Terror groups operating from Pak grown bolder: US

Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington, July 19 (PTI) Faced with an increasingly
sophisticated insurgency, the U.S. has said Pakistan was not
doing enough to contain militancy as terrorists operating from
"safe havens" in its restive tribal areas have grown "bolder",
launching regular attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan.

Asking Islamabad put pressure on militant groups, top
Pentagon officials also indicated that the Bush administration
may increasing the strength of American forces in Afghanistan
as it would make a "significant difference" to defeat the
militants.

In the aftermath of last week's attack on the US forces
in Afghanistan that left at least nine soldiers dead, Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said foreign
fighters from the Pakistani side are moving into Afghanistan
"unmolested and unhindered".

Criticising Pakistan, Defence Secretary Robert Gates said
Islamabad was not putting any pressure on militants who are
launching attacks on coalition forces in Afghanistan.

Mullen, who visited Pakistan recently, argued that the
well coordinated attack on the Wanat outpost in Afghanistan
has proved that the enemy has grown "bolder, more
sophisticated, and more diverse".

The Bush administration is under tremendous pressure to
increase its force levels in Afghanistan.

"We're seeing a greater number of insurgents and foreign
fighters flowing across the border with Pakistan, unmolested
and unhindered. This movement needs to stop. We simply must
all do a better job of policing the border region and
eliminating the safe havens, which serve today as launching
pads for attacks on coalition forces," Mullen said

"They've been able to train in a safer environment in the
safe havens in Pakistan."

Gates said additional forces in Afghanistan would have
made a significant difference in the region.

"I wouldn't say that, no matter how many troops you put
in, it wouldn't make any difference. I think clearly it would
make a significant difference if you had additional forces."

"There is no question that the absence of pressure on the
Pakistani side of the border is creating an opportunity for
more people to cross the border and to launch attacks."

"There is a real need to do something on the Pakistani
side of the border to bring pressure to bear on the Taliban
and some of these other violent groups," he told reporters.

"The reality is that Pakistan faces a security challenge
of its own inside Pakistan from these groups. I think one of
the things that is really important is the civilian government
gaining a full appreciation of the magnitude and reality of
the danger to them posed by these groups and the lack of
control or the lack of pressure in the FATA and in the
northwest province," Gates said.

"And so it seems to me the first thing is for the
Pakistanis to have a clear understanding of what's happening.
We can make a contribution there. And, as I've said before, we
are ready, willing and able to help them in any way we can."

Gates said the US is not contemplating unilateral actions
across the border from Afghanistan into Pakistan.

"We will take defensive actions. We have taken defensive
actions when fired upon from places right across the border.
Generally, that's been in counter-artillery," Gates replied.

Mulllen said the US would like to see an end to the
militant activities in the tribal areas of Pakistan soon.

"...but the border there is a really critical issue that
we're going to have to solve. And certainly that's a message
that I delivered to each of the leaders that I visited in
Pakistan. And it has to be solved sooner, rather than later,"
the top military official said. PTI SK
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