Operation Rah-e-Nijat (South Waziristan)

[TaimiKhan]

taimikhan, if you can find me the phrase "my brothers" then i will send you 10 grand, its not a joke i am serious, find me the phrase "my brothers" in my previous post and i will send you 10,000 pounds tonight.

what i feel sorry for is that it has come down to the fact that every time i write something i will have to go back and point it out to people word by word that this word means this that word means that. i dont really have time for that. life is too short.

so read it for the last time. i did use phrase "their brothers" which you apparently have problem with and that is based on the fact that all those that hold pakistani nationality, are brothers, regardless of them being good or bad... but you dont agree......………….

………..that is fine but one day, because of this type of attitude, they will end up making a separate country just like Banglies did and once they have done it then you surely will call them "your brothers" like Bangalies are your brothers today.....

……….go on say it that Bengalis are not your brothers they are a bunch of traitors, animals, butchers, cut throats, ghadars, dogs, pigs…. they were called all those name back then too you know, and if you were present you probably would have said exactly the same...... But now you probably will not say it neither any other friend of yours on this forum…… yet many were calling them exactly that in 1971 and they treated them like that and today they feel no shame in calling them “brothers“……. think about it.... You call them animals animals animals and when they finally separate from you and make their country then they become your brothers.

You think about it …… i will not repeat that for you... you will have to do your own reading this time...

let me clear my position to you, i did not say it in my previous post but i will say it now THEY ARE MY BROTHERS, i am BANUCHI by tribe and MEHSUDS are our cousins. today my village is being shelled by Pakistani army and Taliban has executed 3 of my blood relatives including my grandfather that raised me and has beheaded 2 of my first cousins that I grew up playing with, I have sat and watched them get beheaded in videos.... yet they are my brothers. JUST LIKE THE ONE THAT IS BORN FROM MY OWN MOTHER. right or wrong they are my brothers so are those Punjabi soldiers that are busy shelling my village.... Because I don’t want to see my country go down the route of division no more…i am not a coward that will run from responsibility shouting ... animals animals kill them kill them. I will rather say that these are my brother that has gone crazy and how could I help them.

yes they are my brothers ... right or wrong. you may very well throw the baby with the bath water cause it is the easiest thing for you to do but i can not do that. I have to separate Devil from the Sinners… I have to separate Zerdari and his generals and BaitUllah and his henchmen from ordinary Pakistan army soliders and officers and ordinary tribesmen cause latter are sinners that need help and former are evils that deserve annihilation. I have to separate Altaf Hussain from those that follow MQM as they are misguided by the environment that our enemies has engineered for that specific purpose and I have to annihilate Altaf Hussain.

……. i am not afraid to get down to the problem and try solving it even if in process they cut my throat but i will not be one of those that press a button from a safety of a fighter jet neither will i be one of those that will send someone else's son in a mosque to blow himself up and score a cheap point.

……….you can say that they not your brothers and they are animals and kill them .... cause you can not get down to the problem and solve it and the escape route is to kill them, kill the Wazirs kill the Mehsuds kill the Mahagers kill the Baluchies kill them all as they are animals tribe after tribe village after village city after city cause now killing has become as easy as pressing a button yet changing someone‘s mind takes what Prophet Muhammed saww had to do all his life.

So you make your choice as I have made mine.

If you disagree or don’t understand with any of the above then I suggest that you either read it again or just forget it as I am not going waste my time writing anything to explain anything, I have better things to do.

To PAFAce

Can you also please read my post again. And may be my other posts as well and if you could find any thing that amounts to giving those suport of any kind or plausing their actions in any shape and form then come by all means give me the blame and I shall take it up my chin like a man.

All I am saying is that there are those that has openly sold our country like Zerdari, Rehman Malik, BaitUllah, FazalUllah, Altaf Husaain, and many mahy more. They are like Devils they know what they are doing they know the reality yet they have sold their faith. But don’t treat the rest of them on same terms as them.

I have no problems at all with any of the terms, the actual terms are not an issue but you guys keep on over looking the word CONVERSION that I use…….. Yes please read it CONVERSION….. It is also part of all that I wrote don’t just skip it, please read it. Army shall definitely ask for the named terrorists and confiscate the weapons of all sorts not only heavy weapons but the light arms too. I have no problem with any of the term. The problem I have is that these terms should not be used as THE END but they should be used as a BITTER STEP in a long journey of reconciliation. after initial suppression there should be a long programme of conversion. suppression alone will do no good to anyone.

