Pakistani jets, choppers bomb Taliban near capital (HellZaPoPPin' in Pakistan)

AP on Yahoo ^ | 4/28/09 | Nahal Toosi - ap

[NormsRevenge]

ISLAMABAD – Pakistani jets and attack helicopters bombed Taliban positions in a district near the capital Tuesday, the military said, in an expansion of an offensive against militants seemingly emboldened by a much-criticized peace deal.

Troops and heavy artillery also joined the operation in Buner, which follows urgent calls from the United States for Islamabad to step up its fight against the militants, who moved into the region this month from the nearby Swat Valley. They set up checkpoints, patrolled streets and warned locals to abide by strict interpretations of Islam.

The offensive will cause major strains on an already shaky peace deal in the Malakand region, to which Buner belongs.

[NormsRevenge]

Let US know if ya need any ammo or heavy ordnance, Pakistan. ;-)

[NormsRevenge]

A Pakistani army gunship helicopter flies in Lower Dir. Pakistan troops backed by war planes launched a new operation in Buner town near the Swat valley, as Islamabad intensified its efforts to flush out Taliban militants there. (AFP/Tariq Mahmood)

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Pakistani military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas addresses a news conference in Rawalpindi. Pakistan troops backed by war planes launched a new operation in Buner town near the Swat valley, as Islamabad intensified its efforts to flush out Taliban militants there. (AFP/Aamir Qureshi)

[NormsRevenge]

Dozens of men associated with the right-wing Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami chant slogans in the streets of Peshawar April 28, 2009. The men were demonstrating against U.S air strikes in Pakistan's northwestern tribal areas and Pakistani military operations in Lower Dir. The sign on the right reads: "The military operations in Lower Dir has destroyed peace in the province (North West Frontier Province). " REUTERS/Ali Imam (PAKISTAN CONFLICT RELIGION)

[NormsRevenge]

“eliminate and expel” the TaliBunnies?

Rats nest clean-up in progress?

Here’s hoping they don’t do a half-arse job this go-around.

—

BBC News

Pakistan launches Taleban strikes
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8022891.stm

Pakistan has launched air strikes against suspected Taleban hideouts in Buner district, less than 100km (67 miles) from the capital, Islamabad.

The aerial attack in Buner comes as tens of thousands of people have fled their homes in Lower Dir, another area which is seeing heavy fighting.

Hundreds of militants have moved into adjacent regions recently from the Swat Valley, an area they largely control.

Western politicians have expressed concern over Taleban activity there.

The air force’s move into Buner marks a widening of the government’s offensive against the Taleban.

Military spokesman Athar Abbas said their mission in Buner was to “eliminate and expel” the Taleban from the district.

[Ev Reeman]

It’s long past due that Pakistan realize that the only thing they and their citizens will get from The Taliban is misery, suffering, mutilation and death.

[Wil H]

Pakistani military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas addresses a news conference in Rawalpindi.

Are those microphones in front of him or is he strapped up with a suicide bomb?

[monday]

” Frequently, Muslim leaders and politicians blame the militancy on the country’s alliance with Washington and direct their anger at U.S. drone strike at militant targets in the northwest.”

Pakistan is our enemy. We should be treating them as such. No more aid.

[Wuli]

If the Pakistan MILITARY lose this fight, look for U.S. intelligence to find the hand of the Pakistani ISI (who helped create the Taliban) AND the Pakistan politician Nawaz Sharif, who the Saudis demanded that Perez Musharraf allow back into the country - subversively aiding the Taliban.

What I see is a Saudi funded squeeze play taking place,

with the Pakistani people, and the secular government, being placed in a vice between the Taliban - Saudi funded, and the fundamentalist politician Nawaz Sharif (may the “moderate” image always be bestowed on him / sarc) - also Saudi funded;

with the Taliban forcing the government into a “strong arm” role and Nawaz Sharif “disparaging all the violence” “from both sides”, while promising a “better” way.

Either way, Saudi funded Islamic fundamentalism, universal application of Sharia law in Pakistan, and another fundamentalist Islamic state, another Islamic fundamentalist nuclear state, arises.

[swarthyguy]

LOL! More DogandPonySmokeandMirrorsShockandAweLieandCollectUSDollars of a campaign.

All that ordnance, too bad the Talibs are nowhere near where it’s being dropped!

[G8 Diplomat]

Pakistan ۋﮧ۱م

FReepmail if you want on or off

[Straight Vermonter]

The Punjabi-Sindh majority that runs Pakistan have let the crazies in the provinces have their way up until now. I suspect their attitude will change greatly when the crazies start to push into Punjab.

[swarthyguy]

I’d not put the Punjaabis and Sindhis in the same power elite in Pakistan.

Though both Bhuttos and the current PM are Sindhis, the majority of the Army is, has been and will be, Punjabi.
The PPP is based in Sindh, but as a rule, Punjabis have ruled the roost, and more importantly, dominated the military.

[Straight Vermonter]

True but wouldn’t you say that both groups look upon the tribal areas as being set apart from the rest of Pakistan? Do you think the Islamists moving into Punjab would be a crossing of the Rubicon?

[swarthyguy]

Yes, you are correct. The socalled secular elites (united with the jihadis BTW, by their hatred of India) look upon them as rubes and hicks, useful tools in creating proxy armies for various wars, primarily against India from 1948 onwards.....

I think the enemy is wading into the Rubicon as we speak.

Jihadis on the Indus!

One could say that the chickens are coming home to roost!