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What Is "the Most Dangerous Country in the World Today?"

Posted by Robert Greenwald, Brave New Foundation at 10:41 AM on March 20, 2009.


Part two of "Rethink Afghanistan" focuses on the war's impact on Pakistan and all of us.

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"Pakistan is the most dangerous country in the world today."

- Bruce Riedel, a foreign policy expert leading President Obama's Afghanistan review

Recent protests in Pakistan reveal the country's potential explosiveness. Pakistan has nuclear weapons and a government disconnected from the crippling poverty, rampant malnutrition, and lack of healthcare afflicting its people. Though Pakistan remains an ally of the United States, tensions continue to rise as the U.S. considers broadening military strikes within Pakistan's borders. Part two of our Rethink Afghanistan documentary focuses on how the Afghanistan crisis affects Pakistan and all of us.

How exactly could the war in Afghanistan trigger regional chaos with Pakistan? Leading authorities like Steve Coll, Ahmed Rashid, Cathy Collins, Tariq Ali, Rory Stewart, Stephen Kinzer, and Andrew Bacevich weigh in on this perilous issue. Watch the trailer for part two of this documentary; the full-length version is available here.

The war in Afghanistan and its potentially catastrophic impact on Pakistan are complex and dangerous issues, which further make the case why our country needs a national debate on this now starting with congressional oversight hearings. Sign the petition to help make hearings a critical first step and then send the trailer to all of your friends and family (and be sure to Digg it). Imagine someone like Andrew Bacevich having the ear of Congress as he explains the perils of war. Now imagine a national dialogue filled with rational, thoughtful discussions on the issues surrounding Afghanistan. That is our goal.

Soon, I plan to travel to Afghanistan to interview some of the country's elected leaders, experts, bloggers, people, and organizations who could help us provide a more complete Afghan perspective, and I would love to have your thoughts and questions to take with me. Please submit them on the Rethink Afghanistan website, and then sign up to follow my updates from this journey.

And you can help us continue this vital work and partake in the filmmaking process by making a contribution of $20 or more. We will list you as a Producer on Rethink Afghanistan. And if you know someone interested in the issues surrounding this war, let them know they can join over 1,000 Producers helping to make this film possible.

Digg!

Robert Greenwald is a producer, director and political activist. His new media company, Brave New Films, is currently focused on making short videos like the FOX Attacks (FoxAttacks.com) and The REAL McCain (TheRealMcCain.com), which educate and empower viewers to take action and have been seen by millions.


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That's easy - The United States is the most dangerous country in the world
Posted by: DCostello2 on Mar 20, 2009 12:02 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Survey after survey taken on a global scale has returned the same answer time and time again. The United States is the most dangerous country in the World. Step out of line with what WE want and WE WILL CRUSH YOU. We will use anything and everything from sanctions to nuclear bombs to destroy any country we feel needs to be destroyed. We are the ONLY country to use nuclear weapons. We are the ONLY country to have been convicted of terrorism. And we will do this REGARDLESS of who is President or which Party runs the place. America uber alles!!!

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Are we ready to look at ourselves in the mirror?
Posted by: Ydotheyhateus on Mar 20, 2009 12:31 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Pakistan has been a US client state for a very long time.

Even before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Pakistan was a US client state and member of anti-Soviet regional defense pacts such as SEATO and CENTO during the cold war.

Through out the Pakistan's history, US promoted and gave cover to right-wing military dictatorships. In the 50s and 60s, US propped up Field Marshall Ayub Khan and General Yahya Khan over popular socialist/left-wing popular movements.

Of course, US partnership with General Zia Haq, starting in the late 70s and through most of the 80s laid the foundation for what is going on in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as 9/11.

Today, our indiscriminate bombing of civilians around the border regions between Afghan-Pak has created a backlash against moderate forces that has helped the Taliban/extremists cause.

Pakistan is a failed state. And we have much to take the credit for bringing Pakistan where it is today.

How long are we going to keep this up?

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dick
Posted by: rtmyth on Mar 20, 2009 1:04 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Polls indicate most people globally consider the USA/Israel to be the most dangerous entity in the world.

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Pakistan is most unstable, Israel is the most dangerous
Posted by: dayahka on Mar 20, 2009 4:10 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Pakistan is hardly the most dangerous country; instability is its problem, an instability caused in large part by the US "war on terror." If you want to find the most dangerous country, it is Israel, with at least 20 times the number of nuclear weapons as Pakistan--and a total lack of any compunction to do whatever is necessary for its own survival, including mass murder and genocide.

