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Will Pakistan relieve burden of U.S. forces in Afghanistan?
English_Xinhua 2009-12-16 17:42:23 Print
By Li Jingchen
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Urged by the United States, Pakistan launched two major military operations against Taliban militants in the country's northwest this year. Will Pakistan relieve the burden of the United States in fighting Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan?
In March, Obama announced his new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan "to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaida in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future."
In Pakistan, the new government under Zardari put forward its 3D Strategy -- Dialogue, Development, Deterrence -- to deal with the situation in the country's tribal and northwestern areas with the view of maintaining peace and security in the region.
CONCERTED EFFORTS NEEDED
Zardari went to Washington in May and held bilateral talks with Obama. During his stay, Zardari also talked with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in a tripartite meeting hosted by Obama on ways to root out violent extremism in areas along the Pak-Afghan border.
According to Pentagon figures, some 75 percent of logistic materials for U.S. forces in Afghanistan are transported into the inland through Pakistan. These supply lines have often been targeted by militants, raising uncertainty for supplies of the U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan.
What's more, militants also use Pakistan as their rear base to attack U.S. forces in Afghanistan, posing threats to U.S. soldiers.
U.S. special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrook said without Pakistan's participation and support, the United States would in no way achieve successes in its war in Afghanistan. In war on terror, the Unite States, Afghanistan and Pakistan have mutual reliance, mutual needs and common interests.
"There will be no success without any of the three necessities -- U.S. dominance, Afghanistan's implementation and Pakistan's cooperation," he said.
GREAT LOSSES AND SUFFERINGS
Under the U.S. pressure, the Pakistani security forces launched offensives against Taliban militants in Buner, Dir and Swat, and also suffered great losses in the operations.
Peshawar, North West Frontier Province capital and frontline city of Pakistan's war on terror, was hit by two blasts on a single day in September, leaving more than 100 people killed and 200 others injured. It was hit by another blast about two weeks later, which caused more than 150 casualties.
In October, the office of the World Food Program (WFP) in Islamabad and a check post outside the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, some 30 km south of Islamabad, were attacked, causing heavy casualties. In the latter attack, dozens of security personnel and civilians were taken hostage, 42 of whom were later saved by security forces.
The provocative attack on the army headquarters forced the military to make the final decision to launch the ground operation in the tribal area on Oct. 17.
But unbelievably, the U.S. forces on the Afghan side withdrew from their posts as the Pakistani security forces started the operation.
This move of the U.S. forces prompted Imtiaz Ahmad, former director of Pakistan's Intelligence Bureau, to question, "Are the lives of the U.S. soldiers more precious than those of the Pakistani soldiers?"
In complete ignorance of Pakistan's protests, U.S. drones have entered the Pakistani air space to bombard suspected militant hideouts, causing a lot of civilian casualties and triggering panic and demonstrations among local residents.
"There is no country in the world which has suffered as much as Pakistan as a frontline state, apart from Afghanistan, in its fight against militants, in its fight against the Taliban," said Talat Masood, retired lieutenant general and Pakistani security analyst.
THORNY ROAD AHEAD
On Dec. 1, Obama announced the Afghanistan strategy of deploying another 30,000 soldiers to the war-weary country.
Pakistani security analyst Talat Masood regard the U.S. new strategy as a proof that its previous policy on Afghanistan was a failure.
He said the objective this time is not so much to fight the Taliban as to protect the population of Afghanistan in order to create an environment for the U.S. exit.
However, Masood said, Pakistan and the United States have different national interests so they have different priorities. The problem is that the Americans want Pakistan to follow their national priorities, he added.
The U.S. claims that Pakistan has not done enough in the war on terror. But Pakistan holds that it has done a lot.
If Pakistan is able to clear the "safe havens" of the militants and establish the government's rule in those areas, it would surely help the U.S. forces in Afghanistan a lot, Masood said.
However, Pakistan faces many obstacles on the way to clear the Taliban "havens."
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said the increase of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan would drive militants in Afghanistan into Pakistan and thus put heavier burden on its security.
Analysts also believe that Pakistan would face more challenges and a severer security situation in the new year, which would accordingly affect its economic development and ordinary people's life.
