Musharraf

[CharlieMike]

His unwillingness to allow us to provide any support inside Pakistan has allowed the Taliban and al Qaida to strengthen their positions in the tribal regions more than ever. He has always been playing both sides, particularly us, but the taliban's strength in Pakistan is at an all time high and growing

They have been rooted out everywhere in Afghanistan. There are random acts and rogue groups, but not a single stronghold left. But they own the Wazirstan regions and the other tribal areas along the border in Paksistan and been recruiting or killing everyone in those areas. They have even reportedly pushed into Peshawar.
I don't trust Musharraf. I don't trust what he says, and I don't trust his military. This is always a volitale area because of the extremists and the nukes, but the Pakistani elections are coming up and the taliban influence is spreading rapidly. They seem determined to get to Islamabad one way or the other. I think this is at the top of my concern list.

 

[Nivek]

His job is not to cater to the whims of the US or our people. If he allows the US to enter Pakistan, he is effectively saying 'I do not have control, and my military is weak' which is a dangerous thing when your country is already unstable and your neighbors have no love for you (India).

His goal is not our goal.

 

[BigOHorn]

In reply to:

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[CharlieMike]

Good points, but he was willing to let the taliban take over the tribal regions. He even signed peace accords with the taliban war lords in the Waziristan regions, which obviously didn't last. They have built up by some reports to around 10,000 in that area. When it warms up a tad and the land is more passable they will be on the move.
It's going to be a hell of a year.

 

[BigOHorn]

I was discussing this the other day with a friend of mine and i made the comment something to
"the next big war will be in pakistan after extrmists take over the entire northern half of that country"

I do hear what you're saying and don't disagree...I'm just not sure what Musharraf can currently do about it.

 

[RomaVicta]

Do you think it would have been a better use of our soldiers to have placed them in Afghanistan instead of Iraq?

 

[BigOHorn]

Roma not sure if you're asking me or not, but yes I do... Not sure how this is relative though to this thread..i may simply be missing your meaning... Even when we did have large numbers of troops there we weren't going into the tribal areas of Pakistan, at least not routinely to hunt for Osama .