Apr 10 2007
Uzbeks Cleared From Waziristan Region
Seems the fighting by local tribesman against Uzbek militants with ties to al Qaeda has paid off with the ejection of the militants from one area in Waziristan. The only question is whether this will continue so that Pakistan is rid of foreign fighters – which would greatly stabilize Afghanistan.
I continue to disagree with you on this, AJ. This is *not* good news for Afghanistan. The Uzbeks wanted to attack Islamabad, they wanted to spread the battle to Pakistan itself. The local Pashtuns want to focus on Afghanistan. This is Musharraf covering his own butt. He is removing the threat to his own government to get the focus aimed back at Afghanistan where he thinks it belongs because if they are focues on Afghanistan, they aren’t focused on him.
I agree, there is something more to this story. However, it’s still good news anytime AlQueda gets whacked. As bad as he may be, Musharaff “is” the only moderate game in town. Everything else you are looking at should his regime be toppled, or they succeed in killing him, would make the situation far worse.
He isn’t too far away from mayhem right now. His term runs out soon and there is no way he is going to win re-election. He is out of office real soon unless he decides to pull off a coup but there is no indication the military is behind him at this point.
Crosspatch
Don’t you agree that it is better to fight in Afghanistan than to let the Islamics take over Pakistan and have the bomb? That would be a true disaster.