Overheard Over Pakistan

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan plans an emergency parliamentary session and will meet the body in control of Islamabad's nuclear arsenal in response to India's first air strikes on Pakistan since 1971. 

The two nuclear-armed and unfriendly neighbors have fought three wars since partition in 1947, and the majority of them have been over Kashmir — a territory both India and Pakistan claim in full.

The air strike near Balakot was the deepest strike into Pakistan from India since the end of the last three wars. It was a town 50 kilometers into Pakistan from the Indian border. There are competing claims about the damage caused. One side said it was a smashing success, the other says they didn't hit the side of the barn. Either way, the region is dangerously close to a nuclear war.

Have a nice day.

Did You Know...

Probe Links European Plot To 9/11

A Suspect From Germany Killed in a Drone Strike Last Week Had Contacts With Terrorists Tied to the Sept. 11 Attacks.

A terrorist suspect from Germany killed last week by a U.S. drone missile in Pakistan was in contact with 9/11 collaborators just days before the 2001 attacks, according to court records.

Ramzi Binalshibh, who allegedly helped to coordinate and finance the 9/11 attacks, placed a 34-second phone call on Sept. 5, 2001, to the home of Naamen Meziche, who Pakistani officials say was one of eight people killed by the drone.

Read more ....

1/2 Cent: Our laws prohibit law enforcement to arrest known Al Qaeda sympathizers and supporters .... until they show up at an Al Qaeda training camp in the mountains of Pakistan, where they then fall under the responsibility of the CIA and/or U.S. military. Good riddance. Rather there than in Times Square. However, what else did this guy know?

Af-Pac War

FYI: The US and NATO is currently at war with Pakistan. The US killed three Pakistani troops a few days ago. Pakistani militants responded by torching 27 NATO tanker trucks. Today the US killed 18 militants in retaliation.

From the link: The New York Times reported Friday that a senior Pakistani intelligence official had said the border incursions could lead to a “total snapping of relations” between Islamabad and Washington. At the same time, there were reports of attempts to settle the dispute by establishing a joint investigation into the US strikes.

It is estimated that 80 percent of supplies to US, NATO and allied occupation forces in Afghanistan, including 50 percent of fuel, passes through Pakistan. Which, is what one would call a bottle neck in logistics.

Funny - I don't see people marching the streets to stop the CIA's not-so-secret war. I don't see hearings in front of Congress on C-SPAN 8. I don't hear a peep?...

Sorry guys, The Forever War will last Forever.

WTC Mosque Debate

In 2000, the Republicans passed a law that gave special protection to religious land uses. This is the law that now makes it illegal to block the 'ground zero' mosque. (propublica.org)

Golly. You didn't think that one through, did you, dumbasses?

Relevant [funny] section:

DISCRIMINATION AND EXCLUSION-

(1) EQUAL TERMS- No government shall impose or implement a land use regulation in a manner that treats a religious assembly or institution on less than equal terms with a nonreligious assembly or institution.

(2) NONDISCRIMINATION- No government shall impose or implement a land use regulation that discriminates against any assembly or institution on the basis of religion or religious denomination.

(3) EXCLUSIONS AND LIMITS- No government shall impose or implement a land use regulation that--

(A) totally excludes religious assemblies from a jurisdiction; or

(B) unreasonably limits religious assemblies, institutions, or structures within a jurisdiction. (citation)

Of course, there's another document that settles this - and that's the First Amendment to the Constitution.

However, there is still a question of good taste - and it's obvious that the folks building this 'prayer center' are obvious trolls, obviously trolling... and men crying about their right to be trolls isn't exactly winning hearts and minds in the Muslim world.

