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Analyst predicts US military strike in Waziristan

By Khalid Hasan

WASHINGTON: A leading conservative with a known entrée in the Bush administration has said that in his view the president is “going to have to take military action there (Waziristan) over the next few weeks or months” because he has to disrupt that sanctuary”.

Bill Kristol, political analyst at the conservative journal, The Standard, said in a Fox News programme on 12 July, “I think, frankly, we won’t even tell Musharraf. We’ll do what we have to do in western Pakistan and Musharraf can say, ‘Hey! they didn’t tell me’.” He said Al Qaeda has gained sanctuaries in Waziristan “and this is not acceptable.” He claimed that Al Qaeda has a safe haven in western Pakistan, more specifically in Waziristan, adding, “Al Qaeda ... is running from Iraq, apparently to Pakistan.” Asked if this report had come out on purpose so that “we will have the right ... to go after Pakistan now,” he replied that the president is going to have to take military action “over the next few weeks or months” so as to disrupt that sanctuary.

Kristol said, according to the online site DesPardes, that he is not going to lose sleep over it, pointing out that Gen Musharraf already has problems in major cities and “may look the other way” if Waziristan is visited or struck from air by US and NATO forces. According to Kristol, “The big problem now is Waziristan, where Al Qaeda has made sanctuary for itself. You cannot let them have a safe haven … that’s one lesson we’ve learnt from 9/11.” He said in answer to a question that since Al Qaeda is on the run from Iraq, it has reconstituted itself in Waziristan after President Musharraf “cut deals with Taliban and left them alone” to operate. It was also said in the programme that Vice President Dick Cheney had reportedly called up Gen Musharraf a couple of weeks back and told him “this is not acceptable” while referring to Al Qaeda gaining a “safe haven” in Waziristan.

According to an AFP report, the Bush administration came under intense grilling in Congress last week over its “unconditional support” for President Musharraf as lawmakers doubted his ability to take strong action to reign in the problem and called for a re-evaluation of US policy towards Pakistan. According to one observer, the coalition wants to bring the “war on terror” card back on top of Gen Musharraf’s deck, since the Lal Masjid issue has been dealt with and the opposition attempt to mobilise via London meeting has apparently failed. “President Musharraf has gained new political capital and goodwill. They (US) now want him to take advantage of his new strength and deliver more,” the news agency said.

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