Posted on 02/15/2010 6:18:51 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Secret Joint Raid Captures Taliban’s Top Commander By MARK MAZZETTI and DEXTER FILKINS
WASHINGTON — The Taliban’s top military commander was captured several days ago in Karachi, Pakistan, in a secret joint operation by Pakistani and American intelligence forces, according to American government officials.
The commander, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, is an Afghan described by American officials as the most significant Taliban figure to be detained since the American-led war in Afghanistan started more than eight years ago. He ranks second in influence only to Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Taliban’s founder, and was a close associate of Osama bin Laden before the Sept. 11 attacks.
Mullah Baradar has been in Pakistani custody for several days, with American and Pakistani intelligence officials both taking part in interrogations, according to the officials.
It was unclear whether he was talking, but the officials said his capture had provided a window into the Taliban and could lead to other senior officials. Most immediately, they hope he will provide the whereabouts of Mullah Omar, the one-eyed cleric who is the group’s spiritual leader.
Disclosure of Mullah Baradar’s capture came as American and Afghan forces were in the midst of a major offensive in southern Afghanistan.
His capture could cripple the Taliban’s military operations, at least in the short term, said Bruce O. Riedel, a C.I.A. veteran who last spring led the Obama administration’s Afghanistan and Pakistan policy review.
Details of the raid remain murky, but officials said that it had been carried out by Pakistan’s military spy agency, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, and that C.I.A. operatives had accompanied the Pakistanis.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Has he been giving his miranda rights yet?
These treasonous stinkers won't even shut up for Obambi.
These treasonous stinkers won't even shut up for Obambi.
The Taliban's top military commander was captured several days ago in Karachi, Pakistan, in a secret joint operation by Pakistani and American intelligence forces, according to American government officials.This is obviously a load of crap, because the Taliban doesn't have a presence in Pakistan.
Bwahahahahahahahahaha! Pakistan !!!!!!!! Bananastan!!!!!!
Let the Afghanis interrogate him!
Don't think this rises to the same level as the disclosures of warrantless wiretaps or fund xfer monitoring.
If it's true then 1) the bad guys already knew their boy was in custody and 2) it's good news.
I doubt that the Paki's have a direct translation of "Miranda".
Doesn’t matter he must have lawyered up by now. He won’t have any meaningful interrogations so whats the point?
“The officials said that Pakistan was leading the interrogation of Mullah Baradar, but that Americans were also involved. The conditions of the questioning are unclear. In its first week in office, the Obama administration banned harsh interrogations like waterboarding by Americans, but the Pakistanis have long been known to subject prisoners to brutal questioning.”
Hmm...
“The New York Times learned of the operation on Thursday, but delayed reporting it at the request of White House officials, who contended that making it public would end a hugely successful intelligence-gathering effort....The Times is publishing the news now because White House officials acknowledged that the capture of Mullah Baradar was becoming widely known in the region.”
He is a Paki prisoner, no need
Isn’t secret custody in countries known for torture the same thing the Libs harped on Bush about?
I think they called it outsourcing torture.
Did Holder read him his rights and get a lawyer/
Would not want to waterboard the dirtbag......
What this guy said. I understand the desire you all have to work yourselves into a lather at the NY Times, but in this case it's for nothing.
Hearing the news on Fox News right now. Apparently, we’re getting around Obama’s Army Field Manual-only interrogation policy by letting the Pakistani intelligence service “take the lead.”
So I’m happy for Obama’s hypocrisy here; it serves our national security.
You DON’T want to know what the Pakistani equivalent of “Miranda Rights” is.
Let’s say, just imagine this Taliban leader not only dressed as Carmen Miranda, but also wearing her fruit collection where the sun don’t shine.
Boy, that has got to hurt!
You mean just like when the NYT withheld reporting at the request of the White House of the hugely successful intelligence-gathering effort of the SWIFT financial tracking system? /s
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