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Taliban Growing in Pakistan

By Charlie

These guys have found a great way to fight the US military: Fight the Pakistani military. This is a big deal, because as this movement grows, it entrenches a support network in northern Pakistan that allows Taliban elements actively engaged in combat against NATO forces north of the border safe haven when they get shot up. Additionally, the specter of a civil war in Pakistan coupled with the “loose nuke” scenario scares to death the US , India , and everyone who is paying attention.

I thought this wasn’t a big deal, but check out these numbers:

A disparate group of tribal armed militant groups, some of them linked to al-Qaida, announced the formation of an alliance last month called the Taliban Movement of Pakistan. The 40-man leadership is from seven tribal agencies and eight bordering districts, underscoring the movement's reach. The group is thought to have 5,000 to 10,000 fighters and is growing.

U.S. officials are deeply concerned that the insurgency is becoming bolder and expanding faster than had been anticipated, a State Department official said.

"The feeling is that we are not dealing with a terrorist group here, but an insurrectionist movement," said the official. "That's an elevation without question from what we've been dealing with."

He noted the broad scale of fighting across the tribal agencies, which together form the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and in settled parts to the east.

"These are not groups of Pashtun brigands popping potshots at army patrols," he said. "This looks like there is clearly coordination going on."

Some U.S. officials say al-Qaida is providing the coordination, but others say it's too early to reach that conclusion, he said.

January 29, 2008 02:27 PM Pakistan ~ The Long War