Attack Taliban training camps in Pakistan, Senlis Council tells NATO

OTTAWA - An international group often cited by peace activists is recommending NATO broaden the war in southern Afghanistan and attack Taliban training camps in northern Pakistan.

The Senlis Council, a European-based think-tank known more for its development and aid research, is also suggesting the number of troops in the war-torn region double to 80,000.

Pakistan is clearly unable to control its northern border and NATO could offer military assistance to the government of President Pervez Musharraf - but if the offer is rejected, training camps and insurgent hideouts should be attacked, says the council's Canadian manager.

"If we don't do that, we will be in Afghanistan and the insurgency will go on forever," Almas Bawar Zakhilwal said Wednesday.

"It's impossible to defeat the insurgency in Afghanistan. If we want to defeat the insurgency and stabilize Afghanistan, we have to take another step and deal with the insurgency at their home, at their bases."

In releasing the group's latest report in Ottawa, Zakhilwal was unclear on what kind of military operation should be undertaken.

But he later clarified his remarks by saying that the council was not advocating an all-out ground war or air strikes. Instead, he said, NATO special forces units should be deployed inside Pakistan in pinpoint strikes aimed at training facilities.

It is a startling declaration from a group that has advocated progress through development, such as a poppies-for-medicine program, but Zakhilwal says the security situation is so bad Kabul could soon be in danger.

A Senlis Council analysis suggested as much as 52 per cent of Afghanistan's geographic area faces a threat by insurgents, but much of the land cited by the group is isolated mountain ranges or desert wasteland.

But the group's conclusion that safety and security in populated regions is backed by up the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights - former Canadian Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour - who said Tuesday that civilian casualties from both Taliban and NATO bombings have reached "alarming levels."

The council's recommendation, including incursions into Pakistan, were curtly dismissed by Defence Minister Peter MacKay he as left the Commons on Wednesday.

NDP Leader Jack Layton, whose party has often quoted Senlis Council reports in the Commons to buttress its case against the combat mission, was troubled by the group's hawkish turn.

"We do not favour an expansion of the war in Afghanistan and we do not share the analysis that's been offered by this particular group," he said following question period.

"A broadening of the conflict could lead to further international destabilization."

Pakistan, currently under emergency rule and swamped by street demonstrations and mass arrests, is a powder keg waiting to explode, said Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre.

"No, no, invading northern Pakistan is not the solution," he said. "Diplomacy is the solution."

But Coderre was not prepared to dismiss everything the council had to say, especially its recommendation that NATO look to Muslim countries to provide troops in order to counter Taliban propaganda that claims Western countries are occupying Afghanistan.

"We need to find a way to get Turkey more involved," Coderre said of NATO's only Muslim nation.

Last January, Canada held low-level military talks with the United Arab Emirates about that Gulf state contributing a small combat task force, but it's unclear what - if anything - came of the discussions.

Zakhilwal says most NATO countries have the room to increase troop levels and suggested Canada could contribute at least another 200 ground soldiers. But Coderre and Layton said the suggestions would not fly with the Canadian public.

The latest Senlis report also renewed its criticism of the aid and development effort, suggesting that Canada form a combat aid agency to deliver immediate humanitarian relief.

"The military should now be tasked to deliver aid to ravaged areas in the south and east and be granted control" of CIDA's war zone budget.

Steve Staples of the Rideau Institute, an outspoken opponent of the war, said the council has done a good job trying to create new solutions to difficult problems.

"We would agree with the analysis the situation is dire, but while the report is well-intentioned, it's misguided," he said.

First task should be convincing the NATO countries to contribute more combat troops and fewer administrators. And then get those troops into the fire zone.

yitbos

4 posted on 11/21/2007 3:42:53 PM PST by bruinbirdman ("Those who control language control minds." -- Ayn Rand)

"No, no, invading northern Pakistan is not the solution," he said. "Diplomacy is the solution."

In Shakespeare's words, "There's the rub." Just one undiplomatic individual can blow all your diplomacy to nothing is a second. Diplomacy kicks in when the shooting ends.

I don't think this world has ever seen so many small people in influential positions.

6 posted on 11/21/2007 4:41:19 PM PST by RobinOfKingston (Man, that's stupid...even by congressional standards.)

I had to laugh reading this!
Taliban Jack must be livid !
For those that don’t know-———The Senlis council has been one of the biggest opponents of NATO’s mission in Afghanistan, and Canada’s participation in it. They have constantly criticized the government, and our soldiers.
—now they want to invade Pakistan !
Too funny.

I guess that woman who got shot in the back of the head in the soccer stadium for showing some ankle getting out of a van, should have been more diplomatic.

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