When A Month Seems Like An Eternity

Unfortunately, Iraq and Afghanistan (and as Bush keeps insisting, Iran) are not our only problems in that fragile region. Keep a close eye on events in Pakistan during the upcoming month leading to the February 18 elections, assuming that date holds firm. I would assume nothing.

Pakistan’s premier military intelligence agency has lost control of some of the networks of Pakistani militants it has nurtured since the 1980s, and is now suffering the violent blowback of that policy, two former senior intelligence officials and other officials close to the agency say.

[...]

The growing strength of the militants, many of whom now express support for Al Qaeda’s global jihad, presents a grave threat to Pakistan’s security, as well as NATO efforts to push back the Taliban in Afghanistan. American officials have begun to weigh more robust covert operations to go after Al Qaeda in the lawless border areas because they are so concerned that the Pakistani government is unable to do so.

Pay particular attention to that last sentence. The New York Times story to which I linked is long but worth reading to fully comprehend the complexity and instability of our "ally" against terrorism.

Alternate link.