Washington on collision course with Pakistani military

[unicorn]

Terror war puts U.S., 'ally' at odds
25,Nov,2010

The United States is on a potential collision course with a longtime "ally," the Pakistan military, as a result of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari's decision to allow U.S. defense officials easier access to Pakistan to take direct control of counter-terror operations, a report from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin confirms.

The move by U.S. officials is part of a broader Afghan war strategy to track down the Taliban members who cross from Afghanistan back into Pakistan following attacks and to hunt militant networks in Pakistani cities

It is in the major Pakistani cities that U.S. officials believe attacks are being planned for Europe and where the insurgency in Afghanistan is directed.

At the same time, U.S. drone attacks into Pakistan have doubled over last year to 100 strikes against militant strongholds in the tribal areas of Pakistan.

The process by which U.S. officials will be allowed more access into Pakistan is by making it easier for them to get visas. The change occurred just before the Lisbon summit last week of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which until now has not had a clear strategy to bring the conflict in Afghanistan to a resolution.

The new policy direction will allow a more focused counter-terror campaign against the Taliban and al-Qaida through more targeted special operations, according to informed defense sources.

"The Americans increasingly want to have direct intervention and control in counter-terrorism operations and want to expand their operations from the tribal regions into the cities," said one security official, something which the Pakistani military opposes. .

 

[unicorn]

America hindered by failure to stop Taliban gains, says Pentagon report

A DAMNING progress report on the US-led military campaign against the Taliban in Afghanistan claimed yesterday that progress was hindered by Pakistan's failure to shut down more havens for terrorists.

The hard-hitting Pentagon report said that: "Efforts to reduce insurgent capacity, such as safe havens and logistic support originating in Pakistan and Iran, have not produced measurable results."

The Defence Department report on the war effort covering the six months up to September 30 added that, "Pakistan's domestic extremist threat and the 2010 floods reduce the potential for a more aggressive or effective Pakistani effort in the near term".

The coalition has made more inroads in Afghanistan in the seven weeks since the end of the period covered by the report, State Department and Pentagon officials said. Troops have intensified operations in the Taliban's heartland in and around the city of Kandahar and cleared key areas of militants.

Still, militant groups holing up in Pakistan's ungoverned northwest cross over the mountainous border for attacks in Afghanistan, according to the report.

Pakistan's militants also won converts on their own territory by providing relief in areas affected by floods earlier this year.

Pakistan's army leaders recently agreed to allow US and coalition officers to set up an office in Quetta, a city near the border with Afghanistan. American officials believe the Afghan Taliban leadership is based in Quetta.

The report's findings, along with conditions on the ground since then, will feed an administration assessment of the war effort due for completion in December. Army General David Petraeus, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, is seeking to show progress so he can begin to hand over some territory to Afghan control next year.

Offensive
Plans for the coming months include an offensive to expand security from the capital of Kabul into surrounding provinces, particularly in eastern Afghanistan. Coalition operations have pressured militants in that region and disrupted networks of the Taliban and the Pakistan-based Haqqani network, which has links to the Taliban.

President Barack Obama a year ago authorised 30,000 additional troops to be brought in during 2010 to step up the fight, with a timetable to begin reducing numbers by July 2011. Most of the added forces were in place by October, increasing the US contingent to about 95,000.

The Taliban was able to regroup and adapt its techniques even as the US and its partners pumped in additional troops, according to the report. The coalition was able to hold or gain ground most in areas where it has stayed the longest, such as the central part of Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan.

The coalition and Afghan forces "gradually are pushing insurgents to the edges of secured population areas in a number of important locations," officials said in the report.

The Afghan government and the coalition "continue to face a resilient enemy that exploits governance gaps and continues to fight to retain long-standing sanctuaries."

- Viola Gienger in Kabul

 

[GentlemanObserver]

Nothing new, reads like an synthesis of everything we all ready know and debate on here.

"save heavens".... Hmm, interesting.

 

[unicorn]

Nothing new, reads like an synthesis of everything we all ready know and debate on here.

"save heavens".... Hmm, interesting.

What about the visas they are getting like chocolates from our beloved Zardari.

 

[unicorn]

Pak Army has allowed US military presence in Quetta: Pentagon report

Pakistan has allowed the United States military and its coalition partners in Afghanistan to maintain a presence in Quetta, Balochistan, the US Department of Defence told Congress in a report.

"Pakistan Army General Headquarters recently approved an ODRP and Coalition presence at the PAKMIL 12 Corps HQ in Quetta, Balochistan," the Pentagon said in its report on the 'Progress Toward Security and Stability in Afghanistan'.

It said that while the US government "recognizes the tremendous effort continuous PAKMIL operations represent for the Pakistan Government, insurgent safe havens along the border will remain the primary problem to achieving a secure and stable Afghanistan."

