SLDF BIDS ITS TIME WHILE LTTE LEADERS NEGOTIATE

There's conflicting information from the civillian zone where the LTTE terrorists continue to hold a large number of civillians as a human shield. While some sources indicate limited contact between the SLDF and LTTE front line, other deny any engagements.

The truth seems to be a mix of both since SLDF certainly has snipers deployed who have so far taken out a number of LTTE targets from those deployed near an earth bund built by the tigers as well as from the cadre attempting to stop the civillian exodus. The SL forces also seem to have not only eyes in the sky but also feet on the ground, either long range surveillance teams or infliterators from pro-govt tamil militant groups.

In the meanwhile the US and a number of other nations have come forward to negotiate a successful conclusion to the humanitarian war. The UN has requested a careful military campaign to limit civillian casualties if the SLDF goes in after the LTTE leadership, while the US seems more intent upon the live capture of the terrorist leaders by negotiating through the Norwegians. The LTTE leaders are said to be leaning more towards getting a reprieve by offering to release the remaining civillians unharmed.

The civilized world watches with interest as these events unfold. Whether the LTTE leaders die or live makes very little difference for Sri Lanka militarily. The LTTE has been only considered for its military prowess and its decimation conclusively resets the clock to a point far back in history where a certain segment of tamils made a decision to attack and destroy all minorities in search of an ethnic-pure tamil home land. For the past twenty years the mantha was that there could never be a viable solution with anything less. Now it will be interesting to watch whether or how the rhetoric will change.

Sri Lankans are in a unique position in history. They've single handedly destoyed a terrorist outfit more capable than the Al Quieda, while nations such as the US have been incapable of defeating the Islamic terror group even with plenty of assistance and participation by a number of other global powers. There is plenty of admiration in many of these nations for the little island nation and its firce fighting spirit which its friends are hopeful will evolve into fearlessly visionary leadership that will lead the nation out of years of darkness and chaos into a more prosperous future.