Taliban Offer To Be Annoying, Not Intimidating.

[sonicboom]

Taliban Offer To Be Annoying, Not Intimidating.


December 27, 2010: The Taliban in Pakistan are in a panic. The American surveillance and UAV missile attacks are becoming increasingly effective. Taliban and al Qaeda groups have been unable to come up with an effective way to shut down the American intelligence effort that finds more and more targets (there have been about ten attacks a month this year). Currently, the most popular Taliban solution is to move bases to new areas. But tribes are not eager to host Taliban or al Qaeda bases. Not just because of the American missile attacks (which kill some civilians, largely because the terrorists try to use women and children for human shields), but because the Islamic radical groups are seen as nothing but trouble. True, these guys usually have money to spend, but they often get pushy about religious and lifestyle issues, and try to impose their will in tribal matters. This crap has been going on for several decades now, and the tribal leaders have no illusions about what a visit from the Taliban or al Qaeda means. So the Islamic radicals are now seriously considering trying to obtain foreign exile, at least for the senior leadership. Some of the wealthy Gulf states (like the UAE) already unofficially host several major Indian and Pakistani criminal organizations (who behave very well in their sanctuaries). But these Gulf States rely on the United States for protection from large neighbors, and would not risk that to provide a safe haven for terrorist leaders (not that some have not quietly hid out there in the past). But the Taliban are also offering disarmament, and transition to a purely political movement. Few believe this is possible. Taliban power comes from its eager use of force to impose its will. Taliban who just talk are annoying, not intimidating, and thus not real Taliban.
Years of escalating threats, bribes and diplomatic pressure have forced Pakistan to peel away the protections the Taliban, and other Islamic radicals, enjoyed in the tribal territories. Growing popular anger against the Taliban (who seem to go out of their way to offend, kill or annoy the maximum number of people) has made it easier for the Pakistani government (despite the large number of Islamic radicals, or fans, in the bureaucracy) to make it so. This has made Islamic radicals anxious, and fearful that they are losing power. They are.

Pakistan revealed that it had, in the last week, arrested Nasiruddin Haqqani, a senior leader of the Haqqani Network (a long time ally of al Qaeda and the Taliban) and its chief fundraiser. The arrest was made in North Waziristan, where the Pakistani police normally leave Islamic radical leaders alone. The Pakistanis admit they were acting in response to growing American pressure.

India-Pakistan: Taliban Offer To Be Annoying, Not Intimidating.