Afghanistan Grows Quiet As Taliban Pinned Down In Pakistan
Press Trust Of India
Islamabad, January 26, 2008
Taliban chief Mullah Omar has removed the wanted militant leader Baitullah Mehsud as the commander of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for fighting the Pakistani army, a news report has said.
Asia Times Online quoted Mullah Omar as telling other Taliban commanders to turn their focus on NATO forces stationed in Afghanistan even as President Pervez Musharraf has ordered intensified military operations against the pro-Taliban militants in South Waziristan.
Mehsud, appointed by Omar as the chief of the Pakistani Taliban, was expected to provide support to the Taliban in Afghanistan, but instead directed all his fighters against Pakistani security forces. Now, Omar has sacked Mehsud for fighting against the Pakistan Army instead of with NATO forces, said the report of the Hong Kong-based online.
“The Afghan front is quiet because the Taliban and al Qaeda militants are heavily engaged in fighting Pakistani security forces in Waziristan. Therefore, Mullah Omar has put his foot down to reset goals for the Taliban: struggle in Afghanistan and not against Pakistan, as was being done by Mehsud,” the report said.
It quoted intelligence sources as saying that the top Taliban cleric appointed Maulvi Faqir Muhammad as TTP chief. However, Faqir has refused to accept the post, after which the local Taliban were trying to find a replacement for Baitullah.
With the isolation of Baitullah, who has already been named by the government as the main suspect behind former premier Benazir Bhutto’s assassination, his loyalists are on their own to fight against the Pakistani forces.
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I wouldn’t say they are pinned down in Pakistan…they’re just redirecting their efforts to a battle they have a chance of winning…and against a weaker enemy.
So long as the US remains in their battlespace Terry and his ilk will die like dogs. In Pakistan the face a weak Army and have a better chance of taking down Musharaff and acquiring their prized nukes.
Omar wants his power back. We’re in his way. That’s why he’s pissed. He still thinks that we’re the Soviets. Surprise goat-fucker…we ain’t.
January 26th, 2008 at 7:04 pmIn Iraq, I said that it took a bad, bad times to convince the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future which is the real triumph of the surge. The worsening conditions in Pakistan may be the jump start that is needed to get things moving forward in Afghanistan. Much of what has gone on so far has really been about “preparing the battle space”. Much of it is so cynical and manipulative that there is no way we could admit to doing it intentionally but nevertheless, it is what it is and it is working.
January 27th, 2008 at 2:52 am