Taliban On the Run In Pakistan?

If the reports are not overly optimistic, then it looks like the Taliban wore out it's welcome in Pakistan's Swat Valley. The BBC is carrying an interview with a resident there indicating that the army's offensive has not only been highly effective, but that the army has the people's support. Guess that fundamentalist Islamic stuff is not for everyone.

From the BBC report, the army rocked the Taliban's world by using the old carrot and stick approach.

The carrot:

The army issued an invitation through loud speakers to residents to go to houses known to belong to militants and help themselves to anything useful they could find there. So people went and took all kinds of things - washing machines and other household items. In the end, the army destroyed those houses.

The Stick:

someone was arrested in Mingora, accused of being a militant. The army took him to his village and asked three local people to confirm whether he is indeed a militant. Three people confirmed. They shot him on the spot. People were very happy.

It is good to see the Pakistani government finally taking action against the Taliban. However, the most promising part of this story is that the locals are waking up to the fact that the Taliban are not there friends and are taking action themselves:

In one year's time, many militants will be killed - not by the army, but by the people of Swat. The Taliban are defeated. They are not going to come back.

I think to claim that the Taliban is defeated in the Sweat Valley may be a bit premature, but they have made a good start.