Will Pakistan relieve burden of U.S. forces in Afghanistan?_English_Xinhua
English_Xinhua 2009-12-16 17:42:23 Print
By Li Jingchen
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Urged by the United States, Pakistan launched two major military operations against Taliban militants in the country's northwest this year. Will Pakistan relieve the burden of the United States in fighting Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan?
In March, Obama announced his new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan "to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaida in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future."
In Pakistan, the new government under Zardari put forward its 3D Strategy -- Dialogue, Development, Deterrence -- to deal with the situation in the country's tribal and northwestern areas with the view of maintaining peace and security in the region.
CONCERTED EFFORTS NEEDED
Zardari went to Washington in May and held bilateral talks with Obama. During his stay, Zardari also talked with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in a tripartite meeting hosted by Obama on ways to root out violent extremism in areas along the Pak-Afghan border.
According to Pentagon figures, some 75 percent of logistic materials for U.S. forces in Afghanistan are transported into the inland through Pakistan. These supply lines have often been targeted by militants, raising uncertainty for supplies of the U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan.
What's more, militants also use Pakistan as their rear base to attack U.S. forces in Afghanistan, posing threats to U.S. soldiers.
U.S. special representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrook said without Pakistan's participation and support, the United States would in no way achieve successes in its war in Afghanistan. In war on terror, the Unite States, Afghanistan and Pakistan have mutual reliance, mutual needs and common interests.
"There will be no success without any of the three necessities -- U.S. dominance, Afghanistan's implementation and Pakistan's cooperation," he said.
GREAT LOSSES AND SUFFERINGS
Under the U.S. pressure, the Pakistani security forces launched offensives against Taliban militants in Buner, Dir and Swat, and also suffered great losses in the operations.
Peshawar, North West Frontier Province capital and frontline city of Pakistan's war on terror, was hit by two blasts on a single day in September, leaving more than 100 people killed and 200 others injured. It was hit by another blast about two weeks later, which caused more than 150 casualties.
In October, the office of the World Food Program (WFP) in Islamabad and a check post outside the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, some 30 km south of Islamabad, were attacked, causing heavy casualties. In the latter attack, dozens of security personnel and civilians were taken hostage, 42 of whom were later saved by security forces.
The provocative attack on the army headquarters forced the military to make the final decision to launch the ground operation in the tribal area on Oct. 17.
But unbelievably, the U.S. forces on the Afghan side withdrew from their posts as the Pakistani security forces started the operation.
This move of the U.S. forces prompted Imtiaz Ahmad, former director of Pakistan's Intelligence Bureau, to question, "Are the lives of the U.S. soldiers more precious than those of the Pakistani soldiers?"
In complete ignorance of Pakistan's protests, U.S. drones have entered the Pakistani air space to bombard suspected militant hideouts, causing a lot of civilian casualties and triggering panic and demonstrations among local residents.
"There is no country in the world which has suffered as much as Pakistan as a frontline state, apart from Afghanistan, in its fight against militants, in its fight against the Taliban," said Talat Masood, retired lieutenant general and Pakistani security analyst.
THORNY ROAD AHEAD
On Dec. 1, Obama announced the Afghanistan strategy of deploying another 30,000 soldiers to the war-weary country.
Pakistani security analyst Talat Masood regard the U.S. new strategy as a proof that its previous policy on Afghanistan was a failure.
He said the objective this time is not so much to fight the Taliban as to protect the population of Afghanistan in order to create an environment for the U.S. exit.
However, Masood said, Pakistan and the United States have different national interests so they have different priorities. The problem is that the Americans want Pakistan to follow their national priorities, he added.
The U.S. claims that Pakistan has not done enough in the war on terror. But Pakistan holds that it has done a lot.
If Pakistan is able to clear the "safe havens" of the militants and establish the government's rule in those areas, it would surely help the U.S. forces in Afghanistan a lot, Masood said.
However, Pakistan faces many obstacles on the way to clear the Taliban "havens."
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said the increase of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan would drive militants in Afghanistan into Pakistan and thus put heavier burden on its security.
Analysts also believe that Pakistan would face more challenges and a severer security situation in the new year, which would accordingly affect its economic development and ordinary people's life.
Will Pakistan relieve burden of U.S. forces in Afghanistan?_English_Xinhua
