Armies built for conventional warfare don't easily make the transition to counter-terrorism, as U.S. commanders discovered in Iraq. Pakistan's generals have shown no enthusiasm for such a change, despite a massive infusion of U.S. military aid meant to make it happen. Much of that money has been stolen or spent to defend against an attack from India; little has reached the border with Afghanistan. Army chief Ash-faq Kayani has made some effort to take on the Taliban and other militant groups, but fitfully and with mixed results.rnSo the challenge for Holbrooke, says Fair, "is to thread two needles at the same time... He has to get the Pakistani army to step up the fight against extremists, even as he's telling the generals, 'Sorry, guys, we're making the civilians your bosses.'" In the past, the military has actively undermined every effort to put it under civilian control; expect more of the same.
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