Rumors of their deaths and our victories have been greatly exaggerated

The way that the US Military has conducted the so called 'War on Terror' is really more of a popularity contest than a legitimate counterinsurgency. The whole premise of the invasion was to go after one man, an excuse that was essentially used in Panama and Iraq as well. Ever since it became apparent that we wouldn't be catching Willy Coyote (bin Laden)there has been no shortage of hardcore renegades to assassinate. This last week it was claimed that the popular Hakimullah Meshud had been killed in a drone attack inside Pakistan. The 28 year old had been the most vocal and visible leaders of the Pakistani Taliban. He had only recently taken over from Baitullah Meshud (droned while at Father in Law's house in August 2009) whose popularity had led some analysists to refer to him as the unofficial Amir of South Waziristan. Seeing as how both had multiple false death claims made of them it isn't certain whether Hakimullah is actually dead. He had gained great notoriety by attacking supply convoys of NATO on their way through Northern Pakistan and also for being responsible for the daring suicide attack that killed 5 CIA agents in Afghanistan a few months ago. This strategy of trying to cut the head off the hydra of resistance has produced a long list of Martyrs that have made the cause sacrosanct for those that lived to fight another day. Interestingly, the two men that hold the most sway, Mullah Mohamed Omar and Jalaluddin Haqqani seem beyond the reach of the drones and their missiles. Most intelligence reports seem to agree that they are both living in the city of Quetta in the Balochistan Provice of Pakistan. This predominately Pashtun city is in the province of the Baloch tribe, which the government has no desire to get involved in bloody fighting as it did in 2005 when it lost 60 soldier and 7 officers when they went to capture Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, a tribal leader of the Balochi. After the fighting had ended and the Pakistani troops approached the 79 year old Sheik he detonated the explosives he had been strapped with before the battle began. Quetta is supposedly a very nice city with wonderful flora and fauna in its wonderful parks with a nice lake making the mile high city rather beatiful. Being right by the border with the most volatile province of Afghanistan, it is an ideal place for a renegade sheik trying to fight a bloody war of attrition against the most technologically advanced military in history.
"don't give me your alms, just save me from your dogs"
-Pashtun Proverb