Meanwhile, maybe if anyone gave this much energy to the 1,500 people dying in Pakistan and another 2 million people displaced with no food, water and in danger of getting waterborne diseases - Right now - we'd all be able to stop and listen to one another and care about helping and leaving each other alone, respectfully? Ah, but there's religion involved. All logic and common decency are now thrown out, which is one of the big reasons there's a crater in lower Manhattan and the Cordoba people building the center is estimated to cost about $100 million... (my citation)

Here's a thought, maybe even a solution: How about the Americans try to care more about building something in that crater instead of what's going in a couple blocks away, and the folks picking a fight with a $100 million to toss around instead spend their money on helping their fellow Muslims - 'scuse me - HUMANS - on food, medicine and clean water in Pakistan?

Nah, that'd be just nuts!

Suday Comics - The Week In Review

The week in review - where we sum up everything we missed or were ranting about this week with a cartoon...

Russia caught on fire this week...
And Pakistan drowned...
Charlie Rangel told the Ethic's Committee to go f*ck themselves and the 80 year old danced at his birthday party.
It seems Harry Reid really is a racist. He said that his boss, Mr. Obama did not have a “Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one” and that he was popular because he is “light skinned”. He's been called out as an anti-semite, and this week called all hispanic men Democrats. Harry Reid once again demonstrates that it is that it is OK to be a racial bigot, so long as you are a leftwing racial bigot. Folks in Nevada, please, pretty please, get rid of this stupid nut. He makes you look bad. And forget his racial slurs - he's also an idiot. The racial slurs are just cherries on top of his crap ice cream banana split of incompetence.
The recovery isn't what they said it would be.
All this noise about a bitchy little child of a flight attendant taking a couple beers down the slide to say he quit... well the real reason he's being heralded as a hero? You bet - there's a job opening at Jet Blue!And here's an interesting observation on the ruling oligarchy political class...
And in California - the land of Fruit and Nuts...
And finally. in the history of bad advertising placement, this one wins the splattered mud pie.
Have a great week folks, if we all make it through, we'll see each other next week.

The Pentagon Papers 2010

Afghan War Logs: Key Findings -- The Telegraph

Thousands of classified US military documents including details of when coalition troops killed civilians in Afghanistan have been released through the website Wikileaks. Here are some key findings.

– A secret unit of special forces called Task Force 373 is being used to hunt down and kill or capture Taliban leaders without trial, The Guardian reported. More than 2,000 enemy targets were on the list called the "Joint Prioritized Effects List".

– The coalition is increasingly using Reaper drones controlled by joystick from Nevada to target and kill insurgents. Files also showed that 97 missiles had been fired by British reapers since 2008.

Read more ....

More News On Wikileaks Release of Tens of Thousands Of Secret Files On The Afghan War

The War Logs -- New York Times
The War Logs -- The Guardian
The Afghanistan Protocol -- Spiegel Online
Afghan War Diary, 2004-2010 -- WikiLeaks

Wikileaks Afghanistan files: download the key incidents as a spreadsheet -- The Guardian
Afghanistan War Logs: Shattering Illusion of a Bloodless Victory -- The Guardian
Afghanistan War Logs: Secret War Along the Pakistan Border -- The Guardian
Afghanistan War Logs: Iran's Covert Operations in Afghanistan -- The Guardian
Afghanistan War Logs: Fear Taliban Could Tap Mobile Phones -- The Guardian
Afghanistan War Logs: Taliban Listening in to Top-secret Phone -- The Guardian
Afghanistan War Logs: CIA Paramilitaries' Role in Civilian Deaths -- The Guardian
Afghanistan War Logs: Civilians Caught in Firing Line -- The Guardian

Inside the Fog of War: Reports From the Ground in Afghanistan -- New York Times
In Disclosing Secret Documents, WikiLeaks Seeks ‘Transparency’ -- New York Times
Strategic Plans Spawned Bitter End for a Lonely Outpost -- New York Times
Pakistan Aids Insurgency in Afghanistan, Reports Assert -- New York Times

