Pakistani Taliban militants announced on Tuesday an indefinite ceasefire in the Swat valley in the northwest of the country, a day after the army said it was ceasing operations in the region.
In the neighboring Bajaur region on the Afghan border, the government announced a four-day ceasefire in response to a unilateral truce called by militants there on Monday.
The ceasefires are likely to compound concerns among Western countries which fear truces allow militants to create sanctuaries in Pakistan where they can regroup and intensify their insurgency against Western forces in neighbouring Afghanistan.
via Pakistani Taliban announce indefinite truce in Swat.
Well, I am not only concerned about the terrorists militants‘ building sanctuaries (that yes, it’s a great danger…). I am more concerned about:
a) for how long this truce will actually exist (that is, for how long this people has sold their own citizens’s peace), and
b) what would happen with the girls and boys who want to go to school to receive an education?
Thomas Ricks, who actually was not a pro-Bush author, has said this to Newsweek:
You recently said NEWSWEEK might have gotten it wrong when we said that Afghanistan could be Obama’s Vietnam. Why?
We could lose Afghanistan, and it would be bad but it would not present an existential threat to this country. If you “lose Pakistan”—and by that I mean if Pakistan collapses or is taken over by Islamic extremists—you face the prospect of Islamic extremists having nuclear weapons. That’s Al Qaeda’s dream. It’s our nightmare. That’s why Pakistan is Obama’s potential Vietnam. There’s no clear solution there. What you may try to do for several years is simply manage it. Kicking the can down the road in both Iraq and Pakistan is not an emotionally satisfying outcome, but it may be the most mature and even best scenario we can come up with.
For me, one of the failures of Bush Administration was an actual lack of logic and of real understanding of what IS going on. The necessary confrontation with Iran was not followed by an also necessary confrontation with Saudi Arabia and its funding of both terrorism and wahabbism. US support for Musharraf was also not very logical, specially taking into account the ISI’s support to the Talibans.
What’s more: the Talibans have already announced Osama Bin Laden is their role model and Mullah Omar their supreme leader:
Days after the Pakistan government and the Taliban inked a peace deal in Swat following a failed military operation in the picturesque valley, three major Taliban groups in Pakistan have formed a new alliance – Shura Ittihadul Mujahideen (Council for Unity of Holy Warriors) – in the twin agencies of North and South Waziristan after burying the hatchet, declaring the ameer of the Afghan Taliban Mullah Omar as their supreme leader and al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden as their role model.
(…) “As Jews, Christians and Hindu infidels stand united against the Muslims particularly Mujahideen under the leadership of United States, Mujahideen have set aside internal differences and have joined hands, the Taliban announcement said, adding: “In order to make happy the Muslims in general and Mujahideen in particular, the three Taliban groups have formed a 13-member advisory council to run the affairs of the new alliance which would be led by the three Taliban commanders on rotation basis.
Bill Roggio adds:
The three senior-most Taliban leaders in North and South Waziristan have joined forces to wage jihad against Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the US…
…The new alliance further stated it was waging war “in an organized manner’” to “stop the infidels from carrying out acts of barbarism against innocent people” just as Omar and bin Laden were waging war against Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the US.
The creation of the Council of United Mujahideen and the Council’s open support of al Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban has finally put to rest the Pakistani government’s claim that Bahadar and Nazir are “pro-government” Taliban. While Bahadar and Nazir opposed fighting the government for tactical reason they had openly supported al Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban.
So what has been Afghan UN-NATO operation for?
Related posts: Pakistan: Talibans want more, Pakistan: dealing with the Taliban, Pakistan: Talibans ask for Shariah and obtain it.
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