Pakistan hits Taliban site with airstrikes
posted at 4:50 pm on December 3, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Do you think Islamabad may have wanted a face lift for diplomatic purposes on their efforts to fight terrorism? The timing of this attack — and its public-relations promotion — suggests that the Gilani government in Pakistan feels some heat after Mumbai:
At least 30 Taliban militants were killed Wednesday during military air strikes in a restive Pakistani tribal district bordering Afghanistan, security officials said.
The strikes were carried out by Pakistani jets and helicopter gunships at militant hide outs in Mohmand tribal district bordering Afghanistan where the military is hunting Al-Qaeda linked Taliban militants.
“According to reports received here at least 30 militants were killed in the air strikes,” a security official told AFP.
“Two militant centres, a militant training camp and an ammunition dump were also destroyed in the air strikes,” he added.
Don’t get me wrong. This is exactly what the Pakistanis need to do with all of the terrorist groups operating within their territory. We’d fire a lot fewer missiles across their border if they would get their act together and start hitting Taliban, al-Qaeda, and Lashkar-e-Taiba sites on their own and start taking responsibility for their sovereignty rather than just use it as an excuse.
This sudden effort appears to be aimed at proving something, though. The US has pushed India hard to moderate their response vis-a-vis the Mumbai attacks with Pakistan. I suspect that some quid pro quo was arranged to get that response, and stepping up their counterterrorist efforts was chief among the conditions. Attacks on these sites aren’t terribly popular at home, which means the PR effort aims at a different target market.
Earlier today, I wrote about changing the risk-to-reward ratio. Looks like the Bush administration had begun thinking along those lines rather than the “it takes a village” mentality of Friedman’s column.
Update: The front-page pic is not from this airstrike. AFAIK, no images of this strike have been released.
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100 or more of these kinds of strikes and I might be convinced they are serious.
redshirt on December 3, 2008 at 4:55 PM
Wow, I’d have to say they would rather fire a few conventional – that’s good – than the unconventional kind.
Especially since Hindus have no problem with death – they can always come back again later.
kybowexar on December 3, 2008 at 4:57 PM
In 3…2…1…
It was a wedding, silly!
ALL air strikes against against the Taliban hit weddings!
Abelard on December 3, 2008 at 4:58 PM
It would be great to see a continuation — that would bring out a silver lining on the cloud of the terrorism in India.
Christian Conservative on December 3, 2008 at 4:59 PM
Just gimme the one we have been hunting for, that will be proof enough for me. Osama dead or alive, preferably alive so he will wish he is dead.But if they happen to kill more terrorists than that then more power to them.
canditaylor68 on December 3, 2008 at 4:59 PM
Bomb Bomb Bomb, Bomb the Taliban…..
upinak on December 3, 2008 at 4:59 PM
Ed
You still want to believe in these snakes don’t you? Why did they wait till they are in the spot light to do anything? Do you think this would have happened if there were no pressure on them? Of course not. This is pure eyewash and I don’t know why you insist on seeing something else.
BL@KBIRD on December 3, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Unless the ISI and elements of the military purged of sympathizers, this stuff is just window dressing, albeit welcome. As indicated above, perhaps the government was looking for an excuse to start some festivities. We’ll see how long it lasts and how the jihadis respond against the government.
a capella on December 3, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Pakistan knows the culture and they know that just hitting the Taliban sites means nothing much. These are tribal cultures, not individualistic ones. If Pakistan doesn’t go after the villages that breed and raise these people then this means nothing. Just a show for the West – knowing that most in the West don’t understand the cultures out there.
progressoverpeace on December 3, 2008 at 5:01 PM
Maybe it makes more sense to respond to positive moves in a positive way. At a certain point we have to stop hating these folks…
DeathToMediaHacks on December 3, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Now thats what I call open dialogue!
