Pakistan army anger at Nato border tactics after forcing militants out

[ajpirzada]

Fresh from a bloody victory against the Taleban in this rugged frontier outpost, the commander of Pakistani forces has lashed out at the Nato operation across the border in Afghanistan, where he says hundreds of militant fighters have sought refuge under the noses of American troops.

Colonel Nauman Saeed, the commander of Pakistani forces in the Bajaur tribal agency, has led his men on a two-year campaign to drive out thousands of militants, including al-Qaeda members. He lost 150 soldiers during the operation, which culminated in a battle over the militant headquarters in a series of tunnels dug out of rock.

At the height of their power the local Pakistani Taleban collected taxes, ran a primitive justice system and used Bajaur as a base to build bombs.

Colonel Saeed should be pleased with the operation, which has imposed Pakistani rule on the area for the first time in the country’s history.

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Instead, he points to a map over his desk that shows an area marked in red where insurgents are still active along the border with Afghanistan’s Kunar province, which includes the Korengal Valley from where US forces have withdrawn. “We not only feel frustrated, we feel let down,” he told The Times, adding that there was intelligence to suggest that 700 Pakistani Taleban were just across the border. “We still see no action (by the Americans). They are doing what they can do — we say they need to do more.”

His views, echoed by military and intelligence officers in Islamabad, mark a dramatic turn in the conflict. For years, America and Afghanistan accused the Pakistanis of not doing enough to tackle the insurgents on their territory. Since Pakistan began its campaign two years ago it is Islamabad that is complaining that America, Nato and the Afghans are not pulling their weight.

“They (the insurgents) have a more open, hospitable playing field over there (in Afghanistan),” he said.

Colonel Saeed also criticised Western aid agencies that promised to help reconstruction and development in the tribal areas but have so far done little in his area of operations.

“We have a share of the development budget and we have spent every penny,” he said. “But it is too little. The scale of what is needed is much bigger.”

Pakistan army anger at Nato border tactics after forcing militants out - Times Online

 

[TaimiKhan]

This is the reality, but a sad one unfortunately.

This attitude by NATO and US has been going on for years, and we still hear do more BS.

 

[Aslan]

Fresh from a bloody victory against the Taleban in this rugged frontier outpost, the commander of Pakistani forces has lashed out at the Nato operation across the border in Afghanistan, where he says hundreds of militant fighters have sought refuge under the noses of American troops.

Colonel Nauman Saeed, the commander of Pakistani forces in the Bajaur tribal agency, has led his men on a two-year campaign to drive out thousands of militants, including al-Qaeda members. He lost 150 soldiers during the operation, which culminated in a battle over the militant headquarters in a series of tunnels dug out of rock.

At the height of their power the local Pakistani Taleban collected taxes, ran a primitive justice system and used Bajaur as a base to build bombs.

Colonel Saeed should be pleased with the operation, which has imposed Pakistani rule on the area for the first time in the country’s history.

RELATED LINKS
US troops pull out of Afghanistan's death valley
Militants try to storm US consulate in Pakistan
Instead, he points to a map over his desk that shows an area marked in red where insurgents are still active along the border with Afghanistan’s Kunar province, which includes the Korengal Valley from where US forces have withdrawn. “We not only feel frustrated, we feel let down,” he told The Times, adding that there was intelligence to suggest that 700 Pakistani Taleban were just across the border. “We still see no action (by the Americans). They are doing what they can do — we say they need to do more.”

His views, echoed by military and intelligence officers in Islamabad, mark a dramatic turn in the conflict. For years, America and Afghanistan accused the Pakistanis of not doing enough to tackle the insurgents on their territory. Since Pakistan began its campaign two years ago it is Islamabad that is complaining that America, Nato and the Afghans are not pulling their weight.

“They (the insurgents) have a more open, hospitable playing field over there (in Afghanistan),” he said.

Colonel Saeed also criticised Western aid agencies that promised to help reconstruction and development in the tribal areas but have so far done little in his area of operations.

“We have a share of the development budget and we have spent every penny,” he said. “But it is too little. The scale of what is needed is much bigger.”

Pakistan army anger at Nato border tactics after forcing militants out - Times Online

Well sir it is the incompetence of our gov that has not been able to put their foot down and say enough. They are only happy with the Picture diplomacy, a photograph here and there with Hillary or Karzai and they are ok with it.
They have to ensure that they apply enough pressure on the Afghani Gov and ISAF to make sure that the border is secured. Also put forth all the reasons that the border should be fenced, and take all the necessary steps to ensure that to happen.
And also when going to the US and Europe rather then looking for simple photo ops get into negotiations with the guys there put forth your POV, with proof and evidence and tell them why the border area should be sealed with proper fencing. Also they need to issue the ID for people living in the region, register every one. Have a special ID for those who are crossing the border regularly.

 

[pakomar]

Pakistan govronment failer. Army did their job

 

[T-Faz]

And the first comment is by an Pak obsessed Indian against Pakistan. Happens all the time.

