The TTP have shown their alliance with the AQ in this latest attack in Shabqandar, Charsadda; by claiming it was done to avenge OBL's death. In the attacks in Kandahar, the Afghan Taliban categorically claimed that their attacks were not to avenge OBL's death, but that they were planned several weeks before his death. The Afghan Taliban has not said it would avenge OBL's death, but the TTP has clearly said it many times, & is acting upon its word.
I am not trying to vindicate the Afghan Taliban here, or say either (TTP or Afghan Taliban) is good, but I'm saying there is a clear distinction between the two, even though the methods of killing they employ are similar. I consider the TTP as more dangerous for Pakistan than the Afghan Taliban is for Afghanistan, because they are allied with the AQ, which has openly declared war against Pakistan's establishment & even its civilians.
The Afghan Taliban insurgency in Kandahar is also more (not completely) geared towards conventional warfare (open combat) against the US, as opposed to the TTP in Pakistan's FATA areas (& the Haqqani group in the adjacent Afghan areas) that do not resort to conventional warfare, rather employing the more deadly 'suicide bombings' using children (& people of all ages), by brainwashing them in Madrassahs. The difference I see between the situation in FATA (& the adjacent Afghan provinces) & Balochistan/Kandahar is the Madrassahs that brainwash people. There are many more Madrassahs in FATA than there are in Balochistan, which is why there is more conventional warfare in Kandahar than there is in places like Kunar, Paktia, Logar etc. I believe it is in important distinction to make. Pakistan has made a huge mistake letting these Madrassahs exist in it's FATA regions. I believe these Madrassahs have caused a lot of pain for Afghanistan & Pakistan, & suicide bombings conducted by groups also delegitimize their claims of being a 'resistance movement', & they lose the support of the common Afghan (from Kunar, Logar, Nuristan, Paktia) & Pakistani (from FATA). On top of that, other Madrassahs are also being used by the Mehsud & Mullah Fazlullah TTP groups to conduct suicide attacks inside FATA & the adjacent areas of the NWFP close to FATA. These Madrassahs need to be demolished, as I believe suicide attacks are far more difficult to deal with than conventional warfare.
Pakistan is hedging its bets in North Waziristan by trying to empower the Haqqani group, in order to root out the Mehsud's TTP group. They have succeeded to some effect in that region, with Mehsud reportedly being isolated from the other groups, but then the US drone strikes in the agency might be counterproductive to Pakistan's 'efforts'. The question is: who are these drone attacks killing in North Waziristan? As the Haqqanis are being protected by the Pakistani Authority, I believe it is the Mehsuds & his allies/affiliate TTP's. With every drone attack on these groups, they get empowered & show their anguish against the Pakistan Establishment/Army (who allow the drone attacks) by conducting suicide bombings against them.
The links of the TTP & the AQ must be analyzed as well. Mullah Fazlullah's TTP faction operates from Kunar, Afghanistan; & then conducts attacks inside Bajaur & Mohmand Agencies inside Pakistan. Then there is the Sufi Muhammad TSNM group that has open ties with the AQ, who operates from Nuristan, Afghanistan; & then conducts attacks inside Dir, Malakand. There is also Mehsud's TTP faction that operates from Khost, Afghanistan & then conducts attacks inside North Waziristan. Even though the ties of the TTP factions with the AQ are out of Pakistan's control as they are spanning from the Afghan side of the border, Pakistan must devise a strategy to tackle this problem, & that strategy shouldn't involve huge losses of Afghan & Pakistani lives. Instead of focusing on Kandahar, the US needs to take care of a much more serious problem in Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Nuristan & focus its attention there, & Pakistan needs to ask US to stop drone attacks & launch a ground offensive in North Waziristan. Unfortunately, the US focuses all of its intention in Kandahar, & asking Pakistan to do it all in North Waziristan. If Pakistan does launch a ground offensive in North Waziristan & the US doesn't act in Khost, the terrorists will regroup in Khost; & then attack the Pakistan Army with more impunity, resulting in the failure of the operation. The US needs to hold up its end of the bargain if it is serious about eradicating terrorism.
