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Accession Number:
ADA522727
Title:
Counterinsurgency in Pakistan
Descriptive Note:
Monograph
Corporate Author:
RAND CORP ARLINGTON VA NATIONAL SECURITY RESEARCH DIV
Report Date:
2010-01-01
Pagination or Media Count:
210.0
Abstract:
Beginning in 2001, Pakistan conducted a range of operations against militant groups in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas FATA and other parts of Pakistan. Because of Pakistans nuclear status and the presence of international terrorist organizations, such as al Qaida, Pakistans counterinsurgency campaign significantly affects the security of countries across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East -- including the United States. U.S. President Barack Obama argued that Pakistans border region is the most dangerous place in the world for the United States. The head of U.S. Central Command, General David Petraeus, noted that it is the headquarters of the al Qaida senior leadership, which is planning attacks in the West. U.S. intelligence agencies have linked several terrorist plots in the United States to networks in Pakistan, including Faisal Shahzads May 2010 attempt to bomb Times Square in New York. Another notable threat was the al Qaida plot to detonate a bomb in the New York City subway that involved Najibullah Zazi. Similarly, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned that three-quarters of the most serious plots investigated by the British authorities have links to al Qaida in Pakistan. This document examines counterinsurgency efforts in Pakistan and asks several questions What are the roots of the militant challenge in Pakistan What have Pakistans primary operations against militants been How effective have these operations been in achieving their goals And what are the policy implications To answer these questions, the document combines field research in Pakistan with a review of the literature on counterinsurgency and other relevant areas. While there have been numerous policy reports on Pakistan and its militant challenges, there has been little effort to systematically analyze the effectiveness of Pakistans operations and to apply relevant theoretical lessons.
Distribution Statement:
APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
