Pakistan Plans Latest All Out Offensive Against Islamists

This isn't the first time we've heard this. Indeed, we heard something similar just after the Lal Masjid mess.

Is this time going to be any different because the goal is claimed to be different?

An all-out battle for control of Pakistan's restive North and South Waziristan is about to commence between the Pakistani military and the Taliban and al-Qaeda adherents who have made these tribal areas their own.

According to a top Pakistani security official who spoke to Asia Times Online on condition of anonymity, the goal this time is to pacify the Waziristans once and for all. All previous military operations - usually spurred by intelligence provided by the Western coalition - have had limited objectives, aimed at specific bases or sanctuaries or blocking the cross-border movement of guerrillas. Now the military is going for broke to break the back of the Taliban and a-Qaeda in Pakistan and reclaim the entire area.

If this is indeed what the Pakistanis plan on doing, and have the willpower and moxie to do it, then it is indeed a good thing.

However, I suspect that Musharraf may reverse himself if the Pakistani forces run into trouble in the mountainous and rugged region, which is a dangerous and foreboding place to attack, but which offers tremendous advantages to those operating a guerrilla style defense.

UPDATE:
Thanos at LGF points out a report that there are some 30 bodies that have not been claimed for burial. Islamic law generally requires that the bodies be buried within three days of death. That leads to a couple of possibilities.

Sounds to me like they could be family members who no longer have anyone to claim them, the deceased individuals' families were not in Karachi and take time to get them to come and claim them, some number of those killed were not Muslim and aren't bound by the burial requirements, or perhaps some number of that total were actually those involved in the terrorist attack.