The Tora Bora Blues

Liberal Democracy didn't die in the hills of Tora Bora (primarily because it never lived there), but the events in Great Game II certainly didn't help. This was, after all, the new home of the eponymous Al Queda after this arm of the US backed Mujahadeen went all native and started going after western interests after they sent the Ruskies packing. AQ became a household world in one of the more stunning examples of Blowback, when the jihadis landed a 747 on the observation deck of the World Trade Centre.

The CEO of AQ is the infamous boogie man of neoconservatism, Osama Bin Laden. And he was the subject of an off-the-record briefing from a 'Bush administration source' this week in what was a telling indictment of who the White House is backing in Central Asia.

The gist of the statement was 'Osama's alive and well in Pakistan, but we reckon the Paki military are the mob who can keep a lid on the situation.'

The Pakistan regime, of course, denies it - in the oblique way that tinpot dictatorships invariably fail to spot a subtle friendly gesture when they see one.

For what the Bush Toadie was offering Islamabad was a nod-and-a-wink green light for the military to run the show in Pakistan, especially if the Islamacists win elections scheduled in a week or so.

There was a very strong hint about who exactly they are backing - and here's a name for the little black book - General Ashfaq Kayani. As the Reuters' report says:

The Bush administration also has been very impressed with Pakistani army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani and considers him a 'promising partner,' the official said.

So there you have it. If the incumbent dictator Musharef is unpalatable to the Pentagon and the White House, they have a ready made replacement just in case the jihadis win control of the Pakistani parliament.

Ah, the land of the free, defender of democracy, hopelessly compromised dumb asses.

Pakistan will be an open civil war by the end of the year. they can cancel Australia's cricket tour now.

Meanwhile Osama, himself a creation of the Pakistani secret service, the ISI, can continue to hobnob around Waziristan at will if he likes.

What NATO makes of this - considering they are fighting a war against a Taliban that is tacitly supported by section s of the Pakistan military and ISI - is anyone's guess. But London to a brick the Europeans are probably less than impressed at the thumbs up the bumbling dodos over the border.

It also makes clear that the choices for Central Asia are a) Islamic fuindamentalism or b) military dictatorship. What a stunningly successful outcome this is after two centuries of meddling in the lands of the Pashtun.