There are two divergent reports on the Government move on the Pakistani Taliban with the invasion of South Waziristan. On Bloomberg.com, we have Pakistan Kills 60 Taliban in Push Against Waziristan Home Base, wherein the title makes matters look good for the government. It is clear that the U. S. is financing this effort and that Pakistan would rather leave well enough along. The article also says:
The Taliban will “split into small groups and harass the strangers in a terrain which the Mehsuds know well,” said Bahukutumbi Raman at the Chennai, India-based Institute for Topical Studies. Pakistan is likely to face a new round of terrorist attacks in cities far from the fighting, he said.
The Pakistan-based Dawn.com reports on this action as well and suggests that the Taliban may melt away in Troops make steady gains in South Waziristan:
Security forces claimed on Sunday to have made steady gains in their assaults on militants’ strongholds in South Waziristan and army officials said they were surprised by low level of resistance.
'The area has been heavily mined. There are a lot of improvised explosive devices and mines. But the level of resistance from the militants is not very high,' one of them said.
As in Afghanistan, Iraq and Viet Nam, the U. S. or its proxy is fighting a body count war against an ideological foe. One just has to wonder what the cost in money, revenge, and other factors is going to be.
The advice from this former Viet Nam War protester but non-pacifist is to be skeptical of reports of success in Pak-ghanistan. We can hope for the best but "spin" will be everywhere.
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