Much appreciated contribution to seeing through the dust being thrown up Mike, always a clarity to your writing. On the more diplomatic/political side Rakesh Sood has written a good article in my humble opinion.
India's military intervention carries a political message to the Pakistan Government: control your Intelligence Service and prevent it from committing provocative atrocities. But this may not be possible because the Intelligence Service may control the Government. Perhaps the message was to be forwarded to China to use its influence to defang the Pakistani Intelligence Service.
Yes, the Wagah is hilarious - largely because they take themselves so seriously - and has become entertainment for tourists. It's easy to forget the serious and real tensions that underlie it all; but it would be cool if they could learn to laugh at themselves instead.
When I watched the free documentary 'Showgirls of Pakistan', I realised how complicated that country is, and that I know nothing about it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZmo3MA1jPY
Who wears dresses doesn't interfere with my personal liberty, but it was fascinating for being a situation I didn't expect to be so open in Pakistan. And the documentary style is wild. I like gritty. However, it is known that the CIA/NED use minorities such as transgenders because their protests for human rights gets more bang for the dollar i.e. foreign policy doesn't give a damn about human rights, only undermining governments and exaggerating division. Not free, but I found 'Queendom', set in Russia, interesting too, helluva visual - https://youtu.be/7UviaVo1QbI
There's a LOT of pretty open prostitution in large Pakistani cities in brothels and the police don't even try to stop it, unlike most other Muslim countries.
There's also a lot of pretty open homosexuality or maybe bisexuality among men, especially in the western and more tribal areas, along with gun shops everywhere, illegal explicit, music, and jihadi CD's, etc. It tends to be a lot more pronounced in the more conservative areas.
I just met a young Pakistani woman who works as a prostitute or high class call girl for her employer. He whores her out to clients to secure their business. I guess she's well paid. She is also starting to star in Pakistani porn movies. She had her first shoot coming up, a gangbang LOL. She said there's a lot of domestic porn in Pakistan, but it's all underground and illegal. An indigenous porn and prostitution industry, wow. I hear there is even prostitution at the level of villages and small towns of 10-15,000 people.
Also, they never did a land reform, and the agricultural system is very feudal. A few landlords own almost all the land, and the rural population is reduced to agricultural workers or sharecroppers who are probably in perpetual debt slavery. Basically a "semi-feudal" system. Few if any Arab Muslim countries would put up with that crap. It was even widely hated in Afghanistan. That's antithetical to most Muslim countries. Basically end up with the worst of two lousy religions.That's why it's so backwards, unjust, supportive of the rich, and against the poor. The problem with Pakistan is that its Islam is "Indianized" and "Hinduized."
Interesting most of the politics in the country is openly "socialist" as in social democratic. Rightwing economics won't sell as in any other Muslim country. I had a Pakistani woman friend who lived in Kuwait. Her family were feudal landowners. She was a very religious Muslim. But she strongly supported Bhutto's social democratic party and government. I showed her a link about a political party in the western tribal area that was for all intents and purposes economically communist in origin and she said she liked them a lot. Their main complaint was land tenure.
It's a very odd country.
I've met Pakistani men who looked about as White as I do. I told one I had thought he was "German." He laughed nervously. I tell them that they're the same race as Europeans and they and the Europeans both came from a group in Russia 4,500-6,500 years ago, and they all nod their heads like that's an obvious fact to them.
A lot of people in that part of the world, including Afghanistan and Iran, are practically "White priders." Iranians, especially Persians, readily admit to being White if asked. Some are extremely proud of it. I told one his group were "Europeans outside of Europe," and he beamed and told me they were the remnants of the "first European man." I had an Afghan doctor who proudly told me that his people were the "original Aryans."
Interesting. I recall news of women being killed for dancing or clapping to music at community functions. So when I learn of sex stories I'm partly wowed by the danger that folks will put themselves in for money (and to be human).
It'll be interesting to (eventually) do a deep dive on how the Chinese systems performed against their Russian counterparts. All export quality of course. Still should be some valuable takeaways. Noticed no comment on the alleged strike against the northwest entrance to the underground bunker for Pakistani nuclear storage (that I've seen elsewhere). By sealing the entrance at least temporarily that would have sent a "strong message" regarding the wisdom of escalation.
