Michael Hughes: A U.S. congressionally-funded think tank, insidiously named the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), has called on Washington to boost counterterrorism operations, enhance ties with Pakistan, and conduct more lethal strikes inside Afghan territory. Although more likely to come from a national security research outfit, the USIP recommendations are not so unreasonable. But it is easy to envision slipping into a full blow counterterrorism war against the Taliban and its minions.
USIP expert Asfandyar Mir told The Washington Times this week that the institute recommends providing CENTCOM with more spy drones to improve visibility to better conduct over-the-horizon anti-terror operations. Mir, one of the main authors of a new report by the Senior Study Group on Counterterrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan, warned that terror groups like IS-K on the ground are preparing to target U.S. interests, based on the latest “chatter” and the group’s online recruiting efforts.