Posted on 12/03/2008 3:41:21 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
Do you think Islamabad may have wanted a face lift for diplomatic purposes on their efforts to fight terrorism? The timing of this attack — and its public-relations promotion — suggests that the Gilani government in Pakistan feels some heat after Mumbai:
At least 30 Taliban militants were killed Wednesday during military air strikes in a restive Pakistani tribal district bordering Afghanistan, security officials said.
The strikes were carried out by Pakistani jets and helicopter gunships at militant hide outs in Mohmand tribal district bordering Afghanistan where the military is hunting Al-Qaeda linked Taliban militants.
“According to reports received here at least 30 militants were killed in the air strikes,” a security official told AFP.
“Two militant centres, a militant training camp and an ammunition dump were also destroyed in the air strikes,” he added.
Don’t get me wrong. This is exactly what the Pakistanis need to do with all of the terrorist groups operating within their territory. We’d fire a lot fewer missiles across their border if they would get their act together and start hitting Taliban, al-Qaeda, and Lashkar-e-Taiba sites on their own and start taking responsibility for their sovereignty rather than just use it as an excuse.
This sudden effort appears to be aimed at proving something, though. The US has pushed India hard to moderate their response vis-a-vis the Mumbai attacks with Pakistan. I suspect that some quid pro quo was arranged to get that response, and stepping up their counterterrorist efforts was chief among the conditions. Attacks on these sites aren’t terribly popular at home, which means the PR effort aims at a different target market.
Earlier today, I wrote about changing the risk-to-reward ratio. Looks like the Bush administration had begun thinking along those lines rather than the “it takes a village” mentality of Friedman’s column.
Update: The front-page pic is not from this airstrike. AFAIK, no images of this strike have been released.
pingaroo
LLS
The attack was probably 45 minutes after their phone call to the local Taliban commander.
Gee, two centres, a training camp and dump hit.
Targets like these obviously have already been on the Paki radar for a long time.
Now the only question is how many are really dead and how many escaped.
Eyewash.
Now about those untouched camps in Pakistani Kashmir.
There’s where LeT trains.
Another wedding party ruined?
The relevant part of the story. So we have Pakistan's word on this.
Or was there really any Taliban there in the first place?
We would hope so.
Scared into acting beats not acting.
I am sure they do have confirmation that the strikes took place or not. The question is, will we ever hear about it? They may simply decide that in the interests of diplomacy to pretend it did happen.
Umm. I don't think that's the right place.
Take my word for it...this was all staged to take off the pressure....we have seen this dog and pony show....numerous times.
Few countries have faced as many terrorist attacks. Few have as little control over large areas of their nations. Few governments are standing on as big a powder keg as Pakistan.
Al Queda’s attack is an attempt to undermine Pakistan as much as anything. Isn’t that clear?
Yeah, but the act seems to work every time.
Wait til you catch Condi’s comments in India.....
Hey, Beavis, Dog said Dog and Pony show, hehehe!
>>to undermine Pakistan as much as anything. Isn’t that clear?
yeah, by attacking Bombay. Clear as mud.
Yes, but its useful to have them exert pressure even if they think that they can just stage it.
We can instantly track what they do and do not do and we can compel more and more actually useful moves if we coordinate with the Indians.
If we also keep the price of oil down so that the funding of the Madrassas suffers in combination with this we can make decent progress.
Clear enough. They deserve all that is heaped on them...I hope the Indian's nuke the bastages back to the stone age.
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