[This short report outlines the whole problem and the main point of contention between US and Pakistani generals--plans for Pakistan's tribesmen. Pakistan is creating a legally binding arrangement with the tribes, where they police their own areas against the penetration of criminal foreigners, "anti-state or anti-social elements," as well as to protect "roads, government installations and officials." The tribal system will be advanced throughout the region, as the representatives of government in the now lawless region. America's problem with this is that it is the exact opposite of their preferred solution, the total militarization of the zone. To that end, US assets are continually deployed against these pro-government tribal leaders, in an effort to turn them against the government and to expand the insurgency.
One would think that the US Army would be proud to support this operation, since it is Pakistan's application of its own "Anbar solution" to its tribal problems. In Anbar, Iraq, the US military bought peace with the Sunni militants by buying them off and empowering them as the local law in their areas of operations. This solution cannot be allowed for Pakistan, since US planners have always planned to expand the war there.]
[Dera Ismail Khan is the home base of the anti-TTP Taliban, followers of Abdullah Mehsud. They were formerly led by martyred anti-Baitullah leader Qari Zainullah Mehsud. It is highly significant that terror attacks are occurring in the home towns of several pro-government lashkar leaders at the same time that the 'Army is focusing on them as their last line of defense.]
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