Talking to reporters in an off-camera briefing, Pentagons spokesman Col Dave Lapan repeated what Defence Secretary Leon Panetta had earlier said that the Taliban were on the run. Analysis of the realities on the ground would prove it otherwise. Not only does it rebut the claim, but also suggests that it is, in fact, the US and NATO forces, which are on the run. Whatever the pretext the economic crisis that has been building up since long mainly as a result of the astronomical amount of money being spent on prosecuting the war on terror, which is also adversely affecting the Americans lifestyle; the public pressure at home to withdraw troops because of the unending flow of body bags; or the fighting forces own weariness at pursuing an enemy, which is adept at playing hide and seek in the mountainous hideouts, the end result is departure of the invading forces. The Taliban (read Pashtuns) constitute the majority ethnic community in Afghanistan, and if Mr Panetta thinks 'it is only a matter of time before they are eliminated, he is not living in the real world. Ultimately, the occupying forces would have to leave. The truth is that both, the Secretary and the spokesman, were trying to allay fears voiced by some political analysts that the death of more than 30 Special Forces men, including 22 Navy SEALs, last week might turn out to be watershed of a resurgent resistance. Another secret CIA-Pentagon report expresses alarm at Pakistan Army officers and soldiers with a religious bent of mind, who it thinks are in majority and could have access to nuclear assets, and maintains that American monitors in the garb of Embassy officials have been sent to Pakistan. The report raises several questions of serious nature. First, it is none of US concern what kind of men comprise Pakistan Army; we have the right to recruit what suits our best interests. Would the defence establishment of the US stand our criticism of its armed forces just because there are a sizeable number of Jewish or Christian fundamentalists? Secondly, Pakistan as well as credible institutions in the world have shown their complete confidence in the safety and security procedures we have adopted to protect our nuclear arsenal. Thirdly, the Pakistan government and security agencies need to explain under what circumstances they let the American monitors come in the country as Embassy officials. There is no doubt in the reports assessment that the political setup in power in the country is, unfortunately, ready and willing to bow before the type of policies the Americans choose to adopt. That is a fly in the ointment; otherwise, the entire public, with the exception of a small group of West-leaning people, as well as the armed forces are bitterly opposed to them. Pakistan Army consists of patriotic people and is against US designs in the region and in that it is not merely responding to the sentiments of the people; both are on the same page. And both would love to see the harmful foreign influence to end immediately.