Malik Khan Mar Jan, a tribal leader from North Waziristan who heads a council of tribal elders, has called for economic incentives to fight extremists in Pakistan and the government to reach out to community leaders. (Jason Motlagh/The Washington Times)Pakistan's Anti-Taliban Support Risky -- Washington Times
PESHAWAR, Pakistan | Pakistan's support of local militias to help fight Taliban and al Qaeda militants operating from its tribal areas is a sign of desperation that could backfire and lead to more attacks on U.S. and Pakistani forces or civil war in the borderlands, influential tribal elders, U.S. officials and analysts on the region say.
The militias, known as lashkars, are composed of ethnic Pashtun tribesmen angry over the presence of militant groups that have imposed harsh laws and used border areas to stage attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Pakistani authorities have tried to co-opt the lashkars as part of an offensive launched in August to wipe out insurgent safe havens. Near-daily bombings and gunbattles have, by the Pakistani army's count, forced 200,000 people to flee their homes.
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My Comment: Much of the frustration stems from the lack of support from the Pakistani military. Unlike the tribal leaders of Iraq who were guaranteed American support in their battles with Al Qaeda and their extremists allies, the same has not happened in Pakistan. With major elements of the Pakistani Army supporting the Taliban, the exact opposite is happening.
Because of short sightedness and political expediency, Pakistan is now paying for their mistakes. Failure to confront this danger will only mean the cost to get rid of them will be more expensive in the future.