| American air power, special forces, and intelligence operatives have begun operating inside Pakistan’s western borders in their hunt for fleeing al-Qaeda fighters. U.S. operations in Pakistan follows a "secret agreement" between Washington and Islamabad to allow "hot pursuit" of al-Qaeda fighters fleeing across the border from Afghanistan. The secret deal will allow U.S. troops to hunt the fighters on the ground and fire on them from the air, but it will also be on a case-by-case basis, with the United States required to ask permission each time. |