About a week ago, it was hyped left and right: finally, we have a tribal leader to defeat the TTP and Baitullah Mehsud! Mixed in with all the exuberance over the apparently not discredited idea that all we need is the right chief to solve all our problems was this little gem:
But victory will not mean any lessening of efforts to expel Westerners from neighboring Afghanistan, Zainuddin said. He pledged to send his forces into Afghanistan once Mehsud is vanquished.
“The whole Muslim world should come together because all infidels have come together against Islam. Whether it is Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Chechnya, Muslims must protect ourselves,” said Zainuddin, who has the title of “Qari” or someone who has memorized the entire Koran. “The problem is that we cannot go to Afghanistan these days because we have had to deal with Baitullah.”
Right, so maybe total enthusiasm about his crusade was uncalled for—I certainly felt uncomfortable calling it good news. But, as I’ve been pointing out for a few years, it’s a bit premature to celebrate the Pakistani lashkar when we’re facing almost six years of the Pashtuns of the FATA trying to raise their own “tribal” defense forces only to see them eviscerated (in some cases, literally) when the Pakistani Army and Police refused to help or protect or support them. Without exaggeration: anti-Taliban tribal elders would have their names published on a death list posted at the center of Mingora, and the police would decline to even provide basic protection. It make for a good reason to remain skeptical of all the latest round of talks about tribal militia this, Zainuddin will solve that.
Anyway, so he’s been gunned down in Dera Ismail Khan. From a U.S. perspective, it’s kind of a wash strategically; it’s sad no one has a pet Pashtun to go after their errant Pashtun any more, but overall this doesn’t change the game much aside from proving that anyone else who wants to lead the charge had better have some damned trustworthy guards and driver on his staff. So let’s all cool it a bit and see what the Pakistani Army itself is going to do about it.
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