Thursday, October 18, 2007

Pakistan plans all-out war on militants

By Syed Saleem Shahzad
Asia Times

"An all-out battle for control of Pakistan's restive North and South Waziristan is set to commence between the Pakistani military and the Taliban and al-Qaeda adherents who have made these tribal areas their own. If the operation succeeds, intelligence sources say, the back of the Afghan resistance will be broken and the Iraqi resistance will suffer a severe setback. The militants have little option but to stand and fight, and the battle will be the bloodiest yet seen in the tribal areas......

Underscoring the seriousness with which the military is planning for the coming battle, it is reported that Shi'ite soldiers from northern Pakistan are being sent to the Waziristans. In the past, the Pakistani Army has been plagued by desertions of Pashtun and Sunni troops who refuse to fight fellow Pashtuns or Sunnis."

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