US to train Pakistan military officers

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - U.S. trainers will travel to Pakistan this year to teach military officials counterinsurgency techniques to aid soldiers along the Afghan border in the fight against al-Qaida and Taliban militants, U.S. officials said Sunday.

The training will also leave the Pakistani border force better able to cooperate with U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, a U.S. military official said.

Twenty-two U.S. trainers will arrive in "drips and drabs" this year and could be in place as soon as June or as late as October, the military official said on condition he not be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Militant attacks have increased sharply in Pakistan's border region in the last year. More than 40 people were killed in a suicide bombing in the North West Frontier Province on Sunday, the third suicide blast in the region in as many days.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080302/ap_on_re_as/pakistan_us_trainers

[Hydra]

1. I wonder what Musharaff's opposition think about this

If I were them, I'd be a bit hesitant to accept our "aid"

[Arctic Dave]

2. School of the Americas

Middle East version. We will help them kill more indiscriminately. Oh joy.

[GliderGuider]

3. My first thought, too

Watch for an increase in the number of people tortured and disappeared.

[NashVegas]

7. Mine Three

So not good.

[WhiteTara]

4. look for dead bodies in the street

aka as the Negroponte effect.

[TomInTib]

5. Here we go, again...

"dribs and drabs", my ass.

Once there and in place, it will be years before we get out of that deal.

[Igel]

6. The Guards need help.

They're underfunded and barely trained, from what I've read. Poor stepchildren of the Pak military.

It's the Guard that had 100 soldiers taken hostage once; it's the Guard that's suffered most of the casualties and truly embarrassing situations (not all of the bad situations, but most). They answer indirectly to the Pak generals, who have had limited authority in FATA where the main problem originates, and trouble in the NWFP as well.

The Guard needs training. It's probably going from US to Pak military to Frontier Guards in order to make everybody happy, rather than letting the Pashtuns interact directly and primarily with the Americans. An honor-saving and knowledge-vetting process.

[spag68]

8. Those trainers

have done such a great job in Iraq, that everyone will want us to train their troops. NOT

[Tempest]

9. Meet the new rightwing death squads n/t

[bemildred]

10. Somehow, this makes me think of Vietnam.

Yes, yes, I know, no relationship at all, completely different place, not the same at all. Many many differences. Ridiculous comparison, really ...