Scenic Pakistani Valley falls to Taliban Militants

Scenic Pakistani Valley falls to Taliban Militants

news.yahoo.com

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Taliban militants are beheading and burning their way through Pakistan's picturesque Swat Valley, and residents say the insurgents now control most of the mountainous region far from the lawless tribal areas where jihadists thrive.

The deteriorating situation in the former tourist haven comes despite an army offensive that began in 2007 and an attempted peace deal. It is especially worrisome to Pakistani officials because the valley lies outside the areas where al-Qaida and Taliban militants have traditionally operated and where the military is staging a separate offensive.

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I read this article and I find its assertions to be ridiculously impossible.

Why, how, should, could, anyone believe that 2000 easily identifiable men, who commit suicide regularly, have seized and hold 3,500 square miles of rugged terrain in a remote region of Pakistan; far from even their own home base in Waziristan?

These "super terrorists", apparently with access to dark magical powers, seek only to implement Sharia law, but this has to be accomplished by beheading and burning through Muslim lands.

It seems that every nation on Earth should seek these men out to train their own armed forces. With just small arms, camoflage and running shoes these bearded and magical mujahedeen have been able to accomplish in weeks what even the American military has not achieved in Afghanistan or Iraq in 7 years.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

If it is true, it's a great example of how the United States relies too heavily on technology when it comes to military operation. It reminds me of the British firing lines and how they acted with "dignity" on the battlefield, but really their militaristic style was laughable. They just stood there and did nothing as Revolutionaries used guerilla warfare (thank you native americans) to surprise. America's first shock and awe, and it actually worked!

In that region of Pakistan I think middle eastern terrorists have much better luck. They are very familiar with those areas, very familiar with surviving in those regions. I think it probably gives the Taliban and Al-Qaeda a huge tactical advantage.

Moreover, if these terrorist organizations are at all bank rolled by other sovereign nations, there could potentially be a great deal of cash going through groups in that region, funded with a means to destabilize.

I don't know. There are lots of points on both sides.