"One initiative toward this end is increasing the cooperation between Afghanistan, ISAF, and Pakistan Forces along the border to provide a more comprehensive approach to eradicating the insurgency," it added.

The report said that overall, US relations with the PAKMIL have improved. "There have been many positive steps taken to dismantle extremist networks and deny terrorists safe havens in Pakistan. There is still much work to be done, but there is a positive trend line toward achieving the overall strategic goals," it maintained.

The report also took notice of the importance of India's role in Afghanistan, saying, "India's presence in Afghanistan cannot be understood without considering the tense, fragile relationship between Pakistan and India. In the beginning of the reporting period, April 26-27, President Karzai visited New Delhi. The visit was seen as successful from both sides, with India reaffirming its commitment to Afghanistan as a reliable partner."

"India continues to be one of Afghanistan's largest assistance donors, providing 1.3 billion USD funding for major infrastructure projects like power transmission, power lines, roads, etc. Work on the Salma hydroelectric dam in Herat Province continues.

In addition, India provides agriculture assistance and has increased access to degree scholarships and training programs," it added.

The report declared that the long-term stability and security of Afghanistan was intertwined in the dynamics of the region and the continuing influence, both positive and negative, of Afghanistan's neighbours. (ANI)

 

[khurasaan1]

Dont worry let them try whatever they have in their mind...every thing is already planned...insha-Allah they will learn a great lesson...to come to a right path...

 

[GentlemanObserver]

What about the visas they are getting like chocolates for our beloved Zardari.

We have debated that to death already, btw it's not Zardari... It's Rehman Blackwater Malik you can thank for that, and not forgetting our illustrious ambassador the the US.

Like i said, old news.

 

[hillman32]

Pakistan is there and will remain there till last day of this Universe. Insha ALLAH.

Neither India nor USA can eliminate Pakistan.

PENTAGON and CENTCOM at Tampa know this fact very well.

 

[khurasaan1]

and not forgetting our illustrious ambassador the the US.

I think he needz some teaching class...drying room ki sear....

 

[unicorn]

The situation will become out of hand in the tribal belt after this.This move by Pakistan Army is out of my imagination.They are now inviting all sorts of trouble.

 

[Veeru]

Why put up fake title just to flame nationalist wave or emotions???

 

[VSS]

Pakistan is there and will remain there till last day of this Universe. Insha ALLAH.

Neither India nor USA can eliminate Pakistan.

PENTAGON and CENTCOM at Tampa know this fact very well.

What India has to do with it?

 

[unforgotton_man]

Pakistan is there and will remain there till last day of this Universe. Insha ALLAH.

Neither India nor USA can eliminate Pakistan.

PENTAGON and CENTCOM at Tampa know this fact very well.

 

[muse]

Moving on - look at the way Pakistan Foreign office see events in Afghanistan :

Pakistan cautions against civil war in post-Nato Afghanistan
AFP


ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday welcomed Nato plans for a phased withdrawal from Afghanistan beginning next year, but warned against any move that could plunge its neighbouring country back into civil war.

At a summit in Lisbon last week, the 48 countries with troops in Afghanistan agreed to begin transferring parts of the battlefield to local police and military, and move Western troops into a supporting role by the end of 2014.

“We will welcome the withdrawal of coalition forces from Afghanistan as and when it happens,” Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Basit told reporters in Islamabad.

“But obviously we would not like Afghanistan to be left on its own,” he said.

“We would like this process to go ahead in tandem with a stabilisation in Afghanistan because we would not like the situation to once again plunge into anarchy or into civil war in Afghanistan.” Pakistan expressed concern about whether Nato would be able to train Afghan forces sufficiently to take responsibility for national security.

“We hope that by 2014 the coalition forces would be able or to have developed the Afghan national army and other security forces in Afghanistan, enabling them to take full charge of the country.

“So that is the only worry or concern we have,” he said.

Afghanistan slipped into chaos after Moscow withdrew Soviet troops 10 years after their 1979 invasion, sparking years of bloody civil war that ended when the Taliban seized power in 1996.

Pakistan, whom US and Afghan officials accuse of harboring Taliban insurgent leaders, has repeatedly offered to help with Afghan peace efforts.

“We do not expect the coalition forces to stay in Afghanistan forever and Pakistan will continue supporting the process of bringing about stability in Afghanistan in whatever way the Afghanistan government wants us to do.” The United States has warned that “hard fighting remains ahead” and has not ruled out combat operations continuing beyond 2014.

 

[khurasaan1]

What India has to do with it?

I guess u dont know the luv affair going on b/w Indi/Pak???..... Pak cant leave India behind in its ambitionz...cuz its a great disgrace for their well known classical-luv...