Tweet
WH Report: Distrust, Security Issues in Pakistan
Apr 06, 2011 5:39 AM EDT
WASHINGTON -- Pakistan's government has made little progress in the past year in battling militants, and there is "no clear path toward defeating the insurgency" in the country, according to a White House report that comes as the United States struggles to build its often shaky relationship with Islamabad.
While sections of the report speak of military gains in Afghanistan, it says the security situation in parts of Pakistan's border regions has deteriorated since fighting resumed in the last part of 2010. It also raises concerns about current political and economic problems on which Pakistan's government cannot make progress.
U.S. officials agree that Pakistan is critical to U.S. efforts to defeat Al Qaeda, since the terror group's leaders, including Osama bin Laden, are believed to be hiding in havens along Pakistan's mountainous border. The Pentagon has worked to bolster the Pakistani government's counterinsurgency program with money and training, and to encourage cross-border cooperation with Afghanistan.
Persistent efforts by U.S. leaders, including repeated visits to the country by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, have improved relationships between the two nations. The report describes recent setbacks, including the recent detention of CIA contractor Raymond Davis, but notes that efforts to overcome them have been somewhat successful. Davis, who was arrested for shooting and killing two Pakistani men in the city of Lahore, was freed eventually after $2.3 million in "blood money" was paid to the families of the deceased.
The report concludes that much more cooperation is needed between Afghanistan and Pakistan to eliminate insurgent havens and more definitively degrade Al Qaeda and other terror groups there. It points to Pakistan's failure to set up long-promised border control centers, much like Afghanistan has on its side of the border.
Using as an example efforts to clear the Brekhna region of militants, the report notes this is the third time the Pakistani military has tried to control that area.
But the military has been hindered by bad weather, a stubborn insurgency and the discovery of large caches of explosives, and has been unable to hold onto its gains or build on them.
"What remains vexing is the lack of any indication of `hold' and `build' planning or staging efforts to complement clearing operations," the report said. "As such, there remains no clear path toward defeating the insurgency in Pakistan despite the unprecedented and sustained deployment of over 147,000 forces."
The report compiled by the administration's national security advisers evaluates U.S. strategy and policies for Afghanistan and Pakistan. The unclassified version was released Tuesday. It updates reports from last year that claimed gains had been made in the Afghan war, and it says those advances are continuing, although they remain fragile.
On the political side, the report says Pakistan's government has been unable to resolve serious economic problems, including fuel price increases, tax reform and budget problems. And it criticizes Islamabad for failing to revamp the controversial blasphemy law. Last month, Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti was assassinated for supporting changes to the blasphemy law, which make it a capital offense to insult Islam.
The report calls the government response "muted," and said it "has increased the political space for extremist voices to dominate the public debate."
Separately, members of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee voiced deep skepticism Tuesday about U.S. policy in Pakistan, saying that despite billions of dollars in aid, most people there still hate America. They also questioned the chances of building democracy in the tribal society of Afghanistan.
Daniel Feldman, deputy special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said Al Qaeda was under pressure as never before at the Afghan-Pakistani border, and the Taliban's momentum has been reversed in south Afghanistan. He also said Pakistan's government is increasingly exerting control over its territory.
Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., said: "After hearing the same sales pitch for 10 years, I doubt it."
Feldman acknowledged the distrust that lingers on both sides of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship. But he said despite the added strains during the recent detention of Davis, the CIA contractor, the U.S. was deepening its ties with Pakistan's civilian government through dialogue and aid.
He said the U.S. had dispersed $1.5 billion in civilian aid in the past year under a bill authorizing $7.5 billion over a five-year period.
"A difficult partnership with Pakistan is far better than a hostile Pakistan," Feldman said, adding that a political and economic collapse in that country would affect the United States' vital national security interests.
Republican Rep. Steve Chabot said, however, that aid had failed to translate into progress on key security issues by Pakistan or a warmer view of the United States in that country.
"We spend all this money and they still hate us," Chabot said.
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, another Republican, said money the U.S. has spent on nation-building in Afghanistan "has been a waste" and radical Islam driven out after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the overthrow of the Taliban regime, was instead posing a growing threat to American security.
"It's not becoming more stable," he said.
http://www.foxnews.mobi/quickPage.ht...fma&pageNum=-1
Apr 06, 2011 5:39 AM EDT
WASHINGTON -- Pakistan's government has made little progress in the past year in battling militants, and there is "no clear path toward defeating the insurgency" in the country, according to a White House report that comes as the United States struggles to build its often shaky relationship with Islamabad.
While sections of the report speak of military gains in Afghanistan, it says the security situation in parts of Pakistan's border regions has deteriorated since fighting resumed in the last part of 2010. It also raises concerns about current political and economic problems on which Pakistan's government cannot make progress.
U.S. officials agree that Pakistan is critical to U.S. efforts to defeat Al Qaeda, since the terror group's leaders, including Osama bin Laden, are believed to be hiding in havens along Pakistan's mountainous border. The Pentagon has worked to bolster the Pakistani government's counterinsurgency program with money and training, and to encourage cross-border cooperation with Afghanistan.
Persistent efforts by U.S. leaders, including repeated visits to the country by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, have improved relationships between the two nations. The report describes recent setbacks, including the recent detention of CIA contractor Raymond Davis, but notes that efforts to overcome them have been somewhat successful. Davis, who was arrested for shooting and killing two Pakistani men in the city of Lahore, was freed eventually after $2.3 million in "blood money" was paid to the families of the deceased.
