Our strong [former] ally

I've written before about how Bush talks tough but doesn't walk the walk. Here's the latest why in which he doesn't back up the tough talk about what will happen to any country which harbours terrorists. We hear only *crickets* from the White House about the fact that their staunch ally, Pakistan, has just signed a truce with the Taliban. Remember, those evil-doers who used to run Afghanistan? Well, their welcome the life freely in Pakistan now even though the fighting is still raging Afghanistan.

MIRANSHAH, North Waziristan - With a truce between the Pakistani Taliban and Islamabad now in place, the Pakistani government is in effect reverting to its pre-September 11, 2001, position in which it closed its eyes to militant groups allied with al-Qaeda and clearly sided with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

While the truce has generated much attention, a more significant development is an underhand deal between pro-al-Qaeda elements and Pakistan in which key al-Qaeda figures will either not be arrested or those already in custody will be set free. This has the potential to sour Islamabad's relations with Washington beyond the point of no return.

[...]

Across Pakistan's border in Afghanistan, the Taliban have control of most of the southwest of the country, from where Mullah Omar is expected soon to announce the revival of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan - the name of the country before the Taliban were driven out in 2001. Once the proclamation is made, a big push toward the capital Kabul will begin.

The sounds of jail doors opening in Pakistan will jar with the United States, as will Islamabad adopting a more independent foreign policy and, crucially, aligning itself with the resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan, which once again could become a Pakistani playground.

Josh Marshall says it nicely:

Fighting them in Iraq because we're afraid to fight them in Afghanistan and Pakistan.