the pentagon is seeking to control the problem with pakistan. There has always been double dealing within the ISI, pakistans intelligence service. there is no concensus as to the taliban, and indeed it has many supporters in the country and the ISI. The pakistan problem has direct consequences in our desire to root out and defeat the taliban in afghanastan. The trust factor has eroded, and with the current plan in place, with the state dept acting as the middle man, there is just too much room for plans and information geting into the wrong hands. Allowing the military the same powers it has in iraq and afghanastan as far as the expenditure of funds and planning would seem to be a move in the right direction. Especially since no one knows what direction pakistan is heading. Taliban inroads are so close to the capital that anything is possible at a moments notice. Along with the govt of pakistan goes their nuclear arsenal, and who better to deal with that? The military or the state dept? The answer is obvious. Intel groups say the next few weeks/months will be critical to pakistans survival. I would think having a capable military in charge of whatever comes next is a good idea.