US Pentagon Report The Actual Paragraph in the released Pentagon Report page 95 Section 5 and 5.1 concerning Pakistan is reproduced below: SECTION 5 – REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT Afghanistan shares a border with six states: Pakistan, Iran, China, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. These states, as well as Russia, India, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, have varying levels of engagement with the Afghan government, and different degrees of importance to the ongoing mission and overall stability of Afghanistan. The Afghanistan-Pakistan relationship is especially vital to the long-term peace of the region. However, this relationship has been marked by distrust and even military aggression across the shared border. Afghanistan’s relationship with the rest of the region is generally positive, with most states seeking a stable and peaceful Afghanistan that can contribute to regional trade, counter terrorist networks, and limit narcotics shipments through its borders. 5.1: PAKISTAN The United States continues to seek a constructive relationship with Pakistan that advances both U.S. and Pakistani interests. Pakistan’s relationship with the United States remains constructive, and both nations continue to acknowledge the importance of maintaining bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual concern and engaging on areas of divergence. Taliban attacks in Afghanistan launched from sanctuaries in Pakistan remain a serious problem. These sanctuaries exist primarily in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Baluchistan. Pakistan and the United States cooperate on areas of mutual interests, including providing essential support to U.S. retrograde operations from Afghanistan. In addition, Pakistan continues to cooperate with the United States on some CT activities. Pakistan’s military made gains against the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and foreign fighters in the FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during a major military operation. Afghan- and Indian-focused militants continue to operate from Pakistan territory to the detriment of Afghan and regional stability. Pakistan uses these proxy forces to hedge against the loss of influence in Afghanistan and to counter India’s superior military. These relationships run counter to Pakistan’s public commitment to support Afghan-led reconciliation. Such groups continue to act as the primary irritant in Afghan-Pakistan bilateral relations. Pakistan’s government has sought to increase engagement with Afghanistan. However, suspicion has surrounded the relationship between Kabul and Islamabad, inhibiting bilateral cooperation on border security protocols. It is possible that the new Afghan President, Dr. Ghani, will seek to change this dynamic, which Pakistan is likely to welcome. Although stability in Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan, Pakistan also seeks sufficient Pashtun representation in the Afghan government to prevent Pashtun discontent along the Afghan-Pakistan border and limit India’s influence. Pakistan made some progress on interdicting and disrupting the production of IED components, but still falls short despite greater engagement and recent cooperation. A significant portion of the materials, which perpetuate the conflict, continue to emanate from or transit through Pakistan. Cross-border incidents and lingering mistrust remain points of tension in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. Both countries continue to question each other’s commitment to advancing a political settlement in Afghanistan. The relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan continues to pose a significant challenge to the stability of the region. During this reporting period, there have been several border incidents that have heightened tensions, to include; artillery shelling, Pakistani construction of trenches, the arrest of Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan, and increased rhetoric from national leaders on both sides. Pakistan also hosts one of the largest refugee communities in the world, estimated at several million Afghans, who are blamed for strains on the local economy and security threats. Despite these setbacks, ISAF will continue to support the development of a constructive military-to-military relationship and provide venues for the two sides to come together with the intent of improving the poor state of their relations. However, convincing both sides to cooperate on a range of security issues will take a concerted and sustained effort by the international community.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Nov 2014 08:41:58 +0000