Something must be done about the militant sanctuaries in Pakistan where Taliban insurgents and others are free to train and plan attacks on U.S., NATO and Afghan forces in Afghanistan.

The Taliban has done more than recover since being driven from Afghanistan by U.S. and allied troops in 2001. The Associated Press reports that Taliban remnants "have transformed into a fighting force ... advanced enough to mount massive conventional attacks and claim American lives at a record pace."

In fact, the United States has lost 101 troops so far this year in Afghanistan after 111 were killed last year. Some 188 international soldiers have died in the Afghan war this year, including the U.S. number, after 222 international troop deaths in 2007.

Everyone agrees where the problem lies. U.S. generals, European leaders and analysts all point to the lawless region on the Pakistan-Afghan border and say the problem must be addressed.

"The U.S. is now losing the war against the Taliban," Anthony Cordesman, of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, went so far to say in a recent report. An additional worry is that al-Qaida fighters could soon follow.

Mr. Cordesman advocates treating Pakistani territory as a combat zone if Pakistan refuses to act. "Pakistan may officially be an ally, but much of its conduct has effectively made it a major threat to U.S. strategic interests," he said.

Foreign fighters are helping the Taliban — Chechens, Turks, Uzbeks and Arabs. Their numbers are increasing, their operations improving.

"Military sanctuaries are expanding in the (Pakistani) tribal areas," said Gen. David McKiernan, the American four-star general in charge of the 50,000-strong NATO-led force in Afghanistan. He seeks an additional three brigades of U.S. forces — about 10,000 troops — to bolster the 33,000-strong U.S. force in the country.

But the Taliban sanctuaries in Pakistan must be addressed.