Military *wants* to go after Al Qaeda affiliates in Pakistan...Bush & Co. say "No"

[KeepItReal]

"American commanders in Afghanistan have in recent months urged a widening of the war that could include American attacks on indigenous Pakistani militants in the tribal areas inside Pakistan, according to United States officials.

The requests have been rebuffed for now, the officials said, after deliberations in Washington among senior Bush administration officials who fear that attacking Pakistani radicals may anger Pakistan’s new government, which is negotiating with the militants, and destabilize an already fragile security situation.

Pakistan’s government has given the Central Intelligence Agency limited authority to kill Arab and other foreign operatives in the tribal areas, using remotely piloted Predator aircraft. But administration officials say the Pakistani government has put far greater restrictions on American operations against indigenous Pakistani militant groups, including one commanded by Sirajuddin Haqqani, son of the legendary militant leader Jalaluddin Haqqani, as well as the network led by Baitullah Mehsud that is believed to have been behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

The discussions are the latest example of a recurring problem for the White House: that the place where the terrorist threat is most acute is the place where American forces are most restricted from acting."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/world/asia/20pstan.html?hp

[gateley]

1. We don't HAVE the military to do that!

They're all in Iraq. That's part of why they're saying 'no'. Biden asked for $150 mil for help in Afghanistan, and was told they "didn't have the money"!!!! $150 MILLION! Chump change insofar as our War on Terra goes. :grr:

[KeepItReal]

2. They are just asking the go-ahead for strikes with the few forces we already have there

"American intelligence officials say that the threat emanating from Pakistan’s tribal areas is growing, and that Pakistani networks there have taken on an increasingly important role as an ally of Al Qaeda in plotting attacks against American and other allied troops in Afghanistan, and in helping foreign operatives plan attacks on targets in the West. The officials said the American military’s proposals included options for limited cross-border artillery strikes into Pakistan, missile attacks by Predator aircraft or raids by small teams of C.I.A. paramilitary forces or Special Operations forces."

[RC]

3. Limited, huh?

Now where have we heard that before? Korea? Viet Nam? Afghanistan? Iraq? Iran?