The terrain? You mean that even as Hannibal used elephants to defeat his rivals. And even as Genghis Kahn mounted horses to found the Mongol Empire, the USA military was thwarted by terrain.
Then I witnessed The Pashtun using donkeys. I saw our CIA riding on donkeys to defeat al Qaeda. They used donkeys that were supplied by the Pashtun. I thought, hm? Strange. It would seem the terrain isn't an issue to many folks, so why Rumsfeld and Musharraf?
Somehow I felt 'lied to.' Imagine that. So, I thought, you know there used to be all sorts of ancient trade routes through that region and low and behold, right there on Google, were images of ancient trade routes that defied the ability of the USA military under Rumsfeld.
I'll be darn. So, to think that the 'SURREND' of the Taliban in Swat is a 'transition' thing that can be undone is NOT acceptable and I strongly suggest the USA military, under Gates, get their act together along with our allies in NATO.
You know that 2 mile air base at Baghdad International? It belongs in SWAT !
One of the most compelling 'segments' I noted about Afghanistan after the USA's CIA first entered that country, was to learn that the 'average/common' Pashtun (an ethnic of Afghanistan) had no knowledge of the USA, or its towers, or its pending wars. They had no television. They simply lived life from day to day believing in God/Allah and loving their families.
Yet, there was pictures of 'bin Laden' watching Aaron Brown and the destroyed Trade Towers on television. So, what I had to conclude is that bin Laden was not a man of the people, but, an occupier. One that held himself, his goals and 'covert' army separate from the people, EXCEPT, the Taliban whom ruled in Afghanistan.
So, with that conclusion made, it became perfectly obvious that The Taliban were as much a part of the al Qaeda power structure as bin Laden himself. The question is, are there Taliban that actually disavow violence as much as The Pashtun do? You have to wonder and how can we be sure. I sincerely hope the Taliban of Swat are considering themselves lucky to be liberated from al Qaeda.
There is this 'corner of the world' that has seemed impervious, or WAS impervious to the influence of civilization and its militaries.
The 'Swat' region is very convenient. It is near Kashmir as well.
Where this gets really intersting, is to realize, Musharraf was not in power within Pakistan until 1999. It was in 1999, that Musharraf caused a coup as then Chief of Army Staff and removed the Nawaz Sharief Government. Where is gets even more interesting is to realize that Don Rumsfeld bargained with the Musharraf Coup Government for air space into Afghanistan in 2001. The USA has a policy to not recognize coup governments. Why do I get the feeling as though Don just wanted to 'process' Afghanistan to get to Iraq? Don't know why I think such things.
The darnest thing is that Musharraf wasn't 'elected' until 2002. Long after the al Qaeda attacks on the USA. Musharraf should have immediately fell under suspicion for harboring and assisting terrorists. We already know he was a 'pal' of bin Laden. Hm.
This is a general idea of where Swat, Pakistan is located. As a matter of fact, this map is featured in a report regarding the American military and its drones in the region. The attacks by the USA military TO RETURN peace to the Swat Region has facilitated the surrender there. And whether anyone wants to admit it or not, it has taken a change in government in Pakistan and the USA to achieve this milestone in the war against al Qaeda. Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, this is how the terrorist networks of the world will end.
Suspected US missile strike kills 26: Pakistani officials (click here)
4 hours ago
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) — A suspected US missile strike on Monday destroyed an Afghan Taliban camp and killed 26 in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of Kurram, security officials said.
At least one missile fired by a suspected drone struck the Taliban centre in Bhagan, part of a remote mountain stronghold for the hardline movement waging a fierce insurgency across the border in Afghanistan.
"One missile fired by a suspected US drone destroyed the Taliban centre," a top Pakistani security official told AFP.
"Nine dead bodies were taken to Afghanistan, while the burial of 17 is under way in the area," a security official told AFP.
Another security official confirmed the toll of 26.
It was the first suspected US drone attack in Kurram, one of seven semi-autonomous tribal areas in Pakistan on the border with Afghanistan, where the Taliban are fighting US-led, NATO and Western-backed Afghan forces.
One security official said most of the dead were Afghan Taliban fighters and that commanders had been staying at the hideout, which was used to store weapons and lodge militants resting from bouts of fighting in Afghanistan.
This picture was from 2002 and appeared on Flicker. The war inside Afghanistan to retake it from the Taliban and al Qaeda started in October of 2001. It didn't take long for al Qaeda to find its way into this region, set up housekeeping and assassinate Benizar Bhutto. There is a report about vast arms found in a Mosque in Swat, which is near the Afghanistan border, actually. I'll get the article.
This is the article that 'cites' the large munitions within this one time peaceful village. It states 5.5 tons. 5.5 tons is 11, 000 pounds of high exposes. I wonder where al Qaeda is and how they managed to kill people in Madrid and London? Hm? It was featured on The Huffington Post:
...Separately, the army said in a statement it had found 5.5 tons of explosives hidden in a mosque in the Swat Valley (click here), an area in the north of the country that it recaptured from the militants in December.
There are lots of pine forets in the Upper Swat Valley but still the area is suffering from deforestation. The ine forest is a useful source of timber and also a home to species such as Common Leopard, Musk Deer, Pheasants, Black Bears and Rhesus Monkeys. Markhor, Ibex, Wolves and Snow Leopards are also found here especially at higher elevations.
The pine forests are an eco-lovers paradise but it is safe to take a guide with you or go in a group so any local vagabonds do not take advantage.
