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Is
Waziristan Next Battleground For US And Al Qaeda?
Last
week, US launched missiles in Bajaur Pakistan which killed 18
people including women and children.
US and Pakistani intelligence agencies worked
with each other to launch these missiles. It was verified by
John McCain and Washington Post, United States’ most prominent
newspaper.
Did general Musharraf know about the missile
attack? If the missiles were launched in result of information
exchange between US and Pakistani intelligence agencies,
probably, general Musharraf had information ahead of the missile
attack. Pakistani intelligence agencies would not give “go
ahead” to US army to launch missile until general would approve
it.
What does this mean?
It means that United States is ready to chase
Osama Bin Laden and his Al Qaeda, or whatever of it is left, in
Waziristan.
General Musharraf has been carrying out
action against Al Qaeda remnants in Waziristan, but the ever
growing insurgency in Afghanistan shows that general’s efforts
are not bearing desired fruits.
While US war in Iraq is not going good, US
definitely won’t like to lose on Iraq and Afghanistan front
simultaneously. US administration has to keep Afghanistan front
quieter to keep the anti war forces at home silent. Bad news
both from Iraq and Afghanistan may not leave them silent for too
long. If insurgency grows in Afghanistan, it may give new
ammunition to anti war forces to pound Bush administration.
Iraq front is what it is good or bad to deal
with because both US forces and insurgents are fighting each
other on the same battlefield.
Afghan insurgents enter in Afghanistan from
bordering areas of Pakistan, which is literally under Al Qaeda
control, and ambush Americans and pro American Afghani outfits.
They are highly mobile. They attack inside Afghanistan and
disappear in Waziristan.
General’s lackluster approach in Waziristan
and presence of 45 thousand Pakistani troops is not preventing
them from their insurgent activities.
What does this mean?
This means US engagement will further grow in
Waziristan and US forces will undertake more hot pursuits of Al
Qaeda outfits in Waziristan, which will turn this area into a
new battleground between Al Qaeda and US troops.
Osama Bin Laden issued a new tape, aired by
Al Jazeera, in which he apparently gave a truce message to US,
but infact, he told US and his opponents that he was well and
alive and he was ready to launch new attacks on the US.
Bin Laden’s every then and now surfacing
tapes, make it even more pertinent for the United States to
chase and destroy Osama Bin Laden and his forces and US exactly
knows where to chase him—Waziristan.
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