Buried deep in the Pentagon’s 105-page bi-annual report on Afghanistan is a claim that ties between the US and Pakistani militaries are improving strongly and that Pakistan’s military is increasing its “cooperation” with the war in Afghanistan.

But the how of this may surprise many. According to the report, the Pakistani Army General Headquarters recently agreed to allow NATO to put a military presence at the XII Corps headquarters in the Pakistani city of Quetta.

The details of exactly what the coalition military presence in the city will be were not released, and will likely be couched in terms of “advisers” as with other US troops in Pakistan. The city of Quetta, however, is increasingly of interest to the Obama Administration.

In fact the US has been seeking permission to launch drone strikes against Quetta, a western city of nearly a million people, and Pakistan’s government had also recently agreed to allow CIA ground teams in the city.

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