US Looks to Make Allies of Pakistan's Tribesmen

The Pentagon is seeking to beef up Pakistan's counter-insurgency efforts in the tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan by expanding an American special forces team in the country to train the Frontier Corps and recruiting local militias to take on the insurgents.

The aim is to replicate the Iraq model, in which the Americans recruited, financed and armed local militias against insurgents, firstly in Anbar province and then elsewhere in the country.

US special forces at present only go to Pakistan for six-week trips. The intention is that from early next year they will be there for longer assignments, mainly in a training and advisory role, though combat is not ruled out.

The US has about 50 troops in Pakistan at present and the intention is to add dozens more.

The Pentagon also wants to turn Pakistan's 85,000-strong Frontier Corps, which at present is underfunded and less well armed than the insurgents, into a force capable of striking back at Taliban, al-Qaida and other militant groups in the tribal areas.

The Pentagon is in despair at the spreading influence of the militants.

Michael Vickers, assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, and the CIA officer who led the US operation to arm the Afghanistan mujahideen against Russian troops in the 1980s, said last Friday that the instability in the tribal areas was worsening.

"The level of violence is ramping up. It isn't Iraq, but it's getting worse," he said. "The al-Qaida senior leadership has had time to build relationships with the locals."

Adding to a series of media leaks in Washington during the past week about the plan, the New York Times reported today that the US command in Tampa, Florida, has been circulating a strategy paper prepared by US Special Operations Command, parts of which have been agreed in principle.

Other parts of the plan, such as an extra $350m (£175m) in financing, on top of $750m already committed for building roads, schools and other public services, are awaiting approval.

Aid to Pakistan is currently being reviewed as the Bush administration considers cutting funds to President Pervez Musharraf to force him to end the state of emergency he imposed on November 3 and return to constitutional rule.

The White House spokeswoman, Dana Perino, today confirmed that a review of aid was under way, but signaled an unwillingness to cut funds for health, education and other poverty-alleviation measures.