Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Wall Street Journal (wsj.com)
June 26, 2008 WASHINGTON (AFP)--U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that Pakistan's failure to put pressure on Taliban forces on the country's border with Afghanistan has fueled a rise in violence, but he also said Pakistan appeared to recognize the problem.
A 40% spike in violence in east Afghanistan in the first five months of 2008 "is a matter of concern, of real concern, and I think that one of the reasons that we're seeing the increase ... is more people coming across the border from the frontier area," Gates told a news conference.
He said "the ability of the Taliban and other insurgents to cross that border and not being under any pressure from the Pakistani side of the border is clearly a concern."
Gates said the issue "needs to be addressed with the Pakistani government" that came to power after February 18 elections amid protests against President Pervez Musharraf.
He said cross-border infiltration and violence had increased in the past few months after peace deals were negotiated with Taliban elements and other militants.
"What has happened is that as various agreements have been negotiated or were in the process of negotiation with various groups by the Pakistani government, there was the opportunity - the pressure was taken off of these people and these groups.
"And they've therefore been more free to be able to cross the border and create problems for us."
But he said he was encouraged by the response from Pakistan to the problem, citing a statement by the prime minister that the government plans to "reassert its control and authority in the northwest frontier province."
"The fact that the Pakistani government itself has recognized that this is a problem and that these groups' activities are a problem for the Pakistani government as well as for those of us in Afghanistan, I think is a heartening sign," Gates said. "And my hope is that the prime minister's statement today indicates a willingness to reassert that pressure."
Gates spoke amid unease in Washington and Kabul over Pakistan's efforts to broker deals with Taliban militants.
Pakistan has denied charges from U.S. and Afghan officials that it is turning a blind eye to Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces based in restive tribal zones, saying it faces a porous border and that security forces have had bloody clashes with the militants.
Relations between the United States and Pakistan have been strained since a U.S. air raid in Pakistan on June 11. Washington said it was targeting militants but Pakistan said 11 of its soldiers were killed.
In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, a U.S.-led coalition ousted the Taliban regime in Afghanistan over its support for the Al-Qaeda network.
Violence in the region has steadily increased in the past two years despite the presence of some 70,000 multinational troops in Afghanistan, including soldiers under U.S. command and others under NATO's authority.
Gates said he was encouraged by commitments from NATO allies to deploy more troops, including 700 soldiers from France due to arrive this summer. And he said the United States plans on sending significant reinforcements in 2009.
In Kyoto, Japan, the Group of Eight powers pledged $4 billion Thursday to aid the Afghan-Pakistan border with 150 development projects.
June 26, 2008 WASHINGTON (AFP)--U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that Pakistan's failure to put pressure on Taliban forces on the country's border with Afghanistan has fueled a rise in violence, but he also said Pakistan appeared to recognize the problem.
A 40% spike in violence in east Afghanistan in the first five months of 2008 "is a matter of concern, of real concern, and I think that one of the reasons that we're seeing the increase ... is more people coming across the border from the frontier area," Gates told a news conference.
He said "the ability of the Taliban and other insurgents to cross that border and not being under any pressure from the Pakistani side of the border is clearly a concern."
Gates said the issue "needs to be addressed with the Pakistani government" that came to power after February 18 elections amid protests against President Pervez Musharraf.
He said cross-border infiltration and violence had increased in the past few months after peace deals were negotiated with Taliban elements and other militants.
"What has happened is that as various agreements have been negotiated or were in the process of negotiation with various groups by the Pakistani government, there was the opportunity - the pressure was taken off of these people and these groups.
"And they've therefore been more free to be able to cross the border and create problems for us."
But he said he was encouraged by the response from Pakistan to the problem, citing a statement by the prime minister that the government plans to "reassert its control and authority in the northwest frontier province."
"The fact that the Pakistani government itself has recognized that this is a problem and that these groups' activities are a problem for the Pakistani government as well as for those of us in Afghanistan, I think is a heartening sign," Gates said. "And my hope is that the prime minister's statement today indicates a willingness to reassert that pressure."
Gates spoke amid unease in Washington and Kabul over Pakistan's efforts to broker deals with Taliban militants.
Pakistan has denied charges from U.S. and Afghan officials that it is turning a blind eye to Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces based in restive tribal zones, saying it faces a porous border and that security forces have had bloody clashes with the militants.
Relations between the United States and Pakistan have been strained since a U.S. air raid in Pakistan on June 11. Washington said it was targeting militants but Pakistan said 11 of its soldiers were killed.
In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, a U.S.-led coalition ousted the Taliban regime in Afghanistan over its support for the Al-Qaeda network.
Violence in the region has steadily increased in the past two years despite the presence of some 70,000 multinational troops in Afghanistan, including soldiers under U.S. command and others under NATO's authority.
Gates said he was encouraged by commitments from NATO allies to deploy more troops, including 700 soldiers from France due to arrive this summer. And he said the United States plans on sending significant reinforcements in 2009.
In Kyoto, Japan, the Group of Eight powers pledged $4 billion Thursday to aid the Afghan-Pakistan border with 150 development projects.