Pakistani Offensive In South Waziristan Begins, Airstrikes Bombard Taliban

Don't you just love the smelling of burning Taliban in the morning?

The Pakistani military has begun the "softening" of resistance in South Waziristan as today, Pakistani fighter jets have been bombing the piss out of Taliban targets in the province. From the report at Breitbart:

Pakistani jets bombed militant targets in the main insurgent stronghold along the Afghan border Tuesday ahead of an expected ground offensive there, an official said.

Bombing runs Tuesday destroyed around 15 houses in the Makeen, Ladha and Barwand regions of South Waziristan, a local intelligence official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief to the media.

You know, if you look back about 9 months ago, I sat here bashing the Pakistani government for all of the appeasement they were doling out to the Taliban. Well, the Pakistanis finally figured it out that the Taliban were indeed the main enemy of that country and they did a 180 and began the process of driving them from the country. Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think I'd see this drastic turnaround by the Pakistanis be met with the scenario where the U.S. forces across the border in Afghanistan have to sit on their thumbs while the U.S. Commander-in-chief takes two months to figure out if the Taliban are really the enemy.

Pakistani jets bomb militants near Afghan border

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistani jets bombed militant targets in the main insurgent stronghold along the Afghan border Tuesday ahead of an expected ground offensive there, an official said.
The army says 80 percent of the militant attacks plaguing the nuclear-armed country are planned from South Waziristan, while the United States says insurgent leaders blamed for spiraling violence in Afghanistan are also based in the lawless, remote area.
The army and the government have agreed to launch what is expected to a bloody and difficult ground operation in the mountainous region to clear it of militants. An army spokesman Monday declined to say when the operation would begin, but there has been speculation it could be imminent.
Ahead of the offensive, jets have been bombing targets, and the military has been attempting to cut off militant supply and communication lines. Authorities are also trying to secure the support of militant factions that in the past have agreed not to attack Pakistani troops.
Bombing runs Tuesday destroyed around 15 houses in the Makeen, Ladha and Barwand regions of South Waziristan, a local intelligence official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief to the media.
The militant threat to Pakistan has been highlighted by four major terrorist attacks over the last nine days, including a suicide attack on a U.N. office in the capital that killed five staffers and a 22-hour siege on the army's headquarters over the weekend.