The Afghanistan Protocol: Explosive Leaks Provide Image of War from Those Fighting It -- Spiegel Online
The Afghanistan Protocol: Task Force 373 : The Secret Hunters -- Der Spiegel
The Afghanistan Protocol: German Naivety : Growing Trouble in the North -- Der Spiegel
The Afghanistan Protocol: The Flaws of the Silent Killer: When Drones Fail -- Der Spiegel
The Afghanistan Protocol: Intelligence Agents Drowning in Data -- Der Spiegel

Exclusive: Massive 'War Log' Leak Wasn't Done Alone, Whistleblower Says -- ABC News
US documents leaked online give inside look at war -- Yahoo News/AP
Pakistan secretly helping Taliban: report -- Yahoo News/Reuters
US condemns massive leak of Afghan war files -- Yahoo News/AFP
WikiLeaks Drops 90,000 War Docs; Fingers Pakistan as Insurgent Ally -- The Danger Room
Thousands of 'Secret' Afghan War Files Released on Internet -- Voice of America
US Documents Leaked Online Give Inside Look at War -- ABC News
Leaked files lay bare war in Afghanistan -- Washington Post
Tens of thousands of alleged Afghan war documents go online -- CNN
Afghanistan War Logs: 90,000 classified documents revealed by Wikileaks -- The Telegraph
'Hidden US Afghan War Details' Revealed By Wikileaks As Thousands Of Top Secret Files Go Online -- BBC News
Wikileaks releases massive set of Afghan war files -- CNET
Papers: Leaks Show Unreported Afghan Deaths -- NPR/AP
Pakistan Aids Insurgency in Afghanistan, Reports Assert -- New York Times
The big leak -- Politico
Wikileaks takes new approach in latest release of documents -- Washington Post
Afghan war logs: inquiry launched into source of leaks -- The Telegraph

Afghan says it's 'shocked' by leaked U.S. documents -- CNN
W.H. condemns 'irresponsible' leaks, dismisses stories -- Politico
White House Responds to Disclosure -- New York Times
White House Decries WikiLeaks' Release -- Los Angeles Times
Government 'laments' Afghan war documents leak -- BBC
Pakistan denies Wikileaks reports it 'aided Taliban' -- BBC
Pakistani spy agency denounces US intel docs -- Washington Post/AP
Jones lashes out at Wikileaks for putting lives at risk with Afghanistan files -- The Hill
U.S. Denounces Publication of Classified Documents on War in Afghanistan -- Bloomberg
The War Logs: Reaction to Disclosure of Military Documents on Afghan War -- New York Times
Hamid Gul Responds to WikiLeaks Allegations -- Wall Street Journal

Afghan war logs: webchat with Guardian reporter David Leigh -- The Guardian
What the WikiLeaks Documents Really Reveal -- Leslie H. Gelb, Daily Beast
The New Republic: The Significance Of The Wikileaks -- Andrew J. Bacevich, NPR
WikiLeaks' Afghan Documents and Me -- Mother Jones
The Afghan war is too important to be side-tracked by wikileaks that tell us nothing new -- Con Coughlin, The Telegraph

Posted by Bookyards

So, let me paraphrase : In war people get killed. But only under George Bush. War sucks.

'Half' of Al Qaeda

Rahm Emanuel: Half Of Al Qaeda 'Eliminated' -- ABC News

One of the missed parts that was casually dropped by White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said on 'This Week' was "About “a half of al Qaeda has been eliminated in this last 18 months”

Discussing the war in Afghanistan – which recently became America’s longest – with host Jake Tapper, Emanuel was bullish on the progress that has been made in war-torn country and insisted that President Obama’s July 2011 deadline for the beginning of a drawdown of troops was “not moving.”

Read more ....

Yes, but for every Al Qaeda #2 and random soldier killed .... there are scores who are willing to take their place. The White House's confidence that the enemy is losing is a bit premature .... in fact .... Al Qaeda has just publicized their peace terms with the U.S. as well as threatening new attacks.

Hmmmm .... they don't sound vanquished to me, Rahm.

