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Bosonic

(3,746 posts) Wed Jul 10, 2013, 10:40 AM Jul 2013

Pakistan president's close aide killed in suicide attack

Source: Reuters

One of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari's most trusted aides was killed in a suspected suicide bombing in the volatile port city of Karachi on Wednesday as he stopped his armored vehicle to buy some fruit, police said.

Pakistan has suffered a spate of bombings since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was sworn in last month, underscoring the challenges facing the nuclear-armed nation in taming a Taliban-linked insurgency.

A police officer in Pakistan's financial capital said Bilal Shaikh - Zardari's security chief who was always spotted next to the president during public appearances - was killed along with two others in a prosperous area of eastern Karachi.

"It seems that the suicide attacker walked up to Bilal Shaikh's vehicle and blew himself up outside the front passenger seat of the vehicle where Shaikh was seated," the senior police officer, Raja Umar Khattab, told Reuters.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/10/us-pakistan-blast-idUSBRE9690H120130710

8 replies

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Pakistan president's close aide killed in suicide attack (Original Post) Bosonic Jul 2013 OP

Sure glad we're getting ready to hightail it out of Afghanistan railsback Jul 2013 #1

There are multiple armed groups operating under the rubric of "the Taliban." Comrade Grumpy Jul 2013 #2

Doesn't really make any difference what country they're in railsback Jul 2013 #3

These various Taliban are not "tribes." Comrade Grumpy Jul 2013 #5

There is no central Taliban leadership right now railsback Jul 2013 #7

These outfits, founded, armed and funded by the Pakistani military cosmicone Jul 2013 #6

They won't be blowing each other up until they get the nukes. railsback Jul 2013 #8

So we should stay there forever? awoke_in_2003 Jul 2013 #4

railsback

(1,881 posts)

1. Sure glad we're getting ready to hightail it out of Afghanistan

Reply to Bosonic (Original post)

Wed Jul 10, 2013, 12:17 PM

Jul 2013

The last thing the Taliban needs is a deterrent to get their hands on some really big bombs.

Comrade Grumpy

(13,184 posts)

2. There are multiple armed groups operating under the rubric of "the Taliban."

Reply to railsback (Reply #1)

Wed Jul 10, 2013, 12:26 PM

Jul 2013

You can be pretty sure the ones who did this have nothing to do with Afghanistan, but are Pakistan Taliiban. There is a good recent book that delineates the various factions, "Talibanistan," edited by Peter Berger.

railsback

(1,881 posts)

3. Doesn't really make any difference what country they're in

Reply to Comrade Grumpy (Reply #2)

Wed Jul 10, 2013, 12:31 PM

Jul 2013

These are tribes with a common goal. Once they attain that goal, then they'll start blowing each other up.

Comrade Grumpy

(13,184 posts)

5. These various Taliban are not "tribes."

Reply to railsback (Reply #3)

Wed Jul 10, 2013, 01:19 PM

Jul 2013

They are politico-military movements. Some people in some tribes align with them, others don't.

You're veering dangerously close to "white man's burden" territory here.

railsback

(1,881 posts)

7. There is no central Taliban leadership right now

Reply to Comrade Grumpy (Reply #5)

Wed Jul 10, 2013, 03:37 PM

Jul 2013

None of the tribal leaders actually believe Omar is alive, and carry out their own agendas, which is quite obvious with all the failed 'peace' talks. Pashtunwali is the only thing that binds them. Other than that, they're just tribes.

cosmicone

(11,014 posts)

6. These outfits, founded, armed and funded by the Pakistani military

Reply to railsback (Reply #3)

Wed Jul 10, 2013, 02:46 PM

Jul 2013

are a cancer on Pakistan and Afghanistan.

It would be fun if they start blowing each other up, allowing moderates to take charge and improve the lives of the majority which is peaceful and wants better. I'll stock up on popcorn.

railsback

(1,881 posts)

8. They won't be blowing each other up until they get the nukes.

Reply to cosmicone (Reply #6)

Wed Jul 10, 2013, 03:39 PM

Jul 2013

awoke_in_2003

(34,582 posts)

4. So we should stay there forever?

Reply to railsback (Reply #1)

Wed Jul 10, 2013, 01:10 PM

Jul 2013

No matter when we leave, killing each other is what they do.

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