Battle for Waziristan looms (Huge news if true!)

dawn ^ | 10/02/2009 | ismail khan

[milwguy]

PESHAWAR: After fighting brief skirmishes against militants, the Pakistan Army plans to unfold in the next few days what military officials characterise as the mother of all battles in South Waziristan, senior military and security officials said on Thursday.

‘If we don’t take the battle to them, they will bring the battle to us,’ a senior military official said of the militants. ‘The epicentre of the behemoth called the Taliban lies in South Waziristan, and this is where we will be fighting the toughest of all battles.’

For three months, the military has been drawing up plans, holding in-depth deliberations and carrying out studies on past expeditions to make what seems to be the last grand stand against Pakistani Taliban in the Mehsud heartland a success.

‘We are ready. The environment is ready,’ the senior officer said. But military officials also admit Waziristan will not be an easy battle. ‘It will not be a walkover. This is going to be casualty-intensive hard fighting. The nation will have to bear the pain,’ said another officer.

[milwguy]

The Paki's seem to have been emboldened by their success in driving Taliban Jihadi's out of Swat Valley. Between our drones taking out Baitullah Mehsud and other big Jihadi leaders and the Pashtun tribes turning on the barbaric Jihadis, their may be some hope after all.

The implications for the US and McCrystals plans can't be underestimated here. If the Paki's go big into S Waziristan, the Jihadi's will flee to N Waziristan or across the border into Afghanistan. If we had sufficient forces available we could kill large numbers of our enemies.

Be interesting to see if the Paki's follow through here. I am sure we are bribing Zardari with billions to do our bidding, but will be worth it if we can flush out and kill Dr. Zawahri and his Al Qaeda buddies.

[Doogle]

the Pakistan Army plans to unfold in the next few days what military officials characterise as the mother of all battles in South Waziristan

..which gives the Taliban a few days to get outta town

[scooby321]

well at least Pakistan has a plan.

[Pan_Yan]

Winter comes fast. They either move now or wait until spring. No one will be doing any real fighting in the Shawal Mountains at 40 below zero.

[Buckeye McFrog]

nothing like the thought of Jihadist mobs rushing the capital to behead their apostate leaders to focus the mind...

[Old Retired Army Guy]

It not only gives them time to “get out of town”, but they better hurry as winter will be moving in soon making the going very slow. I have been told however that the Pak. Army has been closing off escape routes for several weeks.

[Republic of Texas]

I’ll believe it when I see it. First rule of Islam. Lie to infidels.

[Doogle]

I have been told however that the Pak. Army has been closing off escape routes for several weeks.

..and if you've been told that...the TALIBAN has had a head start long before you knew....until the ISI has been cleaned out......

[Wiz]

dawn is a credible source. It is also referenced by the best known security news press AKI many times. When it is mentioned by dawn, the chances are high.

[milwguy]

Ismail Khan, the reporter is very reliable. Whenever I see a story written by him, I give it a lot of weight.

[OneWingedShark]

Unlike the CIC.