A New Strategy for Pakistan

James Kitfield, writing for National Journal October 25, presented the components of a new strategy for Pakistan that he says U.S. commanders in Afghanistan, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, officials at the State Department and National Security Council, and outside experts assert will be part of a plan crafted by General David Petraeus to be presented to the next U.S. president.

The components he presented were as follows:

Transform Pakistani security forces - "The Pakistani military will have to change from a conventional force designed to fight the Indian Army to a counterinsurgency force designed to implement the same kind of 'clear, hold, and build' battle plan in the country's western tribal areas that Petraeus oversaw in Iraq."

Increase economic development - "U.S. military forces have learned the hard way in Iraq and Afghanistan that without a government capable of stepping in with economic development in the 'build' phase of a counterinsurgency campaign, military efforts to 'clear and hold' territory will prove temporary successes at best. The strategic goal is to win the allegiance of the populace and rob the insurgency of critical local support."

Reconcile with parts of the Taliban - "In the past, U.S. officials have criticized the Pakistani government for reaching cease-fire deals and 'truces' with some militant groups that operate under the Taliban umbrella. Pakistani officials counter that such reconciliation attempts are critical to gaining popular support for military action against hard-core recalcitrants. Afghan President Hamid Karzai has recently stepped up his own outreach efforts aimed at the Taliban. After success with the 'Anbar model'...Petraeus has reportedly made government-led reconciliation with the Taliban a major theme of his Pakistan review."

Create a joint border force - "The public backlash in Pakistan against the U.S. military's unilateral commando raid into the tribal areas in September has highlighted the need for a joint U.S. - Afghan - Pakistani force that can move as freely across the border as the insurgents."

Push the Kashmiri peace process - "As long as contested Kashmir remains an impediment to normal Indian-Pakistani relations, the Pakistan military will resist changing into a counterinsurgency force or ending its tacit support to some Islamic militant groups.

At the risk of sounding like a pompous ass, I would add one more component to any new strategy for Pakistan: reform of the ISI and more state control of the traditionally independent intelligence service (and I'm sure General Petraeus has considered this, but is not really in a position as commander of Central Command to effect real change in this area).

There is no question that a new strategy is coming, not just for Pakistan, but for Afghanistan as well. The two have become inseparable, and what was once the Afghan theater of war is now the Afghan - Pakistan theater of war.