Brigadier's article is very revealing of locations!
David, thanks for posting the Brigadier's article.
What jumped out at me most was:
Quote:
The likely hideouts are the Dawar area of North Waziristan, Upper Orakzai Agency and the Pakhtun areas of Balochistan. However, if the operations are conducted in both Waziristan agencies, than Zhob and other Pakhtun areas of Balochistan are going to be places where the militants will flee.
Two schools of thought on over advertising in the open the operations before begun in N. and S. Wazirstan:
1. To let the civilian population know to "get out of the way and out of the area" to lower collateral damage/deaths.
2. To warn the key leadership of al Qaida and the Taliban so they could seek shelter elsewhere while letting their men be killed in the future fighting.
Jedburgh, too, has had a series of very informative posts the last few days, in particular, in my opinion. I am too stupid to keep up the adroit, well informed useful info you guys seem to roll over and toss out casually.
All of you keep up the good information and experience sharing. I note a growing number of US company grade and early field grade join-ups on SWJ. This is very encouraging.
Also note a few, would like to see more, Canadians and down unders registering. The more the better.
What I would really like to see are some still serviing, perhaps too much to ask for, Pakistani and Afghan officers and NCOs offering their views and suggestions.
It would uniquely also be helpful to hear from a few regular Army officers in Iran on how they flush out and deal with al Qaida cells which I read of late are being rooted out.
Too, the Saudi Royal family officers currently serving as to how they are containing and controlling the Wahabbi terrorist training camps and schools inside Saudi Arabia.
My wish list could go on and on.
Pakistan holds pro-Taliban cleric
A radical cleric, Sufi Mohammad, who brokered a failed peace deal in Pakistan's Swat valley has been arrested, officials say: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8169385.stm
davidbfpo
Pakistan: one step forward
George,
I would suggest the very fact the cleric's arrest has been revealed means he will not "disappear" and there is no martial law in Pakistan. On reflection others have been arrested and have "disappeared". Arrested by who, ISI, police, para-military or Army?
What will be important is how long he is held and what he is charged with at court.
More details on his arrest, note he was reported to be in "protective custody" in May 2009 and was then released: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archiv...etains_suf.php
davidbfpo
1 Attachment(s)
Moving along under pressure with guidance
Our occasional correspondent Hamid Hussain has provided a commentary (on attachment) on Pakistan's emerging political situation, notably the guided emergence of Imran Khan's political party and yes, the role of the military / ISI.
The title is my own and reflects some of Hamid's pessimism.
my op-ed in the Hindu about Pakistani democracy