PREDATORs and the Good TALIBAN

The track-record of the Afghan people; 2 crushing defeats of the Sikhs, 3 wins against the 3 British expeditions of the past, and one against the recent occupation by the Soviet Union. Both were Super-Powers of their time. Very deep wounds have been inflicted by the Coalition Forces on Afghan civilians (and also by the Pakistan government and its Armed Forces covertly), and now a substantially higher percentage of Afghans (and Pakistanis of Afghan origin) are ready to take-up arms against the ISAF forces, and against the puppet and corrupt regimes which are supporting them in Afghanistan and also Pakistan. “Pakhtun-wali”, or “The Pakhtun Code of Conduct”. This code dates back to ancient history, well before the advent of Christianity or Islam. It was there when Alexander came; it was also there when Changhiz Khan passed-through. It has very little to do with religion, but it has every thing to do with respect. The subject is extremely wide, and covers all aspects of human conduct in Pakthun society; a society which had no police, no courts and no government as such.But it had the code.
The Pakhtuns are spread from the Oxus River (North of Herat) to across the Tribal belt of Pakistan, all the way East to Indus River, then North to the Frontier Province of Pakistan , and West again to Jalalabad, and on to Kabul-Ghazni. All these people now have a stake in what is happening to Pakhtuns in Afghanistan, and in the Tribal-Belt of Pakistan. These fighters are merely honoring the Code when they enter Afghanistan. How Pakhtoonwali got merged with Islam? Taliban movement primarily based on a Religious cause got entwined with political cause when ISI with encouragement from Saudi arabia/CIA did just that to remove Atheist Russians from Afghanistan. After so many decades of war, it was a miracle that Taliban took control over all Afghanistan under single authority, disarmed the country, cleared all drug production and at least made it safe for Afghans to live. They did not get a breathing space of few years so they could evolve a constitution and laws through diplomacy and help of other countries because they were essentially guided by Pakistan/Saudi arabia foreign office.Due to their own national interest, these countries never allowed outside contact as basement of Saudi embassy in Kabul served as headquarters of Alquaeda.

The strict enforcement of Islam (reg prayers, clothing etc) by authorities like Taliban in Afghanistan are actually akin to Mutawwas(religious police) in Saudi Arabia. The mutawwas may be annoying as they had no respect for ordinary Saudies dignity and self respect. In some cities, they were known to just barge into people’s homes and harass them. in Riyadh, apparently they would just barge into the homes of bachelors and drag them to the masjid at prayer times. Many Sikhs ended up in the masjid praying namaz thanks to these mutawwas. They also harassed women who committed the grave sin of possibly having one single hair uncovered in malls but it was fun to see Amreeki female soldiers just roaming around in fatigues during the first gulf war. No mutawwa dared approach and reprimand any of them. They just looked at them with fear and of course lust. In Afghan and Saudi society this unnatural female segregation has resulted in bringing up another parallel culture since adopted for generations for the purpose of sexual relief of male members called as ‘culture of Lakhtaeys’; where young budding beautiful boys are trained to dress up and act as girls. They are made to dance in girly dresses at parties and in intimate gatherings. They are asked to mingle up while dancing and dinning and do all sorts of acts to make a good night outs for the interested ones. They are hired for nights after night by the male members who can afford to pay to avail a pleasure of sexual relief. This ‘lakhtaey’ business in Swat and in the entire Pakhtun belt is an old common phenomenon and a norm in the Pakthun society.It is not sinful because it is almost part of the pakthun code!The suicide bomber instructors actually sodomise the trainees initially and then a sort of make them into a pair who will give their life for each other.

The destinies of Afghanistan and Pakistan have now become inextricably interwoven. Destiny of Pakistan will now be decided by what happens in Afghanistan, between Afghan Taliban, (with very active support of TTB), and the Americans. If it goes in favour of the Americans, then Pakistan can rest in peace, Kiyani and his army can continue to rule with civilian cover of Zaradari and Gillani and extract retribution from the poor tax-payers of Pakistan. On the other hand, if the Taliban prevail in Afghanistan, then it is an entirely different story. In the last 62 years, Pakistani system has failed to meet the expectations of the poor, the under-privileged, and mostly rural, masses. But they get prompt relief and re-assurance from the Mullahs like Fazulallah and in Madrassahs, in this life, and also a seat in the front rows of heaven in the life hereafter. The Taliban ranks are snowballing wherever they take control. The Pakistani Government has nothing to offer them except false promises and continued exploitation and repression. Pakistani Government and its Army only want to “obliterate” them; with the help of infidel Americans, if they can not do this by themselves or by giving bases like Bhandari,Turbat for the Predators.

