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New Taliban Leader: More Dangerous Than Bin Laden?
January 09, 2008 1:31 PM
The newly appointed leader of the Taliban in Pakistan is being called more dangerous than Osama bin Laden by analysts there. His movement was created last month when 26 Pakistani militant groups joined forces to fight for an Islamic regime there, tribal sources say.
Baitullah Mehsud, also known as the emir of South Waziristan, is described by Pakistani authorities as a brutal but able leader who commands thousands of followers. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf blames him for the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, as well as a spate of recent attacks here that have left more than 400 dead. NATO authorities in Afghanistan have offered a $50,000 reward for his capture.
"I think he is now a much bigger threat than bin Laden and al Zawahri in this part of the world," said ABC News consultant Rahimullah Yusufzai.
"He seems to have a large reservoir of suicide bombers, and he is a bigger threat in this region, in Pakistan and certain border provinces of Afghanistan than even the al Qaeda leadership," said Yusufzai.
Like Mullah Omar, who leads the Afghan Taliban, Mehsud refuses to be photographed. He lives on the run, according to Pakistani authorities who are tracking him, and never sleeps in the same bed twice.
"We know he is training suicide bombers. We know he is indoctrinating suicide bombers," Musharraf told foreign journalists last week.
Mehsud was appointed the supreme leader of the newly created Taliban Movement of Pakistan, dedicated to creating an Islamic regime there, according to tribal sources. Delegates from 26 militant groups held a secret meeting last month in the volatile region of South Waziristan where the CIA believes al Qaeda is regrouping. The group's first priority will be to fight the Pakistani Army in the northern Swat Valley and in Waziristan, tribal sources say.
"This group has decided they will collectively respond to any military operation by Pakistani authorities," said Yusufzai. Ultimately, they want to establish an Islamic regime in Pakistan that would emulate the former Taliban government in neighboring Afghanistan.
Western officials in Pakistan are concerned by how sophisticated Pakistan's militants have become in recent months. They have successfully targeted Pakistani army bases, a special forces compound and buses carrying employees of the country's intelligence services. Western diplomats fear that a unified Taliban will present yet another potent threat to the already fragile security situation there.
"It's not just that they are carrying out regular attacks," says a Western official. "It is that they are able to target the Pakistan military so effectively."
Photo courtesy of BBC News.
Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage.
January 9, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (42)
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How about a new "Tactic"? Take no prisoners - !
Posted by: Dan | Jan 10, 2008 5:34:35 PM
Dangerous? Why, because he'll kill unarmed women and kids too? I've noticed that they aren't quite so "dangerous" when they're facing armed US marines, unless you happen to be in the way of their retreat. We will not solve the terrorism problem until we declare to the world our position that the minute you become a terrorist you forfeit your dues to the human race and all of your rights along with it. There must be such a steep price for embracing terrorism, anything less than this will be a waste of time and just cost more lives of decent law abiding citizens.
Posted by: Mark | Jan 10, 2008 8:42:09 PM
It does matter who is in charge of these Islamic terrorist. How many of you know the meaning of Islam? Not very many ... it means to submit, as in the entire world. It seems that everyone is way too eager to blame some one, as in our President. I, for one who is a vet twice over, am sick and tired of those who NEVER put a uniform on whine and blame whoever is in charge.
You all forget first, some one has to have the guts to stand for what is right, and second a congress and senate to work together.
We are are in a fight for our survival, and until this country as whole understands that, we are doomed. The terrorisrts are laughing at us. A house divided will surely fall.
Hence, it doesn't matter who is in charge of these terrorist, since we are destroying ourselves from within.
Those who continue to critize our president, are nothing more than cowards.
P.S. You can always go to Canada or Mexico, if yur that unhappy here.
Posted by: Jerry Johnstone | Jan 10, 2008 10:40:26 PM
Get people high and addicted on opium and they will do anything. Life is cheap in that part of the world, they just don't care that much about it. It will take generations for them to change that attitude
Posted by: Superman | Jan 10, 2008 11:44:30 PM
What wrong with u guys?
bin laden is Actor
Release video in Hollywood
Al Qaeda is bush fiction
War is real, war is terrorism
so, bush is king of terror
Why, it is difficult to understand
War is just for oil
money, gold, there s no WMD ??
Why is difficult to understand???
Posted by: panglima | Jan 11, 2008 1:12:28 AM
Without Bush interfering in other country's affairs, the Mideast would be more peaceful and the whole world would be more harmonious. The world is the world shared by all the countries in the world instead of the world only belonging to the United States of America.
Posted by: Jimmy | Jan 11, 2008 2:41:02 AM
Without Bush interfering in other country's affairs, the Mideast would be more peaceful and the whole world would be more harmonious. The world is the world shared by all the countries in the world instead of the world only belonging to the United States of America.
Posted by: Jimmy | Jan 11, 2008 2:41:59 AM
Do you follow blindly or are you just running life with blinders on. with you comment about leaving, if Benjamin Frank, or Thomas Jefferson thought like you, We would be under British rules. Thank God, we don't have you running this country, People like you can lead us to a world war III. If I don't speak my mind then what are the freedoms we fought the British for. I love my country but I hate people like you and the President. I am American. I think for my self I believe in myself. I don't follow I lead. I am an American.
Posted by: AdeebN | Jan 11, 2008 4:28:57 PM
musharraf is letting his army get deafeated he knows they have iranian ties in the tribal area thats why butto is dead and he will not let the us come in under no reason because he is part of it and its only a matter of time before iran gets the nuks they always wanted right in pakistian its scary
Posted by: ebgebees | Jan 12, 2008 12:08:23 AM
This guy, Taliban leader dangerous? He's hiding his face. How brave, ruthless and dangerous is that?
Posted by: Midnight | Jan 12, 2008 2:35:10 AM
Bill Clinton is more dangerous than Bin Laden. The interns need to be careful.
Posted by: Rose Lawfirm | Jan 12, 2008 6:20:38 PM
Bin Laden is a made up character to instill fear by our Government to control the American People. More crap to follow I'm sure.
Posted by: terrie | Jan 13, 2008 6:26:58 AM
I can't stand Bush either but don't be naive. These lunatics need to be taken out. This is where the real war on muslim extremism should be fought. Iraq is just an oil and money grab by a corrupt US administration. As a Canadian I support our thousands of troops in Afghanistan.
Posted by: Greatwhite | Jan 13, 2008 6:10:00 PM
For one thing, the guy's last name is Mehsud, not Meshud.
Abdullah Mehsud (mentioned as a brother is some articles, and unrelated in others) was another tribal leader who had spent time in Guantanamo Bay. Upon release he had returned to Pakistan, to be killed in 2005. You might remember him considering he was well known for having just one leg.
Previous to his death, he was one of the tribal leaders who declined a share of the $540,000 from the Pakistan government, supposed to be used by the 4 tribal leaders accepting payment to re-pay part of their massive debts to al-Qaeda.
The payment was reported on Feb. 10, 2005, buried in the World in Brief section of the supposed liberal N.Y. Times and supposed conservative Tribune Review.
Just how many explosives can you buy in the Middle East for a little over a 1/2 a mil? And does the fact that it was a supposed ally making the payments justify overlooking the fact that it was probably U.S. taxpayer monies being used to make a payment to al-Qaeda, whether or not it was through Taleban middlemen?
And exactly who had condoned a former Taleban spokesman being allowed into the U.S., in order to attend Yale?
Those believing that people are traitors for questioning this government are so blind to the fact that we support terrorism when convenient.
Use your minds people. Go back well before 9/11 and read about the Taleban and Unocal. Watch former Gitmo prosecutor Lt. Col. Morris Davis (c-span) hedge about whether 9/11 was planned in Afghanistan (40 minutes or so into his Case Law School appearance). Follow the news and put the pieces together.
Our country's future depends on it.
Posted by: dba | Jan 13, 2008 8:04:31 PM
Good one, dba...
Wether BinLaden is dead or alive should make no difference.
It is the idea that someone is keeping alive, as evidence from the news reports, that someone else has taken control of Al Qaeda.
There are some ideas so wrong that only a very intelligent person could believe in them.
George Orwell
Posted by: ToungeTyed | Jan 14, 2008 10:05:54 AM
We got ourselves a new boogey man.
Posted by: | Jan 14, 2008 1:57:35 PM
I allways love coming to the board and reading the leftist comments. They seem to support Islamic clause, even though, it would mean the end to all things the left loves. What a weird bunch.
Posted by: Jack | Jan 16, 2008 9:10:22 AM
Jerry Johnstone,
Keep them inline...
Jack,
And you are an expert on the Left? How about the Right? or even the Center?
Glad you enjoy the board.
Weird Is US. US is Weird.
Get used to it - it will not go away.
Posted by: wEiRdO | Jan 16, 2008 5:21:00 PM
well say what you may but bush ste[p up to the plate which is more than the rest of you cowarding little sniffs could of done.
Posted by: stud american | Jan 18, 2008 8:08:21 AM
I allways love coming to the board and reading the leftist comments. They seem to support Islamic clause, even though, it would mean the end to all things the left loves. What a weird bunch.
================================
I get a kick out of the twisted statements like that, barked up by ditto-heads that have no clue about what anyone on the left believes; Jack must be infected with Coulter's Disease or something. I am on the "left" in many issues (notable exception; 2nd amendment). I don't support any Islamic cause, especially those of the vicious terrorist creeps. I would shoot OBL on sight, and at the same time, I see Bush as trampling on the constitution that he swore to uphold. Bush is ruining our country, whether or not his "war on terror" is making any headway.
We lefties believe in the rights that the constitution guarantees to US citizens, even if Bush doesn't.
Posted by: MountainMan | Mar 19, 2008 10:47:47 PM
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