Balochistan is the ultimate prize
www.atimes.com / Pepe Escobar
11-May-2009 (2 comments)

PART 1: Obama does his Bush impression

It's a classic case of calm before the storm. The AfPak chapter of Obama's brand new OCO ("Overseas Contingency Operations"), formerly GWOT ("global war on terror") does not imply only a surge in the Pashtun Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). A surge in Balochistan as well may be virtually inevitable.

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Ostaad

Some background info about Gwadar

by Ostaad on Mon May 11, 2009 10:26 AM PDT

China's
foothold in the Arabian Sea has set off alarm
bells in India, Iran and the US. For India,
China-Pakistan collaboration at Gwadar and China's
presence in the Arabian Sea heightens its feeling
of encirclement by China from all sides. Iran sees
the development of Gwadar port in its neighborhood
as likely to erode the significance of its ports -
especially Chabahar port that India has helped
construct - to Central Asia and Afghanistan.
However, Iran's good relations with Afghanistan
and the Central Asian republics would help it
maintain its advantage vis-a-vis Pakistan's Gwadar
port.

One look at the location of Gwadar makes its geopolitical importance crystal clear.

//www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/GC04Df06.h...


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Ostaad

Thanks for posting this. This issue will grow legs, long ones

by Ostaad on Mon May 11, 2009 10:19 AM PDT

This is huge. I have been thinking about the can of worms that occupying Gwadar by the US will open, although this is at the speculation level as far as I know.

China built the port and some Chinese engineers were assasintated there along with some Pakistanis. The US will have a tough time with China, its biggest creditor, if this becomes reality. The geo-political that needs to be aswered is:

WILL PAKISTAN FULFILL ONE OF INDIA AND AMERICA'S GREATEST FEARS, BY GIVING CHINA FULL USE OF THIS WARM WATER PORT?

//www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=//therear...

 


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