USA killed over 3 million Viet Namese, injured many more millions, and laid that country to waste. When their own over-58000 soldiers were dead and a couple of hundreds-of-thousands wounded, they threw in the towel. In Afghanistan, the Soviets killed over 300,000 Afghans and wounded many-many more. When their own dead reached over 12,000, and wounded over 150,000 , they also called it a day. American soldiers dead in Iraq so far about 4264, and wounded (they are really badly wounded) are 45583. American security employees/civilians in Iraq, some 3000 dead (they are also Americans, with wives, children, parents), a higher number wounded.So they have a fig-leaf withdrawal. In Afghanistan the Coalition Forces have lost about 1124 (including 674 American soldiers). In spite of the superior numbers and superior weapons, in spite of the armored personnel carriers, tanks, armoured cars, fighter-planes, helicopter gun-ships and transport aircraft,satellite mapping and in spite of the cruelty, torture and massacres which went alongside as the covert operations of regular-forces , history tells us that Americans will throw in the towel.It is a question of increasing the body count of Americans.

So the real problem for Taliban is the PREDATOR. You cannot increase the body count with the predator.It is here we find good Talibans like Zardari,Imran Khan,Musharaff,haqqani,Marvi memon,Prof Shereen mazari, along with bad Taliban like Baitullah Mehsud,Jallauddin haqqani,Fazulallah,Mullah Nazir,Mangal bagh all asking for stoppage of PREDATOR ATTACKS!!!Americans sitting in air conditioned rooms in front of Tv screens at Tuscon are controlling the Predators with joysticks just like computer games.Ofcourse the surge is welcome for the Taliban.

UAVs of Pakistan

The following article about Pakistan's UAV industry shows how that nation uses wisely its meagre resources while our Indian behemoths are always looking for imports with shoddy production which in turn is rejected by our armed forces. Except BRAHMOS, i think we have nothing much to crow about.Pakistan has also developped a Battery for submarines which allows its subs to remain under water for 24 hours without surfacing.Its tanks are also said to be suprior to our Arjuns though only an expert can verify that.Its arms are welcomed by SriLanka and Myanmar for its price and quality.



Pakistan's Defense Private Sector Emerges with Indigenous UAV Technology


By expert contributor, Mr. Riaz Haq




Back in 1970, the American Army Gen. William Westmoreland is reported to have said: "On the battlefield of the future, enemy forces will be located, tracked and targeted almost instantaneously through the use of data links, computer-assisted intelligence and automated fire control. … I am confident the American people expect this country to take full advantage of its technology-to welcome and applaud the developments that will replace wherever possible the man with the machine." It seems that this vision from the 1970s is being realized today. One manifestation of it is the development and deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles by many nations, including Pakistan.



The growing reliance on armed drones (aka Predators) by Americans in Afghanistan and Pakistan's FATA region to target militants has been making headlines with increasing casualties.

This technology of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or drones designed and manufactured in Pakistan has also been making news since the IDEAS (International Defense Exhibition and Seminar) 2008 event, a 5-day biennial arms show held November last year in Karachi, Pakistan. Among the largest foreign pavilions at the exhibition, Turkey had 28 companies and United States had 22. Other major exhibitors came from China, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, South Korea, South Africa, the Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Among other products, Pakistani companies showed off JF-17 fighter plane built by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in partnership with China's Chengdu Aircraft, Al-Khalid main battle tank, and a variety of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) designed, developed and built in Pakistan.

While offering employment to thousands, and strengthening Pakistan's defense, the growing indigenous sophistication of many of the private sector companies is also becoming an attractive investment opportunity.

Integrated Dynamics

One such Company is Integrated Dynamics, a privately held Pakistani company that drew attention at the IDEAS 2008 expo. It is a developer and manufacturer of unmanned aerial vehicles which is exported to Australia, Spain, South Korea and Libya and the United States. The UAV Company is an example of a new generation of private defense companies in Pakistan that have grown with the emerging needs of Pakistani military and export opportunities to both military and civilian sectors abroad.

Integrated Dynamics is a full-service UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) systems provider based in Karachi, Pakistan. The company has been in business since 1997 and designs and integrates UAV systems primarily for the Government of Pakistan, the Pakistan armed forces and export.



The company says they are committed to the use of the UAV system as a scientific and defensive tool that can be used to save lives and monitor potentially hostile environments for human personnel. The company also makes drones such as the turbojet-powered Tornado decoy, which can fly up to 200 kilometers, and emit false radar signals to "confuse enemy air defenses into thinking they are attacking aircraft," according to Defense News of Pakistan.

