August 25, 2003

August 25, 2003
A renewed interest in Afghanistan, coupled with a new offensive against the remaining Taliban/al Queda elements is a positive sign but there's still the question of Pakistan's cooperation, and it needs to be dragged out into the open.

There's this from the New York Times:

Afghan officials say Taliban fighters have regrouped in Pakistan and are organizing the attacks from there, sending militants across the border in increasing numbers to attack government soldiers and offices. Mr. Khan, the Zabul governor, said one of the captured prisoners admitted to being offered money in Pakistan to go to Afghanistan to fight.

In a sign of the concern caused by a possibly resurgent Taliban, a group of Americans led by Senator John McCain raised the issue last week.

On his way to a meeting in Pakistan with President Pervez Musharraf, Mr. McCain told journalists in Kabul that Pakistan was "not doing as much as it can" to stem the cross-border infiltration.

"We are appreciative of the help that Pakistan has given us in the war on terror and in other ways, but we believe that more measures can be taken," he said, after meeting with the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, in Kabul on Friday.

Add to that the massive bombing in India today (no official word yet on the culprit but Pakistan's terror groups loom large) and you've got the making of an issue.

If there's a Democratic nominee not on the Howard Dean party suicide bandwagon, there's hay to be made hammering Bush on both the Saudi and Pakistani governments and his seeming acquisence to their foot dragging.
// posted by Greg @ 3:12 PM
Ok, this is disturbing.
// posted by Greg @ 3:00 PM
I spoke with a member of the National Guard last night. His observations:

1. We do need more troops in Iraq, and we can spare at least another division's worth.
2. The troops are stretched thin, but the new rotation schedule should ease some of the morale problems.
3. The tuna was excellent. (We were at a wedding).