U.S. military may arm Pakistani tribes

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- U.S. military officials say a plan to arm Pakistani tribes against al-Qaida may be accelerated because of concern about instability in Pakistan.

The plan would finance a separate tribal paramilitary force and, if adopted, would likely increase the U.S. military presence in Pakistan, The New York Times reported Monday. Dozens of military trainers could be added to the estimated 50 troops the U.S. has there now, the newspaper said.

The classified proposal is modeled on a similar effort by U.S. forces in Anbar Province in Iraq. It would enlist Pakistani tribal leaders along the border with Afghanistan in the fight against an expanding al-Qaida and Taliban insurgency, the Times said.

U.S. military officials say the situation has taken on urgency because of the weakness of the Pakistani government and concerns about instability in Pakistan in light of President Pervez Musharraf's revocation of constitutional rule two weeks ago, the newspaper said.