Bush administration seeks more aggressive policy in Central Asia.(Inside Track)

While the Bush administration has been prosecuting an unwise and unjustified war of regime change in Iraq, over the past few years early military successes against al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan have stumbled. Opening a committee meeting on Capitol Hill to hear testimony from retired Lt. General David Barrio, formerly a commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) warned: "I believe that we currently risk a strategic failure in Afghanistan" and urged that we "shift needed resources from Iraq to Afghanistan."

Any redoubling of efforts in Afghanistan must be accompanied by significant efforts to root out Taliban and al-Qaeda forces from tribal areas in Pakistan where, according to official reports referenced by the New York Times, "intelligence indicates that al Qaeda was operating ... with impunity akin to that of the days before the September 11 attacks." To counter al-Qaeda activity in Pakistan, the United States proposed that the CIA be given greater authority to operate independently in areas of suspected al-Qaeda activity. According to Reuters, that proposal was rebuffed by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

The U.S. military is prepared to dramatically increase the training of Pakistani soldiers by American forces. According to AP, "Adm. William J. Fallon, commander of the U.S. Central Command, ...