When did coming from a military family mean the military is westernized?
I was confused by your phrasing of the post.
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Yes, the army does sympathize with them. I could care less for Geo has to promote for its media campaign.
Pakistan Army doesn't really want to fight with its own people.
You want them to go after a phantom threat which will end up benefiting external forces, and other more real threats.
What gives?
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Pakistan as a country was deeply divided over whether the taleban needed to be eliminated or merely contained as late as march. The army is reflective of the people, therefore it too was conflicted. It is only when the terrorist rats made the spectacularly assinine moves of
a) trying to expand into Buner and Dir
b) rejecting government appointed judges
c) rejecting Pakistani constitution, judges and democracy
that public opinion has turned significantly against them. 2/3rds of the people now consider Taleban a serious threat and want it removed according to the latest IRI poll. Mainstream political parties are backing the operation.
One hopes the army succeeds in establishing its writ over the region, and places boots on the ground instead of artillery fire etc so as to minimize civilian cost.