“On December 12, 2007, in North Warizistan [Pakistan], some forty tribal leaders who commanded separate militias had met to form the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or Movement of the Pakistani Taliban. They chose a young militant, Baitullah Mehsud, as their leader. Their stated objective was to unite their militias and establish a centralized organization, fight NATO forces in Afghanistan, and wage a defensive jihad against the Pakistan Army. They claimed to have 40,000 under their command.”
– Ahmed Rashid, Pakistan on the Brink, Page 140