Intelligence sharing and military cooperation have begun to increase between Pakistan and the United States, according to American officials, who say their efforts to cultivate key leaders in Islamabad may be beginning to pay dividends Full Story »
Posted by Derek Hawkins
Title is somewhat misleading -- the search for the captured U.S. soldier happens to be the most recent and salient instance of cooperation between the U.S. army and Pakistani officials. This story covers a lot of ground, and seems to overstate the level of U.S.-Pakistani teamwork. What of Pakistan's uneasiness about U.S. operations in Afghanistan's Helmand? And drone attacks?
Islamabad had long been reluctant to turn its attention from rival India to deal with the threat of Taliban and Al Qaeda forces in districts near the border with Afghanistan. But this year, the army began a three-month counterinsurgency campaign in the Swat Valley, less than 100 miles from the Pakistani capital, aimed at driving out Taliban militants who had taken over the area.
Still, the relationship between Washington and Islamabad remains tricky. U.S. officials are continuing to gently press Pakistan to accept more American trainers to improve their counterinsurgency operations.
