U.S. should not let Pakistani tribal leaders call the shots

Two newspaper reports this week aptly demonstrate the challenges confronting the United States in its war on global terrorism. The first dealt with a warning to the Bush administration from Pakistani tribal leaders along the border with Afghanistan not to send American soldiers into their territories in search of Al-Qaida operatives and their Taliban supporters.
The second news story addressed the persistent reports from that part of the world that Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of global terrorism and head of the Al-Qaida network, has been seen crossing the Afghanistan-Pakistan border on numerous occasions.
Therein lies the dilemma for President Bush as he strives to keep his promise to the American people that the United States will not rest until every last international terrorist is brought to justice. Since the Sept. 11 attacks on America's mainland, Bush has made the war on terrorism and security at home his top priorities.
The president's message to the world community has been unequivocal: You're either with us or against us.
But it seems that the tribal leaders in Pakistan, many of whom are suspected of being supporters of bin Laden and Al-Qaida, have either not received the message or have chosen to ignore it. Regardless, the Bush administration cannot permit such a challenge to stand.
Goal: The president should make it clear to the tribal chiefs and to Pakistan's government that the United States will not be intimidated or dissuaded from achieving its goal of ridding the world of bin Laden and his ilk. Pakistan, which emerged as one of America's staunchest allies in the war in Afghanistan, must realize that the anti-terrorism campaign knows no national boundaries.
If bin Laden and Al-Qaida are suspected of receiving sanctuary in Pakistan from tribal leaders along the border or from Muslim extremists whose goal is to overthrow the Pakistani government of Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the United States has every right to mount a military operation in that region. It would simply be a continuation of the Afghanistan invasion.
President Bush ordered the invasion shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorists attacks when the Taliban government in Afghanistan refused to hand over bin Laden and his top lieutenants in Al-Qaida. Indeed, even though the Taliban was ousted from government, bin Laden and many of his faithful have slipped through the U.S.' grasp.
And so long as they are free, this country remains in harm's way. That is why American soldiers must have access to all parts of the region.
The comments of Kama Khan Zadran, military commander and deputy governor of Khost Pro-vince, Afghanistan, provide some perspective on what is taking place. Zadran told the Christian Science Monitor that Al-Qaida is trying to unite against U.S. forces and that an attack is imminent.
"There will be a big operation against the Americans soon," Zadran warned. It's a warning that must be taken seriously.