A Pentagon report has blamed Pakistan of undermining Afghan security by permitting safe heavens to insurgents despite ease in tension between the two countries.
The Defense Department report said that Taliban sanctuaries in Pakistan, Afghan government’s limited capacity and corruption pose a greater risk as US prepares troops withdrawal by end of 2014.
The report admitted that Pakistan has helped achieve US interest in Afghanistan while simultaneously failing in other areas. The report noted that the relations of Pakistan were modest with Afghanistan. It is pertinent to mention that Hamid Karzai had blamed last week that attack on Afghan spy chief was planned in Pakistan.
The Pentagon report said that enemy attacks went up one percent from April to Sept 2011. But it attributed the rise to a shorter poppy harvest, which kept low-level insurgents busy for less time, and said life had improved in urban areas.
The Pentagon report described “substantial progress” by Afghans in taking the lead in their own security, but acknowledged logistical and management shortcomings in the national forces as well as corruption.
Pentagon report blames Pakistan over Afghanistan war
