Pakistan’s Awkward Balancing Act on Islamic Militant Groups

Pakistan presents itself as an ally in the US war on terror, but looks the other way when it comes to groups who instigate attacks in Afghanistan and India. But that two-sided approach could become more challenging as more evidence emerges of Pakistani links to recent cases: the July bombing of a commuter train in Bombay and the August arrest of British citizens who planned to bomb airlines over the Atlantic Ocean. With a strong intelligence network, Pakistan is expected to have more clues about groups that promote terrorism within its boundaries. Some analysts suggest that Pakistan deliberately pursues an ambiguous policy on security, with the military government trying to please both radical religious groups at home along and governments of the West that provide funding. President Pervez Musharraf, up for re-election in 2007, has reached out to win the support of religious groups throughout his country, while his government denies any support for groups that encourage attacks at neighbors to the north and east. Analysts remain divided about military dictatorships or democracies as the best way to maintain peace in countries with large populations of impoverished Muslims. – YaleGlobal