The open is the target area of Talibans,and
the dialogue is weapon of choice!
canopfor on December 3, 2008 at 5:03 PM
The terrorist attacks in India seem like a good opportunity to unite India and Pakistan to combine their resources and improve cooperation in their efforts to fight alQaeda and other Islamist terrorists. I wouldn’t be surprised if these attacks were ordered by the top echelons of government or military in Pakistan to both hurt India and at the same time to enlist them to help fight Jihad.
AlexB on December 3, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Wouldn’t be ironic if bin Laden were among the 30 killed?
Strike that – irony would roll over and die if bin Laden were among that number.
commenter on December 3, 2008 at 5:10 PM
It was a wedding…between the Taliban and high explosives.
steveegg on December 3, 2008 at 5:11 PM
No wonder the catering business in Pakistan is finding it hard to keep employees.
Limerick on December 3, 2008 at 5:11 PM
Ditto!
If they are actually allies, they need to get into the game big time.
Harpoon on December 3, 2008 at 5:13 PM
Show me the bodies.
All I see are buildings.
faraway on December 3, 2008 at 5:14 PM
Russian warship to cross Panama Canal
Money quote
faraway on December 3, 2008 at 5:17 PM
I’m not impressed. The picture looks like hundreds of other Pakistan sh^tholes. This is token and probably carried out against a Taliban leader who was late on his check to the gubmint.
grdred944 on December 3, 2008 at 5:18 PM
Wonder if they hit any civilians?
lodge on December 3, 2008 at 5:21 PM
Pock-ey-stan will have to kill a lot more terrorists in strikes like these before I’ll think it’s more than just a PR stunt.
t.ferg on December 3, 2008 at 5:24 PM
It takes a barrage.
Jim Treacher on December 3, 2008 at 5:25 PM
I don’t see blood, bodies, craters, etc.
Looks more like poor construction techniques.
faraway on December 3, 2008 at 5:29 PM
If we would have done this, the headlines would have read, “thirty Pakistani civilians killed at wedding party”.
Johan Klaus on December 3, 2008 at 5:29 PM
There have been so many weddings in that region recently that I am surprised that there is anyone left to wed.
Perhaps they are marrying off the 72 virgins, that are promised in heaven, by proxy?
Yoop on December 3, 2008 at 5:30 PM
It depends on whether you want them to continue doing this. Being nice and positive (and giving them tons of money) is not what brought this action about. Having a gun to their head is what, most likely, prompted this action to take place. So, if you want them to continue along these lines, it’s smarter to look at what it takes to get even this action out of them and then continue that.
The Western reflex to jump on any “positive” development with positive reactions, instead of pressing what caused those “positive” developments, is something that leads down a very dark path.
progressoverpeace on December 3, 2008 at 5:31 PM
Barring some major unforeseen revelation, there’s no point in quibbling about the effectiveness of the attack.
A Muslim government just killed Muslims in retaliation for an attack against non-Muslims.
This is a HUGE milestone. As far as I’m concerned, the first posititve sign so far in the War on Terror. Frankly, I can’t wait to see how the rest of the “moderate” Muslim world reacts to this news.
logis on December 3, 2008 at 5:32 PM
They were all civilians…like someone posted,it was a wedding, it is always a wedding.
right2bright on December 3, 2008 at 5:32 PM
Foresaking all others, until death do you blow apart?
thomasaur on December 3, 2008 at 5:32 PM
A few dozen dead jihadists is a drop in the ocean when we’re dealing with a 7th century ideology with over a billion adherents, where 10-20% are considered ‘radical’ (according to US intelligence) while the rest support them.
And expecting the Islamic state of Pakistan to behave like a secular democracy is wishful thinking at best, its like expecting cancer to destroy itself. Wherever liberals are in power in democratic countries, we get nothing but hand-wringing, posturing and passivity in the face of imminent danger. While the enemy continues to grow its numbers, strengthens its forces and carries on its endless war against us unabated.
