Pakistan Problems Persist

Steve Schippert:

Two things have become clear in 2007. One is that Pakistan is no longer an effective ally in the war on terror. Pakistan has lost its ability, if the troubled state ever had it, to combat terrorists inside large swaths of its borders. The second is that while containment of al-Qaeda may delay horrific attacks, it does not stop them and only increases the eventual need to confront the enemy on the battlefield. These, along with other lessons learned in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, are the lessons we must heed to determine that there is but one unacceptable option in dealing with our enemies' growth in Pakistan. Simply stated, we cannot ignore the situation while hoping for a renewed and vigorous push by the Pakistani military against the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

If we choose to examine the situation in some detail, and we must, we will see both the imperative for action on our part as well as the potential for dealing a third devastating blow to al-Qaeda. The first devastating blow was the crushing of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and the second was and is the on-going operations in Iraq. Both altered the course of operations for al-Qaeda in such a way as to divert their attentions away from offensive attacks and towards survival. From Afghanistan, al-Qaeda found refuge in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan. From Iraq, should our current efforts continue unabated, they'll find no refuge but defeat.

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He has much more on the problems there and the time we have given al Qaeda while waiting for Pakistan to take responsible action. Bill Roggio discusses what is looking like a serious setback for Pakistan in its Swat campaign.

The situation in Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province has grown markedly worse over the past 24 hours. One day after the military claimed to have killed 70 Taliban in Swat and denied its soldiers were captured, the Taliban paraded 48 captured paramilitary soldiers from the Frontier Corps.

The captured soldiers surrendered after being surrounded by a large formation of Taliban troops. Upwards of 700 troops surrounded a hilltop in Swat, Dawn reported. The soldiers were airdropped on the hilltop days ago and have been besieged since then. The BBC stated an additional 100 Pakistani troops have deserted in Swat.

Last week, Indian intelligence reported the Pakistani military is widely demoralized by the fighting, as well as the abductions and beheadings at the hands of the Taliban and al Qaeda in the Northwest Frontier Province. Taliban attacks against government troops outside the Northwest Frontier Province have also eroded the morale of the Pakistani soldier. Just yesterday, a Taliban suicide bomber struck bus carrying air force personnel in Punjab province, killing at least eight. The fighting in Swat began after a suicide bomber attacked a convoy in the district, killing 30.

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This appears to be the product of poor leadership and poor training of the Pakistani troops as well as poor situational awareness and intelligence. Pakistan has a large army and it can send more troops to the region to overwhelm the Taliban forces and it should do so before it further embarrasses itself.