Close Obama aides skeptical about sustenance of Pak’s offensive against Taliban

October 13th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The deadly suicide attack that shook a Swat market killing 41, has nullified the Pakistan Government's repeated claims of it having cleared the Swat Valley of Taliban insurgents. The Shangla district market bombing was the fourth major attack in Swat this week, and came two days after a stunning attack on the armed forces' headquarters in Rawalpindi, which killed 23.

October 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - In the wake of Friday's suicide attack that killed more than 40 people in Peshawar, Pakistan has vowed to launch a military offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan at the soonest, but people in this region are equally exasperated with both the government and the Taliban. A few hours after the blast Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik had said: "We have no other option but to carry out an operation in South Waziristan.

October 3rd, 2009 PESHAWAR - Most FATA parliamentarians are against the prospect of the Pakistan Army launching an offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan area. Fifteen of the 20 members of parliament from FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) have said that they have withdrawn support from the government because they were not taken into confidence about the offensive.

August 9th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - In a bid to ensure that Islamabad doesn't call off or delay its military offensive in Waziristan following the reported death of Baitullah Mehsud, the United States has told Pakistan to continue fighting the war on terror in the tribal areas. "The Obama administration is pleased over the death of Baitullah Mehsud, but it is against any decision by Islamabad to delay the South Waziristan offensive for long or call it off," The Nation quoted a diplomatic source, as saying.

July 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Terming the Pakistan Army's offensive against the Taliban and other extremist groups in Swat and Malakand Divisions of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) as "unprecedented", US President Barack Obama has said Pakistan is seriously trying to reassert its control in the lawless region. In an interview with a private television channel, Obama said it was the first time the Pakistan Army has directly countered threat posed by the extremists.

July 23rd, 2009 RAWALPINDI - The Pakistan Army has killed at least 27 Taliban fighters in various districts of the Malakand division in the last 24 hours. According to an ISPR statement, fighter jets pounded Taliban hideouts in South Waziristan killing six close aides of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud.

July 2nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - The first units of an estimated 4,000 US Marines began what was described as a major offensive early Thursday against Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan's Helmand province, the Washington Post reported on its website. Troops were moving by helicopter and heavy ground vehicles from their bases into Taliban-controlled districts in Helmand and neighbouring provinces, the newspaper and other US media reported.

June 21st, 2009 PESHAWAR - As the Pakistan Army intensified its offensive against the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud in South Waziristan, some highly placed sources have revealed that the warlord along with his top commander, Maulana Fazalullah, has shifted base to Mirali region of North Waziristan. According to sources, Mehsud and Fazalullah both were hiding in South Waziristan, but sneaked into North Waziristan soon after the government announced an all out operation against them.

June 17th, 2009 PESHAWAR - Caught between heavy shelling by the Pak air force against Baitullah Mehsud in South Waziristan and retaliatory efforts by the Taliban fighters, Ahmedzai Wazir tribes have begun negotiating with both the sides to keep their areas safe. "We have been shuttling between the Taliban and the government for three days to reach some sort of an understanding to keep the Taliban from joining Baitullah," the Daily Times quoted WANA based tribal elders, as saying.

June 4th, 2009 PESHAWAR - The Pakistan Army might be claiming success in its operation in the Swat Valley, but a large number of people, who have been forced to flee the region due to the military operation, have put a question mark over the offensive, saying no key Taliban leader has been nabbed or killed so far. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who have fled the valley and have taken refuge in government schools here, are skeptical about the authenticity of the military offensive, The Daily Times reports.

May 6th, 2009 LAHORE - As the Pakistan Army continues to struggle against the Taliban, officials in the US are confused as to why Islamabad initiated military action against the militia after it advanced so close to the federal capital, capturing several region of the Swat Valley on the way. Several top US officials had sounded the alarm immediately after the reports about the Taliban expanding its control beyond the Swat Valley were flashed, but for reasons unknown Pakistan waited for things to get worse.

May 3rd, 2009 LAHORE - As the Pakistani military's offensive against Taliban continued for the fourth day in Buner, the North West Frontier Government has resumed talks with the Pak-Taliban in a bid to keep the peace deal intact. The two-tracked approach, however, is facing flak from people supporting just-signed peace deal, and also the United States, the Daily Times opines.

April 29th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The United States, while welcoming the Pakistan military's offensive against the Taliban, has expressed hope that the operation would be sustained till the extremists are rooted out from the region. "The test of all of these Pakistani military operations, because we've seen them from time to time in the past, is always their sustainability," Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said.

April 26th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Athar Abbas has said that the decision to initiate a military offensive against the Taliban rests with the political leadership of the country. Responding to allegations that the army lacks will and capaability to take on the might of the Taliban, General Abbas said that the army certainly has the will to thwart any further advancement of the insurgents.

April 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Pakistan may never be able to tackle the increasing influence of the Taliban, as it considers the outlawed group as its best bet to counter the growing influence of India in the region, experts believe. US policymakers are also skeptical about Pakistan's role in the US led war against the Taliban and other terrorist groups.