US Poised to Attack Extremists in FATA

[Majnun]

Nothing, just hope that US raids will kill as many militants as possible including their leaders with little collateral damage.
I too agree with Sir Fatman that somebody has to do the job...if we can't US will...

Its not about the job being done.
Its the principle of the thing. US has no right to enter Pakistan.

 

[Keysersoze]

Ok you didn't read my post properly. Here is how it looks like it will happen:

1) PA moves most if not all FC personnel out of FATA.

2) US invades FATA in "hot pursuit" while putting diplomatic pressure on Gilaini/Kiyani/PPP etc etc to keep FC troops far away while killings go on of militants the USA does not like.

3) A few US troops get killed so immediately the US calls in reinforcements, like 5,000 troops just "temporarily to help out". Slowly this builds into 10,000 NATO troops in FATA.

4) Some FC personnel are still stuck in FATA but they can do nothing there.

5) More killings occur and thousands of militants(pro pakistani ones) and tribals(pro pakistani ones) and non combatants(pro pakistani ones) are systematically killed by NATO.

6) NATO calls in Afghan troops to "help out" by interpreting and translating and patrol duties. Afghan troops never leave. Some NATO troops leave and now FC cannot kick out NATO nor can pakistani politicians make them leave.

7) Slowly FATA is populated with anti pakistani pashtoons, warlords etc etc who come in from Afghanistan.


Do you catch my drift?

Wow dude it's like you did a degree in "Conspiracy theory!!!!" Governments should hire you to expose enemy plans!

The simple fact is that Nato governments would not allow the situation escalate in such a manner. They won't send EVEN MORE troops into a war that could potentially last decades. Of course I am sure you have some daft reason as to why they would kick over another hornets nest.

Conspiracies are nice though........Help you pass the time I guess. It's amusing to me that people who seem the most anti west seem to enjoy the western lifestyles...what part of the U.S. do you live in?

 

[Majnun]

Someone has to stop the US. They are coming into a sovereign country, their ally, who is helping them in the WoT. This is an illegal entry. Any US troop to show up should be fired at, by our soldiers or by our civilians. And they will obviously be pushed back.
What are they hoping to achieve? I mean aside from funds that Neo mentioned.
They have behaved stupidly in Iraq, stupidly in Afghanistan, never able to handle the situation and always succeeding in antagonizing the local population.
And I thought US troops were stretched anyways? Can they afford this?

 

[Neo]

Its not about the job being done.
Its the principle of the thing. US has no right to enter Pakistan.

Again US will not enter or invade FATA without full cooperation with GoP and PA. So far we've allowed US to enter in hot persuits only, this is how far it goes.

 

[fatman17]

Well, one possible, though remotely possible, positive outcome would be that the strikes are limited, and take out the TTP leadership - B Mehsud, Faqir Muhammed etc. and their training camps.

What is more likely though is that these attacks will actually be on pro-Pakistan Taliban leaders like Mullah Nazir, who have not challenged the GoP, and have in fact helped it maintain law and order.

I suspect that the targeting is going to be directed at Pakistani interests.

Wait and see I suppose.

AM,

areas have been pin-pointed to the concerned civil and military authorities.

 

[Neo]

You are talking as if the US needs to have a war with Pakistan to take over. I know the FC will definately want to engage NATO but....pressure can be exerted on the pak govt to surrender without a shot being fired. I mean these politicians are puppets right? The whole pake economy and military-industrial complex is very heavily dependent on the USA for all kinds of aid. Can pakistan afford to stand on it's own two feet? Or will they say ok...for now lets just give away FATA and pray nothing bad happens? I just have that kind of a feeling about it.

Politicians may be puppets, PA is not. Its the most elite patriotic entity within Pakistan and she'll never compromise a single inch of our territory.
Pakistan survived sans US in worse conditions, we'll certainly survive now with lot bigger industrial and financial base and not to forget better allies.

 

[Majnun]

Again US will not enter or invade FATA without full cooperation with GoP and PA. So far we've allowed US to enter in hot persuits only, this is how far it goes.

