More on the Tribal area debacle
**Pakistan’s commitment criticized
Appeasing militants only delays likely battle, U.S. general says **
The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said Monday that Pakistan’s extension of a deadline for the surrender of militants raises questions about the nation’s commitment to fighting Taliban and al Qaeda in its tribal regions, and he suggested that **appeasing extremists will only put off an inevitable battle. **
Barno said the U.S. military is watching closely to see how Pakistan deals with the militants, but he added that a “significant” number have to be killed or captured.
Instead, in the standoff between Islamabad and the foreign fighters, the government appears to have blinked, said Pakistani analysts familiar with the tribal areas.
“At the moment, tribesmen appear to have the upper hand, and the government, by contrast, appears inept,” said Asadullah Khan, a political analyst in Peshawar, capital of the Northwest Frontier province, which borders the tribal areas.
Observers worry that the extension granted by the government will allow suspected al Qaeda and Taliban fugitives to escape areas protected by the army or flee into neighboring Afghanistan.
“Everyone understands the desire to avoid open conflict,” said retired Lt. Gen. Talat Massood. But, he added: "**If the idea was to go in with force and show them who is boss, the objective remains unattained. By going in and then pulling back in such a manner, the tribes likely now have the wrong impression – that they can do whatever they like without fear from government forces.‘’ **
The latest failed showdown followed on the heels of a much-derided reconciliation ceremony featuring five tribesmen who had been accused of sheltering al Qaeda and commanding battles against security forces in which more than 120 people died. At a ceremony in South Waziristan on April 24, they were offered amnesty in exchange for pledges of loyalty to Pakistan.
**"Pakistanis could not believe their eyes when they saw pictures of army commanders embracing these men who had been vilified as terrorists,‘’ said Massood. “If anybody has gained, it’s not the government.” **
**One of the men, Nek Mohammad, has since indicated that he will continue to wage a jihad, or holy war, against U.S. forces in Afghanistan. He also renewed his pledges of loyalty to Taliban supreme commander Mullah Mohammed Omar and scoffed at government efforts to rein in the militants. **
"I told the army I would not fire on Afghanistan from Waziristan soil, but jihad is binding on every Muslim, and we will continue to help Afghanistan, " Mohammad told local journalists. “In the tribal tradition, surrender means you approach the rival group and meet them on their turf. In my case, I did not go to them, they came to me, so that makes it clear who surrendered to whom.”
**Pakistani analysts say the only proof that the government’s strategy in the tribal areas is paying off would be a significant drop in militant activities both in Pakistan and in Afghanistan. **
“So far, there are no tangible results to speak of, but the government has to keep applying pressure while simultaneously working to convince (the tribal people) that Pakistan’s best interests are their best interests,” said Massood. “If that doesn’t help improve the situation, the **government has to be ready to go in again with as much force as needed to establish its command.” **
