Over five months ago in the wake of the assassination of then-leader of the Pakistan People’s Party Benazir Bhutto, the country was consumed by mass violence. The government and the CIA have blamed Baitullah Mehsud, the leader of the Taliban in Pakistan for Bhutto’s death.
However, Mehsud had denied having anything to do with Bhutto’s death. It is known that Al-Qaeda has tried to take Bhutto out of the picture for many years. Back in October of 2007, Bhutto had returned from an eight-year self-imposed exile in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
However, many in Pakistan have blamed Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf for not doing enough to protect Bhutto. Musharraf’s political future looks very grim. So far, Musharraf has been the United States’ main ally in Pakistan in the war on terror.
Recently, Mehsud said that he wants to stop fighting against the Pakistani army.
“Fighting between the Taliban and Pakistan is harming Islam and Pakistan. This fighting should come to an end immediately,” Mehsud said to journalists, whom he had invited to his compound in South Waziristan.
Ironically, Mehsud did not say the same thing for Afghanistan. In that respect, Mehsud said that the jihad in neighboring Afghanistan will continue. On a side note, many believe that Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin-Laden is hiding somewhere on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
While the Pakistani Taliban and Pakistani Government are in the midst of “peace talks,” Mehsud said he will continue fighting in Afghanistan. He said that he is proud to be an enemy of the United States. Mehsud adds that he never met Bin Laden before.
In short, Mehsud wants “peace” in Pakistan; but, wants to continue the war in Afghanistan.
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