Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) has emerged as a volatile and key front of the Global War On Terror since 9/11. Previously the region was unknown but suddenly became important for the US. It perceived that the tribal belt was an ungovernable region and extremists operate from this area against the US and coalition forces in Afghanistan. However, it is an axiomatic truth that the tribal areas are inherently inaccessible and difficult to control because of the terrain and fierce autonomy of the local leaders. Military action can create a serious situation for the US. However, the terrorist problems in Pakistan and Afghanistan are inextricably intertwined. But the fact is that the US has no comprehensive coordinated strategy to address the ground truth on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghan border. Thus, the fundamental flaw of the US strategy is that they are dealing with FATA regions as one single theatre of operations and not relying only on Pakistan's sources. They have equally diplomatic engagement with Northern Alliance and India to address US national security goals. The US officials openly claimed that Pakistan's Frontier Corps are helping Taliban and Al-Qaeda-linked groups to cross into Afghanistan that only exacerbates US frustration over Pakistan's plans to secure peace deals with militants in the region. So, this is the level of trust and confidence of the US officials on the country which has deployed around 120,000 military and paramilitary forces in FATA and captured and killed hundreds of suspected Al-Qaeda operatives and the continue paying heavy cost the lives of approximately 1,400 members of security forces for the thankless business, while the result of which is instability and political turmoil in the country. Now again, the US has initiated war to combat terrorism and to search bin Laden who is somewhere but certainly not in Pakistan. Thus, the continued attacks on the border regions of Pakistan, are the reaction of US strategic failure in Afghanistan. According to Simon Jenkins (The Times, London, December 5, 2001), Americans believe that Taliban is sheltering Osama bin Laden and US is not willing to negotiate with them.... For US, the war in Afghanistan has been declared a war of national survival against "global evildoers", akin to the Cold War. Americans are optimistic about Bin Laden and believe that at any moment he may be captured, he may be killed or he may kill himself." It was the wrong strategies of the US that made Osama the big giant. He would not be where he is today. Thus, US failed to accurately observe the Taliban and particularly bin Laden's objectives. However, the time has proved that US failed to prevent terrorism and destroy Al-Qaeda. The core issue is that US must understand the limitations of Pakistan and realise that democratic values can easily defeat terrorism as compared to military action. Although it was under tremendous US pressure when the Pakistan military moved into the tribal areas however both realised that it is not an easy task to handle the tribals. War is the worst outcome of a political dispute and imposing war on the tribals will be the worst of the worst. As Edward Luttwak has written in The Logic of War and Peace that "War is easy and peace is difficult" but there is no alternative of "peace" because war creates an irreconcilable situation. So, sooner the war is over and peace will take roots the future will be more prosper. On the other hand, the new democratic leadership after the February elections, has launched peace talk with the militants in NWFP and FATA with the hope that dialogue will separate tribal leaders from the terrorists and encourage them to turn against the terrorists. The Frontier government led by the secular nationalist Awami National Party (ANP) signed a comprehensive peace deal with the Swat militants associated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) on May 21, 2008. The government is also willing to sign a similar agreement with the leaders in other tribal areas such as Bajaur Agency, Darra Adam Khail and South Waziristan. Moreover, the ANP leadership has already informed the top US officials that dialogue with tribal elders backing militants was the most viable option to ensure peace on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border. Moreover, peace deals will help to rescue Pakistan military from the affected region and turning over security to the paramilitary Frontier Corps. So, political observers believe that peace deals can create a tremendously positive impact for Pakistan. Therefore during the peace negotiations US must refrain from drone attacks on the Pakistani territory because it will be seen as a direct attempt to sabotage the peace process and an offensive situation will lead to revenge against the US. Nevertheless, the tribal areas are of immense importance to the security of Pakistan because any wrong decision can permanently push the country into anarchy. It would be more appropriate that the US should support Pakistan's "homegrown" peace strategy that would not only serve the US long-term security interests but it is the best option to tackle terrorism. Pakistan and the US both must remember that war is no more an effective instrument in the world. So, the strategy of "peace" is a permanent solution of the problem and it can resolve the issue of terrorism on permanent basis. The writer is a professor of International Relations in the Department of Political Science, University of Peshawar E-mail: azahilali@yahoo.co.uk