In addition to supplying drones to the Pakistani military, the company exports its products to Australia, Spain, South Korea and Libya and the United States. The US Homeland Security Department uses ID's Border Eagle surveillance drone for border patrol duties. Integrated Dynamics' products cost only a fraction of the cost of comparable products made in the United States and Europe. According to the Karachi-based company, ID UAV prices start from about USD 20,000 while in comparison UAV products made in the West start from about USD 200,000. The ID models have operational ranges of 20 to 1,600 kilometers.

Integrated Dynamics had begun to develop the Firefly mini-rocket UAV in late 2004 in response to the Pakistani army's operational requirements for a high-speed, short-range observation system that could be used in the high-altitude environments of northern Pakistan. A basic system of such sort costs around USD 3,000 and comprises four rockets, a launcher, a carry case, datalink and a PDA-based ground control station.

Emerging Sophistication from a Cottage Industry

Pakistan's arms manufacturing sector has long been considered to be a cottage industry. The dusty little town of Darra Adam Khel,only a half-hour drive from Peshawar, reminds visitors of America's Wild West. The craftsmen of this town are manufacturers and suppliers of small arms to the tribal residents of the nation's Federally Administered Tribal Areas who carry weapons as part of their ancient culture. The skilled craftsmen of FATA make revolvers, automatic pistols, shotguns and AK-47 rifles. Until five years ago, the list also had items such as anti-personnel mines, sub-machine guns, small cannons and even rocket launchers. The Pakistani government has forced the tribesmen to stop making heavy assault weapons to try and prevent the Taliban and Al Qaeda from having access to such weapons.

Pakistan's arms industry has come a long way from making small arms as a cottage industry in the last few decades. The US and Western arms embargoes imposed on Pakistan at critical moments in history have proved to be a blessing in disguise. In particular, the problems Pakistan faced in the aftermath of the Pressler Amendment in 1992 became an opportunity for the country to rely on indigenous development and production of defense equipment.

Pakistan's Military Industrial Complex

The country now boasts a powerful industrial, technological and research-based developing and manufacturing sector for its armed forces and exports a wide variety of small and large weapons ranging from modern fighter jets, battle tanks, armored vehicles, frigates and submarines to unmanned aerial vehicles and high tech firearms and personal grenade launchers for urban combat. Some of these items were on display at IDEAS 2008.

Pakistan has become an increasingly important player in the world arms industry, a global industry and business which manufactures and sells weapons and military technology and equipment. Arms production companies, also referred to as Defense Contractors, produce arms mainly for the armed forces of nation states. Products include guns, ammunition, missiles, military aircraft, military vehicles, ships, electronic Systems, and more. The arms industry also conducts significant research and development. Pakistan's major defense manufacturing companies are owned and operated by Pakistan's military.

According to Business Monitor, Pakistan's defense industry contains over 20 major public sector units (PSUs) and over 100 private-sector firms. The majority of major weapons systems production and assembly is undertaken by the state-owned PSUs, while the private-sector supplies parts, components, bladed weapons and field equipment.

Major PSUs include the Pakistan Ordnance Factory (POF), Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT), Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW) and the Pakistan Machine Tool Factory. Multinational presence in Pakistan is limited, although joint production or engineering support in the development of certain armaments has recently occurred with companies such as DCN International and the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group.

JF-17 Jointly developed by Paksiatn and China



IDEAS 2000, Pakistan's first major arms show, was organized after former President Musharraf assumed leadership of the country in the wake of the 1999 bloodless coup that toppled the Nawaz Sharif government. At the show, the former president emphasized the need for the growth of Pakistan's defense industry and private sector involvement in R&D, manufacturing and marketing of arms. Held every two years since the year 2000, the show has become a runaway success. It has helped Pakistan and other friendly nations to show off their wares, find customers, share knowledge, build bilateral partnerships, encourage scientific innovation and learning among young people and made visitors and Pakistani citizens more aware of the role the defense industry plays in national defense and economy.

World Arms Market

It is estimated that yearly, over USD 1 trillion are spent on military expenditures worldwide (2% of World GDP). Part of this goes to the procurement of military hardware and services from the military industry. The combined arms sales of the top 100 largest arms producing companies amounted to an estimated USD 315 billion in 2006. In 2004 over USD 30 billion were spent in the international arms trade (excluding domestic arms sales). Many industrialized countries have a domestic arms industry to supply their own military forces. Some countries also have a substantial legal or illegal domestic trade in weapons for use by its citizens. The illegal trade in small arms is prevalent in many countries and regions affected by political instability.

Pakistan's Arms Business

In a July 2008 interview with Pakistan's Dawn newspaper, Major General Mohammad Farooq, Director General of the Defense Export Promotion Organization, claimed that Pakistan's defense exports have tripled to around USD 300 million because of the quality of its ammunition, anti-tank guided missiles, rocket launchers and shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles. He said exports to South Asian, Middle Eastern and African countries had increased significantly. It has been reported that Sri Lanka has purchased cluster bombs, deep penetration bombs and rockets and UAVs from Pakistan.

