'war' that we 'won' seven years ago when we toppled the Taliban. But since then nothing has happened to resolve either the American role or NATO's role. Ten billion dollars has disappeared.
”Barack Obama brazenly told Berliners he expects them to fight and die in Afghanistan. Germans have other ideas. Berliners were willing to show up to drink Obama's free beer and to eat his free pizza; they are not going to spill their blood in a conflict that is becoming increasingly confused and has been grossly mismanaged.
"Where does leave the United States? We will most likely have to fight alone, with perhaps some British and Commonwealth support. Non-combatant allied forces will probably remain.
"And that is why the Al Qaeda/Taliban sanctuaries in Pakistan will become the paramount issue in American foreign policy in January 2009. Obama will be under extreme pressure to take out the sanctuaries if he is elected president (I do not expect him to win). Likewise, McCain will be under similar pressure to move faster. Americans are not going to support an endless conflict in Afghanistan. They are certainly not going to permit the Al Qaeda/Taliban sanctuaries to exist any longer. The 'game' is over.
"And so it is immaterial who becomes the next president. George Bush may depart the White House; his policies in the region will be toughened, not softened, by either Obama or McCain. Pakistan is going to be on the hot seat at the top of the U.S. agenda. The U. S. tolerance for Pakistani sanctuaries is at an end.
"Pakistani 'sovereignty' is not going to prevent all-out war against the sanctuaries. You can take that principle to the bank. Most likely this change in policy will play out as covert operations and not as a regular Army operation. If they are willing, the Pakistanis will be full partners, but not with veto power.
"Pakistan is once again on the road to democracy. One can only hope that Benazir Bhutto's sacrifice was not in vain. Tragically, the nation has lost thirty years of progress consumed in worthless internal fighting. The Pakistani government will face internal pressure arising out of the more aggressive U. S. policy. But the current stalemate is unacceptable," Martin states. "Anyone who believes otherwise does not know that area of the world, and is not familiar with the dynamics of a new presidency.
"No new president is going to allow Pakistani sanctuaries to be used to kill American and allied troops any longer. No nation has a right under international law to assert sovereignty as a pretext to harbor terrorists."
Al Jazeera English is available with live streaming on the Internet, http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/. Some Al Jazeera English programs are also available on YouTube.com.
-----------------------------------------------------
Andy Martin is working on a new book of his collected commentary as a Baghdad Bureau Chief in 2003, as well as his writing prior to the 2003 Iraq invasion. "Andy Martin in Iraq" is planned for publication in 2009.
-----------------------------------------------------
Andy Martin is a legendary Chicago muckraker, author, Internet columnist, radio talk show host, broadcaster and media critic. Andy is the Executive Editor and publisher of www.ContrarianCommentary.com. © Copyright by Andy Martin 2008. Martin covers regional, national and world events with over forty years of experience. He has almost forty years of experience in the Middle East, and is regarded overseas as America’s most respected independent foreign policy, military and intelligence analyst.
He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois College of Law. His columns are also posted at ContrarianCommentary.blogspot.com; contrariancommentary.wordpress.com. Andy is the author of Obama: The Man Behind The Mask, published in July 2008, see http://www.OrangeStatePress.com. MEDIA CONTACT: (866) 706-2639 E-MAIL: AndyMart20@aol.com [NOTE: We frequently correct typographical errors and additions/subtractions on our blogs, where you can find the latest edition of this release.]
Obama author and American foreign policy expert Andy Martin will be a guest on Al-Jazeera's program "Inside Story," discussing the visit of Pakistan's Prime Minister to Washington. Sanctuaries, not sovereignty, will be the issue going forward," says Martin. "The forgotten war is on the verge of being remembered; Pakistan is headed for the hot seat."
ANDY MARTIN
Executive Editor
ContrarianCommentary.com
“Factually Correct, Not
Politically Correct”
AMERICA’S #1 POLITICAL
BLOG ON THE 2008 CAMPAIGN
Obama author and American foreign policy expert Andy Martin will be a guest on Al-Jazeera's program "Inside Story," discussing the visit of Pakistan's Prime Minister to Washington.
"Sanctuaries, not sovereignty, will be the issue going forward," says Martin.
"The forgotten war is on the verge of being remembered; Pakistan is headed for the hot seat," Martin predicts.
