Tensions Mount, Opposition Holds Off Full Attack on Zardari
21 December 2009
Pakistan's Sharif Holds Off Full Attack on Zardari, Reuters, 21 December 2009
EXCERPT: "Pakistan's main opposition party said on Monday it would not support any unconstitutional action against President Asif Ali Zardari or his government but warned of protests if Zardari did not give up some powers. Political tension has been running high in Pakistan since last week when the Supreme Court threw out an amnesty that protected him,...
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Govt Resists US Pressure, Sets Limits to the Relationship
21 December 2009
, The Associated Press, 20 December 2009
EXCERPT: "Pakistan will not go as far as Washington wants, and there's nothing the U.S. can do about it: That's the sobering reality as the U.S. tries to persuade a hesitant Pakistan to finish off the fight against terrorists. Expand the current assault against the Taliban? Pakistan has made clear that will happen only on its own terms. U.S. officials...
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U.S. Government Report to Congress on Pakistan Assistance Strategy
21 December 2009
U.S. Government Report to Congress on Pakistan Assistance Strategy, US Department of State, 14 December 2009
EXCERPT: "The Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 states that Pakistan is a critical friend and ally to the United States, both in times of strife and in times of peace, and the two countries share many common goals, including combating terrorism and violent radicalism, solidifying democracy and rule of law in Pakistan,...
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Tribal Areas Need Justice to Consolidate Taliban's Defeat
21 December 2009
Tribal Areas Need Justice to Consolidate Taliban's Defeat, The National, 18 December 2009
EXCERPT: "Now that Pakistan has reportedly secured the Pakistani Taliban's major strongholds in South Waziristan, analysts say Islamabad must immediately address the underlying conditions that allowed militancy to flourish in the region or it will again become a sanctuary for insurgents. 'If we don?t deal with some of these issues related...
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Selective Counter-Terrorism a "Defective Strategy": Report
21 December 2009
Selective Counter-Terrorism in Pakistan, ISN Security Watch, 21 December 2009
EXCERPT: "Starting in May 2009, the Pakistani army launched a series of offensives against radical Islamist groups in the Swat and South Waziristan regions. More than 6,500 alleged Taliban fighters have been killed since then, and approximately 1,400 Pakistani civilians have died in terrorist attacks. The international community has applauded the Pakistani...
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"Most Militants Fled S. Waziristan Operation": Report
21 December 2009
[pdf, pages 8 - 12], CTC Sentinel, December 2009
EXCERPT: "In October 2009, after approximately four months of preparations, Pakistan's armed forces launched a highly anticipated ground offensive against Taliban militants in South Waziristan Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The objectives of the mission, called Rah-e-Nijat (Path to Deliverance),...
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