The revelation in last week’s National Intelligence Estimate on al-Qaeda was that its senior leadership has established a “safe haven” in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas. At today’s joint House intelligence-armed services committee hearing, five defense and intelligence officials stated that the crucial factor for the development of the safe haven — which allowed al-Qaeda to rebuild its capabilities — was a ceasefire accord signed last year between President Pervez Musharraf and tribal leaders in northern Waziristan. Yet even as the ceasefire collapsed earlier this month, following Musharraf’s raid on the Red Mosque, members of his government have tried to resurrect it.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=180287