Taliban Military Chief Mullah Baradar captured by Pakistan

[S-2]

The thread title is disingenuous. No new leader has been arrested on top of Baradar and we've already an extensive thread going on his arrest.

The analysis of strategic implications is nice but this thread needs to be moved to the other.

Thanks.

 

[Vassnti]

That's it? That's all Pakistan is getting in return? We've seen throughout history that a dialogue with India doesn't get us anywhere. They dont even want to talk about Kashmir, the root cause of Indo-Pak rivalry and the root cause of terrorism in the subcontinent.

Pakistan expects a lot more in return from U.S. like we expected a lot in return from U.S. at the end of the Cold War but U.S. turned their backs on Pakistan and placed sanctions on us and became buddy-buddy with india, who was on the Soviet's side.

Dont make the same mistake again U.S.A.

I just dont understand the attitude, you expect some sort of present for arresting a criminal living in one of your own cities?

If my car gets stolen in pakistan would i have to pay the police $100 to investigate?

 

[Omar1984]

I just dont understand the attitude, you expect some sort of present for arresting a criminal living in one of your own cities?

If my car gets stolen in pakistan would i have to pay the police $100 to investigate?

Pakistan and U.S. are partners, close allies, and should remain partners and close allies throughout life, not only when it serves America's interest.

All I'm saying is that Pakistan is helping U.S. a lot in this war, and U.S. should not ever forget it and should not repeat the mistakes like post-soviet war, as you know Pakistan was helping U.S. alot in that war also.

Mutual respect and mutual interest, and U.S. shouldn't forget that Pakistan also needs to look after its interest. Pressuring India for a Dialogue with Pakistan is not in the same level like what Pakistan is doing for the U.S.

 

[fawwaxs]

Afghan Taliban’s chief commander captured

KARACHI: The senior-most military commander of the Afghan Taliban was captured from outskirts of Karachi about a week ago in what is being described here as a joint operation carried out by Pakistani and American intelligence agencies.

Although the government did not confirm the report till Tuesday night, an intelligence source said that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar (Brother) had been taken into custody. The source declined to say how the man had been tracked down.

Mullah Baradar is said to be next to Mullah Muhammad Omar in the Taliban hierarchy and a close confidant of Osama bin Laden. He was said to be in charge of Taliban’s strategic military planning and also of its financial operations.

Sources privy to the country’s premier intelligence agency told Dawn that Mullah Baradar had been picked up from the premises of a seminary on the outskirts of the city. The seminary, Khudamul Quran, is located 10 to 25km from the toll plaza on the Super Highway in the jurisdiction of the Lonikot police station in Hyderabad district.

“The arrest was made around a week ago, to be precise between Feb 7 and Feb 8,” the sources said.

However, officials of the police station concerned said they were unaware of any such development.

There were reports that four people accompanying Mullah Baradar were also detained, but their identities could not be ascertained.

The seminary had not been raided, the sources said, adding that the Taliban commander and his four accomplices were detained when they came out of the seminary in a vehicle. It was a swift operation which surprised them and they didn’t get a chance to put up any resistance.

The sources declined to say if US intelligence personnel participated in the operation or their role was limited to intelligence-sharing.

It is learnt that the five are being interrogated by intelligence operatives at an unspecified location. It was not clear if they were moved out of Karachi.

DAWN.COM | Front Page | Afghan Taliban?s chief commander captured

 

[Slides]

We don't need 5 threads for one talib. 5 bullets on the other hand...

 

[Spitfighter]

Interesting development, I think the TTP just found themselves some allies.

Let's see how things turn out.

 

[S-2]

"I think the TTP just found themselves some allies."

There are plenty of indications that they already have.

Thanks.

 

[Mercenary]

His supposed successor is a man released by the Americans from Guantanamo Bay

 

[S-2]

"India is the only country on the face of the earth in the history who had used airforce against own citizens in Mezoram"

What other air force might be used in Mezoram?

I presume you've never heard of the Spanish civil war? That's just for starters. Let me know how deeply you wish to go here. There are more than a few air forces that have been employed within their own national borders against recalcitrant citizens.

Maybe even one with which you're somewhat familiar.

Thanks.

 

[Thomas]

His supposed successor is a man released by the Americans from Guantanamo Bay

can you provide a link on who he is?

 

[S-2]

Mullah Abdullah Zakir, a.k.a Abdullah Gulam Rasoul-

Abdullah Gulam Rasoul-Wikipedia

Thanks.

 

[A1Kaid]

It seems no Taliban is safe.

 

[A1Kaid]

Though I would urge caution amongst watchers and enthusiast if you think for a second the Taliban is going to falter because of some arrest and operations in Marjah, Afghanistan, your in for big surprise, a spring surprise. Taliban are survivors in the mountains, they don't need much to survive they can operate and wage pitched battles and ambushes in some of the most harsh conditions with little clothing and boots and only a hollow cave as shelter, they can brave the storms.

No they may not be a conventional military hence they cannot launch large military operations such as the 30+ Nations of NATO can, they may not be able to fight head-to-head against large numbers of their "enemy troops", for one they don't have to and two they utilize different techniques that are within their capacity to wage their fashion of battle and deploy tactics they know to be effective.

Another thing is, in many areas of Afghanistan the Taliban are like ghosts, they are there but invisible, they blend in with many civilians, since many civilians and Taliban apparently appear similar, traditional Afghan men clothing, some head-cloth some not, and the classic untrimmed beard. This makes US operations difficult if you cannot distinguish enemy from civilian it poses a huge challenge to Commanders on the ground, this in fact is one of the cheapest yet most effective methods of stealth. In some cases Taliban are roaming in their own provinces that they pseudo-administer with no other civilians around...

The Taliban aren't like the New York Mafia, make a few big arrest here and the house of cards fall, you can arrest men but not ideas as Peter Bergen is fond of saying. Hence, an ideological campaign against the Taliban is an effective way to bring them down, however the US doesn't have an answer except Mr. Democracy Hamid Karzai and some questionable elections.

Also, I've seen several people cite examples of Afghan support for Taliban waning...Well what has that done? Sure maybe Taliban control or influence has waned in some villages and provinces, however it hasn't punctured the Taliban. Operation Marjah is an interesting event so let's wait and see how the Taliban react, because you can bet your last Kalashinkov there going to fight back.

Now I'm not trying to compliment the Taliban, but it is the realistic truth, one must understand his foes.


As the Afghanistan-Taliban have said, they will fight a thousand years. Question is will the United States?


P.S Of course there thousand years threat must be taken with a grain of salt but it speaks a lot about their determination and stubbornness.

 

[karan.1970]

It seems no Taliban is safe.

amen to that...

 

[S-2]

"Taliban are survivors in the mountains, they don't need much to survive they can operate and wage pitched battles and ambushes in some of the most harsh conditions with little clothing and boots and only a hollow cave as shelter, they can brave the storms."

Not all is etched in stone-

You might read this.

Thanks.