General Farooq said optical instruments like night vision devices, laser range-finders and designators, laser threat sensors, artillery armor mortars and munitions, mine detectors, anti-tank rifles, missile boats, different types of tear gases, fuses of unarmed vehicles, security equipment and sporting and hunting guns were also being manufactured in Pakistan. "The fuses are being purchased by countries like Italy, France and Spain," he said.

In recent times however, Pakistan has come under criticism by human rights groups for being a leading manufacturer and exporter of land-mines, cluster bombs and depleted uranium munitions.

Pakistan's UAV Industry

The three main branches of the Pakistani military are evaluating UAVs made in Pakistan and the rest of the world for purchase and deployment.

Pakistan has been eager to boost its capabilities for high-tech aerial warfare and restructure and reorient its military to respond to the new and emerging challenges of combating insurgents. A number of public and private sector companies have been engaged in research, development and manufacturing of unmanned aerial vehicles as a part of this initiative. The public sector companies include Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Air Weapons Complex and National Development Complex.

This growing interest by Pakistani military and also foreign companies and governments has helped spawn several private Pakistani UAV companies specializing in air-frames, launch and propulsion, flight control, tele-command and control systems, signal intelligence, training simulators, etc. In addition to Integrated Dynamics mentioned earlier, other private companies involved in UAV development and manufacturing include, East-West Infinity, Satuma and Global Industrial Defense Solutions.

Flamingo - Satuma Pakistan


Mukhbar- Satuma Pakistan


Uqaab - Air Weapons Complex


Between the public and private sector UAVs developed in Pakistan, there is a long list of products. In addition to Integrated Dynamics described above, here are three more UAV companies in Pakistan:

East-West Infinity

One of the companies at the forefront of UAV development is East West Infinity (EWI). EWI's latest products are the Heliquad micro tactical UAV and the Whisper Watch signals intelligence (SIGINT) package. The Heliquad was first displayed in prototype form at the IDEAS 2006 defense exhibition. Equipped with a tiny camera, it can relay pictures back to troops or Special Forces in an urban environment or in the field, giving them a tactical reconnaissance capability. Being exceptionally small and powered by four electric motors, Heliquad is highly stealthy and represents the cutting edge of EWI's electronics miniaturization. SIGINT has become more important with ongoing anti-terrorism operations on the western front and in the tribal areas. Designed for militaries unable to afford high-end, dedicated SIGINT platforms, the company says its Whisper Watch platform is most effective when aerostat-mounted, as the platform is stationary and airborne for longer.

Satuma

Satuma (Surveillance and Target Unmanned Aircraft), founded in 1989, is a small UAV specialist company based near Islamabad, Pakistan. Satuma products include Flamingo, Jasoos and Mukhbar UAVs. Its biggest customer is the Pakistani military.

Global Industrial Defense Solutions

GIDS, the largest of the private defense sector companies, has a UAV division, which produces a whole range of operational and training UAVs, the main customer of which is the Pakistani military. The UAVs developed by GIDS have been extensively flight tested by the military. GIDS ground control stations have an interactive and user friendly interface, where flight parameters and auto-pilot mission planning, and execution is done in addition to reception of high-end crisp quality video transmitted over an encrypted digital link.

Headed by a retired PAF Air Vice Marshall, GIDS has emerged from a combination of 7 Pakistani private defense companies that include AERO (Advanced Engineering Research Organization), IDS (Integrated Defense Systems), MSL (Maritime Systems Pvt Limited), ACES (Advanced Computing and Engineering Solutions), IICS (Institute of Industrial Control Systems), ATCOP (AI-Technique Corporation) and SETS (Scientific Engineering and Technology Solutions). Other than UAVs, its major products include anti-personnel, anti-armor, incendiary, anti-runway, electronic impact and time-based fuses, electronic warfare equipment, navigation systems, optical fiber and optical fiber cables. Anti-tank Wire Guided Missile System known as "Baktar Shiken" made by IICS, is a component of GIDS.

Conclusion

Pakistan's growing defense industry is becoming high tech to keep up with the challenges of a changing world that requires advanced weapons and new strategies to maintain peace and stability in a hostile neighborhood. Simultaneously, Pakistan's defense industry is contributing to a scientific, technological, industrial and economic development of the nation by training and employing thousands of citizens. The investments made in defense production are a good bargain for the companies, their investors and the taxpayers of Pakistan to help ensure the nation's economic, political and national security against both internal and external threats.