America suffers setback in battle against Taliban

Pakistan, the United States’ chief ally in the war on global terrorism, has told the Obama administration that it will not conduct any new military assaults on Taliban strongholds near the Afghan border.

The reaction from U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who visited Pakistan this week, reflects an understanding of what is taking place in that part of the world.

“We have to do this in a way that is comfortable for them, and at a pace that they can accommodate and is tolerable for them,” Gates said. “Frankly, I’m comfortable doing that. I think having them set that pace as to what they think the political situation will bear is almost certainly the right thing to do.”

Pakistani officials said that the Army is overstretched and, thus, there can be no new operations against Islamic militants for the next six to 12 months.

America is leading a war in Afghanistan against the Taliban militants who are determined to return to power and establish an Islamic republic. But the success of the operation to ensure a stable democratically elected government in Kabul depends on the destruction of Taliban sanctuaries along the border with Pakistan.

The North Waziristan area, where leaders of the Haggani network are located, is the prime target, and the Obama administration was hoping the Pakistan’s military would go on the offensive there. The Haggani is considered the most dangerous insurgent group in Afghanistan.

However, with this week’s declaration by Pakistan to Gates, the U.S. and its allies will have to contend with an enemy that has become emboldened in the last year.

Suicide bombing

Indeed, last month’s suicide bombing at a CIA outpost just across the border from Pakistan in Khost is a stark reminder of just how dangerous the North Waziristan tribal area has become. The bomber traveled from the area to the CIA outpost.

The explosion killed seven CIA employees and a Jordanian working with them.

The Afghanistan government of President Hamid Karzai has warned that failure to rid the border area of Taliban extremists and members of al-Qaida will undermine the stability of his country. Militants have succeeded in taking control of some areas with the help of chieftains who were supporters of the Taliban when they ruled the country and are now opposed to the presence of foreign troops, especially those belonging to the U.S., in Afghanistan.

Now, however, the insurgents will be redoubling their efforts since they will not be under siege in their shelters. As a result, the United States and its allies will have to decide whether to launch attacks along the border from Afghanistan. That could be risky, given rising anti-American sentiment in Pakistan.

Many Pakistanis are blaming the increase in terrorist activities — they have resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries — on America’s attacks along the border using unmanned drones equipped with missiles.

Civilians have been killed and that has undermined the public’s support for America.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari’s warning to the Obama administration that civilian support for the war on global terrorism decreases as civilian deaths increase must be taken seriously.

This cannot be seen as America’s war against Islam, which is what the militants claim every time there are civilian casualties as a result of missile strikes.

Defense Secretary Gates’ reaction to the Pakistanis was appropriate. However, the U.S. and its allies will have to change their war strategy to deal with the increased activity by the Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan.