The government loses ground to the jihadists in Pakistan. This is, of course, a phenomenon about which we have posted many articles, and which once again demonstrates the power of the jihadists' appeal to represent "pure Islam" -- an appeal to which peaceful Muslims have never mounted an adequate response. "Pakistan losing territory to radicals: The rise of a powerful cleric exposes economic and political failures in a government-administered area," by David Montero for The Christian Science Monitor (thanks to DFS):
SWAT, Pakistan - In this valley of orchards near Afghanistan, 90 police hid along the banks of a riverbed in March, preparing to arrest the powerful Pakistani cleric Maualana Fazlullah. Informants said the target, charged with terrorism, would soon appear with a modest contingent of followers. Instead, Mr. Fazlullah rode into sight on a white horse, surrounded by hundreds of people.When the officers advanced, brandishing tear gas and batons, word flew through the town. Thousands more supporters turned out to further protect Fazlullah. The officers backed off in an incident that shocked the country, exposing as it did the state's powerlessness to apprehend a wanted terrorist.
Such scenes are common in the tribal agencies of Waziristan, where the Taliban hold sway under a controversial truce signed with the government in September. But Swat is not Waziristan: It rests squarely in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), a government-administered area long considered beyond such lawlessness.
The rise of Fazlullah exposes the economic and political failures fanning extremism even in these areas, and hints at the consequences, both for Pakistan and the international community, if the province continues down a path of deprivation. Allow him to persist, many observers say, and others will be emboldened to roll back the state's policies of moderation – small but symbolically important gains in women's empowerment, girls' education, and religious tolerance.
"My opinion is, if you take him out today, there will be a reaction," says Asfandiar Amir Zeb, a former mayor of the district of Swat. "Leave it for a month, there will be a bigger reaction. If you leave it for six months, you won't be able to catch him."
Read it all.
"Instead, Mr. Fazlullah rode into sight on a white horse, surrounded by hundreds of people."
...at this time it was appropriate to immediately call in a tactical air strike....you must take advantage of target opportunities when you see them....it is not necessary to take the terrorist or his supporters alive.....
That's exactly what I thought exsgtbrown. If the government wants to stay in control it obviously needs to be more ruthless.
exsgtbrown
A SWAT WAS MISSED IN SWAT!Swatting Islamic Blowflies with missiles is right idea.
You are more suited to being Prez than Mushie,whose days I fear are numbered...Weaker Musharref is perceived to be-sooner Jihadist Wolves will turn & rend him to a mangled corpse.
Paki Hellhole with Nukes : a nightmare for the West.
what can you expect from a country that was created for muslims, land of the pure killing machine aka islam.
Assalamau Laikum all
exsgtbrown says (without a care in the world) ...."it is not necessary to take the terrorist or his supporters alive."....
A lot of these peoples will have been there simply doing their shopping etc...many liove hand to mouth ...on the day
Sadly you have been so brainwashed as to consider innocent Pak lives as "collotaral".
Many there do not want to be part of Pak...they feel that Pak is not Islamic enough...yet other want local leaders ...not leaders from the Punjab...I fear for Pak's long term longevity unless sharia comes along soon
Still ...you are not yet in Allah's league...only Allah decides who lives and who dies...you too ..so thank Allah SWT for each day you see the sun...
"In this valley of orchards near Afghanistan, 90 police hid along the banks of a riverbed in March, preparing to arrest the powerful Pakistani cleric Maualana Fazlullah. Informants said the target, charged with terrorism, would soon appear with a modest contingent of followers. Instead, Mr. Fazlullah rode into sight on a white horse, surrounded by hundreds of people."
When you read about how the Pakis always manage to just miss their target, it really speaks volumes about their overall commitment to ridding themselves of these religious tyrants.
Naseem, invoking Baal-lah again and the raptures of sharia. Only the deluded, demented or mentally challenged believe sharia will improve anything, especially for women. Masochism and mysogyny are made for sharia.
...but the jihadists do represent true islam...
They are the pious ones, the observant ones, the orthodox. They practice islam.
The hereditary princes of pre-Partition days might have done better in keeping things smooth. Where is the Sultan of Swat?
Then send in our troops in Naseem's country and let them take care of the Islamic problem...
"Instead, Mr. Fazlullah rode into sight on a white horse, surrounded by hundreds of people.
When the officers advanced, brandishing tear gas and batons, word flew through the town. Thousands more supporters turned out to further protect Fazlullah. The officers backed off in an incident that shocked the country, exposing as it did the state's powerlessness to apprehend a wanted terrorist."
Ah yes - the hero, riding on a white horse, surrounded by thousands of people doing their shopping.
I fear Pakistan will be completely ruled by the Taliban before long.
"My opinion is, if you take him out today, there will be a reaction," says Asfandiar Amir Zeb, a former mayor of the district of Swat. "Leave it for a month, there will be a bigger reaction. If you leave it for six months, you won't be able to catch him."
Just think, if somebody had taken out muhammad we won't be in this holy mess in the first place. Now our own won't let us do the needful. As for those who know what the needful to be done is and baulk at the magnitude of the problem - just wait for 10 years. Then this problem will truly be gargantual. Then we shall all baulk together.
"Leave it for a month, there will be a bigger reaction. If you leave it for six months, you won't be able to catch him."
Same applies here in the West as well but to the demographic threat. It is painful to admit, but there is no really humane option other then repatriation with financial assistance. France is trying repatriation of legal immigrants.
The reason France has instigated such a policy is that it feels that it is under threat. There is no other explanation for recourse to such a policy other then that. Even if this policy fails, then that would still leave the original reason, which means that a more coercive policy will take its place. So failure of the present policy is not necessarily a bad thing.
Ah, if only the West considered ALL muzlims as 'collateral."
That would be fun.
"A lot of these peoples will have been there simply doing their shopping etc...many liove hand to mouth ...on the day"
Posted by: Naseem
...you are wrong, if they are massing in support of the terrorists, then they, in fact are the terrorists...and thereby becoming terrorist targets to be destroyed....
...and in about a year, the 'extremists' aka Taliban will have nuclear weapons, when they and Sharia take over the country