Bush considers Pakistan an "ally". But is Pakistan helping al-Qaida?

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Check out this article from the Navy Times.

In this article, it says that Afghanistan complained to Bush on his recent visit that there is "violence" coming from Pakistan:

But Bush acknowledged Afghanistan’s complaints about violence emanating from neighboring Pakistan, and said he’d talk with Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf about it when he sees him in Islamabad.

We then learn that Pakistan bombed a supposed al-Qaida camp near the border the same week Bush was arriving to the Middle East:

As Bush arrived in South Asia, Pakistani security forces struck a militant training camp near the Afghan border, killing three dozen fighters, including a Chechen commander linked to al-Qaida, an army official said.

Then Bush is quoted as saying these al-Qaida camps (or "infiltrations") must be stopped because they are harming US Troops and Afghanis:

“I absolutely will bring up the cross-border infiltrations with President Musharraf,” Bush said. “These infiltrations are causing harm to friend, allies and cause harm to U.S. troops.”

Then Bush goes one further:

Bush said he also would remind Musharraf about the need to capture bin Laden and Omar.

Doesn't it seem just a bit odd that Bush will only ask Pakistan to help stop al-Qaida at the request of Afghanistan?
More importantly, why in the hell is the U.S. Military depending on Pakistan to bomb al-Qaida camps along the border!?!
Especially when Bush admits these al-Qaida "infiltrations" are harming US Military. Isn't that reason enough?

Why does Bush have to ask for help from Pakistan?

Here is a possibility:

If Pakistan isn't doing its part in fighting al-Qaida to the point that Bush has to remind them to catch bin Laden and bomb al-Qaida camps originating from Pakistan, doesn't that mean Pakistan is aiding and abetting al-Qaida?

This entire discussion (Bush/Pakistan/Afghanistan) seems to imply that al-Qaida is being assisted by Pakistan - otherwise what would be the point of Bush needing Pakistan's help? We could surely drop bombs anywhere we want without the help of Pakistan. So what gives?

What is going on with Pakistan and al-Qaida?
Is Pakistan really our ally?

[louis-t]

1. I have said this all along...

don't trust Musharraf. I have a baaaaad feeling about that guy. Same goes for dipshit prezz-i-dunce.

[Igel]

2. For pete's sake.

Last month there was a missile attack on suspected AQ folk in Pakistan by the US--CIA, IIRC.

All hell broke loose. Demonstrations in Pakistan, protests both official and not.

Some DUers argued it was a violation of sovereignty. Others, it was a casus belli. Both were right, if Pakistan viewed them as such. Pakistan wasn't happy, but Musharraf was torn: he has no love for the people that want him dead, and for the MMA in general, but also had overwhelming public sentiment against the strike. Voila: In all probability, except in cases of hot pursuit that practice was canned.

This, in an area where Pakistani troops are a touchy subject, with Pakistani troops going into the region for the first time (since independence) at *'s behest. The way elections usually work is that the women vote the way their guardians mandate, men vote the way their clan elders mandate, and the clan elders vote a compromise between what Islam (i.e., their imams) requires, and their lust for power requires. Usually they're the same thing.

It gets thornier, because Pakistan is hardly a united state. Many Pashtuns are more Pashtun than Pakistani, and view their loyalty first to Islam, second to their clan/tribe/Pashtun affiliation, and third--a remote third--to the state in which they're citizens.