Pakistan Dispatch - Just waiting...

Nice story from the Sunday Telegraph which was posted in the comments section (thanks visitor at 12:16pm). The coming Waziristan operation has got to be the most well publicised military offensive of all time... which in itself is a bit suspicious. But as the bombs go off and gunmen in uniforms attack army bases, this articles gives you a bit of an idea of what's (probably) behind the recent spike in violence.

With his AK-47 and confident stare, Yousaf looked like just another of the tribal fighters in the abandoned villages of South Waziristan who are steeling themselves for battle.

He was one of a group of dozens of young men - many of them teenagers - that were lounging around after prayers, joking and relaxed. They looked more as if they were on a picnic than preparing for what may be the climatic battle in their war against Pakistan's rulers, yet their resolve did not seem in doubt.

"There are thousands more like me who have come here to join our Muslim brothers," he said. "We are ready to fight these Pakistani soldiers who are doing the work of the American unbelievers."

Credit for the reporting must go to Arif Janjua, who Londonstani assumes is a local journalist.