No Body, No Photos, No Witnesses: The ‘Pretty Sure’ Death of Hakimullah Mehsud
US Official Says TTP Leader 'Likely' Dead
Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Hakimullah Mehsud hasn’t issued a public statement in two weeks, leading to growing rumors that he may have died of injuries he may have sustained in a mid-January US drone strike that may or may not have hit him.
According to one US official, “there’s a good likelihood that he’s dead.” At the same time, the official conceded that there was no body, no photographic evidence, and not even any reliable witnesses to verify the claims.
Pakistan’s government seems pretty sure about Hakimullah’s death, but they have been pretty sure no less than six times in the last six months that Hakimullah has died. Other “confirmed” deaths from the Pakistani government, including at least two deaths of TTP second in command Wali Rehman, have likewise turned out to be false.
To be sure some of this is a function of optimism: officials are already set to declare victory over the TTP if Hakimullah is slain, even though the killing of his high profile predecessor Baitullah in August had virtually no effect on day-to-day operations. But some of it is also the result of the paucity of reliable data on the region.
US attempts to track down al-Qaeda leaders in Pakistan’s tribal areas have been a disaster. Let’s not forget that officials said Jordanian al-Balawi was the best informant they had in years, and he turned out to be a TTP triple agent, biding his time for an attack.
Hakimullah’s sudden disappearance might also be deliberate, as following the rumors of his injury the US launched a flurry of strikes against possible hideouts. Given that it is hardly surprising the militant leader might have decided to lay low, whether or not he was slain.
paulBass
February 5th, 2010 at 8:07 am
wow a guy being hunted by the united states is'nt broadcasting himself for 2 weeks so he must be dead. i see they are keeping expectation low
max
February 5th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Preposterous,
Just imagine if you conducted your own private business, proffesion,
and personel affairs on this same basis.
"let's see now, ahh yes,. I think I fixed your cars brakes, I mean I tried,
and maybe, well. here's the bill. I think I might have cleared the snow from your
drive way, there's a chance I did."
An extension of the WMDs mentality that brought on the permanent occupation of
Iraq. If you ask me, it's a variation of mental illness, centered on a detachment
and lost grip on reality.
This raises the absurdity, lack or accountability and responsibility,
to new unexplored astronomical proportions.
M
rightioussness
February 6th, 2010 at 1:35 am
Hakimaluha better hide real good or our goodness and freedom will pound 'is ass !!
masmanz
February 6th, 2010 at 1:50 am
Hkimullah — Just a nobody in the list of nobodies we have created since we have been unable to locate OBL. And, come to think of it, even OBL is a nobody if it was not for this massive war propaganda machine.