The report concludes that much more cooperation is needed between Afghanistan and Pakistan to eliminate insurgent havens and more definitively degrade Al Qaeda and other terror groups there. It points to Pakistan's failure to set up long-promised border control centers, much like Afghanistan has on its side of the border.
Using as an example efforts to clear the Brekhna region of militants, the report notes this is the third time the Pakistani military has tried to control that area.
But the military has been hindered by bad weather, a stubborn insurgency and the discovery of large caches of explosives, and has been unable to hold onto its gains or build on them.
"What remains vexing is the lack of any indication of `hold' and `build' planning or staging efforts to complement clearing operations," the report said. "As such, there remains no clear path toward defeating the insurgency in Pakistan despite the unprecedented and sustained deployment of over 147,000 forces."
The report compiled by the administration's national security advisers evaluates U.S. strategy and policies for Afghanistan and Pakistan. The unclassified version was released Tuesday. It updates reports from last year that claimed gains had been made in the Afghan war, and it says those advances are continuing, although they remain fragile.
On the political side, the report says Pakistan's government has been unable to resolve serious economic problems, including fuel price increases, tax reform and budget problems. And it criticizes Islamabad for failing to revamp the controversial blasphemy law. Last month, Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti was assassinated for supporting changes to the blasphemy law, which make it a capital offense to insult Islam.
The report calls the government response "muted," and said it "has increased the political space for extremist voices to dominate the public debate."
Separately, members of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee voiced deep skepticism Tuesday about U.S. policy in Pakistan, saying that despite billions of dollars in aid, most people there still hate America. They also questioned the chances of building democracy in the tribal society of Afghanistan.
Daniel Feldman, deputy special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, said Al Qaeda was under pressure as never before at the Afghan-Pakistani border, and the Taliban's momentum has been reversed in south Afghanistan. He also said Pakistan's government is increasingly exerting control over its territory.
Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., said: "After hearing the same sales pitch for 10 years, I doubt it."
Feldman acknowledged the distrust that lingers on both sides of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship. But he said despite the added strains during the recent detention of Davis, the CIA contractor, the U.S. was deepening its ties with Pakistan's civilian government through dialogue and aid.
He said the U.S. had dispersed $1.5 billion in civilian aid in the past year under a bill authorizing $7.5 billion over a five-year period.
"A difficult partnership with Pakistan is far better than a hostile Pakistan," Feldman said, adding that a political and economic collapse in that country would affect the United States' vital national security interests.
Republican Rep. Steve Chabot said, however, that aid had failed to translate into progress on key security issues by Pakistan or a warmer view of the United States in that country.
"We spend all this money and they still hate us," Chabot said.
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, another Republican, said money the U.S. has spent on nation-building in Afghanistan "has been a waste" and radical Islam driven out after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and the overthrow of the Taliban regime, was instead posing a growing threat to American security.
"It's not becoming more stable," he said.
http://www.foxnews.mobi/quickPage.ht...fma&pageNum=-1
"As such, there remains no clear path toward defeating the insurgency in Pakistan despite the unprecedented and sustained deployment of over 147,000 forces."
LOL here are some facts
In march 2004 80,000 Pakistani troops entered the FATA, and as the above statement records that to be 147,000 wow indeed a huge increase which means its almost doubled. The fact that FATA population only representing some 2 % of total Pakistani population indeed a country like Afghanistan having same number is very shocking. What does it point into? meaning 1 Pakistani army = controlling 27 person, since 56% are female women that means 1 armed men=controlling 12 males? if we go down with male children under age of 15 representing 38% and olders men over 65 only 19% that leaves us with 47% of men being over age of 15 meaning 1 armed personal vs 5 innocent pakhtuns.
After all Pakistan only had 30 border post during Ayab Khan increased to 150 in 1980s nd by 2010 they had 821 border posts, where as Afghanistan had non until 1955 only 40 and that increased into 90 during 1960s conflict with Pakistani army, and by 1980s it was 300 posts compare with Pakistan since they had little control over the western borders due to Russian invasion and with help local tribemen Pakistan finally for the first time did reached 100 border posts. Where as right now in Afghanistan the coalition/ANSF only has 112 border posts. Since 2004 and up to 2010 Pakistan reached to 821 border posts.
Indeed shocking to local people cause reconsider what Pakistan is doing there is nothing more than occupation, building border post, destorying people's peace of mind and freedom, and trying to main full control.
821 Border posts lol Musharaf actually did what Ayub Khan wanted since ages and thanks to American funds, Pakistan is stronger and more stable than it ever was.
Pakistan You deserve a salute. Your mighty army was not used against any enemy of Islam, or to Iran, Afghanistan, Israel or India but rather for your own innocent people and killing your own people until you are in full control. Pakistan You have more than 600,000 active troops, and from that more 60% or some stimated 420,000 are present just in two of your own western provinces.
Ironically your treditional historic enemy India bordered with same lenght as with Afghanistan and yet only has less than 90,000 troops and yes we also know your great reputation with UN mission in other countries increased to 11,000. Good job. Don't worry as long as the Mother Queen UK and their honorable son uncle Sam lives you will not be left alone. Inshallah with the help of America you will shine.
I don't think Pakistan is failed because Pakistan is not there to fight Terrorist but rather there simply for their own benefits ie occupation.
Comment