The buildup along the Afghan/Pakistan border

Another "good read" out of the British press this morning about the Afghani army buildup along the Pakistani border and now fairly constant conflicts.

Afghanistan’s 46,000-strong army is in no position to take on the military might of Pakistan, besides which diplomatic pressure on both countries makes it extremely unlikely that the scope of fighting will spread between regular forces. However, the fighting has sparked antiPakistani sentiment among the Afghan border tribes at a time when the fortunes of every foreign player trying to stabilise Afghanistan are dependent on the two neighbours cooperating.

“Only this morning I have had tribal elders offer me 400 men to fight the Pakistanis,” said Captain Aziz. “I have to keep ordering them to stay in their villages. Man, woman and child, in this area they are all ready to give their blood in a fight with Pakistan.”

And, it is notable that this Afghani buildup is taking soldiers out of the fight against the Taleban.

(Is Karzai more popular "fighting" the Pakistanis rather than the Taleban?)