For years, now, al Qaeda and Taliban criminals have used the Western mountains of Pakistan as their home base. Emboldened by Pakistani President Musharraf’s reluctance to deal with radical Islam head-on, the Taliban have recently begun a campaign to turn Pakistan into what Afghanistan was before 9/11.
Ed Morrissey had been keeping up with these events, and this story today on Captain’s Quarters may signal the end to Musharraf’s patience with the radicals.
Let’s hope so.
On the other hand, we know that leaders–even our own–tend to get weak-kneed when push comes to bullets. Remember that it was Musharraf who wanted the US Army to let local tribesman capture Bin Laden in 2002–tribesmen who let the murderer escape. During the siege of the Red Mosque last month, Musharraf allowed numerous deadlines to pass.
All of these actions embolden the enemy.
If Musharraf is serious about crippling Islamofascism in Pakistan, he must prosecute the war ruthlessly. Not an easy thing, since Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will be calling for him to stop the bloodshed.