Pakistani army: No new offensive for 6-12 months

[Hayreddin]

Pakistan's army has said it will launch no new offensives on militants in 2010, as the US defence secretary arrived for talks on combating Taliban fighters.

Army spokesman Athar Abbas told the BBC the "overstretched" military had no plans for any fresh anti-militant operations over the next 12 months.

Our correspondent says the comments are a clear snub to Washington.

The US would like Pakistan to expand an offensive against militants launching cross-border attacks in Afghanistan.

Defence Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Pakistan on Thursday for his first visit since US President Barack Obama took office last year.


Before arriving in Islamabad, Mr Gates told reporters travelling with him from India: "You can't ignore one part of this cancer and pretend that it won't have some impact closer to home."

His visit comes amidst a slight cooling in relations between the two allies. In an article published in a Pakistani newspaper on Thursday, Mr Gates referred to a "trust deficit".

As well as talking with his counterpart, Ahmed Mukhtar, the US defence secretary is expected to meet Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Zardari.

Talks were also expected to focus on US drone strikes against militants near the Afghan border.

Hundreds of people - many of them militants, but many more civilians - have died in the attacks, which have stoked deep resentment of the US among many Pakistanis.

But our correspondent says Mr Gates will argue that drone strikes are the only effective measure against the Taliban.

Pakistan has been an important US partner in South Asia since the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US.

BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific

 

[Patriot]

Make no mistake- Pakistan Army might not plan new offensive but they'll make sure they hold on to the area they have just taken care off.They will kick millitants ***** within that area.

 

[fatman17]

Statements like this reinforce the impression that it is the Army not the GoP that's in control in Pakistan.

are u in any doubt!

 

[Fracker]

Gr8 step from PA, there was two main goals for making such statement in public.

1. To stop uncle sam, who is calling for do more
2. To tackle any offense on eastern boarder, where military higher officials are talking about wars

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Read my lips -

80 Super Cobras
20 Apache
10 Predetor + 5 More if asked
2 Medical C130 plane for wounded soldiers treatment
100 Humvee Patrol Units
1 E-2 Sentry or 2 Hawk Eyes or something
Night Vision Goggles for Troops give us the ones with christian serial numbers no problem but damn it ... support the damn allies don't send us .... toys

No more RV toys called Shadow drones send us real weapons that we can use in war against terror.

I mean its , simple scenario , otherwise wait untill we get out JF17 thunder so we can attack Terrorist or Let us get our 18 Block C/D frist so we can use it

If you can't give us weapons just pay out 10 billion dollar for our army to conduct a operation , and we will just get Russian Sukhoi 35 form Russia or Hind form Russia

Shadow drones , I trust my kite and baloon combination for reconicene better at least its silent

 

[masijames]

this is first appropriate and intellectual decision made by pakistan goveronment and the military so far in 2010

 

[PlanetWarrior]

Offtopic. Are those 2 solders taking tea to Mr Gates ?

Way to go Pakistan. It's about time you told the USA that your military is for the protection of your people and is not a mercenary outfit which is equipped for the call of action by the USA government. US military aid does not entitle that country to demand that your military complies with demands from Washington. If Mr Gates believes that the Afghan Taliban poses a risk to Pakistan then it is the responsibility of the allies and the Afghan government to stop threats against Pakistan from Afghan soil. It is not Pakistan's duty to hunt down and kill Afghan Taliban who duck and dive around their border with Afghanistan

 

[qsaark]

Statements like this reinforce the impression that it is the Army not the GoP that's in control in Pakistan.

are u in any doubt!

I am in no doubt, but impression is everything. Currently it is not in the long term interest of Pakistan that she is viewed as a country which is run by two parallel governments. In a tug of war like this, only the people of Pakistan are being crushed and Pakistan as a country earning bad name.

 

[waraich66]

they cannot 'regroup' like in the past as they (TTP) have lost every single area in their control - at best they are rag-tag groups with personal firearms. all their heavy weapons and ammo dumps have either been captured, destroyed or being used against them. they will / can resort to hit-and-run / IED planting / suicide attacks, however they will fail

Please dont underestimate TTP have 30000 Gurrillas and if you add up GulBahadar,Nazir and Haqqani , the figure is higher than 90000 Trained Gurrilla force which remain big threat to Pakistan.

PA has peace agreement with two other groups that is reason they got success in central waziristan , US also have correct estimate of the force of Talaban.

TTP could recapture the area secured by PA if PA tried to break the truce with Gul Bahadar and Haqqani.

