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The Battle for Bajaur - PA seizes control

Will adjustments in U.S. anti-terror strategy successful?

English_Xinhua 2009-02-23 12:49:15

BEIJING, Feb. 23 -- The U.S. will send an additional 17,000 soldiers to Afghanistan, President Barack Obama announced on February 17. The U.S. plans to enlarge troops in Afghanistan from the present 34,000 to 66,000. Analysts believe that Obama's dispatch of 17,000 more troops is a way not only to fulfill his campaign promise, but also to revamp U.S. strategy against terrorism.

As Obama sees it, the U.S. focused too much on Iraq during the Bush administration, ignoring Afghanistan, the real central front in the anti-terror war. The overlook of Afghanistan allowed seemingly escalating terrorism, so now the new U.S. administration must shift the focus away from Iraq to Afghanistan. However, the deepest reason for reattaching significance to Afghanistan could also be its location at the crossroads of Eurasia, a crucial point in the eyes of some U.S. strategists.

Nevertheless, whether the mere tens of thousands troops will be able to deal with the threat posed in Afghanistan by a "resurgent" Taliban still remains a question. Even counting the overall troops sent by NATO allies, the military only totals little over 100,000.

Actually, information from American political insiders suggests that Obama's policy towards Afghanistan is not focusing only on "extermination." In an interview on February 17, Obama said that he is "absolutely convinced" that military means alone "cannot solve the problem of Afghanistan - the Taliban and the spread of extremism in that region." At the same time, the U.S. has to use diplomacy and to adopt measures to boost Afghanistan's development. The spokesman of the White House, Robert Gibbs, at the end of January also noted that the policy of the Obama administration towards Afghanistan will involve very "important non-military factors", including urging the Afghan government to enlarge its range of control to areas outside the capital and to fight corruption.

In addition, at the Munich Security Conference on February 8, Afghan President Hamid Karzai reiterated that his government is ready to reach a compromise with moderates within the Taliban. If he could not count on covert support from the U.S. government on this matter, Karzai would not retest the waters of peace negotiation while the U.S. plans to send more troops to his country.

It can be easily seen that the future U.S. policy towards Afghanistan will also bring about the use of the "smart power" frequently mentioned by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Increasing troops is the "hard measure," while policies like helping the Afghan government to consolidate its regime for gradually stabilizing the country will be the "soft measure".

The goals of the U.S.' strategy in Afghanistan are to sweep al-Qaeda members hiding in and haunting the country and to prevent terrorists led by Osama bin Laden from continuing their attacks against the U.S. Meanwhile, the U.S. will enhance the NATO cooperation and alliance to guarantee that NATO's first military action out of Europe will not fail. The U.S. can raise its leadership status among its allies and reinforce its presence in the heart of Eurasia by using these means.

However, if the U.S. wants to implement its plan to dispatch more troops in Afghanistan and to achieve its strategic goals, three premises are still needed.

First, the U.S. must stabilize South Asia, especially Pakistan and the India-Pakistan relationship. Currently, over 70 percent of the supply materials for the NATO troops are transported through Pakistan. If these logistics supply routes are affected, the international force would face considerable disturbances. In addition, Taliban militants have taken advantage of the special geographic and social conditions along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan to hide and haunt there. It is clear that without Pakistan's cooperation, the U.S. cannot win the war on terror.

Therefore, to safeguard its own interests in the fight against terrorism in South Asia, the U.S. must ensure a stable domestic and international environment for Pakistan and ease the tension between Pakistan and India. This makes it easy to understand why Obama appointed Richard Holbrooke as special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan issues, and why India is included in Holbrooke's first foreign visit. In fact, the "Afghan problem", the "Pakistani problem" and the "Indian-Pakistani problem" are all related.

