Pakistan Refugee Crisis, in Today's News 07.27.09

Pakistan Refugee Crisis. One doesn't know what to say about the latest stage of one of the world's worst refugee crises.

The United States pushed Pakistan to wage their military assault in the Swat Valley in Pakistan. This action quickly produced two million refugees who overwhelmed the government of Pakistan and the relief agencies of the United Nations. The United States did very little to relieve the crisis and the media found the crisis unworthy of any significant coverage.

Now Pakistan has let about 350,000 people return through checkpoints to their homes. And now, we're supposed to think this is a big victory!!

Not a word about the hardships these people faced, having left homes and work to live in a sweltering camp with little food and water.

The cruelty of the cryptocracy is almost beyond description.

Pakistan Refugee Crisis, in Today's News 06.04.09

Pakistan Refugee Crisis.  According to the Wall Street Journal today the United States has pledged $200 million (if Congress approves) for a total of $300 million in a bid to quell a refugee crisis of three million displaced people.  "U.S. officials stressed on Wednesday that a quick and coordinated international response to Islamabad's emergency was crucial to underpinning recent gains Pakistan's army has made against the Taliban..."  

So far there are no takers from other countries on providing aid.  The United States intends to put the arm on Arab countries to fork over during a tour of major Arab states next week by Richard Holbrooke, the Obama administration's point man on Pakistan. The United Nations sought $543 million to address the crisis, but has received only a fraction.  "The Obama administration is hoping that its quick (!) and high profile (!) response to the refugee crisis can win it points with the Pakistani public." (!!!)(Emphasis added.)

Comment:  This is almost too priceless for words.  The arrogance and stupidity of the American policy makers is beyond description.

The refugee crisis, which has gone from non-existent to three million in a few weeks, was brought about by the United States pressuring a reluctant Pakistan to wage a war on the Taliban in the Swat valley.  Apparently the US gave little thought to the consequences and now they have one of the worst refugee crises in world history on their hands.  All that mattered to the US was the attack on the Taliban.

Then when the crisis hit, the United States did not respond, putting pressure on the Pakistan government to pursue the war diligently and expeditiously.  When the US finally achieved some of its goals, the American policy makers promised a lousy, little stipend (with Congress potentially veto-ing it) to go to Pakistan.  And then, astoundingly, the US lets it be known that it expects other countries to pay for the crisis that the US policy created.  The US response has been anything but timely, and the only thing high-profile about it is the public appeal to other nations to pay.

The most amazing part of all this is the US saying their response will impress the Pakistani public. Yeah, right.  Three million people have had to abandon homes and livelihoods to move to small tents in sweltering camps under the ferocious sun where there is no food and little water and plenty of dust storms.  And every one of these refugees knows that it was the United States that got them into this mess. Not a few of them must be thinking or saying, 'Certainly living under the Taliban couldn't be any worse than this.'

And now the US policy makers think they will win these people over by a visit from Mr. Holbrooke to the camps, and by the promise of a few measly bucks.  Dream on, Washington. This is unbelievable. 

And oh BTW, will the Vatican every get around to saying (let alone doing) something about three million innocent people who are experiencing unwanted and drastic suffering?  Now that the US media is talking about the refugees, maybe the Vatican can realize it is okay to be interested and can throw something together for the public.

in Today's News 05.30.09

1.  Pakistan (yet again).  WSJ headline:  "Refugee Crisis Infames Ethnic Strife in Pakistan."  From the article: "The refugee influx to Karachi has inflamed murderous ethnic rivalries that have simmered in Pakistan's biggest city for years...This strife in Karachi adds a new dimension to the security crisis that threatens the survival of President Asif Ali Zardari's democratically elected administration, possibly Pakistan itself, as law and order collapses and militants spread south from their mountain bases."  (Emphasis added.)