RECONCILIATION SHOULD BE THE END NOT ALIENATION AND SEGRIGATION.

Stopping at just collecting weapons and asking for militants and executing them is not the end it’s a small step towards the end. I think they shall take the terrorists and convert them in a way that the same terrorists go back in their native populations that they have been damaging and undo the damage that they have done. Any clever leader will do exactly this. And this is the example Prophet MUHAMMED has left us.

Big part of this journey is actually reconciliation. Bringing people back into the fold making them realise where did they go wrong not by just giving them a slap on face and walking away …..

Alienation after alienation after alienation will result in making more and more Bangladeshes and nothing else…………..

Is it really something that complex to understand……? Or am I gone crazy ……..

After our Prophet Muhammad PBUH left this earth, many tribes calling themselves Muslims went against the principles of Islam and some even went for another false prophets (hope you know the story as i don't have to repeat that for you again), they were declared as fitnas and finished off. Same is the case here. They may be our brothers in religion but once they become fitna, they need the same treatment as per the rule.

And if you are a Banochi, same is with me, and as much you know about your area, i know more about what is happening there and what not. Army is shelling not for fun, it shells for a reason and those who get shelled know that too. Ask the local people of Bannu about the recent operations and how they left their homes fully loaded without even locking them and not a single valuable was lost from their homes and how they praise the army for that rather the local Banochi policemen stole peoples livestock and used to fill up their stomachs but not the army guys, or ask the people of Swat how their homes which were left open or got opened, got locked up with chits left behind to contact the local army centers to get the keys to their homes.

There is no need for killing anyone, but if someone comes up against the state and challenges its writ, then they are asking for trouble themselves.

And i am sorry for your loss, but we all are and have lost someone close / something one way or another, so would be better you bring your anger onto those who are the real problem. It is your brothers who are playing in the hands of foreign elements and bringing this destruction upon themselves, their own loved ones and onto others.

and again, if you feel it a waste of time posting here, plzzzz don't bother wasting your time and do your thing which you love most.

What i wrote above, i have done it many times to many other members, but i don't feel it wastage of time, and will write it again 100 times as this is what we are here for, to learn and tell others the other POV and share.

These brothers of yours which do the actions as discussed are a fitna, be it a mehsud, wazir, banochi, punjabi, mohajer, balochi or anyone else, and they deserve what is reserved for them.

 

[air marshal]

Troops kill 'Arab, Sudan fighters' in South Waziristan
Thursday, 31 Dec, 2009

MIRANSHAH, Pakistan: Security forces raided a private hospital before dawn in a Taliban stronghold in South Waziristan on Thursday, killing four foreign militants and a woman, officials said. 27 others were also arrested.

The dead foreigners include two Arabs and a Bangladeshi.

Troops laid siege to the Hafiz Hospital in Wana, which belonged to a former MNA, at 2:00am (2100 GMT) sparking gun battles until around 7:00am (0200 GMT), local administration and intelligence officials said.

A security official said the raid followed a tip off that wounded militants were brought to the hospital from Sherwangi, a Taliban-dominated area where Pakistan has been pressing a major offensive.

“Commandos and security forces raided the hospital. Militants fired on the troops and in the gunfight, which lasted more than four hours, four militants and a woman were killed, while 27 others were arrested,” said the official.

“One soldier was also injured. The three dead militants appear to be Arabs and one of Sudanese origin,” the official added.

The identity of the woman was not initially clear, the official said.

An intelligence official and a local administrator confirmed the raid and deaths of four foreign militants, but said their identities were not immediately clear. The intelligence official said 27 suspects were arrested.

South Waziristan is part of Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt on the Afghan border that Washington has branded the most dangerous region in the world and a chief sanctuary of Al-Qaeda plotting attacks on the West.

Last October, Pakistan launched its most ambitious offensive to date in its tribal belt, fighting on three fronts against Tehreek-i-Taliban in its South Waziristan stronghold, where the military says it has killed 663 militants. –DawnNews/ AFP

DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Troops kill four militants in South Waziristan

 

[Salik]

What your interior minister say and what he does are two entirely different things.

he is a traitor to his own country. he has sold his faith for few dollars. The man was arrested for "undisclosed" charges and was latter released because BB asked the agencies to release him.

What can be more sad when the President, Interior Minister and few other high ranking ministers are the highest security threats to the country according to the files of our own intelligence agencies.

