Bush backs new plan to defuse uprising in Pakistan

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Bush backs new plan to defuse uprising in Pakistan

A Pakistani police officer gestures toward Taliban suspects in a police van after their arrest at a hospital in Quetta last Tuesday. Pakistani forces arrested 29 Taliban suspects who had been brought to the hospital from neighboring Afghanistan.
ARSHAD BUTT/ASSOCIATED PRESS




By JONATHAN S. LANDAY



Date published: 8/20/2006

p { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 9pt; text-decoration: none; color: #000000; text-align: justify; background-color: transparent } By JONATHAN S. LANDAY McCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

WASHINGTON--A U.S.-backed plan to defeat Islamist militants in Pakistan's autonomous tribal areas has backfired badly, and the Bush administration is working with Pakistan to come up with a new strategy to defuse the insurrection.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf "sees that what he was doing wasn't working," said one U.S. official who's familiar with the new plan. "He really has a mess."

Now Musharraf's government is attempting to negotiate truces in the areas, expand local police forces and introduce development projects to reward tribal leaders who break with the militants. The Bush administration has pledged millions of dollars to the new effort, said the official, who, like others familiar with the plan, spoke only if granted anonymity.

Ending the uprising by Islamist militants aligned with Osama bin Laden and Taliban rebels is crucial to American-led efforts to contain the worst surge in Taliban violence in Afghanistan since 2001. The bloodshed is adding to the Bush administration's woes in the Middle East and other fronts in the war on terrorism.

Pakistan deployed 80,000 troops in the areas, which border Afghanistan, at Washington's behest to hunt down bin Laden and his sympathizers and secure Pakistan's side of the border. The Bush administration reportedly has spent nearly $1 billion since 2003 to underwrite the Pakistan army's operations.

But the army's use of artillery and helicopter gunships--as well as U.S. airstrikes on suspected al-Qaida hideouts--has killed numerous civilians and stoked popular ire.
That anger has given rise to a movement for an independent Taliban-style Islamist state. In some parts of the autonomous areas, militants have banned music, set up Islamic courts and executed opponents, including tribal leaders.

Fighting has claimed hundreds of lives on both sides, displaced thousands of civilians and stoked ethnic frictions because the tribes are minority Pashtuns and most of the troops are majority Punjabis.
The militants continue harboring al-Qaida fighters and providing recruits and refuge to Taliban rebels fighting in Afghanistan against government, U.S. and NATO forces. Afghan officials accuse Pakistan of doing little to halt cross-border infiltration or to close Taliban bases on its soil, a charge that Islamabad denies.
Some American officials and independent experts fear that it may be too late to defuse the uprising in two of the seven tribal areas, southern and northern Waziristan.

"I think it's a very shaky situation," Pakistani journalist Ahmed Rashid, the author of the book "Taliban," said in a telephone interview.

Musharraf wanted to pull back the troops to their home bases on the eastern border with India. The Bush administration was opposed, concerned that without the Pakistani army's presence there would be less incentive for militant groups to negotiate with the government. "You will have to keep the army in the game for when it is time to take out serious militants," the U.S. official said.

So Musharraf opened truce negotiations with militant leaders. Under the truces, the army would pull back into garrisons and towns and act only to thwart major threats.

In its place, the Bush administration would provide millions of dollars for a massive expansion of the Frontier Corps, a paramilitary police force recruited from the tribes and led by regular army officers, and other tribal police units.

"What they will do is static border posts, static police posts. That gets us lots of jobs and puts them [tribesmen] in uniform," the U.S. official said.

The Pentagon also has secretly been training and equipping a new Pakistani special operations force to pursue al-Qaida fighters hiding in the tribal areas. The force is being provided with night-vision equipment and helicopters.

Musharraf also is working with Washington on a plan for a massive development program, including construction of clinics, schools and roads, to reward tribal leaders who agree to end ties with the militants.