(NEW YORK)(July 29, 2008) American foreign policy expert Andy Martin will be a guest on the Al-Jazeera English program "Inside Story" at 10:00 A.M. New York time on Tuesday, July 29th. Martin has extensive experience in Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as the Middle East, where he served as Baghdad Bureau Chief in 2003. "I was the first name on George Bush's enemies list," says Martin jokingly. "I told him in 1999 he was obsessed with Iraq, and I was right. I told them in 2003 the war would be a disaster, and they would not listen. I ended up in Baghdad as a bureau chief, and again I was early with accurate predictions of policy failures.
"To some extent the war in Afghanistan has been the 'forgotten war.' Well, it is about to be remembered. Barack Obama says Afghanistan is his policy priority. John McCain endorses that view. They are both correct.
"Up until now President Bush has been entirely too patient with Pakistani leaders. We are seven years into a 'war' that we 'won' seven years ago when we toppled the Taliban. But since then nothing has happened to resolve either the American role or NATO's role. Ten billion dollars has disappeared.
”Barack Obama brazenly told Berliners he expects them to fight and die in Afghanistan. Germans have other ideas. Berliners were willing to show up to drink Obama's free beer and to eat his free pizza; they are not going to spill their blood in a conflict that is becoming increasingly confused and has been grossly mismanaged.
"Where does leave the United States? We will most likely have to fight alone, with perhaps some British and Commonwealth support. Non-combatant allied forces will probably remain.
"And that is why the Al Qaeda/Taliban sanctuaries in Pakistan will become the paramount issue in American foreign policy in January 2009. Obama will be under extreme pressure to take out the sanctuaries if he is elected president (I do not expect him to win). Likewise, McCain will be under similar pressure to move faster. Americans are not going to support an endless conflict in Afghanistan. They are certainly not going to permit the Al Qaeda/Taliban sanctuaries to exist any longer. The 'game' is over.
"And so it is immaterial who becomes the next president. George Bush may depart the White House; his policies in the region will be toughened, not softened, by either Obama or McCain. Pakistan is going to be on the hot seat at the top of the U.S. agenda. The U. S. tolerance for Pakistani sanctuaries is at an end.
"Pakistani 'sovereignty' is not going to prevent all-out war against the sanctuaries. You can take that principle to the bank. Most likely this change in policy will play out as covert operations and not as a regular Army operation. If they are willing, the Pakistanis will be full partners, but not with veto power.
"Pakistan is once again on the road to democracy. One can only hope that Benazir Bhutto's sacrifice was not in vain. Tragically, the nation has lost thirty years of progress consumed in worthless internal fighting. The Pakistani government will face internal pressure arising out of the more aggressive U. S. policy. But the current stalemate is unacceptable," Martin states. "Anyone who believes otherwise does not know that area of the world, and is not familiar with the dynamics of a new presidency.
"No new president is going to allow Pakistani sanctuaries to be used to kill American and allied troops any longer. No nation has a right under international law to assert sovereignty as a pretext to harbor terrorists."
Al Jazeera English is available with live streaming on the Internet, http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/. Some Al Jazeera English programs are also available on YouTube.com.
-----------------------------------------------------
Andy Martin is working on a new book of his collected commentary as a Baghdad Bureau Chief in 2003, as well as his writing prior to the 2003 Iraq invasion. "Andy Martin in Iraq" is planned for publication in 2009.
-----------------------------------------------------
Andy Martin is a legendary Chicago muckraker, author, Internet columnist, radio talk show host, broadcaster and media critic. Andy is the Executive Editor and publisher of www.ContrarianCommentary.com. © Copyright by Andy Martin 2008. Martin covers regional, national and world events with over forty years of experience. He has almost forty years of experience in the Middle East, and is regarded overseas as America’s most respected independent foreign policy, military and intelligence analyst.
He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois College of Law. His columns are also posted at ContrarianCommentary.blogspot.com; contrariancommentary.wordpress.com. Andy is the author of Obama: The Man Behind The Mask, published in July 2008, see http://www.OrangeStatePress.com. MEDIA CONTACT: (866) 706-2639 E-MAIL: AndyMart20@aol.com [NOTE: We frequently correct typographical errors and additions/subtractions on our blogs, where you can find the latest edition of this release.]
posted by Andy Martin | 11:09 PM
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