Thanks War News Update

Breaking Even

House Panel Rejects A Plan To Shift Detainees To Illinois (NY Times)

WASHINGTON — The House Armed Services Committee has dealt a blow to President Obama’s hopes to shutter the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, by unanimously approving legislation that would prohibit creating a detention center inside the United States.

The administration had asked Congress to approve about $350 million to buy and renovate a nearly empty prison in Thomson, Ill. The White House plan was to empty Guantánamo and transfer its detainees to Illinois — including 48 who would be held without trial as wartime prisoners. Read more

When Mr. Obama announced a year ago that that his first executive order was to close Guantanamo prison, I mentioned that I was very skeptical that such an order will be carried out. A year and a half later, with little fanfare, President Obama's fellow Democrats in Congress have killed this executive order.

But it doesn't matter since, due to a major court ruling -

Court Rules that No Habeas Rights For Prisoners In Afghanistan (LA TIMES)

Obama wins what Bush tried so hard to get... the right to hold suspects without judicial oversight at the Bagram air base.

The Obama administration has won the legal right to hold its terrorism suspects indefinitely and without oversight by judges — not at Guantanamo or in Illinois, mind you, but rather at the Bagram air base in Afghanistan.

In a 3-0 decision, the U.S. appeals court in Washington ruled for the administration Friday and said the Constitution and its right to habeas corpus does not extend to foreign prisoners held by the U.S. military in Afghanistan because it is a war zone. The judges dismissed claims from three prisoners who were taken to Bagram from Pakistan and Thailand and have been held for as long as seven years. Read more

Another milestone looming is the complete and total U.S. drawdown from Iraq is coming in August. Wonder if we'll hit that marker, or if they'll somehow find a reason to stick around?

Bounty Hunters

U.S. Defense Contractors Tied to Effort to Track and Kill Militants

Under the cover of a benign government information-gathering program, a Defense Department official set up a network of private contractors in Afghanistan and Pakistan to help track and kill suspected militants, according to military officials and businessmen in Afghanistan and the United States.

Here's More:

Major Blood in Custody

Pakistan 'Arrests Key Taliban Leader' -- BBC

Another leader of Afghanistan's Taliban has been arrested in Pakistan, reports quoting Pakistani and US officials say.

Agha Jan Mohtasim, Code Name: Major Blood, was arrested in the southern city of Karachi, intelligence officials said.

A number of other Afghan Taliban leaders are said to have been detained recently, including the group's deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

The arrests have been hailed as a major blow to the group amid a NATO offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Read more ....

Still unaccounted for, Stormshado, the Baroness, and the Head Snake - Cobra Commander.

The Week In Review/Sunday Comics

This isn't news. Stop looking at it, maybe it'll go away. Everyone is sorry that they got caught.

Dirty Cheater Olympics.
Mrs. Obama is tackling the obesity problem. Part of that 'freedom' take-away they're instituting. Free to be a fat ass. The best part is, the cost of food has fallen, but the price of medical care is skyrocketing? Correlating evidence? You bet.



Epic Beard Man took on some dude on a bus. Seth MacFarlane Responds to Sarah Palin's Attacks after having a down syndrome character on Family Guy.

Meanwhile, the Marines are taking Afghanistan, one mile at a time - (no one seems to have noticed) and the CIA is striking the Taliban senior leadership one #2 at a time. (no one seems to have noticed this either).

There's a Blaspheme's Convention, and I've disappointed the host by not attending. I can give excuses and real reasons why I was unable to attend, but no matter what I say - it's nothing more than a lousy excuse.

So instead I'll complain that humanity isn't reaching for the stars anymore.

Tomax and Xamot Captured!

Two More Senior Taliban Leaders Are Arrested

Two senior Taliban leaders have been arrested in recent days inside Pakistan, officials said Thursday, as American and Pakistani intelligence agents continued to press their
offensive against the group's leadership after the capture of the insurgency's military commander last month.

