The reporter calls the Taliban soldiers (?) a sophisticated enemy when really all they're doing is either basic guerilla strategy or simple "shoot 'em up" philosophy. "If they're not us, shoot at them." Really nothing sophisticated about it. Even their weaponry isn't any more sophisticated than what the average US soldier has.
If the Pakastani townspeople are so worried about the Taliban killing them, why not take up arms themselves and squash the local group of zealots? I refuse to believe they don't have any options other than to stay stagnant.
I'm not for nuking the whole country, but it seems like a couple dozen well placed missile strikes on that mountain with the ground troops mopping up the leftovers would do wonders.