Informed Comment

Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion

Juan Cole is President of the Global Americana Institute

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Pakistani Army Poised to Invade Mingora;
Husain: Taliban like Borg

The Pakistani army is preparing to invade and reduce the city of Mingora (pop. 200,000), the largest city in the Swat valley.

During the course of the current military campaign, which pits 15,000 infantry of the regular army against 4,000 Pushtun fundamentalist irregulars, the Pakistani army claims to have killed 800 'Pakistani Taliban.'

During the course of the recent fighting, a million Pakistanis have now been displaced by the fighting since last fall.

Aljazeera English reports on the vastness and difficulties of the internally displaced.



McClatchy sees signs that this time the Taliban might stand and fight, rather than melting away guerrilla style.

Irfan Husain likens the Taliban to the emotionless Borg androids of Star Trek.

Aljazeera English reports on the Pakistani campaign, and on the way in which the Taliban are still in control of distant villages.



Aljazeera English reports on the Pakistani military campaign in the Swat valley, paying special attention to the officers' connections in the North-West Frontier Province.



The documentary "Made in Pakistan" attempts to shed light on the situation in that country by following 4 Pakistanis. This is the trailer:



End/ (Not Continued)

4 Comments:

At 11:20 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is there any information as to which regular Pakistan army troops are involved in the Swat operations? The general impression is that it is the Frontier Constabulary - a paramilitary border patrol force - that is doing the lion's share of the fighting. Are the regular troops being kept in reserve?

Sharmishtha

 
At 6:37 PM, Blogger daryoush said...

The military operations in Pakistan look more and more like the Saddam's offensive against its own people. This wont have a pleasant ending.

 
At 9:56 PM, Blogger Stephane MOT said...

So it was a Trekkie thing... I tried to figure Taliban as Bjorn Borg : the Swede who did sport some kind of turban and beard, but only 3-day-old.

But that tennismann also used to be an "emotionless Borg android"... and to play the "assimilation or destruction" game.

 
At 12:49 PM, Anonymous lidia said...

Regading "Borgs"

The old and not so wise method - de-humanise the perosn you do not like. I am NOT for Taliban, but they are human and have a real reasons to behave like they do. And their religious fundamentalism is not worse than ones in rule in Saudi Aravia, USA and Israel.

 

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