When will we learn that there are only two kinds of people in the world, muslim and non-muslim. If you’re the latter expect to be converted, subjugated or killed. ALL muslims are our enemies as Nazis were and this war won’t end until one side wins. That is either we’ll defeat Islam completely or they will conquer us and we’ll all be bowing 5 times a day to their medieval bloodthirsty, psychotic moon-god.
thinkagain on December 3, 2008 at 5:32 PM
First time I’ve kind-of disagreed with you, logis. Egypt took out many in the Muslim Brotherhood after attacks on tourists. But it was only in the self-interest of the Egyptian government, as is true with Pakistan, now. And Egypt has come to even back Hamas, as that is now where their interests now lie.
progressoverpeace on December 3, 2008 at 5:36 PM
They’ve done this before, quite recently. Frankly, it’s more important that Pakistan secure NATO supply convoy routes. Also, it’ll be interesting to find out who these Taliban were.
Christien on December 3, 2008 at 5:38 PM
The Paki leader didn’t recently get caught with a lady in a blue dress, did he? :|
Patrick S on December 3, 2008 at 5:39 PM
I’m not sure what you’re talking about there. I looked it up and at one point, the Muslim Brotherhood assassinated the Egyptian Prime Minister.
Muslim violence against Muslims who oppose Muslim regimes are not unique. At all. In fact, they are very VERY common. If some infidels happen to get caught in the crossfire, that’s not particularly relevant to anything.
So far, it appears that this is completely different.
logis on December 3, 2008 at 5:51 PM
You forgot this sentence / paragraph from the article. Who says this really happened? Oh yeah, their security forces.
cjs1943 on December 3, 2008 at 5:56 PM
Now Showing: 4 Weddings and a Funeral and an Airstrike.
TheUnrepentantGeek on December 3, 2008 at 5:56 PM
That’s because their freinds in the Pakistani government and military warned them of the strikes well in advance, and the prospective “bodies” simply walked away from these mud hovels (I wouldn’t dignify them by calling them “buildings”). So the terrorists will be back to murder another day.
This pitiful excuse for action will not do, Pakistan.
pseudonominus on December 3, 2008 at 5:58 PM
Too little. Too Late.
If the Pakis don’t go all out after the jihadis, they shouldn’t be surprised when the Indians do.
Iblis on December 3, 2008 at 6:01 PM
The shoot-up/bombing by the pyramids. I forget the details. There were a few of these, but the Egyptians really cracked down after one. Of course, the Egyptians going after the Muslim Brotherhood was not unheard of, but this was in response to a threat to their non-muslim tourist industry and didn’t play all too well in much of Egypt. At least that’s my recollection of it.
progressoverpeace on December 3, 2008 at 6:01 PM
Did they just now find these camps? Or did they know they were there all along? And if so, then why didn’t they hit ‘em sooner? Hmmmmmmmm???
Tony737 on December 3, 2008 at 6:09 PM
security officials said…
Exactly!
They could easily have helicoptered some journalists to the location, but didn’t. We have their pinky swear that this took place and that’s all.
sharrukin on December 3, 2008 at 6:11 PM
So,this picture looks more like a victim
of an earthquake!
What,what,jus sayin!(Sarc!).
canopfor on December 3, 2008 at 6:17 PM
Aspirin and baby milk now in short supply.
TheSitRep on December 3, 2008 at 6:19 PM
Anybody really believe the Pakistanis on this?
If they did bomb, they first warned the Taliban so they could evacuate the area. Just a convenient publicity stunt by the Pakistan government or who ever is spreading this story.
When Pakistan produces bin Laden’s body plus the commander of the Taliban then I will start to believe them.
albill on December 3, 2008 at 6:24 PM
Clean house and take out the trash, Pakistan.
whitetop on December 3, 2008 at 6:28 PM
When I either see gun camera footage with live humans in frame at the time of impact, or, confirmation by an independant and reliable source I might be persuaded that the Paks actually did something useful. Until then, chalk this up to unadulterated BS.
