[colorado tanker]

I agree. You know, Baluchistan is only tenously connected to Pakistan, and was attached to Punjab and Sind by the British. I suspect one motive for Pakistan wanting to include some Taliban factions in the next government is to try to head off a civil war in Afghanistan after the present Taliban government is deposed.

[AGAviator]

That's the only reason Pakistan ever supported the Taliban. In the early '90's they supported an anti-American fundamentalist named Gulbuddin Hikmatyar, who was part of Massoud's coalition government in Kabul. The Taliban came out of the south and started fighting with Hikmatyar. It was only after they looked like winners that Pakistan started supporting them. They simply don't want problems on both sides of their country, as they have enough problems with India.