US gives Pakistan two weeks to eliminate Taliban
2 May 2009
Washington: Stepping up pressure on Pakistan to take concrete action against the Taliban, the US has given Islamabad two weeks time to eliminate the insurgents from its soil before Washington determines what it will do next.
General David Petraeus, who heads the US Central Command, has told US officials that the coming two weeks would be "critical to determining whether the Pakistani government will survive", Fox News reported.
"The Pakistanis have run out of excuses" and are "finally getting serious" about combating the threat from Taliban and Al Qaeda extremists operating out of the country's northwest, the general said.
Criticising Pakistan's attitude towards fighting the insurgents, Petraeus said "we have heard it all before" that Pakistan was doing its best to eliminate the Taliban threat.
He said that he is looking forward to see concrete action by Islamabad in the next two weeks before determining the US' next course of action, which is presently set on propping up the Pakistani government and military with counter-insurgency training and aid.
Petraeus made these assessment in talks with lawmakers and Obama administration officials this week, the news channel reported, citing people familiar with the discussions.
In Pakistan's Swat Valley
Syed Saleem Shahzad meets the locals in northern Pakistan, where the Taliban hold sway.
some excerpts from the video:
Army bombs the schools and then blames the taliban
Army bombs the farms and don't let people work on farm, accusing them of being taliban
When army comes, everyone flees because the army beats the civilians.
The Amry bombed the schools and that is why the children do not go to school, so they will go to madrassas now. The Taliban are helping us and it is good.
Army forcefully took over this house belonging to a canadian man. The man sold his land to build the house, the man tried to get it back but no luck.
Police station built with high port. Police closed down the main road infront of it and from the high port could look into houses and women didn't have privacy. Taliban knocked down the polic port.
Army bombed his house and the Taliban promised to help pay and rebuild his hosue
Army bombed the dera (sitting area). Next two was a farm fishing lake. Army didn't give any money for. Army bombed it also and the fishes died.
The mall strip. These were stores and with a medical store. The army fired on it from the helicopter.
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