Taliban falling apart?

I have been sitting here reading the headlines from the MSM sources and I've been noticing a possible pattern. Are parts of the fragmented Taliban falling apart? I've read some of the following reports on the Taliban training young boys for their cause now I know some will say it's just the next generation of fighters which a very real possibility. No doubt. but could it be...

Pakistan army says Taliban training boys to fight

MINGORA, Pakistan — In a voice barely above a whisper, I.H. stared at his feet as he recounted haltingly how the Taliban kidnapped him and a classmate as they played in the street. They cleaned dishes for a few days in a militant training camp in northern Pakistan before escaping during Friday prayers, he said.

The Pakistani army says it has so far found 20 boys like I.H., who is only being identified by his initials for his safety, in the battle-scarred Swat Valley, scene of a major offensive against the Taliban this spring.

They believe the Taliban hoped to turn the boys into informants, fighters or even suicide bombers. Some escaped, others were rescued by authorities. Maj. Nasir Khan said many more are believed to be in the hands of militants.

We also have another story of the head of the Pakistani Taliban being killed and that there is now a power struggle between the different factions within the organization.


National security adviser: US believes Mehsud dead

WASHINGTON — The United States is nearly certain the Pakistani Taliban's leader is dead, and there now is a leadership struggle within the terrorist group, White House national security adviser James Jones said Sunday.

Claims and counterclaims about Baitullah Mehsud's fate have swirled since a CIA missile strike last Wednesday on his father-in-law's house in Pakistan's rugged, lawless tribal area.

"Mehsud was a very bad individual, a real thug," said Jones, who appeared on three Sunday talk shows. He said the U.S. "put it in the 90 percent category" that Meshud was killed. "This is a big deal," he said.

Nobody outside of my own tinfoil hat thinking has tried to connect these dots. For some reason this just reminds me of another struggle once upon a time where one group was desperate for fighters and turned to their youth to help the struggle. Is this possibly a sign of the end? I'm not making a statement of fact just asking a question. I'm looking forward to your opinion and contributions.


Hitler Youth

By 1945, the Volkssturm was commonly drafting 12-year-old Hitler Youth members into its ranks. During the Battle of Berlin, Axmann's Hitler Youth formed a major part of the last line of German defense, and were reportedly among the fiercest fighters. Although the city commander, General Helmuth Weidling, ordered Axmann to disband the Hitler Youth combat formations; in the confusion, this order was never carried out.

Taliban must resort to propaganda so much for a grassroots movement.

Taliban launch another mouthpiece propaganda in S Afghanistan

"This radio called itself "Da Shariat Ghag Radio" or Radio voice of Sharia (Islamic Laws) have been airing programs on Taliban anti-government activities over the past three days," a resident of Qarabagh district Noor Mohammad told Xinhua.

A local official who declined to be identified also confirmed the report, saying Taliban militants have established their propaganda radio in the province.

The pressure needs to be kept up. The peace ovatures are nothing more than an attempt to gain time to rearm and re organize.

reply to post by SLAYER69


You know I read a similar report yesterday. I must say it is good news that they have become so decimated that they are begining to fight with each other. As far as them recruiting young boys, I have heard that AlQueda always liked to include young boys into their activities.

reply to post by FredT


What I find rather interesting is the Over the top "Super Human" beliefs in them. They are just like any other group comprised and ran by simple humans who are subject to infighting and potential collapse just like any other group.

Nobody is perfect. This could be the first time a group such as this could see defeat.

Again I'm not stating this as fact. Just speculating is all.



[edit on 9-8-2009 by SLAYER69]

Originally posted by FredT
The pressure needs to be kept up. The peace ovatures are nothing more than an attempt to gain time to rearm and re organize.

NATO chief wants more troops in Afghanistan

"Honestly speaking, I think we need more troops," Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former Danish prime minister who took over as head of NATO this month, said from Kabul.

"I have seen progress in the south (of Afghanistan), not least thanks to the increase in the number of troops, so definitely the number of troops matters," he told BBC radio.

NATO has almost 65,000 troops in Afghanistan, with contributions from more than 40 countries, although around half of them are American. The United States has a further 36,000 troops operating outside the NATO umbrella.

Pakistani Taliban's leader 'ill'

The Pakistani Taliban's leader Baitullah Mehsud is gravely ill, his top aide has told the BBC.

Maulan Nur Syed denied this was linked in any way to claims Baitullah Mehsud was killed in a US missile strike on Wednesday in a remote tribal area.

Both the US and Pakistan earlier said their intelligence suggested Baitullah Mehsud was killed in the attack.

The alleged death of Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud has left the group in disarray, with reports emerging of a gun battle at a meeting to select a new leader. However, confirmation is still being sought that Mehsud is in fact dead.