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Pakistan steps up al-Qaeda search
Pakistan has sent more than 1,000 troops near Afghanistan's borders as it steps up its search for suspected al-Qaeda and Taleban militants. The move comes shortly after US press reports said that Washington was not pleased with Pakistan's efforts in the region. That'll make the fundos squeal like piggies, but it might stop the U.S. from just tromping through without asking. They're rotating the 82nd Airborne into Afghanland to replace the 101st, and they're gonna want something to do... This is the first time in more than 50 years that such a large number of Pakistani troops have gone into a semi-autonomous tribal region, where the writ of the federal authorities has not been accepted since the British colonial days. "Welcome to the 18th Century! Wanna see my scimitar?" Some US personnel are working with Pakistani troops there, but they say it is frustrating not to be able to send a larger conventional force into the area. Depending on what happens in the immediate future, it might not be good to frustrate us... Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2002-05-16 |
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