al-Qaida and Pakistan

It was reported that former U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell, gave Pakistan's president Musharraf two options prior to the first Allied bombing runs in Afghanistan against al-Qaida. Either play ball and receive U.S. financial and military aid or be bombed back to the stone age.

Now that we know al-Qaida is reforming operations in Pakistan, perhaps it is time to either cut assistance to Mr. Musharraf or attack the al-Qaida bases in Pakistan.

al-Qaida propaganda tapes are now making their way to the west in a matter of days, not weeks or months as happened a few years ago.

Former U.S. National Intelligence Director John Negroponte stated that "from their leaders' (al-Qaida) secure hideout in Pakistan" they are overseeing operations in the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. We may also surmise in America.

On the chance that Musharraf, for political reasons, seems to be helping us less than he is, attacking al-Qaida bases against his "protestations" would give him the political cover he needs. Ignoring the re-growth of al-Qaida is as negligent as a cancer patient ignoring an obvious growth.