From Wired.com:
More U.S. Troops, Gear to Pakistan
By Noah Shachtman
January 24, 2008
11:00 am
Categories: Af/Pak
The Washington Post reports today that the "U.S. military plans to significantly expand and accelerate its counterinsurgency training and provision of equipment for Pakistan’s armed forces this year."
Inside the Pentagon was all over the story, a couple of weeks ago:
Under the new security development program, 24 American and six United
Kingdom personnel will teach three courses to Pakistan’s Frontier Corps, the official said in an interview on Dec. 18, 2007, nine days before the assassination of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.
The security development program incorporates training of both the
Pakistan Frontier Corps and special forces, also known as the Special
Service Group, the official said…
The Frontier Corps is probably “the more appropriate force to do counterinsurgency since they’re locally recruited, speak the languages, understand the culture and their presence in the [Federally Administered
Tribal Areas] and other places is considered legitimate by the tribes,”
said the official…
The program will create two training centers, one in the country’s North
West Frontier province and one in Balochistan province, the official said. The provinces are adjacent to Afghanistan…
Apart from increasing training, the demands of fighting against well-armed, well-financed groups like al Qaeda and the Taliban along the border with Afghanistan — “a more determined enemy than they’ve ever had to face in the past” — calls for better mobility, communications equipment, armaments, protective gear like Kevlar helmets and vests, training manuals and other instructional materials, said the official…
In the past, the United States has outfitted the Frontier Corps with trucks, ambulances, jeeps and radio sets, all items granting Pakistan greater mobility and communications to carry out its counternarcotics mission, the official explained. He said the border force still lacks this equipment to a certain degree.
This is all well-and-good. But does any of the training or the extra gear matter, if Pakistan’s rulers aren’t willing to actually go after the insurgents?
More U.S. Troops, Gear to Pakistan
By Noah Shachtman
January 24, 2008
11:00 am
Categories: Af/Pak
The Washington Post reports today that the "U.S. military plans to significantly expand and accelerate its counterinsurgency training and provision of equipment for Pakistan’s armed forces this year."Inside the Pentagon was all over the story, a couple of weeks ago:
Under the new security development program, 24 American and six United
Kingdom personnel will teach three courses to Pakistan’s Frontier Corps, the official said in an interview on Dec. 18, 2007, nine days before the assassination of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.
The security development program incorporates training of both the
Pakistan Frontier Corps and special forces, also known as the Special
Service Group, the official said…
The Frontier Corps is probably “the more appropriate force to do counterinsurgency since they’re locally recruited, speak the languages, understand the culture and their presence in the [Federally Administered
Tribal Areas] and other places is considered legitimate by the tribes,”
said the official…
The program will create two training centers, one in the country’s North
West Frontier province and one in Balochistan province, the official said. The provinces are adjacent to Afghanistan…
Apart from increasing training, the demands of fighting against well-armed, well-financed groups like al Qaeda and the Taliban along the border with Afghanistan — “a more determined enemy than they’ve ever had to face in the past” — calls for better mobility, communications equipment, armaments, protective gear like Kevlar helmets and vests, training manuals and other instructional materials, said the official…
In the past, the United States has outfitted the Frontier Corps with trucks, ambulances, jeeps and radio sets, all items granting Pakistan greater mobility and communications to carry out its counternarcotics mission, the official explained. He said the border force still lacks this equipment to a certain degree.
This is all well-and-good. But does any of the training or the extra gear matter, if Pakistan’s rulers aren’t willing to actually go after the insurgents?
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