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The Obvious: Expose 9/11 and the real issue of Afghanistan becomes clear
Posted by: pfgetty on Mar 21, 2009 3:25 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Robert Greenwald, why have you kept out the most important piece of the Afghanistan puzzle..........9/11 truth?
Our whole policy on Afghanistan is defended on the grounds that al Qaeda, working out of the hills of Afghanistan at the border with Pakistan, attacked the US and killed 3000 people, and would do the same again if we don't clean the place up.
Do you really believe the nonsense we were told about 9/11? If you do, we need to seriously reconsider your ability to think and investigate. The same with the other writers who work so hard to avoid the truth of 9/11, like Steve Coll, Ahmed Rashid, Cathy Collins, Tariq Ali, Rory Stewart, Stephen Kinzer, and Andrew Bacevich. All of these writers are out of their minds if they have looked into the facts of that fateful day and do not see any BIG inconsistencies and contradictions, which prove coverup and lies by our government. If they are completely unaware of these issues, then they are very unaware people. In any case, should we listen to what they, or you, have to say about Afghanistan and Pakistan? No. Because you are completely ignorant of the MOST important issue about our policies with these countries.

Robert, do you actually conspire with other writers to avoid the issue of 9/11 truth, or do you just self censor yourself about it? We would like to know. Do publishers tell you to ignore the issue, or do you just realize that you will not be published if you bring it up? Have you been threatened? Or do you realize that your writing career would be over if you actually do the right thing and expose the lies of 9/11 in your writing? Do you allow yourself to realize that you are defrauding the American people by purposely keeping Americans from the truth about 9/11?

I think you must realize that our policies in Afghanistan and Pakistan would take a giant turn if Americans finally learned the truth of 9/11. The rest of the world realizes the truth. Not here in the US, where the American people rely on "experts" like you to tell them the truth. And so here you can avoid the most important part of the equation and still be considered an expert, while completely misleading all of us as to the real issues about our policies in that part of the world.

I really feel that millions have died in the recent wars and thousands have been unnecessarily imprisoned and tortured because YOU, Robert, and the rest of the journalists in America have purposely misled the American people. The evidence that 9/11 is a lie is overwhelming and inarguable. You have allowed the lie to continue, and so our entire policy, and the deaths of millions, are on your shoulders.
And you could change it all so easily. Just come clean about the truth of 9/11 and present it as part of your knowledge and writing of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Not to do so is, I think, treason.

If you are interested in contacting me personally, instead of here on these comment boards, email me at pfgetty@embarqmail.com.
Thanks

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» RE: The Obvious: Expose 9/11 Posted by: jvaljon1
the US is the Norman-English monarchy's "white socks" thug-ocracy
Posted by: Suzon on Mar 21, 2009 3:27 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Here in the UK there is an unacknowledged phenomenon. Whenever perjury is needed by a powerful entity, men wearing white socks turn up to do the dirty deed. Have seen it myself.

So who is more dangerous, the thugs themselves or the people who hire them? Maybe it's the people who cover for both (corporate "news" organizations). Doesn't make too much difference.

What if you were head of an elite who had conquered a vast land teeming with natural resources, would you simply pack your tents and leave quietly never to return when you "lost" a war of rebellion?

No. You'd leave your people (W's "have's and have-more's") in place and covertly manage to siphon off whatever you could.

Here's an interesting factoid reported in the Guardian in 2002: Until 1993, the personal wealth of the Norman-English sovereign was considerably increased as a result of the deaths of widows of soldiers who were killed in the second world war. The property of those who died intestate became the personal property of the monarch.

The US and the UK are the world's biggest military organizations and arms manufacturers. The "special relationship" is deadly. Do not ignore the mother country's influence.

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Bhouto assasinated to assure it stayed that way??
Posted by: Purple Girl on Mar 21, 2009 5:21 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
My gut tells me She was on Cheney's Hit list.
consider the amount of money the Bushies doled out to Musharif(?)- and what happen thing just got worse. More recruits coming from Pakistan into afghanistan, easier access To & Fro- not by US so much as the extremeist. New safe havens (or hostage villages) on both sides of the border. And Bushies put 25 US soldiers to patrol about 300 miles of that 'Front line'- sounds like a sure defense against 'insurgence' to me.
And we can never forget just how lucrative War is for those private contractors-aka Cheney's old Corp Halliburton and KBR, and their private mercenary Corp Blackwater
If this Assasination Ring is real (which I have no doubt), How is it they were able to locate some two bit radical in the 'sea' of average radicals, yet have been unable to locate a 6ft Dialysis patient? Certainly not looking very hard, but more likely looking away. consider the 'narrow' escape at Tora Bora.
Bhouto was a national figure who could have changed the psychology of the nation. Thus thrown a wrench in the Profit making and Power grab venture Called the 'War on terror'.Call me Jaded, but extent of evidence regarding Cheney's War crimes makes it justifyable, she was on that list.

