Are they not similar to the Western crusaders in the period say 1,000 AD to 1,300 AD, running a military invasion for religious reasons?

What military invasion? The only invaders around are Westerners (and also perhaps the Pakistan government). When it comes to a historical parallel, the more relevant one for the Taliban is surely with the extreme Reformers in the 16th century. That wasn't a nice time or place to live in either.
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"The people who can bring peace, stability and prosperity to the area will get the backing of the people of those areas."

Rather the people who are perceived by the locals as being able to do that can expect to get such support. However it seems all too likely the perception of very may will be that the people most likely to achieve that are "the Taliban". And this ceasefire in Swat is the kind of thing that will strengthen that perception. It may turn out to be disastrously wrong, but that doesn't change it at this stage.