Pakistan unwilling for operations against terrorists: US
World
Pakistan unwilling for operations against terrorists: US
A new White House assessment of Pakistan faults its campaign against militants and, in blunt language, says the government and military have been unwilling to take action against Al-Qaeda and like-minded terrorists.The unusually critical assessment, part of a report sent to Congress this week, appears at odds with more upbeat pronouncements by top Obama administration and Pentagon officials who have publicly praised Islamabad's performance in the fight against militants. The White House's findings on Pakistan could aggravate tense relations with the US ally after a series of cross-border raids by North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces from Afghanistan prompted Islamabad to shut a key crossing used to deliver supplies to the US-led coalition. In recent weeks, the US has stepped up missile strikes against militants on Pakistani soil, an indication that it sees Islamabad as unable or unwilling to act against these groups. The Pakistan military continued to avoid military engagements that would put it in direct conflict with Afghan Taliban or Al-Qaeda forces in North Waziristan, the White House concludes. This is as much a political choice as it is a reflection of an under-resourced military prioritizing its targets. While the Pakistani military has dedicated 140,000 forces to the tribal areas, they are still struggling to mount a counterinsurgency campaign against militants. Pakistani officials have said the military is stretched too thin to chase all militant targets.
