AfPak: an overview of Pakistan / Afghanistan

[Firn]

I guess that Karachi beats an Afghan/Beluchistani cave/village. Anyway an excellent catch.

Hopefully they can tap rapidly into the wider network.


Firn

[Woland]

This is a big, big catch. In terms of the Afghan Taleban, it's the biggest yet.

Berader was always viewed as a more 'moderate' element within the Taleban's senior echelons though and rumours would frequently abound about the potential for him to reconcile. He is from the same Popalzai tribe as President Karazi and they were rumoured to be in occasional direct contact.

I think the Talieban in southern Afghanistan is too diffuse for the effects of this to be felt at the tactical level, but Berader has had kind of status, plus the reutation of Mullah Omar's right hand man, hich means more senior commanders will be feeling the pinch. That the arrest took place in Karachi is highly significant; some individuals had begun to favour it over Quetta once the Pakistani authorities begun to make arrest in the latter.

If this strategic boost can be matched by success in Marjah, just perhaps the worm may be about to think about turning.

[davidbfpo]

The BBC report:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8517375.stm

The Daily Telegraph:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-Pakistan.html

Interesting quote within:

Former Pakistan intelligence chief Hamid Gul, today told The Daily Telegraph Mullah Baradar’s arrest was evidence that Islamabad has been sincere in its dealings with the Uninted States. “Mullah Baradar is member of the Taliban Shura and an important member of it. There haven’t been joint operations between Pakistan and the United States, but perhaps this is new ground,” he said.

Interesting contrast to other items on another thread:http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/...ead.php?t=2313

[S-2]

He is, politely, the MAN-

"It is key that he controls the Taliban's treasury—hundreds of millions of dollars in -narcotics protection money, ransom payments, highway tolls, and 'charitable donations,' largely from the Gulf. 'He commands all military, political, religious, and financial power,' says Mullah Shah Wali Akhund, a guerrilla subcommander from Helmand province who met Baradar this March in Quetta for the fourth time." Newsweek

Fought with Omar in the Afghan-Soviet war. Retired with him to Oruzgan. Drove ol' Omar to Pakistan on a motorcycle. Married sisters together. Connected beyond our wildest dreams and, unlike Dadullah, alive.

[S-2]

This is becoming a world-class farce-

Mullah Baradar Arrest Reports "Propaganda": Rehman Malik-DAWN Feb.16, 2010

Stunning.

Moderator's Note: Rehman Malik is the Interior Minister.

[tequila]

“We are a sovereign state and hence will not allow anybody to come and do any operation. And we will not allow that. So this (report) is propaganda,” he added.

Typical Rehman Malik stupidity. The last time he was promising to resign if there was any Blackwater/Xe contractors on Pakistani soil, or claiming that India was funding Beitullah Mehsud. I'm pretty sure we can safely discount anything he has to say.

[S-2]

"Typical Rehman Malik stupidity."

Concur. That's the salient portion of farcical.