BadDogMN on December 3, 2008 at 6:45 PM
So? Terrorism is nothing but bloody publicity stunts. And this one works in our favor.
The bottom line is that Pakistan is publicly announcing they’re trying to work together with all of us evil infidels in the fight against our common enemy, the Taliban. So what if they “accidentally” missed a few targets? We’re right there to help them tie up the loose ends — that’s what Predators are for.
logis on December 3, 2008 at 6:47 PM
No, they are publicly announcing they don’t want India to bomb them, or face American sanctions.
Have you asked OJ how the hunt for the real killers is going?
sharrukin on December 3, 2008 at 6:54 PM
The Pakistanis have jets? Doesn’t the noise interfere with instruction at the madrassahs?
JDPerren on December 3, 2008 at 7:00 PM
…got ‘em rockin’ and a rollin’, rockin’ and a-reelin’…
CP on December 3, 2008 at 7:18 PM
Flash, slash!
Glisten and gash!
Sing, savour the sting
As the sound makes their followers ears ring
Air strike, come paradise
For the Taliban lice
Blow by blow
As they are set aglow
Tav on December 3, 2008 at 7:37 PM
More please. And faster.
rbj on December 3, 2008 at 7:58 PM
It’s a start. Long overdue, but a start. Please continue.
DuctTapeMyBrain on December 3, 2008 at 8:09 PM
I like how the Pakistanis always hit 100% militants and we always hit 100% civilians.
Chuck Schick on December 3, 2008 at 8:47 PM
i question the timing. No, really, I do.
Alden Pyle on December 3, 2008 at 9:07 PM
+1
A path we have tread for nigh onto thirty years now.
phineas on December 3, 2008 at 9:37 PM
Someday the West will learn. Though, in fairness, Israel’s been at this a lot longer than most and they haven’t learned yet, either. One would think that Israel’s having to fight the same war every 10 years, for over half a century, would have been enough instruction …
progressoverpeace on December 3, 2008 at 11:31 PM
I hope that there were 2160 raisins ready in paradise. That’s a lot of raisins!!
exhelodrvr on December 3, 2008 at 11:46 PM
Took the words right out of my mouth.
LevStrauss on December 4, 2008 at 12:23 AM
I was lucky enough to get a translation of a transcript between Islamabad and the target:
“Hello, Muhammad? This is Mohammed. We need to kill some militants because of the flak the Bombay righteous killings of pigs and apes has caused.”
“Hello, Mohammed. I thought this was Muhamad, at first. Lemme see. We need a target. I know! We have a camp in Northern Pakistan. Frankly, we don’t know what to do with the guys there. They can’t shoot. One of them used to date a Jewish ape… We tried getting them to wear suicide vests, but gave that up after the first three didn’t even make it out to the jeeps.”
“That sounds good. When can we strike?”
“Um… how about in two days? That will give us time to get any useful assets out of there. By the way, we didn’t pay our garbage bill, and the mess has been stacking up. Can you make sure you hit the yellow building on site? That’s where we keep our garbage. I suggest you call it ‘an ammunition dump.’”
“That sounds great, Muhammad. We’ll hit it on the morning of the third of December. Tell the Missus I said, “Hello” before you beat her for disobedience, will you?”
“Certainly. May the peace of Allah infest your armpit fleas for a thousand days.”
Wino on December 4, 2008 at 1:44 AM
Funny how they just happened to find that terror camp right after the Mumbai attacks. Huh.
Akzed on December 4, 2008 at 9:01 AM
I wonder if the Taliban “victims” (HA!) looked up and said “don’t worry, those are OUR guys up there!”
BOOM!
“Friendly fire” can be a bummer, dudes…
karl9000 on December 4, 2008 at 9:29 AM
can you hear me now?
neal7 on December 4, 2008 at 10:30 AM
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