Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud (C) sits with other millitants in South Waziristan, October 4, 2009.
REUTERS/Reuters TV
WaPo:
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Oct. 17 — Pakistan’s army launched a ground offensive Saturday morning aimed at rooting out Islamist insurgents in the lawless tribal region of South Waziristan, an intelligence official in the area said.
The military had been planning the operation for months, amassing nearly 30,000 troops in the area and attempting to soften targets with aerial strikes. Military officials and security experts estimate that between 5,000 and 10,000 “hardcore” Taliban and al-Qaeda insurgents are based in the area, which the United States views as a terrorism hub and has targeted with unmanned drone strikes.
The offensive comes after two weeks of bloody militant attacks killed more than 100 people in Pakistan, assaults that officials say are nearly all planned in South Waziristan.
A military offensive in Waziristan will pit Pakistani troops against the best fighters the Taliban have to offer. The military has been defeated four times in South Waziristan since 2004, and has signed a series humiliating peace agreements in an effort to keep the Taliban at bay. Instead, the Taliban insurgency has metastasized throughout the tribal areas and into the Northwest Frontier Province.
Read more analysis and history at The Long War Journal
A former fetus, the “wordsmith from nantucket” was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1968. Adopted at birth, wordsmith grew up a military brat. He achieved his B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles (graduating in the top 97% of his class), where he also competed rings for the UCLA mens gymnastics team. The events of 9/11 woke him from his political slumber and malaise. Currently a personal trainer and gymnastics coach.
The wordsmith has never been to Nantucket.
If only our Commie-Organizer in Chief would send regular troops (not support troops) right now we could work out a joint pincer movement with Pakistan and wipe out the muzzie bad guys once and for all.
Slatrat, the Planning is in the works. We just need Our Pretender in Chief to evolve into a War Time President and act decisively. French President Sarkozy refuses to send “not one additional Soldier” to AF/PAK until he is assured that the US is a strong Ally and is resolved to pursue a successful plan to get a positive result there. I do not blame him.
Slatrat , I bet my best pair of AC U’s that you have never humped a mile in the Badlands. If you are down range you will take any body and support troops are needed well before,during and after. Stop Listening to Rush and go enlist if you have all the answers. Your whining and badmouthing back here is about as detrimental to the cause as the bad guys. Long story short, Shut up until you get back then complain.
May I add that that is the roughest terrain on God’s Earth, the Logistics tasks are enormous, beans, fuel, munitions and water are difficult to provide, Alliances are risky and the ROE are challenging. The weather is as extreme as I have ever experienced. The Enemy is comprised of very tough hombres that have been at War for Centuries with the other tribal types and outsiders.
It is no cake walk or church picnic. Just ask the Russians.
Strength
Soviet:
* 118,000 (1985)
Mujahideen:
* Unknown
Casualties and losses
Soviet:
* 13,310 Dead
* 35,478 Wounded
* 311 Missing
* 469,685 Sick
Mujahideen:
* around 70,000 killed
Civilians:
Unknown. Estimates on civilian deaths vary at under 700,000 to over 2,000,000.
Easy there Big Tanker…
Of course you’re right, but at least this young Padewan’s heart is in the right place.
Let’s remember that us old dawgs need to recognize an opportunity to teach the pups, and reserve “proper venting” of our frustrations for those who truly don’t get it.
@Slatrat…
While flooding the place with armed warriors sounds good on the surface, those guys need to eat, need fuel, need mail and laundry delivered, and a steady supply of bullets. One can not be done with out the other, and that “other” is what makes the point of our spear so sharp and deadly.
In the Army, support is planned as 4-to-6 supporters-to-warrior.
In the Marines, it’s 3-to-5.
In the Airforce/Navy, it’s 10-15. (Navy SeAL’s sometimes had multiple ship/submarine-loads.)
(My estimations may be off, so any of you who know better, please correct me.)
Many in Pakistan fail to understand the value of their vote. Agreed we go to the polling stations whenever we are lucky enough to have elections, but having an ink mark on our thumb does not mark the end of our civic duty. When we come out in numbers, those politicians that take Pakistanis for granted are shaken to the core. Those law enforcement agencies carry out their duty with justice. Not only the government, but the army also realizes that it becomes powerless when it is dealing with the nation as one. If we, the people, are able to wield such influence over these powerful institutions by coming together as one unit, lord save the militants if we truly unite as Pakistan.
We the People!