Pakistan's 'mock war' on Taliban

A coalition partner in the Pakistan government has accused the military of staging a "mock war" in the Taliban stronghold of South Waziristan while continuing to aid the export of militants over the border into Afghanistan. The accusation came as Pakistani intelligence officials revealed the country had objected to the expansion of US military operations in southern Afghanistan, for fear the surge would push militants back into Pakistan and exacerbate unrest in its troubled Baluchistan province. Pakistan officials told The New York Times they did not have enough troops to fight a Taliban insurgency in Baluchistan, as well as the budding separatist movement there, without depleting forces on its eastern border with India. They added it was in the country's national interest to negotiate with the Islamic militants. The appeal highlights Pakistan's continuing military obsession with India at the expense of a spiralling militant insurgency, both to its west and within its own borders.