Posted on 09/26/2008 9:10:52 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Pakistan army says 1,000 militants killed in Bajaur fight
Fri Sep 26, 2008 10:10am EDT
By Simon Cameron-Moore
TANG KHATTA, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani forces have killed up to 1,000 Islamist militants in fighting in the strategically important northwestern region of Bajaur this month, an army commander said on Friday.
Government forces launched an offensive in Bajaur in August and have been involved in heavy fighting since then.
Bajaur is one of Pakistan's seven so-called tribal agencies, semi-autonomous ethnic Pashtun regions along the Afghan border.
It is an important hub for militants, providing access to surrounding Pakistani regions as well as the eastern Afghan province of Kunar, said Major-General Tariq Khan.
U.S. officials say Taliban and al Qaeda-linked fighters use the tribal regions as an operating base to launch attacks inside Afghanistan, where Western forces are struggling to stem a growing insurgency.
"This is one area that if you are controlling can create a much greater effect on the entire region," Khan told a group of reporters on a visit organized by the army.
Khan estimated 65 percent of the militant problem would be eliminated if they were defeated in Bajaur.
"If they lose here, they've lost almost everything."
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
"Americans, look how many we killed! We are doing fine. Just stay on the other side of border."
Ping!
One thousand killed is a good start.
Show me the bods!
Our only reason for crossing is a) we're in hot pursuit; or b) the Pakistanis aren't dealing with them as they should.
If they really are killing that many ... or even if they're engaged in significant military action at all ... then they are doing fine -- we should be happy to let them deal with the bad guys on that side of the border.
Always reserving the right to continue hot pursuit, of course.
I'd like to believe this, but I just don't. The Pakistanis have shown themselves to be big liars in the past.
I’m not sure what folks in the West expect from Pakistan sometimes. The nation is heavily Muslim and they seem to want the government to take on all Muslims.
Pakistan’s leadership walks a fine line IMO. To my way of thinking, it isn’t belligerent to the West. It is simply realistic about what it can and cannot do.
We have been fortunate that the leaders of Pakistan have backed off hostility with India for the most part. They have allowed us to do more than either side is mentioning in public, IMO. It’s something we’re just going to have to let our two governments hash out. I think they know what they are doing.
Some of these stories coming out are cover stories IMO. Pakistan gets to look tough against the U.S., and the U.S. gets to take certain actions that don’t find their way into the media.
IMO, Pakistan’s leadership has as much to fear from these extremists as anyone else does. I think they want the U.S.’ help. They just can’t let the rank and file Pakistanis know about it.
In other news, Pakistan has said that it has successfully eradicated extremism from its territory, won the confidence of religious, ethnic and sectarian minorities in Pakistan, and while at it, also found a cure to both AIDS and cancer on the fly.
allahuakbar!!!!
1,000 less 0Bama supporters.
Fair enough.
Would help to know the real Pakistan, then.
Pak was created as a homeland for muslims. It ended up being a rentier, fedual and failing state.
The motto of the Pakistan Army is “Faith, Discipline and Jihad in the Way of Allah”. And they’re now faced with an enemy (the jihadists in FATA) who’re demonstratably more ‘islamic’ than them. What dya expect the pak army to do? Its more than just a crisis of trust or crdibility. Its now a crisis of legitimacy.
Pak was always a bad idea. It has no redeeming features. None. Nada. zilch. JMVVHOs onlee.
Gandhi was betrayed to create Pakistan. At least that’s what I have been led to believe. It would have been far better if India had remained in tact.
I agree with your comments.
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