U.S. Helps Pakistan Blunt Terrorism

Military Advisers Help Expand Commando Group To Deal With Country's Rising Threats

(CBS/AP)  U.S. military advisers are helping the Pakistanis double the size of their elite commando force in an ongoing effort to blunt the rising threat of terrorist groups and anti-government militants operating in the country's unruly tribal areas, a senior Pentagon official said Wednesday.

The American military presence is fewer than 100 personnel, said Mike Vickers, assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, and is focused on what he called "targeted training." That includes assisting Pakistan's Special Service Group and teaching specialized fighting techniques, such as helicopter assaults.

"It's been ongoing for a while," Vickers said during a meeting with reporters. "They're expanding their capability substantially - they're essentially doubling their force. So we're helping them with that expansion, and trying to improve their capabilities at the same time. There's also some aviation training. It's been ongoing for several years."

However, CBS News' Farhan Bokhari, writing in the Financial Times, reports that Pakistan has refused the U.S. request to conduct joint military operations in its lawless northern tribal regions.

The number of U.S. forces in Pakistan is a sensitive issue. Many Pakistanis openly support or sympathize with al Qaeda, the Taliban or militant groups and would view a sizable American presence in their country as an unwelcome intrusion.

That means the United States won't conduct military strikes on its own inside Pakistan unless President Pervez Musharraf's government requests such direct support.

"We have to be careful conducting operations in a sovereign country, particularly one that's a friend of ours and one that has given us a lot of support," Dell Dailey, the State Department's counterterrorism chief, said last month. "The blowback would be pretty serious."

U.S. intelligence believes al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is in the tribal area, a large swath of rugged land that runs along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan.

Defense officials told Congress on Wednesday that al Qaeda is operating in safe havens in "under-governed regions" of Pakistan - posing a direct threat to Europe, the United States and the Pakistan government itself. Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, predicted in written testimony that the next attack on the U.S. would likely be launched by terrorists in that region.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he believes that Pakistan understands the threat al Qaeda poses to its government, but is sensitive to an American military presence. Gates has said the U.S. remains ready, willing and able to provide military support and conduct joint operations with the Pakistanis.

Until Pakistan "sort of gets on top of the whole situation and what their needs are, I think we're kind of in a standby mode at this point," he said.

The top American commander in the region, Navy Adm. William J. Fallon, was in Pakistan in January meeting with senior Pakistani officials, including the new army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Kayani. Following the meeting, Fallon told reporters that Pakistani officials were more willing to seek U.S. assistance.

Mullen is scheduled to travel to Pakistan later this week, Vickers said.

[sgtrds]

Before I hit the sack I just wanted to point out that there is a story of a young Marine hero on this site who was killed on his 3rd tour in Iraq and no one seems to have noticed. I''''''''m sure that his parents and family are checking the posting a lot and it sure would be nice if some folks could drop the young man a thank you to make the family feel better. Sort of like signing the book at a funeral it makes the survivors feel better that people care.

Goodnight

[feelfree1]

Re: "U.S. Helps Pakistan Blunt Terrorism- Military Advisers Help Expand Commando Group To Deal With Country''s Rising Threats"

So now we are offering further direct assistance to a brutal military dictator who is armed with nuclear weapons?

Is this wise?

Heckuva'' job, Pervie!

[feelfree1]

Has anyone ever tried a Pakistani blunt?

Sounds like some powerful ***.

[pappione1969]

PLEASE CONGRESS, get our people out of that region and focus more on our own nation! Keep our military strong, but keep them here! We are an extremely powerful nation, but we don''t need to keep flexing our muscles throughout the world. Our "interests" lie here, on our own soil: Our citizens are our "interests". _____________________ You are worried about oil? Quit forcing us to use it! As for the amount of oil that we use/need, take it from our own soil. You know that we are sitting on enough oil to last us another 500 years at the current rate of consumption. The philosophy of draining OPEC''s supply so that we are the major supplier of the world is irresponsible ... ecologically, financially, and morally. _____________________ Sad as it may seem, I am getting to the point that I could care less what is happening in other nations. If they proclaim to be our friend or ally, great! If not, tough! "Don''t Tread On Me" should be our motto again. Tell you what, why not start flying the 1st Navy Jack on our ships again as a reminder to those who question our courage or fierce desire for Independence. _____________________ There is no reason that any of our soldiers need to shed another drop of blood on foreign soil for reasons of "financial stability" or "significant cultural differences". If their people truly get tired of oppression, they will do something about it. We did! Remember?!

[realpatriot1]

Sarge,

I saw the story about that 25 year old Marine on the news last night.

If his family is listening in here I want to thank them for their sacrifice and assure them that regardless of how people feel about the war we are grateful as a nation for those who are willing to follow their convictions and to serve and to sacrifice for us.

"Know that I''m looking down on you from a better place, where soldiers live in peace and angels sing Amazing Grace."-Tim Magraw