The top US military officer said on May 21 he is concerned that the US troop build-up to oust insurgents from Afghanistan could further destabilise neighbouring Pakistan, according to Daily Times. However, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm Mike Mullen, speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the military planning is under way to try to avoid that. Mullen said he believes the upcoming increase of 21,000 US forces in Afghanistan “is about right” for the new strategy of trying to quell the insurgency and speed up training of Afghan Security Forces. Mullen urged the US lawmakers to support military and economic assistance programmes for Pakistan in a manner that helps build trust with the South Asian nation and advance US goals to get rid of Al Qaeda threat in the region.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Afghan troop surge may destabilize Pakistan, says US General
The top US military officer said on May 21 he is concerned that the US troop build-up to oust insurgents from Afghanistan could further destabilise neighbouring Pakistan, according to Daily Times. However, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm Mike Mullen, speaking to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the military planning is under way to try to avoid that. Mullen said he believes the upcoming increase of 21,000 US forces in Afghanistan “is about right” for the new strategy of trying to quell the insurgency and speed up training of Afghan Security Forces. Mullen urged the US lawmakers to support military and economic assistance programmes for Pakistan in a manner that helps build trust with the South Asian nation and advance US goals to get rid of Al Qaeda threat in the region.
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The AfPak/PakAf strategy sets out a pathway, that we've been along before. US failure to bring peace and order to the Pashtoon belt, is now the joint responsibility of the US and Pakistan military. There's lots of talk about financial aid, military upsurges, engaging Pakistan's civil and military leadership and nation building through increased diplomatic ties etc. There are promises of huge amounts of US dollars being pumped into Pakistan to manage (through brute force if needed) the restive Khyber. With an impoverished economy, the obligations to comply are self-evident. The US calls the shots. Pakistan pulls the trigger.
Isn't this a case of US policy to Afghanistan being directed through Pakistan another instance of déjà vu? Think Afghan Mujahideen vs the Soviets - it was to all effects America's war too, chanelled through Pakistan.
Tor_Khan
torkhan.blogspot.com
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