 

[Windjammer]

Suits us in some way,

Keep Pakistan clean, push all the rubbish into Afghanistan.

 

[Justin Joseph]

This is the reality, but a sad one unfortunately.

This attitude by NATO and US has been going on for years, and we still hear do more BS.

if it's true why NATO is doing this??

 

[Bill Longley]

US dont want to leave afghanistan
it dont want to defeat taliban because if taliban get defeated then whats the point of US presence in the region?

a cold war, as i wrote 2 months back is going on in Central andsouth and euro asia.
kyrghez revolution is best example.
dont forget peak oil and oil reserves in the region.
and dont look at things narrowly try to see the big picture and you will know and understand the happenings

 

[Rank]

Suits us in some way,

Keep Pakistan clean, push all the rubbish into Afghanistan.

no not possible Zardari still on his Seat... and rest of all cOrrputed people already sit safe!

 

[ice_man]

American troops have withdrawn from a notorious valley in eastern Afghanistan that has seen some of the worst fighting of the war, with commanders citing a shift in strategy.
A low-key press release yesterday announced the “realignment” of US forces out of the Korengal Valley, where 42 American soldiers have been killed and hundreds wounded since 2005. One base established at the northern end of the six-mile-long valley will be retained to block a Taliban infiltration route.
“Repositioning forces from the Korengal Valley to more populated areas will allow us to have greater flexibility,” said Colonel Randy George, the commander of US forces in Kunar province. “The area was once very operationally important but, appropriate to the new strategy, we are focusing our efforts on population centres. We’re still able to conduct operations there, even without a base, like we do in other remote valleys.”
However, while American commanders argue that the valley — close to the Pakistan border — is a remote backwater of limited strategic value, its symbolic value is considerable and its abandonment will be claimed as a victory by the Taliban. The intense fighting in the area has been portrayed in a film, Restrepo, named as best documentary at the Sundance Film Festival in February, and has inspired at least one book.
Since late last year, American forces have abandoned seven bases along the eastern border — angering Pakistan, which claims that the American withdrawals have compromised their efforts to put pressure on militants. Pakistan maintains 900 border forts along the historic and porous Durand Line between itself and Afghanistan, while US and Afghan forces are reducing the 80 or 90 forts on their side.
The new American approach echoes a shift in strategy pursued by Soviet forces in the area who, after 1986, ceded remote areas to the Mujahidin and focused their efforts on the cities, main arteries and areas of dense population.
The Korengal Valley sits on an infiltration route for militants from Pakistan’s remote tribal agency of Bajaur, which Pakistani forces have recently retaken. The valley has just 4,500 inhabitants but has proved troublesome for American commanders since they entered the area in 2005. It contains a fiercely xenophobic tribe of mountain people who speak their own language — Korengali — and have resisted all outside influence. They are converts to Wahhabism, the most austere school of Islam, and the one practised by Osama bin Laden.

US forces close post in Afghan ‘Valley of Death’: report | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

 

[ice_man]

Nato forces fail to capture fleeing Taliban: Pak military official

An estimated 700 Taliban fighters are reported to have fled across Pakistan's troubled North West frontier with Afghanistan in recent weeks following the recent military offensive by Pakistan's Armed Forces against militants.
But senior Pakistani officers who commanded the offensive, which has seen the government regain control of the lawless tribal territories, blame Nato for allowing the remnants of the Taliban force to escape into Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan, according to The Telegraph.
When Pakistan goes to war, it gives no quarter to anyone"We feel badly let down about this," said Colonel Nauman Saeed, 45, the commanding officer of the Bajaur Scouts, which was involved in heavy fighting to drive the Taliban from their bases in northern Pakistan.
"We informed Nato that Taliban fighters were entering territory which is supposed to be under their control, but they have not acted. It is very frustrating."
Col Saeed said the Pakistani authorities had intelligence that a large contingent of Taliban fighters were being protected by local Afghan sympathisers at a camp in Kunar, and were even being provided with guns and ammunition.
"We have credible evidence on this, but nothing seems to have happened," said Col Saeed. "Nato needs to do more to tackle these people. This region of Pakistan would be heaven if more was done to stop the Taliban crossing over the border."
Col Saeed was speaking as Nato officials in Kabul announced they had withdrawn American troops from the strategically important Korengal Valley in eastern Afghanistan because they were deemed to have become "an irritant" to local people.

Nato forces fail to capture fleeing Taliban: Pak military official | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

 

[Windjammer]

no not possible Zardari still on his Seat... and rest of all cOrrputed people already sit safe!

Yea, suppose the term charity starts at home has turned on it's head.

 

[Creder]

I say lets bag these fools across the border, if the drones can bomb inside pakistan why cant we carry out strikes in Kunar

 

[BATMAN]

NATO and US knows once Zardari go they need equally good replacement hence Zardari was ordered to clear the way for Sharif hence 18th amendment is moved to benifit one and only Noon Sharif.

 

[Frankenstein]

Sooner the whole world will know the truth