PAKISTAN IS UNDER ATTACK FROM WITHIN.

A corrupt is better than a KILLER

Got ya

 

[iPhone]

I don't understand why people get so emotional about terrorists getting killed by Pakistan army, just because the terrorist or fitna are Pakistanis, that's no justification at all. Dr. Sangeen's entire speech about they're his brothers and our brothers because of same nationality doesn't hold much ground. Do you feel the same about every Pakistani murderer sentenced to death by a Pakistani judge? Do you tell the court and cry to the judge not to kill your Pakistani national murderer brother? Do you feel this strongly about a pakistani getting killed by Pakistani police? The notion of Pakistani brotherhood doesn't even cross their mind but when it's the army trying to stop the mass murderers from going about their killing spree of the innocent the brotherhood wakes up and the blood boils to a thousand degrees. Total nonsense. My thing is bring the terrorist to justice. If they surrender, fine, if not capture them if possible if not then kill every last of the terrorist scum, yes even they are Pakistanis. And Pakistan army is doing just that.

 

[Xeric]

taimikhan, if you can find me the phrase "my brothers" then i will send you 10 grand, its not a joke i am serious, find me the phrase "my brothers" in my previous post and i will send you 10,000 pounds tonight.

what i feel sorry for is that it has come down to the fact that every time i write something i will have to go back and point it out to people word by word that this word means this that word means that. i dont really have time for that. life is too short.

so read it for the last time. i did use phrase "their brothers" which you apparently have problem with and that is based on the fact that all those that hold pakistani nationality, are brothers, regardless of them being good or bad... but you dont agree......………….

………..that is fine but one day, because of this type of attitude, they will end up making a separate country just like Banglies did and once they have done it then you surely will call them "your brothers" like Bangalies are your brothers today.....

……….go on say it that Bengalis are not your brothers they are a bunch of traitors, animals, butchers, cut throats, ghadars, dogs, pigs…. they were called all those name back then too you know, and if you were present you probably would have said exactly the same...... But now you probably will not say it neither any other friend of yours on this forum…… yet many were calling them exactly that in 1971 and they treated them like that and today they feel no shame in calling them “brothers“……. think about it.... You call them animals animals animals and when they finally separate from you and make their country then they become your brothers.

You think about it …… i will not repeat that for you... you will have to do your own reading this time...

let me clear my position to you, i did not say it in my previous post but i will say it now THEY ARE MY BROTHERS, i am BANUCHI by tribe and MEHSUDS are our cousins. today my village is being shelled by Pakistani army and Taliban has executed 3 of my blood relatives including my grandfather that raised me and has beheaded 2 of my first cousins that I grew up playing with, I have sat and watched them get beheaded in videos.... yet they are my brothers. JUST LIKE THE ONE THAT IS BORN FROM MY OWN MOTHER. right or wrong they are my brothers so are those Punjabi soldiers that are busy shelling my village.... Because I don’t want to see my country go down the route of division no more…i am not a coward that will run from responsibility shouting ... animals animals kill them kill them. I will rather say that these are my brother that has gone crazy and how could I help them.

yes they are my brothers ... right or wrong. you may very well throw the baby with the bath water cause it is the easiest thing for you to do but i can not do that. I have to separate Devil from the Sinners… I have to separate Zerdari and his generals and BaitUllah and his henchmen from ordinary Pakistan army soliders and officers and ordinary tribesmen cause latter are sinners that need help and former are evils that deserve annihilation. I have to separate Altaf Hussain from those that follow MQM as they are misguided by the environment that our enemies has engineered for that specific purpose and I have to annihilate Altaf Hussain.

……. i am not afraid to get down to the problem and try solving it even if in process they cut my throat but i will not be one of those that press a button from a safety of a fighter jet neither will i be one of those that will send someone else's son in a mosque to blow himself up and score a cheap point.

……….you can say that they not your brothers and they are animals and kill them .... cause you can not get down to the problem and solve it and the escape route is to kill them, kill the Wazirs kill the Mehsuds kill the Mahagers kill the Baluchies kill them all as they are animals tribe after tribe village after village city after city cause now killing has become as easy as pressing a button yet changing someone‘s mind takes what Prophet Muhammed saww had to do all his life.

So you make your choice as I have made mine.

If you disagree or don’t understand with any of the above then I suggest that you either read it again or just forget it as I am not going waste my time writing anything to explain anything, I have better things to do.