One could be justified in asking if the United States knows what the hell it is doing. Here we have a country (Pakistan) that is critical to the security interests of the USA and Israel, because of Pakistan's nuclear weapons and because of the Taliban. Yet the USA has forcefully pushed the Pakistan government to take actions that have produced Pakistan's most fundamental crisis ever, including a refugee surge that is almost without precedent in the world.  And most amazing of all, having created the crisis, the USA seems to be taking a hands-off approach to the refugees and the crisis.

So, what gives?  Can the USA possibly believe that out of the chaos the USA can establish a government more in its interests?  If so, the USA policy makers are living in more of a dream world than was previously considered.

Or do the policy makers think they can defeat the Taliban before the government collapses?  If so, dream on.

In short, the USA now faces the potential loss of Pakistan which would be a foreign policy set back of gargantuan proportions.  If the USA is doing anything about it, they are keeping it a tight secret.

2. Bond Market.  WSJ:  "Yields for 10-year Treasury notes have risen 1.5 percentage points this year as bond traders pull back on a market awash in federal debt...'Clearly, the message form the bond market increasingly is structural deficits as far as the eye can see just aren't going to wash without bond yields going up to levels that might keep us in recession,' said Ed Yardeni of Yardeni Research Inc."

Ah yes, here we have the market forces creating a new situation.  I mean, really, give me a break.  As always the media fails to take into account that there are enormously wealthy families, starting with the Rothschilds, who have the power and wherewithal to control and manipulate markets.  When a change like the increase in yields occurs one can assume these families are involved.

So, how would they benefit from this change?  Well, with all this debt floating around, some of which is tricky, the people that hand out the loans want more return.  And more return means more income.  Wealth accumulation again.

It is interesting that these families created the crisis that generated the need for all the debt, and now they want increased yield on the debt they created. Chutzpah!!

in Today's News 05.23.09

Pakistan (again).  WSJ: "...the militants and Pakistani troops have been engaged in fierce fighting that has caused a massive refugee crisis, forcing about two million people to flee their homes.  On Friday, the United Nations issued a flash appeal for a total of $543 million in humanitarian aid to help the refugees. Martin Mogwanja, acting U.N. humanitarian coordinator, said, 'The scale of this displacement is extraordinary in terms of size and speed and has caused incredible suffering.'" (Emphasis added.)

What was already a catastrophe last week has now doubled in size.  The people involved are not urban sophisticates accustomed to switching residences.  These refugees have lived and made their livings in the same area for generations.  It has to be the understatement of the year to say incredible suffering is occurring when such people have to abandon their homestead and move to a sweltering refugee camp with little food and water, and no comfort at all.

Undoubtedly a portion of the refugees have to be saying, 'Certainly rule by the Taliban couldn't be any worse than this.'

Most amazing is the virtual silence in the media over one of the most significant humanitarian crises in decades.    

The crisis was precipitated when the United States brought unprecedented pressure on Pakistan to launch an offensive against the Taliban in the Swat Valley. Apparently the all-wise American policy-makers had no concept of what the consequences might be;  all that mattered was to push back the Taliban.  It seems Pakistan knew better, but they faced a rupture in relations if they didn't obey.

And so now there is a mammoth crisis in the area that may never be corrected. The problem is beyond the Pakistan government.  The United Nations seems to be unable to meet the needs of the situation.  And the United States? .... Nothing!!!! The United States government seems singularly unconcerned.  This arrogant, incredible attitude by the Unites States occurs after it was the United States that created the problem in the first place.  The United States simply walks away from the suffering; all the USA cared about was the attack on the Taliban. (A 'generous' interpretation of the United States inaction is that the USA is withholding refugee aid in order to pressure Pakistan to expedite the war with diligence.)

The media follows their masters' lead.  If there is any one in the media industry who has an ounce of compassion about two million innocent refugees, the media owners quickly disposes of it.

And the Vatican?  So far, not even a whisper from that quarter.  Is any one there aware of world events?