Taliban Goes Into Marble Business in Pakistan; Official Denies Foreign Presence

Posted on July 14, 2008
Filed Under Islamofascism, Pakistan, War on Terror, al-Qaeda |

More great news over the weekend on the situation in Pakistan.

First, I read this in The New York Times:

The mountain of white marble shines with such brilliance in the sun it looks like snow. For four years, the quarry beneath it lay dormant, its riches captive to tribal squabbles and government ineptitude in this corner of Pakistan’s tribal areas.

But in April, the Taliban appeared and imposed a firm hand. They settled the feud between the tribes, demanded a fat fee up front and a tax on every truck that ferried the treasure from the quarry. Since then, Mir Zaman, a contractor from the Masaud subtribe, which was picked by the Taliban to run the quarry, has watched contentedly as his trucks roll out of the quarry with colossal boulders bound for refining in nearby towns.

“With the Taliban it is not a question of a request to us, but a question of force,” said Mr. Zaman, a bearded, middle-aged tribal leader who seemed philosophical about the reality of Taliban authority here. At least the quarry was now operating, he said.

The takeover of the Ziarat marble quarry, a coveted national asset, is one of the boldest examples of how the Taliban have made Pakistan’s tribal areas far more than a base for training camps or a launching pad for sending fighters into Afghanistan.

Who needs poppy seeds?

Why in the world is this allowed to go on? Why are we–I don’t care about Pakistan’s government–allowing this to happen?

Perhaps this explains why:

Pakistan’s top diplomat said Saturday there are no U.S. or other foreign military personnel on the hunt for Osama bin Laden in his nation, and none will be allowed in to search for the al-Qaida leader.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said his nation’s new government has ruled out such military operations, covert or otherwise, to catch militants.

“Our government’s policy is that our troops, paramilitary forces and our regular forces are deployed in sufficient numbers. They are capable of taking action there. And any foreign intrusion would be counterproductive,” he said Saturday. “People will not accept it. Questions of sovereignty come in.”

Yeah, because Pakistan’s forces are really doing a great job. Ha ha.

Now it’s possible that this guy doesn’t want to publicly acknowledge a foreign military presence, but with the increasing strength of the Taliban and al-Qaeda along the border, one must entertain the idea that we have virtually no presence, not even special ops, any longer.

Either way, it’s wholly unacceptable.

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