]**The head of US spying operations says the leaders of al-Qaeda have found a secure hideout in Pakistan from where they are rebuilding their strength.**National Intelligence Director John Negroponte said al-Qaeda was strengthening itself across the Middle East, North Africa and Europe.There was no immediate reaction from the Pakistani government. Earlier this week, the US carried out air strikes in Somalia targeting what it believed to be members of al-Qaeda.
Mr Negroponte told a Senate committee that al-Qaeda was still the militant organisation that posed the greatest threat to US interests.
He said the organisation was cultivating stronger operational capabilities and relationships that radiated out of Pakistan.
** **Difficult border
The head of the US Defence Intelligence Agency, Lt-Gen Michael Maples, said Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan remained a haven for al-Qaeda and other militants.
Mr Negroponte says that Pakistan has become a safe haven
The tribal areas on the border are thought to be where al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden and his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, who are wanted for masterminding the 9/11 attacks, could be hiding.
Pakistan and Afghanistan share a 1,400-mile (2,250km) mountainous border which is extremely difficult to patrol.
Taleban and al-Qaeda fighters are thought to be operating on both sides.
The two countries regularly exchange charge and counter-charge over who is to blame for the violence.
Recently, Pakistan reiterated its intention to fence and mine sections of the troubled border.
Kabul particularly opposes the idea of mining stretches of the frontier, saying it will endanger civilian lives.
An Islamist insurgency spearheaded by the resurgent Taleban militia is at its strongest in the southern Afghan provinces bordering Pakistan.
Re: Al-Qaeda 'rebuilding' in Pakistan(They are COMING)
No surprise, as the Taleban is known to opearate from NWFP, and Quetta. ISI is playing a double game with the Taleban as they may 'need ' them in the future.
Al-Qaeda is a different story, definitely considered 'enemy of the state'. However when Pak Army tried to take on the fundos in Waziristan, they lost hundreds of soldiers, and went home with their tail betwene their legs.
All the more reason we need a professional Army again, not these corrupt part-time soldier,part-time bureaucrats.
Re: Al-Qaeda 'rebuilding' in Pakistan(They are COMING)
^^ What we need our A-10 Talbot Anti-Tank Fighters and Apache GunShips.
Our severe lack of Attack Helicopters in our Military is the primary reason for our huge losses. Attack Helicopters can saturate the entire area with munitions and then the Army can move in and mop up the survivors.
Pakistan has finally realized that most of its funds should not go into Tanks and Planes but rather Helicopter Gunships.
Re: Al-Qaeda 'rebuilding' in Pakistan(They are COMING)
Our severe lack of Attack Helicopters in our Military is the primary reason for our huge losses. Attack Helicopters can saturate the entire area with munitions and then the Army can move in and mop up the survivors.
Pakistan has finally realized that most of its funds should not go into Tanks and Planes but rather Helicopter Gunships.
Pakistan only has 20 Obselete Cobra Gunships.
We need atleast 100 AH-64D Apache Gunships
how many helicopter gunships do the fundo's have?
how many F-16's and bomber planes do the fundos have?
how many artillery pieces(including mlrs) do the fundo's have?
Re: Al-Qaeda ‘rebuilding’ in Pakistan(They are COMING)
RAWALPINDI, Jan 11: Pakistan’s anti-militant policy has been lauded by the head of the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) Commander in Afghanistan, Gen David Richards. He did not mince words in stating before the Pakistani and international media that with an enhanced deployment of Pakistani troops in the border region, cross-border activity of insurgents had come down.
“This step has helped considerably in bringing down the graph of insurgency in Afghanistan as compared to last winter,” he said. Flanked by the Vice-Chief of Army Staff, Gen Ahsan Saleem Hayat, and the Chief of General Staff of the Afghan Army, Gen Bismillah Khan, the Isaf chief told journalists that monitoring a 2,500km porous border in the hilly terrain remains a huge task.
“Still,” he said, “reduction in the incidents since autumn has much to do with the activities on Pakistani side of the border. We are the beneficiaries on that side of border. All what has happened is not the result of an idle activity,” he remarked.
Re: Al-Qaeda 'rebuilding' in Pakistan(They are COMING)
Exactly, an F-16 is useless, because unlike the US, we dont have an endless supply of munitions to fire on the Taliban
Thats why we need Attack Helicopters who can fire inexpensive locally manufactured munitions in their hellfire missiles which can saturate an entire area with a curtain of fire.
Re: Al-Qaeda ‘rebuilding’ in Pakistan(They are COMING)
Why on earth do we need A-10s? The A10 is just a flying anti-tank cannon, and last I heard, Al-Qaeda and the Taliban had no tanks.
Even AH-64 induction would be extraodinarily expensive. The AH-1 Cobra is still a very capable machine, especially against low-tech opponents. 40-60 more of them would do just fine, would be MUCH cheaper, and we already have support infrastructure in place for them.
The platform that would help the most in anti-insurgent operations, however, is the AC-130 Spectre gunship. In fact… this would be an ideal sale to Pakistan since such a big, lumbering hulk of a vulnerable beast would be utterly useless in a conflict with India, yet extremely effective at flying over the FATA beyond the reach of any Taliban/Al-Qaeda anti-aircraft weapon whilst pouring down fire on them. Not only that, but Pakistan has many decades of experience in operating and supporting the C-130 on which the AC-130 is based.
Re: Al-Qaeda ‘rebuilding’ in Pakistan(They are COMING)
Well, the first batch of troops that went into Afghanistan were a very small operative force… They were their for reconaisance etc…
But its pretty much fact that there were VERY LITTLE if any US troops doing the fighting… The most the US troops who were imbedded with the N Alliance did, was target the front lines of the Taliban for the F16 to come and bomb from the air. The US relied almost completly on N Alliance, which was admited by them… This is why the Mazar Sharif was taken by the N alliance, which was told not to enter the city, but did anyway because they were fighting on their own. They US has studied how others had won in Afghanistan and they realized that everyone including Alexander the Great employed local force.
Today though the troops only occupying, which is easier then conquering…
Re: Al-Qaeda 'rebuilding' in Pakistan(They are COMING)
US has no intention od lifting a finger against Pakistan. They may however take a few surgican strikes here and there where they believe some Al Qaeda is holed up. No regime change but no sovereign respect either.
Thank you army
Thank you fundos
Thank you foolish public
Re: Al-Qaeda ‘rebuilding’ in Pakistan(They are COMING)
Even that is too much, Dispite playing the game of divide and rule the chakkas can hardly handle sunnis… Only place on earth where Humves and Abrams fly, IRAQ.. Ah forgot to tell ya in bits and pieces.