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Politics : Idea Of The Day -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: IQBAL LATIF who wrote (42587)	5/16/2002 12:15:21 PM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Respond to of 50167

Pakistan has sent more than 1,000 troops near Afghanistan's borders as it steps up its search for suspected al-Qaeda and Taleban militants. The move comes shortly after US press reports said that Washington was not pleased with Pakistan's efforts in the region. General Franks is happy with Islamabad's co-operation General Tommy Franks, the head of US operations in Afghanistan, dismissed these claims saying "President Musharraf and his government have been exceedingly co-operative". This is the first time in more than 50 years that such a large number of Pakistani troops have gone into a semi-autonomous tribal region, where the writ of the federal authorities has not been accepted since the British colonial days. Tribal law US military officials believe many suspected al-Qaeda and Taleban members may have slipped across Afghanistan's porous border to Pakistan. Do we have work that we must do in that border area in the near future? Yes, we do General Franks The Taleban's ultra strict interpretation of Islam found fertile recruiting grounds among the conservative Pashtun tribes living in the area. During a visit to US troops in Afghanistan on Wednesday, General Franks said that operations in the tribal areas of eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan must continue. "Do we have work that we must do in that border area in the near future? Yes, we do," said General Franks. Complaints Washington considers President Musharraf's continuing co-operation - first pledged days after the 11 September attacks - crucial to the anti-terrorism battle. Pakistan has sent more troops to the border region But US officials have allegedly complained that they would like to see the Pakistani military undertake more forceful actions in the tribal border region. Some US personnel are working with Pakistani troops there, but they say it is frustrating not to be able to send a larger conventional force into the area. General Franks was quick to dismiss the complaints, saying he was pleased with the level of cooperation he had received from President Musharraf.