US Kills Osama so in Response, the Taliban Attacks

[russ_watters]

US Kills Osama so in Response, the Taliban Attacks...

...Pakistan? Really?

A pair of Taliban suicide bombers attacked paramilitary police recruits eagerly heading home for a break after months of training, killing 80 people Friday in the first act of retaliation for the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-05-13-pakistan-bomb_n.htm

Nothin says "marginalized" like attacking an innocent and unwilling bystander in the raid on Bin Laden instead of attacking those who killed him! It's pathetic - even counter productive - and great to see (the marginalization, not the deaths of police recruits).

 

[drankin]

They really showed us with that one.

??

 

[Pengwuino]

Nothin says "marginalized" like attacking an innocent and unwilling bystander in the raid on Bin Laden instead of attacking those who killed him! It's pathetic - even counter productive - and great to see (the marginalization, not the deaths of police recruits).

Pff, even worse, they attacked a country that probably was protecting him!.

 

[Averagesupernova]

Childish really. Holding their breath until they turn blue is bound to be next. I've never heard of anyone actually dying from that. Too bad I suppose.

 

[Ryumast3r]

They really showed us with that one.

??

Yessir I am so thoroughly "showed" now that I promise to never ever ever harm a terrorist again.

 

[Proton Soup]

i don't find it credible that pakistan was caught by surprise when US troops invaded and captured OBL. i find it much more likely that they knew we were coming and simply stood out of the way. that is, they cooperated. and that cooperation is likely what is being retaliated here. it's unfortunate, but it's hardly surprising.

 

[pergradus]

There are two Taliban - the Taliban we're fighting in Afghanistan who've been around since the early 1990's and many of whom are ex-Mujaheddin.

The Taliban described in this story are the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or the "Pakistani Taliban" - they are a separate group formed by Pakistan Islamists in the past few years whose goal is to over-throw the Pakistani government.

The two groups have completely different goals and are run by completely different people. Do not confuse the two. And this attack makes sense, from their perspective.

 

[cobalt124]

Yes, no surprise here. Overthrow of the government is the aim. I think that Pakistan would also be the easiest place to quickly retaliate for OBL death.

 

[AlephZero]

Nothin says "marginalized" like attacking an innocent and unwilling bystander in the raid on Bin Laden instead of attacking those who killed him!

Possibly, some people are already addressing your "concerns" about attacking the wrong targets: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13401116

 

[rootX]

SEALS and their families are provided proper security. Even without that it is not easy to target US.

 

[TheMadMonk]

Pff, even worse, they attacked a country that probably was protecting him!.

Doesn't make the deaths of those who were killed any more palatable or just. If we wish to provide better security to the people of Afghanistan then we need the help of the Government and Security forces in Pakistan. Whilst the ISI or whoever may have been sheltering Bin Laden, the retaliation and murder of 80 innocent people will ultimately hurt our efforts in Afghanistan in the long run.

 

[Newai]

Ehsanullah Ehsan (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan spokesman) stated that the attacks were retaliation for killing OBL because they perceive Pakistan's government as giving the U.S. impunity for the raid, for their close ties to the U.S., for the money the U.S. gives them to fight their interests, for having any diplomatic channels at all, for providing U.S. military access through their country for a route to Afghanistan, for letting the "infidels" on their land. As they see it, it was too easy for the U.S. to find OBL and kill him. This taliban has close ties with al-Qaeda, trained with them, traded supplies and money and skills and experts.

 

[Pengwuino]

Doesn't make the deaths of those who were killed any more palatable or just.

I didn't say it does.

 

[rootX]

I don't think it was wise on the Obama part to over-hype and publicize this mission.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13379298

Journalists have descended on Virginia where the Seals are based to try to glean more details of the unit and retired Seals members are in high demand as guests on news broadcasts.

Mr Gates said details of the raid had leaked despite the intention by officials to keep them secret.

"Frankly a week ago Sunday, in the [White House] situation room, we all agreed that we would not release any operational details from the effort to take out Bin Laden," he said.

"That all fell apart on Monday, the next day."

 

[Al68]

Childish really. Holding their breath until they turn blue is bound to be next.

Or the Cleavon Little hostage routine from Blazing Saddles:

Warning: viewer discretion recommended
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFl3pWbfVX8

 

[rhody]

http://www.npr.org/2011/08/07/139062861/navy-seals-mourn-heavy-loss-in-afghanistan"

Some two dozen members of SEAL Team 6, based outside Norfolk, Va., were among 30 American servicemen killed Saturday when their helicopter came under fire during an operation in eastern Afghanistan.

The SEAL team swept into Wardak Province at night, aboard a lumbering Chinook helicopter. Their mission: Take down a suspected Taliban compound.

Just as they were arriving, the helicopter exploded in flames. Officials believe a rocket-propelled grenade slammed into the helicopter, killing all on board.

Most of the dead were part of the same commando unit that killed Osama bin Laden back in May, though officials said none of the SEALs killed in the crash took part in the bin Laden raid.

Other SEALs killed came from Coronado, Calif. Seven Afghan commandoes were also among the dead.

A very sad day indeed...

Rhody...