I am not trying to vindicate the Afghan Taliban here, or say either (TTP or Afghan Taliban) is good, but I'm saying there is a clear distinction between the two, even though the methods of killing they employ are similar. I consider the TTP as more dangerous for Pakistan than the Afghan Taliban is for Afghanistan, because they are allied with the AQ, which has openly declared war against Pakistan's establishment & even its civilians.
The Afghan Taliban insurgency in Kandahar is also more (not completely) geared towards conventional warfare (open combat) against the US, as opposed to the TTP in Pakistan's FATA areas (& the Haqqani group in the adjacent Afghan areas) that do not resort to conventional warfare, rather employing the more deadly 'suicide bombings' using children (& people of all ages), by brainwashing them in Madrassahs. The difference I see between the situation in FATA (& the adjacent Afghan provinces) & Balochistan/Kandahar is the Madrassahs that brainwash people. There are many more Madrassahs in FATA than there are in Balochistan, which is why there is more conventional warfare in Kandahar than there is in places like Kunar, Paktia, Logar etc. I believe it is in important distinction to make. Pakistan has made a huge mistake letting these Madrassahs exist in it's FATA regions. I believe these Madrassahs have caused a lot of pain for Afghanistan & Pakistan, & suicide bombings conducted by groups also delegitimize their claims of being a 'resistance movement', & they lose the support of the common Afghan (from Kunar, Logar, Nuristan, Paktia) & Pakistani (from FATA). On top of that, other Madrassahs are also being used by the Mehsud & Mullah Fazlullah TTP groups to conduct suicide attacks inside FATA & the adjacent areas of the NWFP close to FATA. These Madrassahs need to be demolished, as I believe suicide attacks are far more difficult to deal with than conventional warfare.
Pakistan is hedging its bets in North Waziristan by trying to empower the Haqqani group, in order to root out the Mehsud's TTP group. They have succeeded to some effect in that region, with Mehsud reportedly being isolated from the other groups, but then the US drone strikes in the agency might be counterproductive to Pakistan's 'efforts'. The question is: who are these drone attacks killing in North Waziristan? As the Haqqanis are being protected by the Pakistani Authority, I believe it is the Mehsuds & his allies/affiliate TTP's. With every drone attack on these groups, they get empowered & show their anguish against the Pakistan Establishment/Army (who allow the drone attacks) by conducting suicide bombings against them.
The links of the TTP & the AQ must be analyzed as well. Mullah Fazlullah's TTP faction operates from Kunar, Afghanistan; & then conducts attacks inside Bajaur & Mohmand Agencies inside Pakistan. Then there is the Sufi Muhammad TSNM group that has open ties with the AQ, who operates from Nuristan, Afghanistan; & then conducts attacks inside Dir, Malakand. There is also Mehsud's TTP faction that operates from Khost, Afghanistan & then conducts attacks inside North Waziristan. Even though the ties of the TTP factions with the AQ are out of Pakistan's control as they are spanning from the Afghan side of the border, Pakistan must devise a strategy to tackle this problem, & that strategy shouldn't involve huge losses of Afghan & Pakistani lives. Instead of focusing on Kandahar, the US needs to take care of a much more serious problem in Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Nuristan & focus its attention there, & Pakistan needs to ask US to stop drone attacks & launch a ground offensive in North Waziristan. Unfortunately, the US focuses all of its intention in Kandahar, & asking Pakistan to do it all in North Waziristan. If Pakistan does launch a ground offensive in North Waziristan & the US doesn't act in Khost, the terrorists will regroup in Khost; & then attack the Pakistan Army with more impunity, resulting in the failure of the operation. The US needs to hold up its end of the bargain if it is serious about eradicating terrorism.
