Saturday, August 1, 2009

Another lesson of history ignored

"Village leaders in a former Taliban stronghold are rebuilding their own militia to protect the area from militants holding out in nearby hills after fleeing the Pakistani army's offensive last spring. The military operation in the Swat Valley and surrounding areas is winding down, but sporadic fighting persists — a sign that the Taliban have not given up. Locals say Taliban fighters are hiding in the hills outside Sultanwas, a village pulverized by air strikes and tanks during Pakistan's offensive. So villagers are leaving nothing to chance: They have reorganized their own militia and say they are talking to nearby villages to join forces."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-as-pakistan-militia,1,4869638.story

When we withdraw from the region, the lives of these villagers will be endangered due to their service in pro-American militias.

As at the end of every other third world conflict into which we've stuck our nose, we will be morally obligated to take these villagers home with us.

Say hello to your new neighbors.

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