Acha. So US actually manage to pursue someone?

 

[JK!]

Another side to it maybe that they are trying to plug their side of the border especially since they are setting up posts.

 

[fatman17]

and what happened to our PMs "Iron Fist Policy" in the struggle against WoT???

 

[fatman17]

Another side to it maybe that they are trying to plug their side of the border especially since they are setting up posts.

JK - fair point, something they should have done a long time ago!

 

[Majnun]

and what happened to our PMs "Iron Fist Policy" in the struggle against WoT???

PM to bas chamcha hai. Khud kuch nahi kar sakta hai.

 

[Energon]

It is extremely unlikely that either the US or NATO forces will actually "invade" Pakistani territory; by that I mean set up base camps and bring in artillery and mechanized divisions to give support to swarming infantry divisions. They will most probably rely on local intelligence to target hostile groups (Taliban, AQ, other tribals who provide manpower to campaigns in Afghanistan) via precision strikes. At the most special forces will be inserted from time to time to carry out more intense ground operations.

For any of the Pakistani forces (PA, FC etc) to engage the incoming US forces would be a big mistake because they will only make themselves targets and that would end up in a huge mess which is just not worth it as far as Pakistan is concerned.

The possible sequelae of such a venture is that we may see the upper echelons of the militant groups migrating into larger Pakistani cities where they can seek refuge (get lost in the crowd) and nullify the threat of US/NATO aerial bombings. This would be disastrous for Pakistan itself because it will see the threat of militancy metastasize into its larger economic and social centers. Needless to say this should be avoided at all costs. One way to do this would be to use the full might of the PA and their subsidiaries to establish a dragnet along the eastern borders of FATA and the Frontier provinces to negate any movement of militants into eastern Pakistan.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Another side to it maybe that they are trying to plug their side of the border especially since they are setting up posts.

Valid point.

After all Pakistan has been arguing for a while now that this is what NATO and Afghan forces need to do, since preventing cross border infiltration is not one sides responsibility alone.

I also agree with Neo, whatever happens will not be without the knowledge of the PA, and has not been without its knowledge, and I suppose PA interests will be warned as well.

Will everything stay true to script though?

 

[maqsad]

Politicians may be puppets, PA is not. Its the most elite patriotic entity within Pakistan and she'll never compromise a single inch of our territory.
Pakistan survived sans US in worse conditions, we'll certainly survive now with lot bigger industrial and financial base and not to forget better allies.

How many troops are defending FATA right now? Wasn't it the politicians together with Kiyani who moved huge amounts of troops out of FATA after the peace agreement? So right now it is sitting with just a skeleton crew of FC in a few border posts. I know the FC fought to the death in Momand agency and died before thinking of giving up a single inch of pakistani territory so there is no doubt that they will jump on NATO but firstly, the politicians have made sure FC is underarmed. Secondly *someone* has made sure hardly any FC are in FATA right now, defending it. And hundreds and hundreds of Afghan/NATO troops are creeping up on the FATA border. PAF is already under orders to stand down and immense pressure is being applied to the puppets to let NATO into FATA.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

The possible sequelae of such a venture is that we may see the upper echelons of the militant groups migrating into larger Pakistani cities where they can seek refuge (get lost in the crowd) and nullify the threat of US/NATO aerial bombings. This would be disastrous for Pakistan itself because it will see the threat of militancy metastasize into its larger economic and social centers. Needless to say this should be avoided at all costs. One way to do this would be to use the full might of the PA and their subsidiaries to establish a dragnet along the eastern borders of FATA and the Frontier provinces to negate any movement of militants into eastern Pakistan.

This sort of nullifies any advantages however.

Whatever domestic compulsions are preventing the PA from acting currently will not vanish, in fact will most likely strengthen, so why would such a dragnet and military action against militants work, or even be implemented (when it isn't currently) along a line pushed further to the East?

The argument of greater instability within Pakistan will hold true though - so the end result is an even worse situation, for both Pakistan and NATO.