Afghan officials said the Taliban's "shadow governors" for two provinces in northern Afghanistan had been detained in recent days hiding inside Pakistan. Mullah Abdul Salam, the
Taliban's leader in Kunduz, was detained in the Pakistani city of Faisalabad, and Mullah Mohammed of Baghlan Province was also captured in an undisclosed Pakistani city, they said.

Read More:

That's awesome! A three front war. A major offensive in Afghanistan with the Marines, CIA action in Pakistan, and garrison in Iraq.

GI Joe Captures Destro

Secret Joint Raid Captures Taliban's Top Commander

The Taliban's top military commander was captured several days ago in Karachi, Pakistan, in a secret joint operation by Pakistani and American intelligence forces, according to American government officials.

The commander, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, (Click on that for a three page deep dive on what an evil prick he is) is an Afghan described by American officials as the most significant Taliban figure to be detained since the American-led war in Afghanistan started more than eight years ago. He ranks second in influence only to Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Taliban's founder, and was a close associate of Osama bin Laden before the Sept. 11 attacks.

Mullah Baradar has been in Pakistani custody for several days, with American and Pakistani intelligence officials both taking part in interrogations, according to the officials.

Read More:

Now I'm going to have to pull a Kanye West here and say, "I'm really happy for you and i'mma let you finish, but...." what are we going to do with this guy now? Have his trial in New York? In that little prison in Illinois? Seriously? It's like an episode of the GI Joe cartoon where they 'arrest' Cobra Commander, and about three minutes later Zartan and the Dredknocks are busting him out. They might have even done that in the movie too...

Seriously though, the desire of the political leadership of America doesn't want this guy alive. They don't want him to be questioned or interrogated. If he's alive, they can't store him any where. They can't take him to Gitmo. Did the US military commanders keep Mullah Baradar just to piss off the Secretary? Way to go Team America!

Confused in Afghanistan

President Obama’s national security team is moving to reframe its war strategy by emphasizing the campaign against Al Qaeda in Pakistan while arguing that the Taliban in Afghanistan do not pose a direct threat to the United States, officials said Wednesday.

Well. How about a fuggin' parade for the troops then, Mr. President?

Or, hold on, are these the same assholes who said Iran wouldn't ever get the bomb?

We're going to have to decide what our priorities are in there - are we going to try to Nation build, or are we looking to put some McDonald's restaurants in there? They've already figured out ballot fraud, but what's the end game. If you're to trust this group of suits who have the President's ear, George already mopped them up.

But being the bipolar child that America is - Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, has argued that success demands a substantial expansion of the American presence, up to 40,000 more troops.

Meanwhile Biden has been mouthing off that more troops in Afghanistan is silly and wants to concentrate of Pakistan. But Hillary and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates have both warned that the Taliban remain linked to Al Qaeda and would give their fighters havens again if the Taliban regained control of all or large parts of Afghanistan, making it a mistake to think of them as separate problems.

I'm confused. Mission Accomplished, or we'll lose the war? Which is it?

Wanna bet that Obama's hair turns white in before the end of his first term?

Goodbye, Hello

In Kingsville, Texas, "hello" has been replaced. Leonso Canales Jr. is happy as heck about it.

Leonso somehow convinced the Kleberg County commissioners to unanimously designate "heaven-o" as the county's official greeting. The reason: "hello" contains the word "hell."

"When you go to school and church, they tell you 'hell' is negative and 'heaven' is positive,'" said the 56-year-old Canales, who owns the Kingsville Flea Market. "I think it's time that we set a new precedent, to tell our kids that we are positive adults."

The new salutation, according to the county resolution, is a "symbol of peace, friendship and welcome" in this "age of anxiety." And, in my opinion, opening them up to mocking and ridicule. I wonder out loud how dangerous this [potentially] is, and what sort of theocracy precedent the folks in Kleberg have unwittingly set up.

