Article

2007-11-17 India-Pakistan

40 militants killed as gunships pound Swat and Shangla

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Posted by Fred 2007-11-17 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top
File under: TNSM

#1 Seeing the Talibunnies in Swat is a real shame. I was in Swat some years ago. How long? Well, the Russkies were still in Afghanistan and the Pathans were still our allies. (I went to Waziristan then, too. Up the Khyber Pass and then turn left for a hundred miles or so. Even then you couldn't do it without a local ethnic Pathan to vouch for you. The main issue was not being thought Russian, so we learned to say "Russie muerke!" - - roughly, "Death to the Russians!" as a way of pre-empting a false judgment by the jihadis with the Kalashnikovs.) But back to Swat. It's a valley that runs roughly N-S up into the Hindu Kush. Spectacularly beautiful - - a kind of Shangri-La. Beautifully maintained agriculture, with everything carefully irrigated from a complex system of hillside channels. I recall a lot of fruit trees, apricots and almonds I think, especially near the southern end of the valley. We travelled with a driver/guide called George - - a little fellow with eyeglasses like the bottom of two Coke bottles. This didn't inspire confidence, and he nearly put us over a ravine once or twice. But the Swat valley was gorgeous and the people were fine and friendly. Stayed at the Swat hotel - - a relic of happier times - - colonial times!! It was November and at night it got bitterly cold. We bought the local Afghan blankets, with the embroidered edges. They look nice but they're as thin as Hillary's veneer of sincerity. At the very north end of the valley the road just stops and a huge mountain looms up to block you. If you got out climbing gear you could maybe traipse over into China. It's a tragedy that the new Saudi-sponsored Wahhabi Talibunnies are messing things up there. It only takes a few brutes with guns to mess up a peaceful society. And I don't think the Pakistan Army has the gumption or the training to tackle them.

Posted by Peter Carroll 2007-11-17 11:36|| 2007-11-17 11:36|| Front Page Top

#2 Thanks Pete for the travel report @ SWAT + North up Wazoo territory.

Posted by Red Dawg">Red Dawg 2007-11-17 13:24|| 2007-11-17 13:24|| Front Page Top

#3 thin as Hillary's veneer of sincerity

9.7

Awesome post PC.

Posted by Thomas Woof 2007-11-17 13:30|| 2007-11-17 13:30|| Front Page Top

#4 PCarroll

Thank you for the comment. You probably have a few more good stories. We look forward to them.

Posted by mhw 2007-11-17 19:02|| 2007-11-17 19:02|| Front Page Top

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