But many Pakistani military people did see that Islamic radicalism has become a curse, not a blessing, and resistance to the ISI has grown. This has resulted in the army agreeing to chase the Islamic radicals (Taliban, al Qaeda and several other groups) out of most of the tribal territories. North Waziristan (in the Pushtun territories along the border) and Quetta (capital of Baluchistan, home of the Baluchi tribes) remain as Islamic radical sanctuaries, but apparently not for long. The end, however, will be bloody. There are thousands of true believers in the Taliban and Pakistan-based al Qaeda. These zealots have millions of supporters in Pakistan. And all these Islamic radicals want Pakistan to become a religious dictatorship. The democrats and Islamic radicals have largely tolerated each other since the 1970s, but that tolerance is fraying.
I've been waiting for quite some time for Pakistan to commit to defeating the final jihad. Of course, as I wrote then:
If Pakistan will fight this war with no quarter, this could be the final jihad.
Pakistan has helped us in the war on terror. I have no doubt. But they've withheld a lot of support that could have let us make even more progress out of the bizarre (to us) notion that the jihadis are too useful to abandon.
And until Pakistna commits to fighting the jihadis with no quarter granted, I'll worry that the jihadis will draw to an inside straight and somehowe seize power in Pakistan.
Pakistan has nuclear weapons, you'll recall.
Are we really ready to say we've waged the war against the jihadis long enough, and we should just "get over" 9/11?
