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US Secretly Training Pakistani Commandos

Forces help troops to fight Taliban, al-Qaeda

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 23, 2009 5:07 AM CST

(Newser) – Dozens of American military advisers and technical specialists are secretly working in Pakistan to train armed forces to battle the Taliban and al-Qaeda, reports the New York Times. The Special Forces soldiers are providing intelligence and advising the Pakistani military on combat tactics, although they are not conducting combat operations. The program is larger and more ambitious than the US or Pakistan has ackowledged.

Pakistan strongly protests each time the US conducts missile strikes in the volatile tribal area near the Afghan border, despite secret government support for the raids. Yet despite spiking anti-Americanism among Pakistan's population, the government is seeing benefits from US operations. One Pakistani official said that CIA intelligence has enabled a new Pakistani commando unit to kill or seize up to 60 militants, including high-level commanders.

A Pakistani police officer keeps position on the rooftop of a checkpost at Jamrud Road, leading to Afghanistan after it was closed by authorities late last year.
A Pakistani police officer keeps position on the rooftop of a checkpost at Jamrud Road, leading to Afghanistan after it was closed by authorities late last year.   (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)
Pakistan army soldiers stand alert in troubled city of Dera Ismail Khan during a curfew imposed after a bomb attack last week in Pakistan.
Pakistan army soldiers stand alert in troubled city of Dera Ismail Khan during a curfew imposed after a bomb attack last week in Pakistan.   (AP Photo/Ishtiaq Mehsud)
Pakistan's army Chief Gen. Asfaq Pervez Kayani shakes hands with a soldier in Pakistan's troubled area of Swat last month. Pakistan is committed to restoring government control of the Swat Valley.
Pakistan's army Chief Gen. Asfaq Pervez Kayani shakes hands with a soldier in Pakistan's troubled area of Swat last month. Pakistan is committed to restoring government control of the Swat Valley.   (AP Photo/Inter Services Public Relations department,HO)
Pakistani army troops move toward the Khyber tribal area late last year.
Pakistani army troops move toward the Khyber tribal area late last year.   (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)
Pakistani army tank patrols in the troubled Pakistani tribal area of Khyber near Peshawar, Pakistan, last month.
Pakistani army tank patrols in the troubled Pakistani tribal area of Khyber near Peshawar, Pakistan, last month.   (AP Photo/Qazi Tariq)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
justme
Feb 23, 2009 7:19 PM CST
Shall we, instead, pull all our troops back, let Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq fall to the religious extremists? Hello 9-11 again and again etc.
Doctor-Zaius
Feb 23, 2009 6:12 AM CST
This remind anyone of Viet Nam? Just substitute the 60's bogeymen of communists for the modern day bogeymen of Islamic Extremists.
bacimom
Feb 23, 2009 12:14 AM CST
Shall we forget that the US financed and backed Bin Laden, Saddam, Iran Contra and god only knows who else at one time. We backed Saddam against Iran but the real war was against Russia. We caused the Taliban to come to power. But since we don't teach history how would we know?

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