Pakistan Denies Operation in N. Waziristan

[foxbat]

Pakistan to launch operation in North Waziristan: Report – The Express Tribune

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to launch an air and ground military offensive in North Waziristan, the main sanctuary for al Qaeda and Taliban on the border with Afghanistan, a report in The News said on Monday.
The United States has long demanded that Pakistan launch an offensive in the region to hunt down the Haqqani network, one of the deadliest Afghan militant factions fighting American troops in Afghanistan. Pakistan has been reluctant, but has come under intense US pressure to launch an operation there.
The News newspaper quoted unnamed “highly placed sources” as saying Pakistani airforce planes would soften up militant targets under the “targeted military offensive” before ground operations were launched.
The report said an understanding had been reached over the offensive during last week’s visit by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. A US embassy official said he was checking into the report. Pakistani officials were not immediately available for comment.
Pakistan has maintained that its troops were already too stretched fighting Pakistani Taliban insurgents in other parts of the northwest to tackle North Waziristan.

 

[hembo]

Pakistan to launch operation in N. Waziristan-report
Sun May 29, 2011 11:40pm EDT

ISLAMABAD May 30 (Reuters) - Pakistan has decided to launch a "targeted military offensive" in North Waziristan, the main sanctuary for al Qaeda and Taliban on the border with Afghanistan, a newspaper reported on Monday.

The United States has long demanded that Pakistan launch an offensive in the region to hunt down the Haqqani network, one of the deadliest Afghan factions fighting American troops in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has been reluctant, but has come under intense U.S. pressure to attack militancy after it was discovered that Osama bin Laden had been living in Pakistan.

The local News newspaper quoted unnamed "highly placed sources" as saying Pakistani airforce planes would soften up militant targets under the offensive before ground operations were launched. (Reporting by Zeeshan Haider; Editing by Michael Georgy)

 

[foxbat]

Repercussions of Abbotabad .. Pretty obvious that there are some details/proof available with the USA about Osama that are not being shared in public, but are solid enough to force Pakistan to risk an even further escalation in the terrorist violence in Pakistan. Since now both TTP and AT will be attacking Pakistan if the above happens. Dont know if that will make a tangible difference though since in the world view, both these entities are the 2 sides of the same coin

 

[JonAsad]

More Aid coming our way- contrary to the belief that congress is stopping it-

 

[53fd]

Will this end the drone strikes campaign in North Waziristan? Possibly.

 

[JonAsad]

Will this end the drone strikes campaign in North Waziristan? Possibly.

Nope that will only reiterate their justification for Drone strikes-

and i think to counter the drones PAF has to be more active along the border-

 

[foxbat]

I believe, now manned attacks will join the drones. Obviously with permission of Pak govt...

 

[53fd]

Nope that will only reiterate their justification for Drone strikes-

I believe that it was Mullen that said that drone strikes would stop if Pakistan conducted an operation in NWaz. I'm sure an agreement wouldn't be reached without something being given up from both sides.

 

[CamelJockeyBoy]

finally, we can become brothers and work towards peace man, get rid of the bloody al Qaeda and Taliban, they make Pakistan unstable and promote war... we dont want war, remember that kkk

 

[ares]

Pakistani army could have saved thousands of Pakistani lives from daily bomb attacks had they launched this operation an year ago.

 

[JonAsad]

I believe that it was Mullen that said that drone strikes would stop if Pakistan conducted an operation in NWaz. I'm sure an agreement wouldn't be reached without something being given up from both sides.

Well- for the time being drones may stop- after the operation it will start again- we did a previous operation in that region and that didn't stop the drones-

 

[53fd]

End to US drone hits if military launches North Waziristan operation – The Express Tribune

Pakistan has been threatened by the US to conduct operations in North Waziristan, & they didn't do it. The aid still kept coming despite their refusals. I personally believe aid could not have convinced them to conduct operations there, which is why you might see a significant drop in drone attacks in N Waz, maybe even completely halted.

 

[53fd]

Well- for the time being drones may stop- after the operation it will start again- we did a previous operation in that region and that didn't stop the drones-

Pakistan conducted a full scale operation in South Waziristan. To my knowledge, a full scale operation has never been conducted in North Waziristan. Drone attacks almost exclusively take place in North Waziristan, & I don't think they take place in South Waziristan.

 

[53fd]

This can be a good thing, if Pakistan goes after the TTP, AQ & the anti-state groups in North Waziristan. These groups have no real support from the common people in the region, which is why one frequently hears about how these groups kill tribal elders, people of authority there. The Pakistan Army should strengthen the Lashkrs in North Waziristan to fight these groups alongside the Pakistan Army.

 

[ali_raza]

pakistan should wait for atleast a year when widraw from afghanistan whould be in full swing.so that majoirity of militants whould them self return to afghanistan,,,,and then we can se that who is here to fight pakistan or USA.