[HenryLeeII]

Gee, I didn't catch this on CBS, ABC, CNN, etc. I wonder why? The Bush administration couldn't be getting international cooperation in its efforts to destroy al-Qaeda, could it?

[doug from upland]

The BUSH DOCTRINE in action. God help us all if we ever have to face the KERRY DOCTRINE.

[Ruth A.]

Yes, yes, yes!!!

[EggsAckley]

BUMP!!

[doug from upland]

The BUSH DOCTRINE in action. God help us all if we ever have to face the KERRY DOCTRINE.

[Uncle Miltie]

If you don't attack their "Hole In The Wall," they'll keep robbing trains.

[azcap]

There is a lot to be said for the Israeli Bulldozer method of Neighbor Watch.

[William Tell]

It has occurred to me that it would be very effective "strategery" to lead the Al Qaeda to believe that there was no hope for them if they fled to Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, or any of the other place where they once would have been sheltered.

However, because Pakistan has been cooperating in the War on Terror, the US must recognize its sovereignty over these tribal border areas. There is no way that the US can violate Pakistan's borders and clean up this mess. Obviously, Pakistan itself is not able to come to grips with these fractious populations.

Then, when the Al Qaeda have become convinced that there is some magic to the protection they get by hiding in these tribal areas, we see what is depicted here.

The Pakistani government arrests Al Qaeda sympathisers and coerces them into identifying others. Detentions continue until the tribal leaders, those not yet detained, realize that their own survival depends upon winning the release of those detained, even if that requires turning in the sheltered Al Qaeda.

The magical quagmire disappears and the Al Qaeda are left with no place to run and no place to hide.