US shift seen to Pakistan, Afghanistan

[onehandle]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - In a shift with profound implications, the Bush administration is attempting to re-energize its terrorism-fighting war efforts in Afghanistan, the original target of a post-Sept. 11 offensive. The U.S. also is refocusing on Pakistan, where a regenerating al-Qaida is posing fresh threats.

There is growing recognition that the United States risks further setbacks, if not deepening conflict or even defeat, in Afghanistan, and that success in that country hinges on stopping Pakistan from descending into disorder.

Privately, some senior U.S. military commanders say Pakistan's tribal areas are at the center of the fight against Islamic extremism; more so than Iraq, or even Afghanistan. These areas border on eastern Afghanistan and provide haven for al-Qaida and Taliban fighters to regroup, rearm and reorganize.

This view may explain, at least in part, the administration's increasingly public expressions of concern.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080128/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/terror_war_turns

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Bush is just stirring up shit to focus the election on "terra." Or if McCain loses, to cause trouble for the coming Democratic President. He knows he's not going to get his Iran war, so this is Plan B.

Also to enhance his "legacy."

[shaniqua6392]

1. This is really something to pay attention to.

While everyone is playing the game of "my candidate is better than your candidate", Bush is in the background smacking another hornets nest. As if two wars were not enough, he wants to start some more turmoil before the Republicans are kicked out of the White House.

[Kolesar]

2. The Bushies have to explain this and that Iraq is the "central front in the war on terror"

Which is to say that Bush's bullshit rationale for the occupation of Iraq just got a little weaker.

[legin]

3. This may well have been said before...

but I'm beginning to think that this bit here:

"Privately, some senior U.S. military commanders say Pakistan's tribal areas are at the center of the fight against Islamic extremism; more so than Iraq, or even Afghanistan. These areas border on eastern Afghanistan and provide haven for al-Qaida and Taliban fighters to regroup, rearm and reorganize."

was what got Benazir Bhutto killed.

She is sitting on her arse in exile in Dubai, getting really bored. Then she thinks "what can I offer the u.s. that they will shoehorn me back into power ?"

The answer would be a free-hand in 'Pakistan's tribal areas' (ie lots of carpet-bombing).

This would have annoyed Al-Qeida, but would probably have been a disaster for Pakistan (think Cambodia). Hence the 'efficiency' with which see was dispatched.

[legin]

4. A bit from the AEI (sept 07)

"Pakistan is facing tremendous pressure to take on the threat posed by the Taliban-al Qaeda nexus in its "tribal belt" along its border with Afghanistan. Topping the list of U.S. demands is the concerted use of the Pakistan army to stem and roll back extremist influence. What is required is a classic counterinsurgency campaign within Pakistani territory. Pakistan's neighbor and traditional rival India provides a model for tackling this challenge."

...

(more)
http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.26888/pub_detail.asp
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I don't think the Pakistan army would be very keen at all to go into the tribal belt en masse, hence the need for the u.s. to be 'asked' to do it.

[bemildred]

5. More whack-a-mole.

Anybody that goes into the mountains there with the idea of "taking control" is dumber than a box of rocks.