Pakistan "Unites" Against Taliban

Hundreds of thousands of civilians flee northwestern Pakistan, as the military steps up an offensive against the Taliban.

Hello, I’m Charlotte Bellis and you’re watching Newsy.com.

Al Jazeera English brings us witness perspectives on the outskirts of Islamabad, where a million Pakistanis have taken shelter at refugee camps.

“Long lines of the displaced waited to be registered by an under-resourced local administration.
A more desperate sight in (city)…officials finding it difficult to keep order as hungry crowds wrestled for food.” (Al Jazeera English)

CNN explains the emerging challenge in terms of solving the humanitarian crisis in the Swat Valley…

“The challenge with the Pakistani army is to distinguish who is the militant and who is the civilian. Remember, these insurgents don’t wear uniforms, so they can easily set aside their guns and blend in with the civilians. So the strategy the Army appeared to be using is to clear the area of civilians, isolate the militants and then go after them.” (CNN)

The Pakistan Observer is hopeful that the military will win over the Taliban, saying the whole country is now united.

“The nation this time is in one voice against extremism, militancy and terrorism. … The Taliban are in panic, they received the first blow as they have lost the moral ground. … with such a great national unity, the final defeat of the elements of hate is not too far.” (Pakistan Observer)

Another Pakistani newspaper, The Nation, analyzes Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s decision to launch the military operation in the Swat Valley.

“Mr. Gilani had to do a lot of explaining to dismiss the perception that the operation had been launched under immense pressure from the international community that coincided with President Asif Zardari’s visit to Washington.” (The Nation)

And while some are calling for U.S. intervention – an article in the Washington Times says the U.S. should stay out…

“… the United States should not attempt to micromanage the internal politics of countries we do not understand. Our fear is that in its rush to find a quick solution to the problems in Pakistan, the Obama administration will find a way to shift power back to the military.” (The Washington Times)