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In Pakistan's Swat Valley in its northwest region, where the military has been fighting the militants for months, millions have been driven from their homes.

Many Pakistanis who witness the Taliban's suicide attacks and other acts of cruelty on their television are outraged more so than being frustrated by the military offensive that has disrupted civilian lives, The New York Times reported.

"It's the Taliban that's responsible for our misery", said a Swat Valley refugee, adding he welcomed the military's efforts.

The Times report said the change in public mood is deeper among the millions directly affected by the Taliban's progress from tribal into more urban areas.

But politicians and analysts warn the new opportunity could be lost if Taliban leaders are not killed or captured or the estimated 3 million displaced persons don't get more help.

U.S. officials, the newspaper reported, know the refugee crisis, if not handled properly, could lead to more militancy.

While there is still much anti-U.S. feeling among many Pakistanis, the report said there is change among those who have experienced Taliban rule first hand.

"It was not (Taliban's) Shariah, it was something else", said a cell phone shop owner. "It was scoundrel behavior."

In distant Punjab province, which is seen rising suicide attacks, Rasul Baksh Rais, political science professor at Lahore University, said, "The tables are turned against the Taliban now. They are marginalized."

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