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Politics : Idea Of The Day -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: stockman_scott who wrote (40932)	10/10/2001 4:00:05 AM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 50167

Facts of removal... Deposed ISI Chief Lt Gen Mahmood Ahmed became a victim of his "over-ambition" in the glory of powers he was enjoying as Pakistan's super spymaster. He tried to outmanoeuvre his seniors in hasty moves to grab the coveted office of Vice Chief of Army Staff, and at the end himself fell flat. Three key incidents were reported to have terminated his career, though many saw in the person of 'retired' Lt Gen Mahmood as an emerging dark horse for the office of the Vice Chief of Army Staff. Firstly he prevented President Gen Pervez Musharraf from visiting Kandahar for a one-to-one meeting with Taliban spiritual leader Mulla Mohammad Omar. Secondly he misbehaved with almost all the key military and civil aides to the President and one of the service chiefs in a meeting held after his return from the United States in the second week of last month. Finally he refused to accept President Gen Pervez Musharraf's offer to become Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and tried to influence the President to change his mind through common friends. Top sources in the power circles told The News that Lt Gen Mahmood as ISI Chief turned down President Musharraf's desire to visit Kandahar some months back. He argued that the President should travel to Kandahar only when he (Mahmood) had prepared the ground for him. By pursuing the President not to visit Kandahar, he managed to influence the mind of the President to approve the visit of Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider to meet Mulla Omar. That exercise, as reported by military circles, was in vain. Mahmood also blocked an opportunity for the President to talk to Mulla Omar for resolution of the problems, bringing Taliban in the mainstream and tackling the issue of terrorist training camps in Afghanistan. The President, said an insider, started watching Mahmood more carefully, although he was one of those who helped him come to power in October 1999. General Musharraf gave him the benefit of doubt. But things started moving in the reverse direction when on his return from the United States, Lt Gen Mahmood snubbed or misbehaved with some military and civilian officials in a closed-door meeting held to analyse the situation emerging out of September 11 developments. He was probably over-confident after his visit to the US where he met important Bush Administration people. One of the participants of that meeting told The News that Mahmood even shouted at some participants and snubbed one of the service chiefs who tried to give his opinion on a matter under discussion. It all happened in front of President Musharraf, who gave Mahmood a hard dose the following day. When President Gen Musharraf decided to announce new appointments as Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and creating new office of VCOAS, he offered CJCSC post to Lt Gen Mahmood. "Instead of taking the offer in good faith, Mahmood thought that the President was trying to throw him outside his team of inner-circle," confided a top source. "Mahmood used a common friend and conveyed his non-acceptance of the offer with a request to allow him carrying on as DG ISI. He even indirectly conveyed to the President that he wanted to be adjusted as VCOAS, which displeased the President. It is not sure whether before taking decision to appoint Lt Gen Yousaf as VCOAS on his promotion as General and General Aziz Khan as CJCSC, President Musharraf consulted any body. It appears to be his own decision based on various facts he himself witnessed and scrutinized," said a senior official. The President, said the source, took these decisions with a heavy heart as both Mahmood and Usmani were his closest friends and comrades and whose opinions he heard seriously.

To: stockman_scott who wrote (40932)	10/10/2001 4:15:59 AM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Respond to of 50167

What is happening today is About 300 US Air Force personnel have unloaded at Pasni and taken over the PAF and part of the Pakistan Navy facilities there. The USAF moved in the shape of three C-130 transport planes which landed at Pasni airfield on Sunday, just hours before the first strikes against Afghanistan, unloading about the personnel as well as a large amount of equipment, including motor transport. The PAF uses Pasni as an alternate airfield, and only occupies its buildings and uses its runway during exercises. However, the Pakistan Navy maintains a permanent presence there, with a shore establishment, PNS Makran, there. The Navy has vacated its new block there to accommodate the USAF personnel who arrived. The Navy’s new block comprises both residential and office space. Pakistan Navy personnel have moved back into the rather primitive huts which they vacated just six months ago to move into the new block. The huts were put up when the Navy first arrived in Pasni, as temporary accommodation. Apart from the accommodation, the Navy is also providing perimeter security, at least for the time being, in the shape of a detachment of Marines. The purpose of the USAF presence could not be confirmed, nor could it be determined whether this was the total contingent or whether more personnel would be coming in, either USAF or from the other services. It is to be noted that Pasni is the only airfield in Baluchistan apart from Quetta, and on the coast apart from Karachi, with a 10,000-foot runway, capable of taking fighters or other larger aircraft. When contacted on Tuesday, an ISPR spokesman refused to comment on the arrival, neither confirming nor denying the arrival at Pasni. However, the spokesman firmly denied the possibility of the basing of offensive forces, whether ground-based or aircraft, on Pakistani soil. “Absolutely out of the question,” said the spokesman. The spokesman said the US forces would only be using airspace, sharing intelligence and information, and getting logistical support. He said that specific questions, such as whether there were US personnel at any given location, “or any such operational question” would not be answered. If offensive aircraft such as fighters or bombers are excluded, the USAF presence at Pasni can still be explained within the parameters set by the Pakistan government, and reiterated by the ISPR spokesman. For intelligence gathering, the base might be used to fly intelligence-gathering missions, probably for bomb damage assessment. If they had been intended to gather information on targets, the USAF contingent would have arrived earlier. More likely, the USAF has set up an alternate airfield at Pasni, for emergency landings, which would fit the timing, being a few hours earlier than the launches of the first strikes. Since the fighters and bombers would have to land, and presumably take off later, Pasni is a logical choice, having the only runway which can accommodate fighters and bombers.