Second, the U.S. must make sure that Russia is appeased. The Central Asia region, where Afghanistan lies, used to be Russia's backyard. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. raised its anti-terrorism war banner to move deep into this region and revoked the color revolution in Kyrgyzstan. To Russia, all this feels just like a thorn in the flesh. While relations between U.S. and Russia show signs of recovery after Obama's assumption of power, Russia's reactions to the U.S.' decision of increasing troops in Afghanistan are rather subtle. On February 3, Kyrgyzstan announced it would close the U.S. Manas Air Base established in its territory. The act is believed to be part of a strategy game between the U.S. and Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on February 6 that Russia will allow the U.S. to transport non-military cargo across the Russian territory to Afghanistan. He even hinted on February 11 that Russia might allow the transit of NATO and U.S. weapons via Russian land routes. Russia's determination to not allow the U.S. enjoying dominant control in the Afghan affair is rather noticeable. The way the U.S. deals with its "cooperative and competitive" relationship with Russia in the Afghan affair will test the U.S.' capability to realize its strategic goals in Afghanistan.

Third, the U.S. must learn to be pragmatic towards the actual conditions of Afghanistan. Newsweek magazine mentioned at the end of last year that "unlike Iraq, Afghanistan does not possess almost any of the prerequisites of modernity. Its literacy rate, for example, is 28 percent, barely a third of Iraq's. In terms of effectiveness and legitimacy, the government in Kabul lags well behind Baghdad." This shows that it will be difficult for the U.S. to copy its successful experiences in Iraq for Afghanistan. An article in a recent issue of German newspaper Die Zeit also stated that using massive capital in Iraq, the U.S. was able to at least make the Sunni temporarily believe that they should take action against terrorism, enabling Sunni tribal leaders to take part in the central government in Baghdad. Conversely, in Afghanistan "a powerful Kabul has always been an eyesore for tribal leaders".

It is an important move for Obama's diplomatic "New Deal" and for his anti-terrorism strategy to reduce troops in Iraq and dispatch more soldiers to Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, known as the "tomb of empires", the outcome of this move and its final winner is worthy of close attention from the whole world.
 
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Taliban announce truce in Bajaur

KHAR: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Monday announced a unilateral ceasefire and an end to resistance against security forces in Bajaur Agency. Speaking on their illegal FM radio, Bajaur TTP chief Faqir Muhammad said Pakistan was their country and its defence was their obligation. He said the Taliban did not want war against the government and the army, but some elements were fuelling differences between them, adding that the Taliban did not attack government installations and schools. hasbanullah khan

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
 
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Taliban announce truce in Bajaur

KHAR: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Monday announced a unilateral ceasefire and an end to resistance against security forces in Bajaur Agency. Speaking on their illegal FM radio, Bajaur TTP chief Faqir Muhammad said Pakistan was their country and its defence was their obligation. He said the Taliban did not want war against the government and the army, but some elements were fuelling differences between them, adding that the Taliban did not attack government installations and schools. hasbanullah khan

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

is it a season of truce???? gud for pakistan. but army shouldnt leave her positions
 
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Situation back to normal in Bajaur
Updated at: 1331 PST, Tuesday, February 24, 2009
BAJAUR: Life is returning back to normal in Bajaur Agency after the announcement of indefinite ceasefire by Taliban.

Local residents expressed gladness over ceasefire and chanted slogans in favour of Pakistan Army. Markets and shops have reopened in Agency and people started shopping.


Situation back to normal in Bajaur - GEO.tv
 
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Pakistan Taleban in Bajaur truce

Pakistani soldiers launched an operation in Bajaur in August
A senior Taleban figure in Pakistan's Bajaur district has announced a unilateral ceasefire.

Faqir Mohammad made the announcement in a radio speech.

Faqir Mohammad is thought to be the deputy of Baitullah Mehsud, who the Pakistani authorities say is the main Taleban commander in the region.

The military says it has seized the strategic Bachina heights in Bajaur and it remains to be seen whether it will agree to a ceasefire.

The military began its operation in Bajaur last August and has used it as proof of its commitment to tackle the Taleban in the restive north-west.

The truce move comes a week after a deal was signed between Pakistani officials and Taleban representatives to end an insurgency in the Swat region in return for the imposition of Sharia law.

Alliances

Faqir Mohammad said in his 30-minute speech: "We made this announcement of a unilateral ceasefire in the interest of Pakistan and our region.

"We advise our people not to take action against security forces."

He stressed that "Pakistan is our country and the Pakistan army is our army".



