Pakistan and the Taliban

Defence News, 22 September 2008.

US Lt. Col. Chris Nash has alleged that Pakistan has repeatedly flown helicopter missions into afghanistan to resupply the Taliban during a fierce battle in June 2007. According to Nash, The Pakistani forces not only sent helicopter missions, but also provided logistical support, training, and even direct and indirect fire for the Talivan and its allies in his area of operations.

Apparently, the Afghan government's intelligence service, the National Directorate of Security, had sources which confirmed that the helicopters were on a supply mission. While Nash hardly relies on Afghan reports, they were confirmed by a separate set of Marine trainers advising an Afghan National Army Battalion in the region.

While there is dispute both in the US military and Pakistani officials as to the truth of the matter, it is an undeniable fact that the fluidity (i use this word extremely flexibly) of the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has indeed provided the Taliban/Al-Qaeda with a secure hiding base. As to whether Pakistan is helping the Taliban, that awaits to be seen. But it is not too far a deduction to say that corrupt and inept Pakistan is sabotaged by it's own people - insiders perhaps, who may surreptitiously aid the enemy in return for monetary benefits. OR maybe tribal-religious ties are stronger than national ties in that region. OR maybe it's a grand Pakistani plan to keep the US 'interested' in the region and use their soft power to legitimise their clearly not-so-democratic political scene.

Whatever the case, the Republican policy towards Pakistan is horribly naive.

MR. D