You shoot, you car-bomb, but at the end of the day, does it buy you any loyalty? No!

If it's actually true, that sums up the sentiments of a diary allegedly written by an al Qaeda in Iraq leader but found by U.S. forces.

From the Feb. 8 NYT:

The (U.S.) Army has drafted a new operations manual that elevates the mission of stabilizing war-torn nations, making it equal in importance to defeating adversaries on the battlefield.

Military officials described the new document, the first new edition of the Army’s comprehensive doctrine since 2001, as a major development that draws on the hard-learned lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan, where initial military successes gave way to long, grueling struggles to establish control.

It is also an illustration of how far the Pentagon has moved beyond the Bush administration’s initial reluctance to use the military to support “nation-building” efforts when it came into office.

But some influential officers are already arguing that the Army still needs to put actions behind its new words, and they have raised searching questions about whether the Army’s military structure, personnel policies and weapons programs are consistent with its doctrine.

From the BBC:

Taleban leader Mullah Omar and al-Qaeda commanders, including Osama Bin Laden, are living in Pakistan, a senior US official has told reporters.

He said senior Taleban leaders were in hiding with Mullah Omar in Quetta, from where they co-ordinated the insurgency in Afghanistan.

He also reiterated Washington's belief that Bin Laden was taking refuge in Pakistan's western tribal areas.

Islamabad repeatedly denies that Mullah Omar or Bin Laden are in Pakistan.

But check this out:

Last month, captured Taleban spokesman Muhammad Hanif made similar claims about Mullah Omar's whereabouts, which were rejected by Pakistan.

Mr Hanif said Mullah Omar was protected by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency.

If Pakistan says the ISI isn't protecting Mullah Omar, then that's good enough for me. :^)