January 23, 2010
Pakistan Hesitates, Again
Posted on 11:36 PM by News and issues
Through years, Pakistan’s leaders denied that extremists — force Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan — artificial a mortal challenge to their realm. After the Pakistani Taliban got within 60 miles of Islamabad survive April they firm that they had no choice but to wrangling back. They were well-suited. Unfortunately, their understanding of self-interest seems to stop at a border that the Taliban certainly does not respect.
During his roaming to Pakistan this week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates pressed Pakistan’s military leaders to introduce a new bravura against Afghan militants using Pakistani territory to stage attacks into Afghanistan — and was promptly rebuffed.
Displaying an urgent denial about the nature also urgency of the threat, an Army spokesman said there would be no offensive direction the tribal belt of North Waziristan — latitude the Afghan Taliban are based — for at least six months and conceivably for long as 12 months. given the simplify besides virulence with which the extremists have spread their hatred and violence in the recent year, that’s too long to wait.
To its credit, Pakistan’s army has mounted big offensives condemn Pakistani Taliban factions predominance the Swat Valley and South Waziristan and paid a saturate price: losing 2,000 soldiers connections battle. incarnate may need some juncture to solidify these gains and prepare a new assault. But that is almost certainly not the real reason late the delay.
Pakistan’s Army again make out collaboration helped create the Afghan Taliban, and even now they see the group as a proxy bustle to mark India’s alter in Afghanistan once the Americans leave. That is truly playing with fire.
Pakistan’s failure to pressure both Taliban groups could doom President Obama’s military and political offensive dominion Afghanistan — or action him to make becoming on his threat to go coterminous militants money the Pakistan border region if Islamabad does not. This is not proper America’s contest. considering Mr. Gates warned this week, extremist groups on the edge are interconnected and uncompromising to destabilize the entire region.
Pakistan cannot afford to allot the Afghan Taliban a pass, and Washington must launch sure that Islamabad faces up to that reality. Mr. Gates tried to nudge Pakistan when he spoke publicly about how Islamabad cannot “ignore one illustration of this cancer and pretend it won’t have some impact closer to home.” We faith he was firmer magnetism private.
Mr. Gates and other officials are working hard to persuade Islamabad that the United States will not repeat elapsed mistakes and abandon Pakistan as present did after the Soviets withdrew 20 second childhood ago.
The Obama administration’s selection this week to yes Pakistan’s longstanding pump for aerial detect drones (unarmed, at Washington’s insistence) should support bridge the “trust deficit.” Washington must also do more to help deteriorate tensions between Pakistan and India. That may be the superlative chance of persuading Islamabad that it can and the urge locus fresh of its defend and attention on murderousness all of the Taliban.
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During his roaming to Pakistan this week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates pressed Pakistan’s military leaders to introduce a new bravura against Afghan militants using Pakistani territory to stage attacks into Afghanistan — and was promptly rebuffed.
Displaying an urgent denial about the nature also urgency of the threat, an Army spokesman said there would be no offensive direction the tribal belt of North Waziristan — latitude the Afghan Taliban are based — for at least six months and conceivably for long as 12 months. given the simplify besides virulence with which the extremists have spread their hatred and violence in the recent year, that’s too long to wait.
To its credit, Pakistan’s army has mounted big offensives condemn Pakistani Taliban factions predominance the Swat Valley and South Waziristan and paid a saturate price: losing 2,000 soldiers connections battle. incarnate may need some juncture to solidify these gains and prepare a new assault. But that is almost certainly not the real reason late the delay.
Pakistan’s Army again make out collaboration helped create the Afghan Taliban, and even now they see the group as a proxy bustle to mark India’s alter in Afghanistan once the Americans leave. That is truly playing with fire.
Pakistan’s failure to pressure both Taliban groups could doom President Obama’s military and political offensive dominion Afghanistan — or action him to make becoming on his threat to go coterminous militants money the Pakistan border region if Islamabad does not. This is not proper America’s contest. considering Mr. Gates warned this week, extremist groups on the edge are interconnected and uncompromising to destabilize the entire region.
Pakistan cannot afford to allot the Afghan Taliban a pass, and Washington must launch sure that Islamabad faces up to that reality. Mr. Gates tried to nudge Pakistan when he spoke publicly about how Islamabad cannot “ignore one illustration of this cancer and pretend it won’t have some impact closer to home.” We faith he was firmer magnetism private.
Mr. Gates and other officials are working hard to persuade Islamabad that the United States will not repeat elapsed mistakes and abandon Pakistan as present did after the Soviets withdrew 20 second childhood ago.
The Obama administration’s selection this week to yes Pakistan’s longstanding pump for aerial detect drones (unarmed, at Washington’s insistence) should support bridge the “trust deficit.” Washington must also do more to help deteriorate tensions between Pakistan and India. That may be the superlative chance of persuading Islamabad that it can and the urge locus fresh of its defend and attention on murderousness all of the Taliban.
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