Desperation in Pakistani hospitals, refugee camps

[Adsos Letter]

Source: AP/YahooNews

MINGORA, Pakistan – Civilians cowered in hospital beds and trapped residents struggled to feed their children Saturday, as Pakistani warplanes pounded a Taliban-held valley in what the prime minister called a "war of the country's survival."

Warplanes and troops killed dozens of entrenched militants Saturday in the assault on northwestern Swat Valley, the army said.
The offensive has prompted the flight of hundreds of thousands of terrified residents, adding a humanitarian emergency to the nuclear-armed nation's security, economic and political problems. Desperate refugees looted U.N. supplies in one camp, taking blankets and cooking oil.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani directed millions of dollars to help the residents of a region where faith in the government is shaky, saying the army "can only be successful if there is support of the masses."

Gilani held an emergency Cabinet meeting Saturday. Speaking to reporters afterward, he called the Swat offensive a "war of the country's survival" but said the military could win.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090510/ap_on_re_as/as_paki...

[EFerrari]

1. Half a million people are said to have been or in the process of being displaced

by this.

[Adsos Letter]

2. Yes, I have read reports of as high a one million...

and if this article's speculation proves correct we could be looking at a civil war within Pakistan, fueled by a division within the military, in the near future.

[EFerrari]

3. I've been worrying since last week -- where are those people GOING?

Is anything being set up for them? I haven't seen anything.

In any case, it's good to see you survived your house guest, Adsos Letter.

[Adsos Letter]

4. Thankyou EFerrari...

My houseguest will be with us for at least another couple of months. It really is ok...whem we get her away from her secluded, propaganda-suffused environment she becomes a softer person. It's interesting; she actually is a very loving person in her treatment of others, and always has been. She has some whacked out ideas though, and I blame most of it on a lack of varied information to stimulate thought; my FIL is an avid Foxaholic...

I see you are in the "Paris of the Pacific;" I suspect we are probably within about 30 miles of each other. If you haven't done so, take a look out your window (assuming you aren't fogged in); the moon is quite lovely tonight.

[EFerrari]

5. I'm out here a couple of blocks away from Ocean Beach

in San Francisco. And about to go out and see the moon with my Lab who has been patiently waiting.

Be well, neighbor. If you're where I think you may be, wave to Wheeler for me the next time you're in the general area.

[Vidar]

7. Those "3000" Taliban must be something fierce.

[LeftishBrit]

6. This is just so sad.

[Adsos Letter]

8. Yes, it is...

as usual, warfare takes its biggest toll on the civilians.