US Vice President Joe Biden says that militancy in Pakistan is more than in Afghanistan. Assuming that his statement is true, he forgot the root cause of militancy, which is the result of militancy in Afghanistan. India, Israel - Russia and some Western countries are pumping military as well as financial aid to the insurgents in Pakistan.
The Pak Army has carried out a successful operation in Swat, Dir, Buner, Bajaur and the Waziristan area and the militants are on the run. US has one hundred thousand troops deployed in Afghanistan. US High command has been depicting a pessimistic outcome of war in Afghanistan. Pumping in additional troops has not helped.
Pak Army, in fighting militancy, has acquired practical battle-related experience in planning and executing operations in a rugged mountainous terrain. The Army has achieved successes in conducting operations against insurgents who had made the local population almost hostage. Things have changed and now the local population is assisting the Army to identify and apprehend the militants in their areas, as the militants are on the run.
For the US to seek assistance from Pak Army for planning and conducting operations in Afghanistan in an advisory capacity will be received favourably by the govt after all we are the US', strategic allies - Partner in war on terror and a Non-Nato Ally. One must admit that the US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are battle fatigued. They need some rest before they are launched in an offensive in Afghanistan.
CERTAIN POINTS NEED THE ATTENTION OF PENTAGON, THESE ARE:
1. US in Afghanistan and Iraq failed to realise that they will be operating in a foreign land as an Occupation force where the local population will be hostile. At no stage they considered public understanding - co-operation and development of cordial ties, including the involvement of the local population to run the day-to-day administration, a factor that could facilitate the smooth running of the captured land.
2. US planners failed to realise the customs and traditions of the people of the area. For example frisking women by marines alienated the male population. Treatment of POWs in prisons showed lack of morality - human dignity being violated by US troops. Abu Ghuraib prison will always be a blot on the names of US soldiers in the history of the world. This and other atrocities committed by US troops alienated the Muslim World.
3. If US had used minimal forces to occupy the ground initially and later used consolidation work with the help of local people - this would have involved the people to run the government.
This did not happen. With lack of military strength, the Americans were forced to augment their strength by recruiting police and raising local armies, both in Afghanistan and Iraq. It took time to train such a force to share responsibilities with the occupation troops.
In the meantime, the coalition partners that joined hands with the Americans in the wars lost their enthusiasm to fight a protracted war with no results in sight and some even withdrew their forces. Difference developed over operational strategy, which became a hindrance for conducting a unified military operation within Nato forces.
4. The Wars on two fronts had devastating effects on US economy. Trillions of dollars were spent. These wars have pushed US and other European countries in to an economic crisis. With everything going against the continuation of these wars, US President Barack Obama is devising a strategy to exit from the operational theatres in Iraq and Afghanistan. How best General Patreaus and Admiral Mike Mullen can affect withdrawal of US forces without causing any embarrassment or casualties, to US troops, will be seen from the US Exit strategy.