It's quite suspicious that Indian claims are taken at face value while Pakistani claims are presented as 'unverifiable' 'assertions'. I read through the entire article because it's my first time here, but most credibility was lost when the two people named Abdul Rauf were conflated in the same way Indian media did - one the brother of an alleged militant leader, and the other a popular local politician.
Superb - love the way you balance the usual emotionalism with realism (that is, reject infotainment for infinitely more valuable information). Caught a few of these clues elsewhere, but no one has put them all together and into context so well as you just did, here. Thank you sincerely for it!
Thank you for your opinion. The analysis is not intended to favor one side over the other. It is based solely on the information that has been made available, presented, and verified so far. At this time, there is no credible or conclusive evidence to support many of the claims being circulated.
A few random photos or PowerPoint-style presentations shared within defense circles—accompanied by speculative commentary—do not constitute proof. In an age where nearly everything can be documented and independently verified through radar logs, video footage, cockpit recordings, and other digital means, simply talking about an event without providing verifiable evidence carries little weight.
Statements from high-ranking military officials or politicians should be viewed with a critical eye, as they often serve strategic or political narratives. Their accounts are frequently crafted for public consumption and should not be taken at face value.
This analysis aims to remain neutral, relying only on what can be reasonably confirmed, rather than contributing to misinformation or propaganda.
Excellent, sober and objective account of what happened. I hope they put down the swords and realize that this rivalry is useless for either country.
Nice text , like alweys.
Thank you
I gained more from this reflection than a did from a week of news.
Thank you
Very biased pro-India and anti-Pakistan.
Help the debate with pointers.
Chine Militray technolgu realy Present weray big SUprise
In electronic
in Racket propulsion , good sensor ( gaN) , some kind data link for information change betwen avaks plane or even baybe drone and Plane Resoultat 5-0
posible satelit coordination
Pakistan was ready on India atack
Much appreciated contribution to seeing through the dust being thrown up Mike, always a clarity to your writing. On the more diplomatic/political side Rakesh Sood has written a good article in my humble opinion.
https://rakeshsood.in/2025/05/17/the-new-normal-after-pahalgam-indias-response/
Thanks for this good scholarship.
India's military intervention carries a political message to the Pakistan Government: control your Intelligence Service and prevent it from committing provocative atrocities. But this may not be possible because the Intelligence Service may control the Government. Perhaps the message was to be forwarded to China to use its influence to defang the Pakistani Intelligence Service.
Thank you very much for the detailed and layered analysis, Mike.
It is much more informative than just a "press release".
Two roosters enter the cockpit, strutting their stuff... and the sharpened spurs attached to their legs.
Yes, the Wagah is hilarious - largely because they take themselves so seriously - and has become entertainment for tourists. It's easy to forget the serious and real tensions that underlie it all; but it would be cool if they could learn to laugh at themselves instead.
When I watched the free documentary 'Showgirls of Pakistan', I realised how complicated that country is, and that I know nothing about it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZmo3MA1jPY
Wow, powerful documentary. Thanks for sharing. I guess The Empire of Lies and Hypocrisy is not only a Western blight!
Who wears dresses doesn't interfere with my personal liberty, but it was fascinating for being a situation I didn't expect to be so open in Pakistan. And the documentary style is wild. I like gritty. However, it is known that the CIA/NED use minorities such as transgenders because their protests for human rights gets more bang for the dollar i.e. foreign policy doesn't give a damn about human rights, only undermining governments and exaggerating division. Not free, but I found 'Queendom', set in Russia, interesting too, helluva visual - https://youtu.be/7UviaVo1QbI
There's a LOT of pretty open prostitution in large Pakistani cities in brothels and the police don't even try to stop it, unlike most other Muslim countries.
There's also a lot of pretty open homosexuality or maybe bisexuality among men, especially in the western and more tribal areas, along with gun shops everywhere, illegal explicit, music, and jihadi CD's, etc. It tends to be a lot more pronounced in the more conservative areas.
It's a chaotic culture I cannot grasp.
