US has been asked to insist on a robust military campaign in Pakistan's anarchic tribal belt of North Waziristan, where western intelligence recently traced an alleged plot to mount multiple attacks on cities in Europe.
"If not by Pakistani forces, then by the US military," The Washington Post said in an editorial today as it said that relations between the US and Pakistan, never stable, are once again close to crisis.
The Post said that the immediate cause of the crisis was closing down by Pakistan of the land transport route to Afghanistan for non-lethal US and NATO supplies. It said the shutdown of supply route had caused a backup of thousands of trucks carrying fuel and other supplies and which in turn had enabled a series of attacks by Pakistan based Taliban forces.
"Pakistan's punishment of NATO for the border incident is arguably an inevitable response to domestic political opinion. But its resistance to a more muscular US campaign in North Waziristan, where Haqqani faction is based, is unacceptable", the Post said.
The Obama administration had repeatedly pressed Pakistani military to act against the Haqqani and al-Qaeda sanctuaries the paper said adding that Pakistani military had just as often refused.
"But if Pakistan is really unable to tackle the sanctuaries, it cannot be allowed to prevent the US and its allies from doing so", the Post said.
The paper said that the exchange of fire on the border reflects a more aggressive effort by the US command in Afghanistan to disrupt terrorist sanctuaries in Pakistan's tribal areas, using both CIA operated drones and piloted aircraft.
Part of this offensive may be aimed at heading off reported plans by Al Qaeda for terrorist attacks in Europe in the near future. However, many of the drone attacks have been aimed at the Taliban's Haqqani faction, which is believed to be deeply entwined with al-Qaeda - and with Pakistan's intelligence agency.
Advising Obama administration to avoid rupture in relations with Islamabad , Washington Post said US " must insist on a robust military campaign in North Waziristan - if not by Pakistani forces, then by US".
