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| India-Pakistan |
| US Concerned Over Al-Qaida's Access To Pak Tribal Territory |
| 2002-12-24 |
| Source: Daily Pakistan There is increasing concern in Washington over the ease with which suspected al Qaeda fighters and other elements from the Taliban movement slip in and out of Afghanistan into Pakistanâs tribal areas. US officials have been urging Pakistan to âdo moreâ to police its side of the border. Christina Rocca, assistant secretary of state in charge of South Asia, during her recent visit to Pakistan, made this point strongly in her discussions with senior Pakistani officials. She also called on the Prime Minister. "People are starting to talk, y'know..." There is a feeling here that Pakistan is âmore unwilling than unableâ to come down with a heavy hand on the tribal areas because of the sensitivity of the relationship the federal government has traditionally maintained with tribal elders who administer their own affairs in a more or less un-interfered-with manner. Again, with the induction of an MMA government in Peshawar, the federal authorities are careful not to âraise the temperatureâ on this delicate issue more than they have to. Wouldn't want to irritate Fazl and Sami... Lt. Gen. Danile McNeill, commander of the US forces in Afghanistan, said that Pakistan could help more by placing more troops in the tribal areas. Putting it mildly... Asked about the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden and Mullah Mohammad Omar, he said that if they were still alive, they were not in Afghanistan. He did not say where he thought they might be. But he added that he didn't think it was Omaha or Samoa. I think he means he doesn't know if they're in Quetta or Peshawar... |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |