FC incapable of fighting insurgents: US general

Society Military and Strategic Issues
1

I knew of one incident in which a FC soldier (or was it a tribal khasadar?) killed a US soldier and was killed, but didn’t know of the other. Which also raises the question of how much the FC helps the Taliban or looks the other way at the least.

http://www.dawn.com/2008/06/14/top6.htm
FC incapable of fighting insurgents: US general

By Our Correspondent

WASHINGTON, June 13: A US general on Friday accused the Frontier Corps of shooting American military personnel during border meetings and said the force is incapable of fighting insurgents.

Gen Dan McNeill, who commanded Nato forces in Afghanistan till June 3, said attacks on Nato and Afghan soldiers, will never stop unless the Pakistani military steps up its efforts to fight these insurgents.

**“My understanding of what the Frontier Corps is, is they are pretty much tribals themselves,” **he told journalists at the Pentagon. “They might find it more challenging than would regular frontline, well-trained, well-equipped and well-led soldiers” to fight insurgents.

**The general recalled two incidents involving members of the Frontier Corps who allegedly “assassinated” two American military personnel.

“Well, if I live to be as old as Methuselah, I’ll be forever scarred by one event that occurred, and that was the assassination – and I don’t have a better expression for it – of Major Wesley Bauguess, a fine officer of the 82nd Airborne Division, spring of last year,” he said.

Gen McNeill claimed that at the end of a border meeting between Pakistani and US military officials, “when everybody was gathering to leave, then Major Bauguess was shot down by a member of the Frontier Corps, who, himself, was immediately shot down by an American soldier.”

In another incident in December 2002, a first sergeant of the US Army was shot in the neck by a Frontier Corps man during a meeting at the border near Angooradda.
**
Gen McNeill said it would not be fair to “pick a few anecdotes” to indict the entire Frontier Corps but he believed that the Pakistani government would be better off relying on their regular troops than the FC.

The US general claimed that the current political situation in Pakistan was delaying meetings between the Pakistani military and Nato and Afghan officials for discussing the border situation.

“There were three different delays coming from the Pakistani side that caused the meeting to continue to be pushed to the right. The last one should have occurred the last two weeks I was there. And I spoke with General Kayani on the phone, and he found it too difficult,” he said.

“And why did he find it too difficult? I’m only offering conjecture here. He didn’t offer me the reasons. I think because of a very difficult political situation in his country he was finding it difficult.”

Gen McNeill said some in Afghanistan argued that there was a level of dysfunction as Pakistan transitioned from one government to the other.

“I don’t think that the head of the Pakistani military was necessarily trying to avoid these talks.

“I think he found himself in a tough domestic situation, and I think he believed that that required more of his focus than the dialogue he would have.”

2

So why is the FC involved then? Why is Musharraf, who you support, not sending in a division or two to sort out the 'problematic natives'? What is he afraid of? Where is that fabled offensive that you supported some months back?

See I can play your jackal-snide game too.

3

The FC is the traditional force in the province, that's why it's involved. I'm surprised you don't these simple facts. The fact that it has been ineffective is not new news. The army has done a little better, but also not that well partly because of lack of will and any sustained policy or direction. Many offensives have happened, in case you missed the Swat operations. It's the follow through due to lack of political will that lets the jihadi taliban get back in after the army pulls out. Obviously the new "peace" deals by the PPP and ANP govnts will only make things worse in the long run.

In case, you missed it, Mush is not the only one giving orders in Pakistan. And if he supports peace deals himself, he is wrong as well. Your "game" isn't going to well.

4

Hah done 'a lot better?' give me a break. Any Army of a Muslim nation that goes in and attacks their own countrymen at the behest of the US will never succeed.

Lets just just say that my knowledge of FC/XI Corps goes well beyond yours, O' armchair general sitting in Karachi.

Post your pic
Post your pic
5

That statement is taken right from a jihadi training manual. It seems you are pro-jihadi and do approve of suicide bombings and also want the mindless jihad of the Taliban to be Pakistan's foreign policy even if it will bring Iraq's fate to Pakistan. Good to know where you stand.

An why just "say", why don't you tell us your great knowledge about FC?

6

No, I am explaining the mindset and the reality of Pakistan as a Muslim state. By sitting extrapolating that I support suicide bombings (when I do not), support the Taliban, is just a part of your consistent lies.

Pakistan is in this mess because of its continued support for the misguided "War on Terror" being waged by the US. Musharraf/Karzai are both American stooges that will lead their nations to irreparable harm.

Pakistan, much like the Euro/Australian 'coalition partners' needs to pull out of this mess. Talking with the fighters is the first good step. We don't need to engage the jihadist groups...Not in our interest to fight our people.

Pakistan vs England 3rd Test in Dubai - Feb 3-7, 2012
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Re: FC incapable of fighting insurgents: US general

Pakisatn is in this mess because of jihadi terrorism. Period.

8

And wrong policies over a period of time.

9

Which spawned these jihadis.

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The wrong policies preceded the formation of these fighter. So it is clear that we need the right policies to bring them back into our fold. Our governments (both past and present) must stop serving their Amriki masters and start working to repair the damage.

Afghanistan will be under Taliban control sooner or later. Compared to other governments in power, the Taliban represented Pakhtun interests and were closely aligned with Pakistan. I don't want any conflicts on the Pak-Afghan border, ever.

11

You can't bring rabid dogs into any fold. Once the monster is created, you try and kill it. Doesn't matter if America becomes Taliban's ally tomorrow or not. The Taliban represents terrorist wahabi interest, not pashtun interest. Thinking this is your first mistake. And if you don't want conflict in the region, violent groups like the taliban will have to be dismantled.

Your spouse goes behind your back and gets an obnoxious tattoo.
12

Will you fight them personally? YES or NO response is all that I need.

The Taliban may be supported by wahabists, but in terms of governance or politics they have used Pakhtun nationalism in Afghanistan to dominate the country. Please don't tell me what you think might be the case, because you hardly know political nuances of the situation. Talibans seats of power have been Pakhtun areas, now in your sheer brilliance, I am certain that you are going to say that all Pakhtuns are wahabis/deobandis right?

13

Re: FC incapable of fighting insurgents: US general

Thanks to PPP govnt?

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\06\19\story_19-6-2008_pg1_9

US deliberately targeted Pakistani forces’

  • Pakistan Army threatening to postpone training of its troops by US in counter-insurgency

By Khalid Hasan

WASHINGTON: “This is the first time the United States has deliberately targeted co-operating Pakistani forces,” Jehangir Karamat, a former Pakistan army chief and ambassador to Washington, has been quoted as telling the New York Times, referring to a US air raid on a border post in the Mohmand Agency.

Karamat said, “There has been no statement by the US that this was ‘friendly fire’ and that the intention was not to target Pakistani forces.”

Training programme: The newspaper quoted two Pakistani officials from Islamabad as saying the Pakistani military was so angry over the American airstrikes last week that it was threatening to postpone or cancel an American programme to train a Pakistani paramilitary force in counterinsurgency tactics to be used for combating militants.

The report said some Pakistani officials were convinced that the Americans had deliberately fired on their military, killing 11 men from the very paramilitary force the Americans want to train, an accusation the Americans deny. There has been no word of regret or apology from the Pentagon.

The US military has said the airstrikes were carried out in self-defence against militants who had attacked American forces in Afghanistan and then fled into Pakistan. But the Pakistanis continue to dispute important parts of the American account.

Ending or delaying the programme, which is already under way, would deny the US what little leverage it has in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas to combat a rising number of cross-border attacks from Pakistan into Afghanistan, the paper said.

The newspaper said the fury over the airstrikes was such that Pakistan Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, who the Americans hoped would be a dependable successor to President Pervez Musharraf, had personally approved an unusually strong statement last week from the Pakistani military, which called the strikes “cowardly and unprovoked”.

General Kayani has refused every suggestion of letting American forces operate in the FATA, even on an advisory basis, American officials have said. A plan for American trainers to accompany Pakistani troops on missions to root out insurgents in FATA was ruled out completely, a senior Pakistani military official said.

The plan for American military advisers to instruct Pakistani trainers, who would in turn train Frontier Corps units in counterinsurgency tactics, was accepted by General Kayani as a “light-footed” alternative, American officials have said.

A Pakistani government official told the New York Times, “Pakistan thinks you have screwed up in Afghanistan and made Pakistan the fall-guy.”

14


Political nuances? Like burning girls schools, suicide bombings, summary beheadings etc, this is what you want as the future for Pushtuns in the 21st century? If you think this is Pushtun culture great for, but you see these cross border attacks pose a threat for ALL of Pakistan, not just your ghair illaqa.

And will I fight them personally? No. Will you fight the US personally? That's a silly question to ask. The half a million army is not for decoration, neither is the US war machine.

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Re: FC incapable of fighting insurgents: US general

pak-man, all u'r posts shows u'r frustration...why can't u respect any other persons perspective and interpretation of a thing...

Worlds Biggest Shark Caught in Karachi
16

Two major policies and one other fact led to the creation and unholy marriage between Pakistan and the jihadi monster*s*:

  • Pakistan's design to fight a proxy war in India by creating an atmosphere of fear and distrust in Kashmir - the jihadis were only too glad to cross the border and a lob a few grenades into kindergartens every other day, conveniently putting aside the fellow-human and fellow-muslim ideals for a few bucks

  • Pakistan's design to acquire a 'deep presence' inside Afghanistan which led to grabbing a few tigers by the tail

  • Pakistan's internal inability to put together a balanced working relationship with the religious crowd

17

I think your comments are irrelevant to this thread, i think GET SMART, you are here for a purpose to dis Pakistan. My Friendly suggestion is to either make sense or move on to some other forum.

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na PartyG…I’m here to discuss and help.

What part of my analysis (#16)](http://www.paklinks.com/gs/military-strategic-issues/288215-fc-incapable-fighting-insurgents-us-general.html#post5919759) do you disagree with? Would you prefer to be told Pakistan is doing great even if it is failing?

Lets learn local languages
19

for an argument sake, if Pakistan is failing, wht do u care? by the end of the day u r one busted & junky indian…on the other hand we cud donate u to FC so they can do some Target practice..n kill sum indian Losers!

FiLl in tHe BlAnKs...
20

spot on dude!

ps: are you Pakistani or Indian?