On a daily basis, we hear more reports about thousands of U.S. troops moving toward the Persian Gulf region for a possible military strike against Iraq. The images we see on television and in news publications only provide us with a limited, momentary taste of the logistical magnitude of this ongoing buildup.

What we don’t often see or hear are the reports about continued combat operations hunting for remaining al-Qaida and Taliban soldiers along the mountainous Afghan-Pakistani border region. We all know it’s happening, but news information about these operations is scarce at best.

My personal feeling is we should put more effort and resources into the hunt for al-Qaida than a large-scale, pointless military strike against Iraq. Because of the near complete lack of an economy, inadequate industrial infrastructure and disheveled military, Iraq is much less of a threat than it was prior to the 1991 Gulf War.

Simply put, our mission in Afghanistan is far from over. In fact, it should be our top priority.

Ignoring the fact that an unknown number of al-Qaida and Taliban troops — those directly responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks — are slipping through the cracks and finding sanctuary in the tribal regions of Pakistan, is discarding the entire purpose for joining the War on Terrorism in the first place.

Pakistan has been viewed as a vital U.S. ally since the Sept. 11 attacks. They have provided us with valuable intelligence information and have turned over captured Islamic militants and al-Qaida sympathizers. Their government has been friendly to the majority of U.S. coalition-led efforts, showing their desire for a reprieve from neighboring dictatorships.

Recently, however, U.S. troops searching for al-Qaida and Taliban sympathizers along the Afghan-Pakistani border were fired upon by a Pakistani military patrol. This incident raises serious questions about how far Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf’s arm of government control can reach.

The rural region along the Afghan-Pakistani border is unique from urban areas of Pakistan because the central government’s control has historically been very limited. Since the end of the British Empire, these tribal regions have been largely autonomous from any central control of the Pakistani government.

The ethnic tribes in this region are easily swayed by religious rhetoric and anti-American sentiments, enabling the commiseration of the supposed al-Qaida and Taliban plight. It is entirely plausible that the mind-set and cultural feeling of tribes living in the region may have some effect over Pakistani soldiers stationed there.

The day-to-day operations and personnel of Pakistan’s military aren’t as easily controlled as those of their western counterparts. Pakistani soldiers have ethnic and religious ties with the tribal groups harboring al-Qaida and Taliban fugitives, making it more tempting to aid in their escape and regrouping efforts.

Thinly spread over an extremely rural nation, they are less disciplined, less educated and poorly paid. Thus, it is more inviting for a Pakistani commander or a group of Pakistani soldiers to ignore al-Qaida and Taliban incursions along the porous Afghan-Pakistani border, especially when the incentive and supervision to do so otherwise simply does not exist.

The uneasy gut feeling I can’t seem to lose spawns from my inability to believe Pakistan is wholeheartedly behind U.S.-led anti-terrorism efforts. All intelligence reports still confirm the presence of al-Qaida and Taliban fugitives within Pakistan’s borders.

If Musharraf has written a check he doesn’t think his nation can cash, the United States should assist him in footing the bill. Shifting our military resources from the Persian Gulf region to the tribal regions of the Afghan-Pakistani border will end the cat-and-mouse game between the United States and Osama bin Laden’s terrorist cult.

With the help of a large U.S. military campaign, Pakistan has the means to vigilantly sweep its nation’s entire countryside, flushing out the remaining al-Qaida and Taliban personnel in the region. Ultimately, this would bring added security and stability to a region haunted by decades of conflict.

Andy Topetzes is a senior in political science and criminology. Send all comments to [email protected].