Courthouse employees are already answering the phones, "heaven-o." And the chamber of commerce was working on a campaign promoting Kingsville, a Rio Grande Valley town of 25,000, as a "heavenly" place to visit. You have to ask, what kind of people they're really going to attract, and the type of people who will be repelled.

"People seem to think that it might catch on," said county Judge Pete De La Garza. Sure, Pete. Aren't you a Judge?

Madolyn Musick, who runs the town bookstore - and therefore the voice of all the opposition and atheism representative, insisted, and linguists would agree, that "hello" has nothing to do with "hell." Besides, she added, "What's wrong with, 'Howdy, y'all?'" Well, maybe they can get Janeane Garofalo to play her in the Lifetime TV Movie of the week?

But back to the main character, Canales, a Catholic but not a regular churchgoer, has been as serious as heck about "hello" since 1988, when he told his brother he might start greeting people with "God-o." His brother suggested "heaven-o" instead. Wow.

David Sabrio, a professor of English at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, noted that the Oxford English Dictionary says "hello" stems from an old German greeting for hailing a boat.

"Linguistically and historically, the word 'hello' has no connection at all with what we associate with the underworld," he said. "People may make that connection in their own mind. I certainly don't."

Me? I feel sorry for Hello Kitty - who's going to have to be killed to become an angel, and will forever be known as Heaven-o Kitty.

Sigh.

What's really got me upset is that no one seems to think, or even bother to notice, that there is an obvious violation of the separation of church and state that was voted on by the County Board. If the Canales Brothers want to speak to everyone in tongues, God Bless - pass the ammo, boys. But to force the County to do so as well, heck, that's downright un-American, right there.

Sounds like the kind of thing they're trying to do in... the Swat region of Pakistan?

Sick and Tired

Even after terrorists Struck a Hotel in Pakistan, Killing 11 wounding 55 - there is good news in Pakistan. A story you probably won't hear.

Villagers in the Dir region of Pakistan are rising up against the Taliban in a grass-roots stand against the militants and a shift in the growing confidence to confront them.

More than a thousand villagers from the district of Dir have been fighting Taliban militants ever since a Taliban suicide bomber detonated his payload during prayer time at a mosque, killing at least 30 villagers.

Enraged by the bombing, men from surrounding villages began looking for Taliban militants and their supporters, burning houses and killing at least 11 men they identified as Taliban fighters, according to accounts from seven local residents, including one who took part in the fighting.

The uprising is not the first time that Pakistanis have formed their own militias to stand up to the Taliban, and previous efforts have often collapsed largely because the government and military did not come to their aid.

A case of NIMBY in action, or have the people of Pakistan had enough of the Taliban?

All Out War in Pakistan

Taliban Declares All Out War In Pakistan

By All India Today • May 4, 2009

Taliban officially has declared dissolution of peace deal in swat. Taliban has blamed pakistan authorities for the deal break up and vowed to attack security forces in all parts of pakistan.

“Our peace pact agreement with the North West Frontier Province government practically stands dissolved”, Taliban spokesman Muslim Khansaid and sought to put the onus on authorities saying “security forces are attacking us”.

Taliban has said that they would not target general people of pakistan but security forces and rulers only. It has also said that awami league wont be targeted unless they assist security forces.

Dubbing government as working directly under barack obama , taliban has given clean chit to India. It has said that India and Afghanistan has no role , what so ever in swat insurgency .

India is watching closely the developments taking place in Pakistan. Pakistan is fighting decisive battle with taliban , it’s question of survival for pakistan and India too is worried.

Though in an interview to geo tv sufi muhmaad has rejected speculation of taliban for getting involved in kashmir.

Hey Cthulhu - have a field day with the grammar and use of Caps - but the news is the same and that is what I said here on Blasphemes about a week ago.