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stormy7
Posted by: STORMY78 on Mar 21, 2009 9:03 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The most dangerous country on the planet is.... THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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» RE: stormy7 Posted by: Javan
The most dangerous country in the world is Israel!
Posted by: Javan on Mar 21, 2009 11:18 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The Israelis believe they are special and "chosen" and everyone else are animals inhabiting a human body. Coupled with that insane belief are 200-300 nuclear warheads. Now that's dangerous!

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Country?
Posted by: digitalfrenzy on Mar 21, 2009 12:56 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
There are no countries anymore you silly pricks. I will answer your question though..The most dangerous entity on the planet is the multi national corporation.

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» right on... Posted by: Suzon
Immediate US withdrawal and deployment of UN peacekeepers
Posted by: cplot on Mar 21, 2009 4:13 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
In a previous thread / article about Blackwater, discussion turned to Afghanistan and how to responsibly end the US entanglement with that quagmire. While I haven't seen it discussed elsewhere, I've been arguing for the end of US occupation and operations in Afghanistan and the intervention of UN peacekeepers into the region (along with the same thing in Iraq too).

To me this is a criminal war perpetrated on a people which has suffered way too much from US imperialists ambitions. Any further military aggression in the region is unfounded. The neocons have turned the argument to continue aggressions to be responsible to the people of the region: to “help” them. They shouldn't be required to handle any more of our “help”.

Also during that thread I cited Richard Perle regarding how the USSR could responsibly end aggressions in Afghanistan. Regarding that Perle said:

“It's not very complicated. [The USSR military] arrived in a matter of days on Christmas eve in 1979; they could be home by Christmas eve, if they decided to leave Afghanistan and let the Afghans decide their own future. If you [uttered to USSR spokesman Vladimir Posner] leave, the problem of support to the Mujahideen solves itself.” — Richard Perle, 1987 (Unknown television program included in The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear 2004)

While this is not really the best advice for the people of Afghanistan to simply leave the carnage to the civil warring factions, this quote does demonstrate the duplicity of the current arguments for the “need” to continue military aggressions. However a UN peacekeeping mission could instead serve to maintain peace while negotiations among the factions progressed and the reconstruction of infrastructure and housing began.

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Most dangerous?
Posted by: Archie1954 on Mar 21, 2009 4:22 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I'm with Captainmagic. The US is by far the most dangerous country in the world today. It was the US that allowed and some say even secretly assisted Pakistan in getting nuclear weapons (as well as Israel). The proliferation of these weapons in the most unstable and violence prone area of the world justifies placing the US at the top of the heap of dangerous, rogue countries. What was going through the minds of the countless American foreign policy "experts" when they formulated these continuous disasters is beyond understanding except it was probably to counter some immediate problem and absolutely no thought was given to the potential repercussions in the future. The US is noted for doing a lot of that (Saddam Hussein, The Shah of Iran, early support for both the Taliban and Al Queda, Pinochet etc. etc.). Don't you think the title of most dangerous is well deserved?

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The most dangerous country in the world
Posted by: fmajor7 on Mar 22, 2009 2:35 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I remember an Europe-wide survey of just over 25000 people from around 15 countries back in 2003. It was just after the US invasion of Iraq.
Amongst many questions was " Which is the most dangerous country in the world today ?" followed by a list of 10 countries.
More than 73% selected ISRAEL - why ?
The reasons given were :
1. Unlimited military,financial and political support from the US, and more than 200 nuclear devices. (ref: Mordechai Vanunu of Israel and read http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/israel/nuke/)
2.Israel's master plan to totally annihilate Palestine - with US arms, of course.
3.Because of this,the increasing hatred of the Muslim and other countries against US allies.
3. European governments impotence,unwillingness and the inability to openly criticize Israel.
4. Possibility of a nuclear war originating in the Middle East.

What Israel is doing to the Palestinians was precisely what was done to the Jews by the European Nazis. Of course without the tacit support of US this wouldn't be possible.
Europe and the rest of the world (sans US)is scared of another holocaust.

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A zionist-free America
Posted by: weathered on Mar 22, 2009 5:55 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
is a United States of America.

Dismantle AIPAC
Dislodge all incumbents
Deshackle the Supreme Court
Dismantle Homeland Security
Crush the Patriot Act
and fire the coprorate/cia MSM manipulators.

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Pakistan- fake and useless nation
Posted by: 876 on Mar 26, 2009 8:21 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Pakistan is unstable because it is an artificial imperial imposed state where millions of ethnic minorities have been forcibly integrated under Punjabi authority. It must be dismantled and stolen its territories returned.

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