Posted on 08/07/2009 4:05:28 PM PDT by Cindy
The likely death of Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud has reportedly initiated a meeting of the Taliban shura to choose his successor.
Hakeemullah Mehsud and Qari Hussain Mehsud, both cousins of Baitullah, have long been thought to be the main rivals for leadership of the Tehrik-e-Taliban, or the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, the group Baitullah formed in December 2007. Others mentioned include Waliur Rahman, a Taliban commander in Bajaur, and Azmatullah Mehsud, a close aide to Baitullah.
Hakeemullah is reported to be in the lead to fill Baitullah's role as the emir of the Pakistani Taliban, according to a report in AKI.
Below are profiles of Hakeemullah and Qari Hussain, the two main rivals for Baitullah's job.
(Excerpt) Read more at longwarjournal.org ...
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2009/08/analysis_baitullahs.php
“Analysis: Baitullah’s death will impact operations Pakistan and Afghanistan”
By BILL ROGGIO
August 7, 2009 3:59 PM
Originally published at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
SNIPPET: “Baitullah was reported to have been visiting his second wife at a compound run by his father-in-law, Ikramuddin Mehsud. Unmanned US strike aircraft, likely the Predators or the more sophisticated Reapers, fired four missiles at the compound. Baitullah, his wife, his brother, and seven bodyguards are thought to have been killed.
Late yesterday, US and Pakistani intelligence officials began to suspect Baitullah had been killed after there were reports of a funeral. Additionally, family members whispered he was killed. Reports have also emerged that the Pakistani Taliban is meeting to appoint a successor. Pakistani officials, who have a terrible track record of reporting the deaths of senior Taliban and al Qaeda leaders, are certain Baitullah is dead.
Earlier today, Faqir Mohammed, Baitullah’s deputy in the Bajaur tribal agency, confirmed that Baitullah was indeed killed in the strike; other Taliban leaders made similar statements.
Impact of Baitullah’s death in Pakistan and Afghanistan
The effects of Baitullah’s death on the Taliban’s efforts in Pakistan and Afghanistan will likely be mixed.”
It won’t be easy. They’ll have to find someone who is irrational, violent, self-righteous, fanatical, and hates the United States with all his heart. AND who isn’t currently working for the Democratic party.
Note: These successors are dead.
“TTP leader dead in succession fight?”
By Pazir Gul
Sunday, 09 Aug, 2009 | 05:00 AM PST |
SNIPPET: “MIRAMSHAH: A key Taliban commander was killed in a struggle over succession to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud at a shura meeting in South Waziristan, government and security officials said on Saturday.
Baitullah was killed, along with his wife, in a US Predator strike on Wednesday.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik confirmed reports of a shootout at the shura meeting and said that one of the commanders had been killed.
According to sources, commanders Hakeemullah Mehsud and Waliur Rehman, the two leading contenders for the chief slot, exchanged hot words at the shura meeting in Sara Rogha over the choosing of a successor to Baitullah.
A shootout followed, leading to the death of Hakeemullah while causing life-threatening injuries to Waliur Rehman.
However, a government official in Peshawar said that both Hakeemullah and Waliur Rehman had been killed in the clash.
The names of Hakeemullah, Waliur Rehman and 50-year-old Azmatullah Mehsud were shortlisted at a meeting of senior Taliban leaders from the Mehsud tribe, but a decision was put off following differences over who would succeed the slain leader.
There was no independent confirmation of the reported shooting.”
They found two such men and they killed each other.
But I can see how this sort of thing might happen. One of them starts yelling "Less filling!" at the other feller and he's yelling "Tastes great!" and pretty soon they're emptying the AK's at one another yelling "Allahu Akhbar!" which I think is Arabic for "Less Filling" but I might be wrong about that. You really shouldn't have these meetings without balloons and stuffed animals, and maybe a nice floral table decoration. Takes the edge off.
Giggling...well heck yes, I’m a very optimistic person.
One guy probably said, “I’ll see your momma on the porch”, and from that point forward, “It was on.”
I love a happy ending.
Yep.
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