 Meeting a key Pentagon demand, Pakistan's military is planning to move a major unit of its regular army into the Tribal Areas, Pakistani commanders have told US military officials, according to report by the Los Angeles Times (LAT).
| Whoa! What brought that on? The Tribal Areas are so peaceful and well-behaved... |
The army unit would supplement the Frontier Corps, a senior US military officer said. A fully trained and equipped army unit would represent a change -- long sought by US officials -- in Islamabad's stance toward the troubled region.
| Right. Rather than using the Boy Scouts they'll be using the Mighty Pak Army. Tremble, ye turbans! |
However, the LAT report goes on, US officials also question how effective or long-lasting the Pakistani push is likely to be.
| My somewhat educated guess would be somewhere between zip and squat, but I'm not sure what the margin of error would be. |
"I think they are sincere in addressing what we have identified as the problem, but I am not sure they have wrapped their minds or their enthusiasm over what it will actually take," the officer said.
| "In fact, I think they'd rather be in Philadelphia." |
"They are answering our request, but not in a way that will produce an enduring solution," he added. |