October 10,
2008: Pakistan has made public its
casualty numbers in the war on terror. In the last seven years, their security
forces have lost about 1,400 dead and 3,400 wounded, mainly fighting the
Taliban and al Qaeda along the Afghan border. The Pakistanis believe they have
killed 2,244 hostile Pakistanis (mainly Taliban) and 581 foreigners (al Qaeda).
The terrorists have also suffered at least 1,400 wounded. Several thousand
Taliban, and about 600 al Qaeda suspects have been arrested.
Counter-terror
operations have greatly increased in the last year, with nearly half the
Taliban and al Qaeda casualties occurring in that period. Pakistan has tried,
without success, to negotiate agreements with the tribes (most of whom are
hostile to the Taliban and al Qaeda). Meanwhile, the terrorists continued to
make attacks outside the tribal areas, including many assassination attempts on
Pakistani leaders. This reached a point where Pakistan largely dispensed with
the carrot, and went in big time with the stick.
