Overoptimism

DEFENCE Minister Ahmad Mukhtar sounded overoptimistic when he ruled out the possibility of any attack by NATO forces in the region bordering Afghanistan. Talking to journalists after attending a session of Senate’s Defence Committee on Saturday, he reiterated his government’s stance that Pakistan was fighting the War on Terror in its own interest. The comment comes amidst media reports of a NATO buildup on the Pak-Afghan border following the Bush Administration’s apprehension that any future attack on the United States would probably originate from Pakistan’s troubled tribal belt.
Mr Mukhtar’s observation echoed the Pentagon thinking which is evident from the remark of US Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Chairman Adm Mike Mullen that “forcible action to disrupt the militants’ planning effort is unlikely for now.” But there is more to it than meets the eye. The perception that the American Administration is only delaying action against militants to avoid putting a fledgling colaition at Islamabad in trouble sounds more credible. Pakistan would however remain under constant pressure to ‘do more’ to curb the movement of militants across the Durand Line until stability returns to our western neighbour. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama told the media just before embarking on a visit to Afghanistan that if he won the election, he would commit up to 10,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Islamabad is likely to confront a rather more combative US presidency. It would have to work hard to convince Mr Obama to shed such threatening brinkmanship.