Former Bradley Student from Peoria IL Al Qaeda Agent pleads GUILTY in Aiding Sept. 11 Attackers

A former Bradley University student pleaded guilty in Peoria federal court today to conspiring with, and providing support for, Al Qaeda operatives in the months before and after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Ali al-Marri, 43, (seen in this picture in his super secret spy outfit that allowed him to just blend right in Midwestern town of Peoria IL - I mean look at that Mullet!) spoke softly and occasionally smiled as U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm read aloud a timeline of criminal activity that included meetings with two key architects of the terrorist attacks, participating in terrorist training camps in Pakistan and researching cyanide compounds and other chemical agents purportedly for an attack on U.S soil.

"Ali al-Marri today admitted that he came here, to Peoria, Illinois, as an Al Qaeda operative the day before the Sept. 11 attacks to plan and prepare for future acts of terrorism within the United States," said Jeffrey Lang, acting U.S. Attorney for the central district of Illinois.

Appearing in khaki pants, a plain white shirt and white kufi hat, the bearded al-Marri admitted to having associations with both Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, and Mustafa al-Hawsawi, chief financier of the attacks, prior to arriving in the U.S. on Sept. 10, 2001 after obtaining a student visa from Bradley University.

While training at several terrorist camps in Pakistan, al-Marri admitted he became an expert with military weapons, learned to conceal his identity online and used his computer to research chemical agents that could be used in an attack.

U.S. attorneys culled from al-Marri's laptop computer research on various cyanide compounds, their toxicity levels and where they could be bought.

Al-Marri also admitted to exploring uses from sulfuric acid. And while it's not certain whether al-Marri planned to use these chemicals, U.S. agents also recovered from his house an almanac with pages book-marked showing U.S. bridges, roads and waterways.

A native of Qatar and a father of five, al-Marri was living in Peoria on a student visa when he was arrested.

He was initially charged in federal court and then suddenly shifted over to military custody and then held for years without charges.

Al-Marri is being held at the Federal Correctional Institution in Pekin, Ill. His attorneys are seeking to have him serve his imprisonment in his native Qatar.

Tribune staff reporters Josh Meyer and David G. Savage contributed to this report from Washington.

Al-Marri is being held at the Federal Correctional Institution in Pekin, Ill. His attorneys are seeking to have him serve his imprisonment in his native Qatar.

- No doubt this story isn't even started. Again, the Obama Administration walks the tightrope of getting Al-Marri out of military custody - but will try him in the civilian courts. Obviously the political and National Security issues conflict here.

Why Al-Marri isn't being hung NOW - and I mean RIGHT NOW for admission of treason and for crimes against humanity are unclear.

Pakistan's Nuclear Threat?

So, uh, is anyone concerned that the Taliban has taken a town about 70 miles from the capital, Islamabad? The Taliban have taken the Burner district, where Shari’a law or strict Islamic law has been implemented? Anyone concerned about that?

Reports are coming in that armed militants are patrolling the streets. Pakistani television stations aired footage of Taliban soldiers looting government offices and capturing vehicles belonging to aid organizations. The police say residents are nowhere to be seen.

Uh, anyone care that the State of Pakistan is within a good march of falling?

And, just a quick reminder to toss out there – Pakistan is a nuclear state. Yeah, sorry. Had to toss that out there. Anyone looking into this?

Oh, I know I shouldn't fear anything – someone asked Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Admiral Mike Mullen last year. He said, "I'm very comfortable that the nuclear weapons in Pakistan are secure," he said flatly.

But when someone asked the same question earlier this month, his answer had changed. "I'm reasonably comfortable that the nuclear weapons are secure."

Hmmm… see what he did there? He switched "very" to "reasonably"?

There’s a guess that Pakistan ‘might’ have about 100 weapons, give or take an egg carton here and there.

Oh, sure the detonators are kept in one place, and the warheads are in another… and the missiles are in a third location. Which, to me feels, about as secure as the fifty year old levies holding the water out of New Orleans. Which is below sea level. And there's a hurricane about 70 miles away.

Just wondering if there’s ANY one who’s keeping tabs on this – vs. watching Jack Black in drag sing a karaoke singing contest?