Pakistan prepares for onslaught

[TexasLawyer]

Source: The Australian

* Bruce Loudon, South Asia correspondent
* April 02, 2007

MORE than 8000 troop reinforcements were on their way to Pakistan's crucial border with Afghanistan last night amid reports that President Pervez Musharraf, bowing to concerted pressured from the US and NATO, is mobilising for a major onslaught against al-Qa'ida and other militants based in the area. The two brigades of crack Pakistani troops will join the more than 80,000 soldiers already based in North and South Waziristan, where local tribesmen have been fighting running battles with mostly Uzbek, Chechen and Arab militants in the area.

Fierce fighting has been going on in the strategic terrain, with nearly 60 people killed in the latest 48 hours of exchanges. These have seen the tribal militants attacking bunkers occupied by the foreigners from which they have launched assaults on the town of Wana. Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao said last night of the fighting: "Tribes are insisting on their demand these people either surrender or quit the area."

Pakistan says the determined action by the tribesmen to expel the more than 500 foreign al-Qa'ida fighters estimated to be based in the area is an important product of Islamabad's controversial policy of signing peace deals with local Taliban-supporting militants in North and South Waziristan, and last week in the Bajaur Agency tribal area.

While Pakistani officials were seeking to downplay the significance of the two brigades being rushed to the area, highly placed military sources said the mobilisation was linked to the fighting now under way, as well as a planned Pakistani offensive in the border region in response to pressure from Washington and the NATO-led coalition fighting in Afghanistan.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21486135-31477,00.html

[Igel]

1. Yes, the Pakistani press has been all a-twitter about events

up in Taliban country, and Talibanish events down in non-Taliban country.

Burqa-ed women wielding clubs acting as a morality brigade in Islamabad, threats to rebuild mosques that were demolished because they were illegally built, but which Musharraf promised would be rebuilt since the militants wanted them rebuilt.

Militants going into schools in the boonies, threatening the masters if they can't recruit for jihad, and making off with students at gun-point. In one case the master said 'no', so his kid was kidnapped and taken off for training. Sounds rather like the Tamil Tigers, no?

Then there are the not-so-running battles in Taliban country. More than 60 people killed. Lots of people fleeing. And all this *without* Pakistani army involvement. But it's good that they're getting involved, this time on the side of the tribal elders that were the adversary last time 'round.

[bemildred]

2. Color me skeptical about all of this.

It ain't the first time they have tried to pacify the tribal areas, and "take on al Qaeda" and all that.

[ohio2007]

3. Pakistan: 40 Die in Sunni-Shiite Clashes

It's not like a surprise or anything;
<snip>

....authorities were seeking help from clerics from the Shiite and Sunni sects to control the situation.

Pakistan has a history of sectarian violence, and scores of people are killed in such clashes every year. Although most Sunni and Shiite Muslims live peacefully together, extremists on both sides often target each other's leaders and activists.

Residents said the town had been tense for the past several days when some Shiites briefly fought with participants of a rally organized by Sunni Muslims to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Islam's Prophet Muhammad. The Sunni-Shiite schism, which dates to the seventh century, centers on a debate over the prophet's true heir.



<snip>
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6540058,00.html

It's like an annual festival of hate going back centuries

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2798420