Meanwhile, Back In South Waziristan

While we enjoyed the holiday, CNN reported that the Pakistan military was suspending operations in South Waziristan.  Hmmph - they were supposed to bag Osama just before the election.

The White House assures us that this announcement does not reflect diminished Pakistani committment to the war on terror (McClellan here).  Since Musharaff, leader of Pakistan, will be meeting with Bush at the White House on Dec. 4, maybe they are serious - it seems odd that Musharaff would announce this and then come to Washington just so he could get his arm twisted.  Then again, maybe he is hoping to be enticed and incentivised.  We will have to see what sort of agreements and aid packages are announced, and compare that with the pre-meeting speculation. 

Comments

[Retread]

It could be that the announcement is intended to encourage the bad guys to let down their guard a bit, making them easier to nab. Or have I read too spy thrillers?

[The Kid]

Perhaps they bagged Osama and the purpose of Musharaff’s visit is twofold:
1. To present Bush with Osama’s head, and
2. To accept the nomination for Secretary of Defense to replace Rumsfeld.

[narciso]

People forget that the 3rd Afghan War, began in
Waziristan,back in 1919; over over a much more trifling law enforcement situation.That thirty years before that;
Toung Winston and his associate Capt. Haldane (the same
Haldane,who would be the Sherman of 1920s Iraq) were
tooling around the same area

[coba]

Ever consider weather?

[Major John]

Without revealing anything classified I think I can say that the huge Pakistani deployment and the operations conducted there have pretty much wrapped up as a success. You don't have 70,000 guys stay around when your targets are pretty much dead or captured...Oh, and in my completely unofficial opinion, tape be damned, Osama is Vulture Chow.