An industrial zone on the Afghan-Pakistani border would be created from which Pakistani and Afghan firms would export wares such as textiles tax-free to the United States. President Bush unveiled the so-called Reconstruction Opportunity Zone during a brief visit to Pakistan in March.

It's hoped that such projects will create jobs and patronage for the region's new power brokers and the military regime. Musharraf is seeking $150 million annually over the next five years for the effort, the official said.

Some U.S. officials and independent experts doubt that the strategy will work.
They fear that Musharraf's regime will use it to squeeze more money out of Washington in the name of fighting terrorism while doing little to bring real change to the tribal areas.
The truces could break down easily, especially if more civilians are killed, they said.
Previous development efforts have failed because of corruption and the region's lack of infrastructure, trained manpower and security. Moreover, vested interests want the areas to remain a lawless corridor for smuggling foreign products and narcotics.


http://fredericksburg.com//News/FLS/2006/082006/08202006/215374?rss=local

 

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Fighting terror: America must keep Pakistan on its side

Richard L. Armitage and Kara L. Bue The New York Times

Published: August 20, 2006




WASHINGTON In the wake of the foiled terror plot in London involving British Muslims with Pakistani connections, all eyes are again on Pakistan as the breeding ground for terrorists. While the arrests may serve as proof to some that America cannot rely on Pakistan as an ally in its fight against Islamic extremism, we would argue that the recent events should harden America's resolve to support it.

On Sept. 12, 2001, the United States gave Pakistan a stark choice - be with us or against us. Understanding the dangers and opportunities of this choice, President Pervez Musharraf chose to stand with America, and since then he has taken tremendous steps to fight Islamic extremists and move Pakistan toward enlightened moderation.

Pakistan has worked closely with America, sharing intelligence and capturing and handing over many terrorists, including top leaders of Al Qaeda. It has sent more than 70,000 troops to the Afghan border and conducted successful operations to flush out foreign fighters. Hundreds of Pakistani troops have been killed in these efforts, and thousands injured.

Perhaps more important, Musharraf has shown that he understands the seriousness of dealing with the root causes of extremism, making real efforts to improve economic and educational opportunities. He solved Pakistan's crippling debt crisis and loosened regulations on businesses, paving the way for an economic growth rate rivaling India's. With mixed success, he has worked to free the judiciary from religious control and to loosen the grip of Islamic extremists on religious academies.

Yes, much remains to be accomplished, particularly in terms of democratization. Pakistan must increase efforts toward a lasting peace with India and eliminate the home-grown jihadists who threaten that peace. And it must prove itself a reliable partner on nuclear nonproliferation.

However, Americans must applaud the counterterrorism steps that have been made so far, which have been taken at great personal risk to Musharraf.

In the past, America's consideration of Pakistan was tied to that of India, and vice versa; officials talked of "India-Pakistan" as a sort of two- headed entity. To its credit, the Bush administration has managed to deal with each country individually.

But we feel we are seeing a slide in U.S. efforts with Pakistan. There appears to be far less immediacy than warranted. We are not overlooking the tremendous economic and military support the United States has provided. Our concerns rest with what we see as growing frustration over the pace and difficulties of reforms.

 

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t is critical that Pakistan not be shortchanged. The success of Pakistan holds the key to stability in the region and perhaps throughout the Muslim world. Were Pakistan to fail, there would be no hope for Afghanistan, a dimmed future for India and an increased threat of Islamist terrorism globally.

As the Sept. 11 Commission correctly pointed out: "If Musharraf stands for enlightened moderation in a fight for his life and for the life of his country, the United States should be willing to make hard choices too, and make the difficult long-term commitment to the future of Pakistan."

We believe Musharraf continues to stand for these principles and deserves U.S. attention and support, no matter how frustrated America becomes at the pace of political change and the failure to eliminate Taliban fighters on the Afghan border.
Instead of threats, Washington should increase its senior-level interaction with Pakistan across the board. America can also take more immediate steps on the ground. U.S. aid could be focused on developing roads, hospitals and electricity plants in rural areas. America's assistance after last year's devastating earthquake was vital; but instead of simply waiting for another one to happen, U.S. military and humanitarian groups could begin programs to help Pakistani officials respond to future disasters on their own.