Sangeen!

i am, well, impressed by your emotional lecture, but then i still maintain that we (most of us here) are not that different than you when it comes to get the problem in our tribal areas solved. What i read in your posts and what i have read on this forum, i can very safely say that our interests converge and our goal is common. But than o also find some lack of understanding on either sides. Here is why:

You have been solely emphasizing on two things since your inception here in the forum;

One, that we are alienating the masses in our tribal belt.

Two, we are not taking any steps as regards to the rehabilitation thingy.

Let me clarify this for once an all; the military is doing what it can to make sure that the issue of segregation and alienation must not surface while we kick-a$$ the bad guys. How we are doing it, well, i hope you can make out the difference between the chemistry of the operation launched by the military in these areas in Gen Musharraf's era and the ones being executed today. Yes, when we went in half prepared without gathering the support of the Nation and without taking along the 'guud' guys amidst the bad guys in that area, we sure did alienate them and screwed up big time. We were considered as if we are killing our own people and even we used a field gun the media used to create a hype out of it, but today the situation is different. Previously, people considered these thugs as their saviours and the fkag bearers of Islam and considered the military as their enemy, but this time we were able to show the real faces of these suckers and their true worth, now we have the support of the entire Nation with us and most importantly the Army had made sure to keep the main tribes (the leaders of all the tribes) on their side, we had never declared the entire Mehsud tribe as traitors nor were they classified as terrorists. If you had read that letter addressed to the Mehsud Tribe from Gen Kiyani, i am sure you should have not missed the emphasis on the fact mentioned in that letter that we consider Pukhtoons our brothers and they are one of the driving factors behind Pakistan, their role in different wars have been alluded and they were given due respect. so how can you say that we are alienating them? Moreover, if we had to alienate them we would never have moved thousand out of that area before the start of the operation and camped them, instead we could have gone in just like that and created havoc out of the ordinary people!! But we didnt, we accepted and created a bid humanitarian crisis but we made sure that collateral damage should stay zero, as this is the one big driving factor that alienate the masses! So how can you allege that we are alienating them? Now ofcourse everything cant be text-book type nor can it be perfect, give us the due allowance!

Now coming over to your second point; the rehabilitation and conversion thingy, well i must tell you that it is not Army's job to do that, but you have correctly pointed out in the very first post of yours that this responsibility would also fall in Army's lap (thanks to the incompetency of our govt), the army is doing what it can to minimize the possibility of these guys going back to the same old BS life! Why do you think the army is recruiting soldiers with lower standards? Why do you think the Army have constructing schools there? Why do think that almost all the development on these areas have been undertaken by the military itself? Why do you think the Army have been running those classes in the IDP Camps where they trained the youth as regards to technical stuff? Sir, just try to have look around!

-----

One more thing that i found odd in your post is that on one side you declared that you would like to segregate the devil from the sinner but at the same time you counted in all the Wazirs, the Mehsuds, the Mahagers, the Baluchies and announced that we (the Pakistanis and its military) are just wiping them off from earth's face?! How naive can that be?

 

[Xeric]

@ Sangeen
And what's up with your flags?

 

[air marshal]

Militants' tactics to boost morale
December 30, 2009

PESHAWAR - After crushing defeats by security forces on various fronts including South Waziristan, now the militants are keeping the morale of their colleagues up by pledging lucrative promises, sources informed.

A senior intelligence official told Nation on Tuesday that government is close to declare complete victory over terrorists, while militants on the other hand are posing the impression that they will eventually win the war.

“They are running out of time but still believe that they would establish an emirate in NWFP,” he said, adding that they have plans to divide province into many small units. This is a glaring example of self-deception by terrorists.

Spy agencies have recorded many conversations, which are informative, interesting and sometimes a bit comical, he added.

In one such conversation, a known terrorist promises a crony to elevate him to the rank of governor of Peshawar after the fall of this important garrison city while other promises to support him to become chief of Darul Qaza.

Similarly, a terrorist from Waziristan while talking to his friend committed to promote him as Amir of Swat valley after final victory. He also told him that he would also be an advisor to Amir-ul-Momineen. The name of the person who was promised could not ascertained by the intelligence operators.

In yet another conversation, a senior terrorist leader vowed to transform US Consulate in Peshawar into a jail for foreigners and their collaborators. He too subscribed to the opinion that majority of foreigners are here to spy and conspire against Islam. However, some were of the opinion that the building must be razed to the ground.