🤯
I just met a young Pakistani woman who works as a prostitute or high class call girl for her employer. He whores her out to clients to secure their business. I guess she's well paid. She is also starting to star in Pakistani porn movies. She had her first shoot coming up, a gangbang LOL. She said there's a lot of domestic porn in Pakistan, but it's all underground and illegal. An indigenous porn and prostitution industry, wow. I hear there is even prostitution at the level of villages and small towns of 10-15,000 people.
Also, they never did a land reform, and the agricultural system is very feudal. A few landlords own almost all the land, and the rural population is reduced to agricultural workers or sharecroppers who are probably in perpetual debt slavery. Basically a "semi-feudal" system. Few if any Arab Muslim countries would put up with that crap. It was even widely hated in Afghanistan. That's antithetical to most Muslim countries. Basically end up with the worst of two lousy religions.That's why it's so backwards, unjust, supportive of the rich, and against the poor. The problem with Pakistan is that its Islam is "Indianized" and "Hinduized."
Interesting most of the politics in the country is openly "socialist" as in social democratic. Rightwing economics won't sell as in any other Muslim country. I had a Pakistani woman friend who lived in Kuwait. Her family were feudal landowners. She was a very religious Muslim. But she strongly supported Bhutto's social democratic party and government. I showed her a link about a political party in the western tribal area that was for all intents and purposes economically communist in origin and she said she liked them a lot. Their main complaint was land tenure.
It's a very odd country.
I've met Pakistani men who looked about as White as I do. I told one I had thought he was "German." He laughed nervously. I tell them that they're the same race as Europeans and they and the Europeans both came from a group in Russia 4,500-6,500 years ago, and they all nod their heads like that's an obvious fact to them.
A lot of people in that part of the world, including Afghanistan and Iran, are practically "White priders." Iranians, especially Persians, readily admit to being White if asked. Some are extremely proud of it. I told one his group were "Europeans outside of Europe," and he beamed and told me they were the remnants of the "first European man." I had an Afghan doctor who proudly told me that his people were the "original Aryans."
Interesting. I recall news of women being killed for dancing or clapping to music at community functions. So when I learn of sex stories I'm partly wowed by the danger that folks will put themselves in for money (and to be human).
Thanks for your great work Mike!
We've shared the link on our daily report.
A Skeptic War Reports
https://askeptic.substack.com/
It'll be interesting to (eventually) do a deep dive on how the Chinese systems performed against their Russian counterparts. All export quality of course. Still should be some valuable takeaways. Noticed no comment on the alleged strike against the northwest entrance to the underground bunker for Pakistani nuclear storage (that I've seen elsewhere). By sealing the entrance at least temporarily that would have sent a "strong message" regarding the wisdom of escalation.
It's quite suspicious that Indian claims are taken at face value while Pakistani claims are presented as 'unverifiable' 'assertions'. I read through the entire article because it's my first time here, but most credibility was lost when the two people named Abdul Rauf were conflated in the same way Indian media did - one the brother of an alleged militant leader, and the other a popular local politician.
The author is biased as Hell.
Superb - love the way you balance the usual emotionalism with realism (that is, reject infotainment for infinitely more valuable information). Caught a few of these clues elsewhere, but no one has put them all together and into context so well as you just did, here. Thank you sincerely for it!
Thank you!
EXTREMELY biased pro-India and anti-Pakistan. Is there a reason for this point of view? Kind of uncool in a supposedly objective post.
Thank you for your opinion. The analysis is not intended to favor one side over the other. It is based solely on the information that has been made available, presented, and verified so far. At this time, there is no credible or conclusive evidence to support many of the claims being circulated.
A few random photos or PowerPoint-style presentations shared within defense circles—accompanied by speculative commentary—do not constitute proof. In an age where nearly everything can be documented and independently verified through radar logs, video footage, cockpit recordings, and other digital means, simply talking about an event without providing verifiable evidence carries little weight.
Statements from high-ranking military officials or politicians should be viewed with a critical eye, as they often serve strategic or political narratives. Their accounts are frequently crafted for public consumption and should not be taken at face value.
This analysis aims to remain neutral, relying only on what can be reasonably confirmed, rather than contributing to misinformation or propaganda.