Amid Policy Disputes al Qaeda Grows in Pakistan

Major New York Times piece on the state of play. Al Qaeda has now built a new chain of smaller training camps and may have as many as 2,000 local and foreign militants in them. Argues that resources were diverted to Iraq and there were arguments within the administration about the use of Special forces. Pakistani officials were concerned about possibilities of a tribal uprising and thought Americans exaggerating the size of the al Qaeda presence in Waziristan. But towards the end of the piece, a US source is quoted saying again that the size of the problem is being exaggerated. The leadership of al Qaeda may well be in the tribal lands, but it is symbolic rather than in control. You pays your money and you takes your choice.