Militants' tactics to boost morale | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

 

[Xeric]

ONLINE - International News Network

Pakistan army achieved major achievement in war against terror in 2009: Athar Abbas

Rawalpindi: Director General Inter Service Public Relations Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas has said that Pakistan army has achieved major achievement in war against terrorism by killing more than 2600 terrorists including foreigners in 2009.

Talking to media, Spokesman Pakistan army went on to say at least 2200 officers and Jawans of Pakistan army embraced martyrdom and 3500 others received injuries since the launch of military operation in South Waziristan, Malakand, Khyber and Bara from 2001 to 2009.

At least 2600 terrorists were killed in offensive of Pakistan army in different tribal areas during 2009, he said, adding that, there were 1000 to 1500 foreign terrorists were in South Wazirisitan out of which many have been killed.
Answering to a question, he said, the nuclear arsenal of Pakistan are safe as the nuclear arsenal of developed countries are safe. When asked about news circulating in international media about safety of Pakistan nukes, he said, such talks are being held to weaken confidence of Pakistan.

On the other hand, according to figure gathered by Online from military sources reveals that 1600 terrorists were killed during operation Rah-e-Rast in Swat, Buner and Dir. Round about 140 officers and Jawans of Pakistan army embraced martyrdom during operation Rah-e-Rast.

Over 700 terrorists have been killed so far during Rah-e-Nijat in South Wazirisitan while 83 officers and Jawans also lost their lives. According to military authorities, over 6500 terrorists have been killed in war against insurgency from 2003 to 2009.

 

[pakdefender]

May the departed Rest in Peace , we have indeed paid a heavy price.

It has taken us long to recognize the threat and now we must ensure that this threat is eliminated for good.

 

[air marshal]

Security forces kill 650 militants in three months :ISPR

ISLAMABAD, Dec 31 (APP): Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Athar Abbas has said that the security forces have killed some 650 militants in ongoing operation in South Waziristan tribal region in the last three months.In an interview with Geo, Maj Abbas said militants have been flushed out of South Waziristan while their hideouts have also been destroyed.The security forces have defeated militants in Malakand and South Waziristan due to professional strategy and public support. The militants are on the run. He rebuffed report about the presence of Quetta Shura, terming it baseless.

He said insurgency has started again in Mohmand and Bajaur Agency after allied forces removed their security posts along border areas in Afghanistan.

The military spokesman said that remaining few terrorists were carrying out terrorist activities in the country. “We will overcome them soon,” said Abbas.

To a question, he said that Pakistan had not accepted any foreign pressure or help for the launch of military offensive in Malakand region and South Waziristan.

Major General Abbas said that the terrorists could enter tribal areas because of the operation of allied forces along Afghan border. This move, he said, would increase pressure on Pakistan Army. In this regard, Pakistan has conveyed its concerns to the US military leadership.

 

[fatman17]

"Pakistan army went on to say at least 2200 officers and Jawans of Pakistan army embraced martyrdom and 3500 others received injuries since the launch of military operation in South Waziristan, Malakand, Khyber and Bara from 2001 to 2009."

Their Sacrifices Will / Should Never Be Forgotten !!!

They Embraced 'Shahadat' So That We Can All Sleep In The Comfort That They Are 'Standing On The Wall'!

 

[courageneverdies]

"Pakistan army went on to say at least 2200 officers and Jawans of Pakistan army embraced martyrdom and 3500 others received injuries since the launch of military operation in South Waziristan, Malakand, Khyber and Bara from 2001 to 2009."

Their Sacrifices Will / Should Never Be Forgotten !!!

They Embraced 'Shahadat' So That We Can All Sleep In The Comfort That They Are 'Standing On The Wall'!

Yes sir, indeed, we won't forget these martyrs and their sacrifices. These are the sacrifices about which Quaid said that For getting Pakistan we gave sacrifices, for her survival and security we will need more.

Salam to them. We are safe because of you.



KIT Over

 

[fatman17]

US to release $1.2 billion in January under CSF

* Washington announces $55 million grant for infrastructure rehabilitation, restoration of power supply to South Waziristan

By Ijaz Kakakhel

ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador Anne W Patterson on Thursday announced that Washington would release $1.2 billion in January 2010 as part of the Coalition Support Fund (CSF).

The release had been delayed due to non-availability of responsible personnel in the US embassy to process the case, she told reporters after signing an agreement for $55 million Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Construction Programme in South Waziristan.