Education is another obvious example. America should persuade the Pakistani government to focus less on building flagship universities and more on providing basic and vocational education for the masses.

With Pakistan's help, Britain and the United States were able to prevent a tragedy. We must ensure that such help is always available, and hope that it eventually becomes unnecessary through Pakistan's efforts.

(Richard L. Armitage, deputy secretary of state from 2001 to 2005, and Kara L. Bue, a deputy assistant secretary of state from 2003 to 2005, are international business consultants.)

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/08/20/opinion/edbue.php

 

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Yes indeed its a good idea to employ more locals in the FC and trained them to mane the border however it is also imperative to engage Army officers who could monitor them.

While quoting jorunalists like Ahmed Rashid who is one-sided is unfair. He donst know what the ground realities are.
Its not that grim and bad situtaion as he was saying.

 

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Armitage urges Pak-US ties beyond defence cooperationSays Pakistan’s success is key to stability in South Asia

WASHINGTON: Acknowledging Pakistan’s economic turnaround and its vital counter-terrorism efforts for world peace under President Pervez Musharraf, former US deputy secretary of state Richard

Armitage has emphasised that America must foster a long-term and wide-ranging relationship with the South Asian country whose “success is key to stability in the region”.

Co-writing an article with Kara L Bue, a former deputy assistant secretary of state, Armitage underlined Pakistan’s importance in the region and urged Washington to expand its contacts with Pakistan for its socio-economic development.

“... we should increase our senior-level interaction with Pakistan across the board, involving cabinet secretaries beyond those representing the state and defense departments and placing a new emphasis on trade issues,” Armitage stressed in the New York Times’ Sunday edition.

He called for a long-term US-Pakistan relationship in view of Pakistan’s importance in the region.

Comparing US interest in India for its economic promise, the writers observed that “the success of Pakistan holds the key to stability in the region and perhaps throughout the Muslim world”.

The writers, who served at the State Department between 2001 and 2005, also noted challenges facing the country but appreciated President Musharraf’s efforts in Pakistan’s economic development as well as the country’s fight against extremism and terrorism.

“President General Musharraf has shown that he understands the seriousness of dealing with the root causes of extremism, making real efforts to improve economic and educational opportunities. He solved the country’s crippling debt crisis and loosened regulations on businesses, paving the way for an economic growth rate rivaling India’s.”

Advocating the need for broad-based US-Pakistan ties, Armitage pointed out that Washington could take more immediate steps on the ground. In this respect, he said the US could focus on increasing assistance for development of road infrastructure, hospitals and electricity plants in rural areas.

The writers cited America’s help in the aftermath of last year’s devastating earthquake and said the US military and humanitarian groups could begin programmes to help Pakistani officials respond to future natural disasters on their own.

In the education sector, the writers added that the US should encourage Pakistan to concentrate on providing basic and vocational education for the masses. “We need to sponsor large-scale teacher training programmes and help build elementary schools in communities where none exist.”

Regarding Pakistan’s pivotal role in the fight against terrorism, Armitage noted Pakistan has worked closely with the United States, sharing intelligence and capturing and handing over many terrorists, including top al-Qaeda leaders.

“It has sent more than 70,000 troops to the Afghan border and conducted successful operations to flush out foreign fighters. Hundreds of Pakistani troops have been killed in these efforts.

“Americans must applaud the counterterrorism steps that have been made so far, which have been taken at great personal risk to General Musharraf, who has faced several assassination attempts.” They appreciated President Musharraf’s resolve to fight extremism and efforts to move towards enlightened moderation.

Armitage and co-writer Kara Bue lauded Pakistan’s cooperation in thwarting London terror plot last week. “With Pakistan’s help, Britain and the United States were able to prevent a tragedy last week.”

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=20622