YOU CALL IT DISARRAY...:

U.S. debates going after militants in Pakistan: Frustration with Pakistan's new leadership and belief that extremists are flourishing has reignited a debate on whether the U.S. should act on its own in tribal regions. (Peter Spiegel and Josh Meyer, 8/23/08, Los Angeles Times)

The ongoing disarray among Pakistan's new civilian leadership, including its refusal to accept a U.S. military training mission for the Pakistani army, has led to intense frustration within the Pentagon and reignited a debate over whether the U.S. should act on its own against extremists operating in Pakistan's northwestern tribal regions.

Any Pentagon support for more direct action in Pakistan would be a significant shift for military brass, who for months have resisted a push from other parts of the U.S. government, primarily counter-terrorism officials within the CIA, who have favored large-scale covert operations to go after the Al Qaeda leadership.

The internal debates have taken on new urgency amid U.S. intelligence warnings that Al Qaeda and other militant groups are flourishing in northwestern Pakistan. At the same time, there is a growing belief within the U.S. government that the new leadership in Islamabad has proved to be ineffectual and is preoccupied with internal squabbling in the wake of former President Pervez Musharraf's resignation.

...we call it a free hand...

Posted by Orrin Judd at August 23, 2008 7:30 AM