Faqir Mohammad said: "We don't want to fight the army, but some elements have been creating misunderstandings between us."

He said there were no foreign fighters in Bajaur.

"However, if we found any foreigners here, the Tehrik-e-Taleban Pakistan (TTP) would take action against them."


He warned that if drone attacks in Pakistani tribal areas continued "we will avenge them by attacking Western troops inside Afghanistan".

The announcement comes a day after the security troops dislodged militants from the strategic Bachina heights.

Military action has been lessening in Bajaur with the capture of several strategic points by the military.

It also came two days after the head of the TTP, Baitullah Mehsud, announced a new strategic alliance with two important non-TTP groups in Waziristan.

One is led by Mullah Nazir in South Waziristan and the other by Hafiz Gul Bahadur in North Waziristan.

The announcement did not specifically mention the militants of Swat, Bajaur and Mohmand as forming a part of the new alliance.

The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says many observers take this to mean that the Waziristan groups have decided to fend for themselves.

The Swat chapter of the TTP has already called a truce and the cleric, Sufi Muhammad, is brokering the peace talks between the Taleban and the government.

Our correspondent says observers believe some militants are on the retreat due to people's war fatigue, the recent realignments within different groups in anticipation of the new US strategy in the region and increasing international pressure on Pakistan to eliminate militant sanctuaries.


BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | Pakistan Taleban in Bajaur truce
 
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Pakistan wants NATO to seal off Afghan border along Bajaur

* FC chief says escape route should be cut off while Pakistani forces engage Taliban
* Says majority of Taliban in Bajaur foreigners amid continuing filtration

By Iqbal Khattak

PESHAWAR: The US and NATO should seal off Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan along Bajaur to clear the region of what remains of Al Qaeda and the Taliban, a top Pakistani general recommended on Monday.

“Our recommendation to them [the coalition forces and Afghanistan] is that while we are doing manoeuvres, please seal off the border,” Frontier Corps (FC) Inspector General Maj Gen Tariq Khan told Daily Times in interview. He said, “Foreign militants’ movement from Afghanistan does continue.”

The call for sealing off the Afghan border in Bajaur comes at a time when the second phase of 'Operation Sherdil' is in progress, following an interruption caused by tensions with India on the eastern border in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.

Foreigners: “The Taliban we are fighting now include only a few locals … most of them are foreigners coming from across the border. They are Arabic-speaking. We have picked up some Sudanese and (other) people who are different, not the same,” said Tariq while commenting on infiltrations from Afghanistan.

“I have been around here now for years, and the only thing I see is people coming from the other side. We have a mass movement of people coming here [from Afghanistan]. This issue has been taken up at the highest level.”

Liaison: The FC chief acknowledged close liaison with NATO forces in Afghanistan, and said interaction between the two sides was ‘improving’ amid US claims that Pakistan was ‘playing a double game’.

Tariq said tensions on the eastern border with India “affected the operation [in Bajaur] very much, and that is why we are a bit late in finishing it … because of the situation on the eastern border, some [military] assets were moved away [from the tribal area]”.

Success: He said that by the “middle of next month (March), we should secure Bajaur valley, where the paramilitary and army have so far lost 84 troops and officers and killed some 1,800-plus foreign and local militants since September 8 last year”.

Tariq said the Swat Taliban would not leave the valley and come to Bajaur, after a peace deal, as “they have stakes in Swat”.

The senior military commander proposed that a political process be launched only when the Taliban had been flushed from Bajaur. “We are better focused in Bajaur now. My suggestion is let us finish them off.”

He said internally-displaced persons from Bajaur were returning under a “controlled environment, and they are registered to have an impact on lines of communication, protection and security of the area”.

During another interview with the Reuters news agency at the Frontier Corp's headquarters in Peshawar’s historic Balahisar Fort, Tariq received word that his forces had taken the strategically important village of Barchina.

“It means that Charmang is now in our hands,” he said, referring to one of the remaining valleys leading to eastern Afghanistan.

He told Reuters that he was forced to carry out an offensive in neighbouring Mohmand Agency after the Taliban launched a major attack on his forces there last month.

The New York Times reported on Sunday that 70 American military advisers were in Pakistan training the army and paramilitary forces, but Tariq denied this, complaining at the inadequacy of US support.

