Obama's AFPAK policy - Does it help to improve the situatiion?

It is the new result oriented, measurable policy to deal with the Taliban / Al Queda problem at Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Obama's own words, "The era of Blank check is over”. The policy talks about the many options available to US lead coalition. Some of the options will be totally change the existing ones.
 

One of the main options change is that the recognition of the Pashthun part of the problem instead of trying to tackle "Afghan Pashtuns and Pakistani Pashthuns" seperately. This kind of separation has little value in the present scenario as neither Pakistan nor Afghanistan governments don't have any meaningful control or influence in the Pashthun tribal areas. As a result these areas are becomes safe haven for the terrorists. The new policy envisions more participation from all countries that has an interest in the region (Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, India and China).Pakistan will be forced to pay more attention to this area and has to devote more of its resources to fight terrorism in this area rather than getting into shadow war with India.


Along with the already announced troop surge to fight terrorists , this policy warrants to the cooperation from Iran as the Shia dominated country can effectively counter the weight of Saudi sponsored, hard-line Wahabi sect of Islam - which is lauded as   "true Islam" by the Taliban. The kind of satisfied noises coming from Iran shows that they would not let go an opportunity to regain the once "lost glory" of Persian empire by participating this war on terror - even if that means making a deal with the Devil.
 

Another important proposal is an extreme optimistic suggestion to somehow find some "moderate" elements within the Taliban - provide such elements do exist. As it is clear that the Afghan problems cannot be solved without involving Afghan people, the there should be more civilian aid coming in that way. Looks like Obama is naive enough to take the word of "Good Taliban". But Taliban would like to see war weary NATO exit from Afghanistan so that they can showcase in the Islamic world that their "True Islamic” forces defeated the "evil infidel forces" from the "holy Muslim lands".
 

Pakistan also get a major chunk of financial aid to improve the living and otherwise conditions of the remote areas of the country known as "Tribal Belt" where Islamabad does not have much say or control. Again aid to Pakistan is linked to the real interest and activism they show in tackling the terror. The more interest, more they get benifitted. In Obama's words, the goal for Pakistan here is to "Disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-Qa'ida in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future."

The complete text of Obama's speech is here.