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U.S. to face more challenge from Pakistani tribal oppositions |
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08:21, July 12, 2007 |
The United States, which has hundreds of thousands of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, will face growing challenges from tribal oppositions in Pakistan, a senior U. S. intelligence official said Wednesday.
Addressing a congressional panel, Thomas Fingar, a top intelligence analyst in the Office of the National Intelligence Director, said Pakistan's "aggressive military action against extremists has been costly for that country's security forces and has caused the government concern over the potential for a tribal rebellion and a backlash by sympathetic Islamic political parties. "
"With tribal opposition to the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and Iraq widespread and elections expected later this year, the situation will become even more challenging -- for President Musharraf and for the U.S.," Fingar said.
Pakistan is an important counterterrorism ally of the United States in South Asia.
The top intelligence analyst made the prediction after Pakistani security forces stormed Tuesday a radical mosque in Islamabad where extremists had been in confrontation with the government for days and holed up many women and children as human shields.
At least 73 radicals and eight army commandos have been reportedly killed in the raid. Pakistani officials suggested that the toll might ultimately prove far higher.
Source: Xinhua
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