Tehrik-i-Taliban offers talks to govt

PESHAWAR: Naib Amir of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan Maulana Faqir Muhammad has shown his readiness for talks with the government for removing differences between them as a third party has been using the situation for achieving their ulterior motives.
"Neither we have been targeting the security forces nor we are committing acts of terrorism and the impression that local Taliban are involved in these activities is totally wrong," a source quoted Maulana Faqir Muhammad as telling to an emissary sent by the government to him.
"We just want enforcement of Shariah at least in our areas. We are peaceful citizens believing in co-existence," the Maulana said.
He said that the Taliban had still been honouring the agreements reached with the government of Pakistan. "It is always the government forces, which have violated the agreements as we never committed any crime," he added.
He said that there were some people, who have been defaming the name of Taliban. "Taliban strictly follow the injunctions of Islam and the impression that Taliban have been committing the acts of terrorism is totally wrong," he added.
The source said that Maulana Faqir Muhammad and other Taliban leaders have extended full cooperation to the political authorities for maintenance of peace in the agency.
"We are even ready to provide our own men for maintaining peace and security in the agency," he added.
The source said that the political authorities initially rejected the offer of Taliban leaders, but now they had been considering a new deal with Taliban.
"Taliban want release of some their men before striking an deal with the government," he added.

Karzai calls for ‘terror’ focus outside Afghanistan

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Wednesday the US-led "war on terror" should be directed at terror sanctuaries outside his country which he said was not a "hideout for terrorism" but a victim.
Karzai's comments to media come days after the Pentagon said the US military and its NATO allies were reviewing plans for the troubled nation, where violence from a Taliban-led insurgency has soared in recent years.
The president told a press briefing to mark the first day of Eidul Azha that for almost three years he had called for the international community to "revise their strategy in the war on terrorism."
"Their presence in Afghanistan must be against terrorism which has hideouts that are outside (of Afghanistan), its training and support bases that are outside," he said.
There are more than 60,000 international troops helping the Afghan government to battle Taliban and other insurgents and to train up its own forces and establish its authority across the fractured country.
The foreign troops are not allowed to conduct their operations outside Afghanistan even though it is acknowledged that many militants are trained in extremist sanctuaries in neighbouring Pakistan.
Karzai has argued that the intense fighting here exacts a high cost in civilian life and damage to property but does not target the roots of the problem.
"Afghanistan is not a hideout for terrorism," he said Wednesday. "It is the victim of terrorism."
Karzai also reiterated that the international forces should reduce the use of air power - said to cause the most civilian losses - as it "takes the struggle on terrorism to nowhere."
Afghanistan has seen a sharp spike in violence in the past two years, with 2007 the bloodiest since a US-led invasion toppled the brutal Taliban regime six years ago.
Karzai has this year increased his emphasis on reconciliation with Taliban fighters who accept the country's new constitution.
He repeated the message in his Eid address, particularly reaching out to Taliban forced from a key stronghold in the southern province of Helmand in a high-profile military operation last week.
"I call on Taliban brothers, the Taliban in Musa Qala, you are the sons of this land, come back to your homes and lands and live in Musa Qala and avoid war," he said.
Musa Qala was recaptured last Monday after being in Taliban control for 10 months.

Taliban say poll observers not welcome

PESHAWAR: The insurgent Taliban have warned foreign media and observers, who are due in the country to monitor January 8 vote, to keep away from Pakistan.
"As America and its coalition partners will send their men to sanctify the January 8 election in Pakistan, Taliban will act against them because all that is happening in the country is un-Islamic being done on the direction of atheists," says a letter in Urdu from Tehreek-e-Islami Taliban, an unknown faction of Taliban, received by the Mashriq Group of Newspapers on Wednesday.
"Everybody knows the present government has been promoting vulgarity in the country on the direction of foreign countries. And now the current regime (led by Musharraf) is trying to re-elect its men to continue the game it has been playing for the last six, seven years. But now we (Tehreek-e-Islami Taliban) have decided to stop the drama being played under the patronage of Jews," it adds.
Taliban warned the foreign media and observers to avoid their programmed visit to Pakistan

Senate okays $555b spending bill including $70b for Iraq, Afghan wars

The US Senate late Tuesday approved a half-trillion dollar budget bill for 2008 that includes 70 billion dollars for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, handing a major victory to President George W Bush. The Senate voted 70-25 to approve the catch-all 555 billion dollar budget bill but added extra war funds after the House of Representatives version passed Monday included $31b solely for US-led efforts in Afghanistan but none for Iraq. The version passed by the Senate does not include any of the restrictions that Democrats hoped to pin on the release of war funds, such as linking them to a withdrawal date for US troops. The bill returned to the House for a vote and was expected to vote on Wednesday, though lawmakers were only to vote on the war-funding portion added by the Senate. If it passes, Bush has indicated he will sign the spending package. Amid deep differences with the Congress over the Iraq war, the White House had threatened to veto the entire spending bill if it contained no funding for Iraq. “Obviously, the full funding that we requested since February is what the troops need - not just what they want, but what they need. But this will help us get through this period,” said Bush spokeswoman Dana Perino. Democrats, who took over the US Congress in November 2006 elections fuelled by anger at the war in Iraq, have tried without success to use their power of the purse to impose a timetable for withdrawal from the strife-torn country where nearly 4,000 US troops have died since the March 2003 invasion. Democrats reportedly also gave up several billion dollars’ worth of other budget demands rejected by Bush, in order to see the spending measure passed before the year-end recess. They have also been concerned about being seen as unsupportive of US troops in battle at Christmas. Democratic House majority leader Steny Hoyer told CNN that the House initially passed the $31b in funding for Afghanistan “so that we could confront terrorism and defeat the Taliban.” The package, known as the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, includes 11 of 12 annual appropriations bills, leaving out defence which has already been approved by lawmakers. Among other things, the bill funds veterans’ health care, emergency spending on border security, firefighting to tackle massive wildfires on the West Coast, bridge repair and even funds for peacekeeping in Darfur. Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, who introduced the amendment to add funding for the Iraq war, said the House version “underfunds” troops in Iraq and hailed the advances made by General David Petraeus’ plan to “surge” the number of US troops. “Since the implementation of the Petraeus Plan, we’ve marvelled at the improving security situation in and around Baghdad. Attacks on US troops are down. Civilian casualties in Baghdad are down 75 per cent. “There is simply no question that on the military and tactical levels, the Petraeus Plan has been a tremendous success. “Even those of us who have disagreed on this war have always agreed on one thing: troops in the field will not be left without the resources they need.” However, Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy voiced his opposition to the Republican plan. “It’s wrong for Congress to write still another blank check to the President for the war. It’s obvious that President Bush wants to drag this process out month after month, so he can hand off his Iraqi policy to the next president.”