Nothing is sufficient for America

Despite the 150,000 or more Pakistani troops on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, it seems that in the eyes of the American administration and military, it is insufficient. Allegedly what is needed is a couple of dozen US special operations forces to make up the shortfall. And just to prove the point, those special forces operatives were allowed to enter Pakistan territory, unasked, and conduct missions involving the deaths of presumed Al Qaida and Taliban operatives. Forewarning by the US of such attacks is apparently not given because of suspicions that some in the Pakistan security services will tip off the Taliban.

Such invasion by US operatives has been welcomed by Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai as being the only way to stop incursions into Afghan territory and reduce the number of raids by the Taliban. Such reasoning is debatable though, as frequently mini-surges by the US and its allies are met with tsunami-like opposition, doing more harm than ever before.

The raids by US troops into Pakistan have been met with strong opposition by Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and army leader General Pervez Kiyani, who both claim they would defend Pakistan's sovereignty against any incursion. However, it will pose a major problem for the new president, Asif Ali Zardari, who is generally seen as pro-American. Equally, the US tends to favour Zardari now, having become disillusioned by the previous presidential incumbent, Pervez Musharraf.

Zardari now finds himself in a cleft stick: If he accedes to US demands to use Pakistan territory to fight Al Qaida, there is a strong possibility he could be quickly deposed by the army; but if he conforms to the wishes of his prime minister and the army leader, then he will definitely lose friends and influence with the US.