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The Battle for Pakistan: Militancy and Conflict in Pakistan's Tribal Regions

Monday, April 19, 2010 - 9:59 AM Share

Few places in the world have assumed as much importance for the United States and its allies since 2001 as Pakistan's northwestern tribal regions, which have served as a base for the mix of militants seeking to attack the governments, militaries, and civilians of the United States, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and others. In just over half of the serious plots against the West since 2004, alleged militants received training at camps in Pakistan.

Today, the New America Foundation's Counterterrorism Strategy Initiative and Foreign Policy magazine hosted an event for the launch of a unique series of policy papers, "The Battle for Pakistan," written by local Pakistani researchers and other experts on politics and militancy in Pakistan's tribal areas.

The New America Foundation is also pleased to present a series of detailed maps of Pakistan's tribal areas, "Mapping the Battle for Pakistan." Maps of each tribal agency and the Swat Valley are available on the pages below.

Stay tuned... Orakzai by Raheel Khan; Dir by Manzoor Ali; Frontier Regions by Khalid Kheshgi Khan.

A Majeed/AFP/Getty Images

EXPLORE:AFPAK CHANNEL, PAKISTAN
 

SURESH SHETH

1:42 PM ET

April 20, 2010

Pakistan's self-inflicted wounds

Pakistan is suffering from self-inflicted wounds and will continue to suffer as long as Pakistani governments continue to create, nurture and support innumerable terrorist outfits on its soil.

UN report on Bhutto killing published yesterday stated that ‘The Pakistani military organized and supported the Taliban to take control of Afghanistan in 1996‘. Bhutto’s democratic government supported such a Pakistani military move.

Nobody forced Pakistani government to facilitate relocation of Osama bin Laden from Sudan to Afghanistan in 1996. Bhutto's democratic government of Pakistan chose to do so of its own free will.

Ex-CIA official Bruce Riedel said in an interview on 1/29/2009 that ''In Pakistan, the jihadist Frankenstein monster that was created by the Pakistani army and the Pakistani intelligence service, is now increasingly turning on its creators. It's trying to take over the laboratory.'' Pakistani Army and Intelligence Service (ISI) chose to create this ‘jihadist Frankenstein monster’ with full blessings and financing by Pakistan’s democratic governments in 1990s.

Sandy Berger, Bill Clinton’s national security advisor told 9/11 Commission in March, 2004 that ’Pakistani Army was the midwife of Taliban’.

Declassified DIA Washington D.C., "IIR (intelligence Information Report) Pakistan Involvement in Afghanistan," dated November 7, 1996 states how "Pakistan's ISI is heavily involved in Afghanistan," and also details different roles various ISI officers play in Afghanistan. Stating that Pakistan uses sizable numbers of its Pashtun-based Frontier Corps in Taliban-run operations in Afghanistan, the document clarifies that, "these Frontier Corps elements are utilized in command and control; training; and when necessary combat“.

Declassified U.S. Department of State, Cable "Pakistan Support for Taliban" from Islamabad dated Sept. 26, 2000 states that "while Pakistani support for the Taliban has been long-standing, the magnitude of recent support is unprecedented." In response Washington orders the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad to immediately confront Pakistani officials on the issue and to advise Islamabad that the U.S. has "seen reports that Pakistan is providing the Taliban with materiel, fuel, funding, technical assistance and military advisors. [The Department] also understand[s] that large numbers of Pakistani nationals have recently moved into Afghanistan to fight for the Taliban, apparently with the tacit acquiescence of the Pakistani government." Additional reports indicate that direct Pakistani involvement in Taliban military operations has increased.

 

LAL QILA

10:18 AM ET

April 21, 2010

This is America's war

This is America's war and following the maddening America's policy of starting fires in every Muslim country to "bring democracy" (according to the biggest American Fool and a "president" George W Bush) is a utterly foolish and certainly a fools errand.

Meanwhile the Hindoo Indian Suresh Sheth continually re-pastes the same stuff over and over again. Apparently, his handlers at Indian RAW have a small intellectual output.

 

OPSUDRANIA

6:41 PM ET

April 25, 2010

America's War

Lal Qila Saheb,
Is it that you are hiding your identity of the muslim bug only to spew your venom on Indian Hindoos. I shall certainly not be the one to oblige you either. Because you have to learn to face the stark realities. Simply being aggressive and angry will not help you to kick out the Americans. In case you are a Pakistani, you are eating on their dollars they pay you in "Khairaat", you think you are fighting "This is America's War" foolishly.

I am sorry to be explicit but this is the fact. Your corrupt leaders do not allow you people in Pakistan to know the truth, while they enjoy the good wine and the western life. To believe me, you may look at this link:
http://www.ibitians.com/2008/11/20/governor-punjab-salman-taseer-family-wine-dance-pictures-scandal/
So you, now are convinced of the Pakistani leadership? Live in the realities before casting aspersions on Hindoos. You can do it but only at your disadvantage. It is only the Pakistani Muslims who are stupid. Indian Muslims living with Hindoos are intelligent enough(shohabat kaa ashar) to keep cool and use their brains unlike on the other side of the fence. Cool down and enjoy the Salman Saheb's dance/wine orgy. Have a nice time. God bless you.
Dr. O. P. Sudrania