The US ambassador said Washington would provide $3.5 billion to Pakistan in one year, which would include $1.1 billion in military assistance and $1.5 billion for humanitarian and other assistance.

Grant: The $55 million grant would be disbursed for infrastructure rehabilitation and the restoration of power supply affected by the military operations against the Taliban in South Waziristan.

NWFP Additional Chief Secretary Habibullah Khan and Robert Wilson, director USAID signed the agreement on behalf of respective governments.

“The US is committed to the reconstruction efforts through direct support to the government of Pakistan”, Patterson said, adding that the Taliban had been forced to retreat due to the efforts of the Pakistan Army.

“The people of Waziristan have sacrificed tremendously in the war against terrorism,” she said.

“This support is part of the strategic agreements worth $899 million signed by the two governments on September 30, 2009,” she said, adding that the grant would be directly provided to the FATA Secretariat, as it worked with the Frontier Works Organisation, the Water and Power Development Authority, and other local agencies to rebuild roads and develop the water and power supply system.

The ambassador reiterated that the US would directly provide assistance to Pakistan. “US has developed the monitoring system that would help to ensure transparency in the disbursement system,” she added.

She said the US was the largest assistance provider to FATA, with provisions of over $100 million in small infrastructure, education, health and economic growth projects during that last two years.

“In addition, the US has provided more than $300 million to help the displaced persons in FATA and the NWFP,” she said and reiterated the US pledge to continue support for infrastructure development in the FATA.

The grants would be used for the construction of 100 kilometres of the Makeen Road and take measures for improving the quality of life of the local population.

 

[fatman17]

Military’s decisive push against Taliban marks 2009

By Sajjad Malik

ISLAMABAD: The outgoing year proved decisive in Pakistan’s push against the local Taliban, as the country’s security establishment – backed by the political government – scored back-to-back victories against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The hard-earned successes in Swat and South Waziristan against fully entrenched, heavily-armed, highly-motivated Taliban broke the myth of their invincibility, giving the much-needed tactical upper hand to the armed forces.

The year started on a bad note: the overall security situation was grim and most western analysts and diplomats feared that Pakistan would slowly slip into the hands of terrorists. They doubted the Pakistan Army’s “will and capability” to defeat the Taliban in any part of the country. The TTP only added to these fears when – exploiting the peace deal in Swat – the group moved closer to Islamabad and some “strategic locations” like the Tarbela Powerhouse. Exploiting the wide divisions among the ranks of the political, security, religious and intellectual elite over the war on terror, the TTP expanded physical control by taking over Buner. Undaunted, they threatened to attack other districts and started mounting intensified attacks at various civil and military locations. The TTP spiritual “godfather’ in Swat, Sufi Mohammad of the Tehreek-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi, denounced national institutions such as parliament and the judiciary and implicitly validated the Taliban-style government in a public address.

The increasing atrocities of the Taliban helped build consensus among the political and military leadership and brought about the launch of a military offensive in Swat in April. It was followed by fierce battles in which over 2,200 Taliban were killed. While the army also lost over 200 soldiers, it flushed out the Taliban and re-established the writ of the state in the scenic valley and adjoining districts.

The loss of one of its major strongholds made the TTP desperate, and the group retaliated with an indiscriminate wave of bombings and terrorist attacks across the country. By that time, it had become obvious that the Taliban in South Waziristan were behind the unrest – a realisation that prompted the military to launch the second formidable operation of the year in October against the Taliban. Unlike Swat, the Taliban in South Waziristan tried holding on to major towns in the hope of starting guerrilla warfare. But by start of the December, it had become clear that the group had lost territory once considered its heartland. As the sun sets on 2009, Pakistan’s overall security situation looks much better than at the start of the year. The armed forces are more confident and the political leadership is fully supportive of action against militants – who stand demoralised because of successive defeats and death of their chief commander, Baitullah Mehsud in a drone strike in August. The military – pressing the group from all sides – is also preparing to launch another operation against the TTP in Orakzai Agency.

While the new year could witness the Taliban unleash more violence and the armed forces launch more punitive offensives, the die has already been cast and the Taliban are likely to find the ground shrinking under their feet.

But one question is yet to be fully answered: have the Swat and South Waziristan operations changed ties between the military and militants forever? The military strategy for 2010 might help formulate a definite answer.

 

[fatman17]

"Sir, just try to have look around!"

how can he? he is sitting in the 'comfort' of London while you are 'billiting' on the front line!!!