The Pakistani Taliban, a conglomeration of various local Taliban chapters with an increasing alliance with Al Qaeda, is made up of forty militant groups and has a combined membership of between 30,000 and 35,000 people. These chapters often have different goals and missions, and are often at odds with each other. While the various chapters agree on the ultimate objective of expelling US and other foreign troops from the region, the tactics vary widely—some are focused on carrying out attacks on the state of Pakistan, others on the NATO troops in Afghanistan, while others have a more localized agenda varying depending on local politics.
Moushumi Biswas on August 18, 2011
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AlQaeda 12,000 in FATA? No way. No credible authority has hazzarded even 200, and even Panetta in 2010 when head of the CIA, guessed 50! and none in Afghanistan.
At peak on 9/10, it numbered at most 1000 wahabi terriorists.(Peter Bergen at the New American Foundation, Dr. Abdalla Abdalla).
AQ leadership is not stupid, even if the US brass is. ObL\'s stated objective for hitting the US was because it has warred on Muslims. On that he has succeded to his wildest dreams: he got the US itself to do his dirty word.. $trillions in financial and even more in economic costs and military that has proven to be both very expensive and incredibly incompetent.
AQ has moved to Yemen, the backyard of its real #1 enemy, the Saudi Royal family. They deserve each other. At most they number 300.. 50 according to the Financial Times and 300 by the Wall Street Journal, mouthpieces of the Anglo elite.
So you should be asking why have so few done so much damage and got away with it despite the most massive ever deployment of resources by the world\'s governments. Then why there has been no accountablity among the latter for gross incompetence. Especially in the US
Suggest you read Rory Stewart\'s latets book.