SAVE MONEY ON TRAVEL DEALS

The newspaper, after conducting more than four dozen interviews in Washington and Pakistan, said it found no coherent policy to address fears that al-Qaida has regrouped its operations in the tribal regions of Pakistan's northwest. Government and CIA officials said internal battles over how to attack the militants and to deal with a new Pakistani government has frozen efforts to launch strikes against al-Qaida camps in the South Waziristan region.

The Times reported a draft plan authored by U.S. Defense Department strategists meant to overcome disagreements between CIA field operatives and the agency's Washington headquarters, as well as turf battles within the Bush administration, has never been implemented.

Under the plan, U.S. Special Forces commandos would have been given the green light to participate in raids against al-Qaida operations in Pakistan, which one unnamed military official said have increased from a few hundred men to as many as 2,000 foreign militants, the newspaper said.

Unnamed current and former military officials also told the Times that the fighting in Iraq has diverted resources and attention from the area.

 BREAKING STORIES

Momentum builds for Taliban negotiations

Slain Taliban leader was Pakistan officer

Nine Afghan militants killed in clashes

Crisis in Afghanistan coming, report says

Military briefs politicians on terrorism

Report increases airstrike civilian toll

Multiparty election held in Maldives

Suicide bomber strikes in Pakistan

Deadly quakes rock Kyrgyzstan, Tibet

Zardari comments welcomed in India

Skydivers parachute over Everest

Afghan 'decisive victory' called unlikely

Official: NATO will fail against Taliban

Suspected drone attack kills at least 10

Pakistan claims right to nuclear deal

Report: Karzai seeks Mullah Omar's return

Pakistan reportedly almost caught Zawahiri

Spokesman: Pakistani Taliban chief alive

Suspected U.S. drone strike kills four

53 rebels, 5 soldiers dead in Sri Lanka