Rethinking the War in Pakistan's Borderlands

But, the rush to get the US plans into action and to improve the FC's capacity, without looking at the more important longer-term issues affecting the region and the Pakistan army itself may not yield the intended results. Rather, pitting a locally-recruited FC against its own tribal cousins may end up creating more problems and feed the very insurgency they are meant to quell. Both the US and the Pakistani public need to be part of this important discussion. Haste and secrecy can only undermine these efforts.

Shuja Nawaz is the author of Crossed Swords: Pakistan, its Army, and the Wars Within for Oxford University Press, due April 2008. He regularly appears as a commentator on television, radio, and at think tanks and can be reached at www.shujanawaz.com .