What is that old Arab proverb: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" ( for now )
Here's another one: "It is good to strike the serpent's head with your enemy's hand."
Here's another one: "For every action there's a reaction"
Our US leadership should not ignore the direction of the current military surge,
and should break up Gen. Petreus' "Not-on-my-watch" chain of command.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/29/wo...lines&emc=tha2
Insurgents Set Aside Rivalries on Afghan Border
By THOM SHANKER
Published: December 28, 2010
Quote:
Rival militant organizations on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan
border have increasingly been teaming up in deadly raids,
in what military and intelligence officials say is the insurgents’ latest
attempt to regain the initiative after months of withering attacks
from American and allied forces. <snip>
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Quote:
In the past, these insurgent groups have been seen as sharing ideology and inspiration,
but less often plans for specific missions.<snip>
These extremist groups have begun granting one another safe passage
through their areas of control in Afghanistan and Pakistan,
sharing new recruits and coordinating their propaganda responses
to American and allied actions on the ground, officials said.
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Quote:
American commanders recently have been seeking even more latitude to operate freely
along the porous border, including inside Pakistan, and have consistently warned that
whatever gains they have made in the past few months are fragile.
<snip>
Increased cooperation among insurgent factions also is being reported inside Pakistan,
where many of the extremist organizations are based or where their leaders have found a haven.
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Quote:
Commanders also warn of another response to the increase of American troop levels
in Afghanistan: larger numbers of insurgent foot soldiers are expected to be ordered
to remain in Afghanistan this winter to fight on, rather than retreat to havens in Pakistan
to await the spring thaw and a return to combat.
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