In Afghanistan US new strategy is to bring Afghan Talaban in poltical cycle to control insurgency .

PA spokes man said according to US startegy , US just wanted to uproot the Al Qaeda bases only nothing more or less.

 

[fatman17]

Please dont underestimate TTP have 30.000 Gurrillas and if you add up GulBahadar, and Nazir Haqqani, the figure is higher than 90.000 Trained Gurrilla force which remain big threat to Pakistan. [/ B]

where did u get these figures from? last best estimate for the TTP was 7-10,000 - so now in 6 months they have recruited a 'ghost army' of 15.000 from where.

i am not underestimating anything - the militants remain a 'threat' till they are anhilatted!

 

[S-2]

"Please dont underestimate TTP have 30000 Gurrillas and if you add up GulBahadar,Nazir and Haqqani , the figure is higher than 90000 Trained Gurrilla force..."

Like fatman17, I can't believe that total figure either.

OTOH, let's suppose you were correct for a moment. Were it so, why would you align Bahadur and Nazir with H. Mehsud?

I argue strongly that there's no FUNCTIONAL difference in the taliban. Their behavior, on the ground, is functionally the same. There are, however, political differences. Omar, Haqqani, Bahadur, and Nazir have been assiduous in avoiding attacks upon the P.A. and, I believe, the general Pakistani population. They do so out of focus (Afghanistan) and self-preservation.

OTOH, not only is H. Mehsud engaged in battle with the P.A. and Pakistan's citizens but the Mehsud clan have had numerous clashes with Bahadur and Nazir's men. Those clashes are likely a part of the tribal legacy and probably extend far into Pakistan's past. It's no secret that the Mehsud clan has long felt isolated from access to the Afghan border (and the smuggling opportunities) because they've been blocked by the lands of other tribes.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks.

 

[Solomon2]

Am I correct that no Pakistani will be disappointed if Americans conclude from this announcement that Pakistan is a bad, greedy ally with a poor attitude?

 

[illuminatus]

Am I correct that no Pakistani will be disappointed if Americans conclude from this announcement that Pakistan is a bad, greedy ally with a poor attitude?

You're entitled to your opinion like most Pakistanis are about their American counterparts. Most Pakistanis would also be correct to believe that the Americans are back stabbers and bad allies that leave you high and dry after their interests are met. A so-called greedy ally that only needs you when their interests are at stake. An ally with an appalling attitude that threatens in every way possible if their demands aren't met. It's always a two street, remember that.

 

[waraich66]

Please dont underestimate TTP have 30.000 Gurrillas and if you add up GulBahadar, and Nazir Haqqani, the figure is higher than 90.000 Trained Gurrilla force which remain big threat to Pakistan. [/ B]

where did u get these figures from? last best estimate for the TTP was 7-10,000 - so now in 6 months they have recruited a 'ghost army' of 15.000 from where.

i am not underestimating anything - the militants remain a 'threat' till they are anhilatted!

Sir ,

Please find below the link ,analysis by Bill Roggio

Analysis: Waziristan operation to focus on Baitullah Mehsud - The Long War Journal

 

[waraich66]

"Please dont underestimate TTP have 30000 Gurrillas and if you add up GulBahadar,Nazir and Haqqani , the figure is higher than 90000 Trained Gurrilla force..."

Like fatman17, I can't believe that total figure either.

OTOH, let's suppose you were correct for a moment. Were it so, why would you align Bahadur and Nazir with H. Mehsud?

I argue strongly that there's no FUNCTIONAL difference in the taliban. Their behavior, on the ground, is functionally the same. There are, however, political differences. Omar, Haqqani, Bahadur, and Nazir have been assiduous in avoiding attacks upon the P.A. and, I believe, the general Pakistani population. They do so out of focus (Afghanistan) and self-preservation.

OTOH, not only is H. Mehsud engaged in battle with the P.A. and Pakistan's citizens but the Mehsud clan have had numerous clashes with Bahadur and Nazir's men. Those clashes are likely a part of the tribal legacy and probably extend far into Pakistan's past. It's no secret that the Mehsud clan has long felt isolated from access to the Afghan border (and the smuggling opportunities) because they've been blocked by the lands of other tribes.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

Thanks.

You are right that they have politial differences but functionally they could or may be supporting each other ,as per below link both Haqqani and Nazir and Gul Bahadar have truce with PA.Whole present senario of victories of PA in central waziristan could be reversed if all three major Talaban groups joined together

Analysis: Waziristan operation to focus on Baitullah Mehsud - The Long War Journal