Success in Afghanistan Hindered by Pakistan's Dangerous Balancing Act, Deutsche Welle, 26 January 2010
EXCERPT: "Pakistan's complicated relationship with Islamic militant groups, its internal and external strategic aims and its need for Western aid and support is hindering progress in the fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan... Pakistan has long been seen as the key to success against the Taliban insurgency. While the Taliban has returned in significant numbers to its heartlands in the southern provinces of Afghanistan, the tribal areas along the Afghan border inside Pakistan are accepted as being the main center of operations from which the insurgency is planned and executed. In what appears to be a concerted effort to eliminate the Taliban in the restive tribal regions of North and South Waziristan, Pakistan launched an on-going military offensive last October. Pakistan has since claimed victories in South Waziristan where its army has dismantled Taliban bases and infrastructure while expelling thousands of their fighters from the region over which they once had complete control. On the surface, it appears that Pakistan is making good on the promises it made to the Bush administration in the first years of the war when then President Pervez Musharraf agreed to help in the 'war on terror' in exchange for financial and military aid from the United States. However, while the operation in South Waziristan has seen some positive results, this is offset by Pakistan's apparent reluctance to target insurgents who infiltrate into Afghanistan from North Waziristan to attack the foreign forces across the border."
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Related articles:
US, Pakistan coordinate military operations against terrorists, VOA News, 26 January 2010
Kabul attack "linked to Pakistan", Al Jazeera, 26 January 2010
On the trail of the Taliban in Quetta, BBC News, 25 January 2010
Pakistan dismisses 30 gov't employees over Taliban links, China View, 22 January 2010
How Gates, Mullen are building US military's ties with Pakistan, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 January 2010
US-Pakistan military cooperation on the increase: WSJ report, DAWN, 5 January 2009
Related primary sources:
Ambassador Eikenberry's cables on US strategy in Afghanistan, November 2009 [Pakistan noted on page 5], The New York Times, January 2009
Related posts:
Urging cooperation, US offers drones, 22 January 2010
Despite renewed pressure from US, Pak army says no new offensives planned, 21 January 2010
US "trusts" Pak military on N Waziristan offensive, 14 January 2010
The Quetta Shura Taliban in southern Afghanistan, 12 January 2010
Pakistan split over US demand for attack on Afghan Taliban, 16 December 2009
Why Pakistan won't fight the Afghan Taliban, 20 November 2009