“Are Americans giving us any lethal assistance? Do we get any rocket launchers or bombs or aircraft (from them)? We are getting nothing actually,” he said.

“What we are getting are bullet-proof jackets, helmets, water bottles ... medication, surveillance equipment and communication equipment,” he added.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
 
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Pakistan says wins key region on Afghan border

By Mian Khursheed Mian Khursheed

Pakistani has cleared a troubled tribal … KHAR, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pakistani forces have defeated Islamist militants in a strategically important region on the Afghan border and expect to clear militants out of other areas by the end of the year, a commander said on Saturday.

Pakistan's seven semi-autonomous ethnic Pashtun regions, known as agencies, are sanctuaries for al Qaeda and the Taliban and a victory against them would provide relief for U.S. and NATO forces hard-pressed by insurgents in Afghanistan.

Major-General Tariq Khan, who is commanding military operations in five of the seven agencies, said his paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) had driven militants out of Bajaur, the smallest of the agencies but a major infiltration route into Afghanistan, after a six-month offensive.

"They have lost. They have lost their cohesion here," Khan told reporters on a trip arranged by the military to Bajaur and Mohmand agencies. "The resistance has collapsed."

He said his forces had also largely restored "a reasonable state of stability," in the four other agencies under his command.

"If you are asking me about five agencies ... I think somewhere by the end of the year or so we would, more or less, be over with the military operations," he said.

Khan said his forces planned to hand over control of Bajaur, the most northerly of the tribal areas and opposite the Afghan province of Kunar, to government authorities next week.

In 2006, a CIA-operated pilotless drone aircraft fired missiles at a house in Bajaur in the belief that al Qaeda number two Ayman al Zawahri was there. At least 18 people were killed.

Khan said he had no information about Zawahri's whereabouts but his forces had killed and arrested several Arab fighters.

Officials say more than 1,500 militants were killed, along with about 100 soldiers, during the "Operation Sher Dil" launched in Bajaur in September. There has been no independent verification of that militant casualty estimate.

Hard-pressed militants led by an al Qaeda ally, Faqir Mohammad, this week declared a unilateral ceasefire in Bajaur. Khan said he rejected an offer of talks and went ahead with military operations.

DIFFERENT STRATEGIES

Khan's strategy appears different to the government's in the neighboring Swat valley, where authorities struck a deal with Islamists, agreeing to enforce Islamic sharia law, after militants virtually took control of the region in recent months.

Authorities also sealed peace deals with militants in North and South Waziristan agencies, two major sanctuaries for al Qaeda and Taliban militants on the Afghan border where U.S. drones have carried out more than 20 missile strikes since September.

Western countries have expressed concerns over Pakistan's policy of making deals with the militants, fearing the strategy provides breathing space for militants to regroup and intensify their insurgency against Western forces in Afghanistan.

Army spokesman Major-General Athar Abbas said the military and government had devised strategies to suit different areas.

"There is no single thread that runs across all the agencies ... so one has to deal according to what exactly the situation warrants. That's why the strategy applied in Swat is different and what is being applied in Bajaur is different."

Pakistani officials argue that military action against militancy must be backed by political support to reach a lasting solution. "There is no such thing as a military solution. It has to be a political solution," Khan said.

(Writing by Zeeshan Haider; Editing by Robert Birsel)
 
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Let Major-General Tariq Khan score with his Gora Sahib benefactors, and enjoy his limp wet eyed dissertations to Western journalists. Its ironic that he actually believes having killed 1600 “extremists”!. Actually the forces caused about 5000 civilian deaths and displacement of about 300,000 people.

FC cannot control even the Khyber Pass, just 15 kms from its Headquarter!
 
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“We are better focused in Bajaur now. My suggestion is let us finish them off.”

Whom is his worthy suggestion directed at? Being a serving Major-General his suggestions may ideally be directed at his Superiors?
 
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Whole Idea of Pakistan bsttling against Pakistanis gives me migraine and OCD.
 
