 Militants are using bases in Pakistan to stage attacks in Afghanistan, an Afghan general said yesterday, intensifying a row between the two countries over operations in a border area where Osama Bin Laden is believed to be hiding. "All terrorists come from that side of the border. They fight in Afghanistan and when they face problems, they go back, get reinforced and equipped and come back for fighting," Afghan army Gen. Shir Mohammad Karimi told reporters.
| Even given the news filtration system we contend with here, that's a fact that's pretty well inescapable. We've commented a number of times that the Talibs are a Pak phenomenon much more than they are Afghan. |
"This issue is as clear as sun for all the world to see that fighting is in Afghanistan and armed terrorists and weapons come from other places here and are being used against Afghans," Karimi said.
| The number of actual Afghans bumped off in clashes with the "Taliban" pales next to the Pak corpse count... |
His comments came days after Pakistan protested to the US military over what it said was a recent spike in Al-Qaeda-linked militants sneaking across the rugged frontier from south and southeastern Afghanistan. Pakistani Lt. Gen. Safdar Hussain, whose 70,000 troops have fought pitched battles with rebels in Pakistan's restive tribal regions, said Wednesday he had voiced his concerns to the US and Afghan forces. Hussain also hit out at the chief of US forces in Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. David Barno, after the American was quoted as saying that a new Pakistani-US operation was imminent in the tribal area of North Waziristan.
| Maybe they have 70,000 troops including the tribal lashkars, and maybe they've fought some pitched battles, but they're not controlling their national territory. |
But Karimi said: "In theory (Pakistani forces) show 100 percent commitment that they are fighting terrorism, but in actions it is clear that they do not have the control to abolish these hideouts totally."
| It might have something to do with the drums... |
"Possibly it is their policy that they don't want to do it or possibly they are afraid that their tribal people may rise up against them," he added.
| My guess is yes, to both. I can see a day coming in the not too distant future where the Afghan side of the border is the quiet, orderly side. |
Pakistan is a frontline ally of the United States in its so-called war on terrorism. It has captured or killed hundreds of militants who have moved back and forth across the porous border after the fall of the Taleban in late 2001.
| And missed a lot more. And allowed the Taliban to maintain open enclaves on their soil. In fairness, they've been hobbled by the MMA, which is on the side of the Bad Guyz, but also in fairness, they've allowed the MMA to administer the hobble. |
Meanwhile, members of a new Afghan border force backed by US troops have seized 479 kg of heroin and netted seven suspected smugglers, the US military said. Afghanistan is the world's major producer of heroin and drug trafficking is one of the country's most serious problems as it strives for stability after decades of conflict. "This is counternarcotics at its best. The entire operation was planned, led and executed by the Afghans," US Army Maj. Anthony W. Oliver said in a statement. "All we supplied was coaching, mentoring and some logistics," he said of US involvement in the seizure near the Iranian border last weekend.
| As we've noted before, they're good troops, given proper leadership. I'm not surprised. |
The street value of the seized heroin was about $2 million, the US military said. Most drugs from Afghanistan end up in Europe and Western countries have promised millions of dollars in aid to fight the drugs trade. The April 17 bust on the northwestern frontier with Iran also netted seven Afghans suspected of smuggling operations, the US military statement said, adding that the men were now being held by Afghan security forces. |