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Whole Idea of Pakistan battling against Pakistanis gives me migraine and OCD.:flame:
 
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It's all for show:
Days after the guns fell silent, the army drove the international media into Inayat Killay to prove that one of the most notorious militant lairs in the wild, semi-autonomous tribal district of Bajaur was safe to visit....Local residents contacted by AFP afterwards said the Taliban had fled to the mountains and were still attacking security forces, proof that the battle was far from over.
 
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Mamoond tribe announces support to govt

By Hasbanullah Khan
March 03, 2009

KHAR: The Mamoond tribe of Bajaur Agency on Monday announced that they would support the government for the restoration of peace in the agency.

A jirga of the tribe held at the agency’s headquarters at Khar formed a 36-member committee to solve the tribesmen’s problems.

The jirga, consisting of around 400 tribal elders and religious leaders, announced support for the restoration of the government’s writ and banned the display of arms in the area.


The jirga also decided to take action against those creating a law and order situation in the area and said their actions would continue until the restoration of peace in the tehsil. The jirga also demanded the government open all roads, end the ban on ration, restore the privileges previously given to the tribal elders, allow the internally displaced people to return, reopen educational institutions, compensate for the losses incurred during the insurgency, supply electricity, release prisoners, and reinstate those discharged from service.

Bajaur Agency Political Agent Shafirullah Khan said the government wanted to restore the government’s writ in the area.
 
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Mehsud brought it on himself

* Washington Times report says Americans realise TTP chief is real threat

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: The US military, which avoided hitting Baitullah Mehsud’s forces in 2007 and 2008 when the Taliban leader waged a campaign of suicide bombings inside Pakistan has started sending unmanned aircraft to target them to pre-empt a Taliban spring offensive in Afghanistan.

This, according to a Washington Times analysis, is a potentially significant development because territory controlled directly by Mehsud does not touch the Afghan border. Mehsud’s Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has recently formed an alliance with two other warlords and through them now has an inlet to Afghanistan.

It quoted Sarfaraz Khan, a professor at the University of Peshawar, as saying: “In order to stop unifying Taliban groups from launching massive attacks against NATO and in particular newly arriving US troops in Afghanistan, such attacks have become indispensable on Americans’ part.”

This Sunday, two missile suspected to have come from US drones killed up to 12 people and injured scores in a Mehsud stronghold in South Waziristan.

Other attacks on Mehsud followers have been reported in Kurram and Khyber Agencies. Asked last week whether Mehsud posed a threat to US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, CIA director Leon Panetta said:

“Obviously ... we have identified those militants and terrorists that constitute a threat not only to US forces and to Americans and people in Afghanistan, but also those that constitute threats to the Pakistanis, and we are working with the Pakistanis to identify those who represent common threats to both of us in our efforts.”

Panetta added: “What is important is that we do everything possible to disrupt their leadership and to make sure that they are not able to come together in a way that makes them effective in terms of going after Americans.”

Both Pakistani and US officials have accused Mehsud of leading the December 2007 assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Mehsud denied involvement, and some PPP leaders later said they doubted he was responsible.

The apparent immunity of Mehsud and his forces from US drone attacks had prompted a spate of rumours that he was somehow involved with the Americans.

Syed Alam Mehsud, vice president of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party in the North West Frontier Province, said the missile strikes will have a profound impact.

“It seems the Americans have come to realise that after the unification of major Taliban groups and Baitullah being its head, the TTP chief is the real threat,” he said.

He added, “I think Baitullah’s turn has come. The reason is the anticipated spring offensive of Taliban to start in April and the arrival of thousands of additional [US troops] in Afghanistan’s south.”
 
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I found the article misleading. It suggests that heretofore he'd not been a target of ours. That's not true-

Strike Targets Mehsud's Hangout- Long War Journal June 2008

Then there was this reported attack in October-

Mehsud Compound Attacked- Long War Journal October 2008

I think that he's been on our radar more than indicated in the Washington Times.

The insinuation in the article and elsewhere that this phuck has been on our payroll somehow is ludicrous and insulting to most of us. We make no distinction between Omar, Mehsud, Bahadur, Rehman, Nazir, OBL, any of the others. They're ALL piss-ants in our eyes and eminently worthy of termination with extreme prejudice.
 
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