Pak-Afghan Militancy Is Linked With The NATO Forces In The region
By Javed I. Chaudry
17 January,
2008
Countercurrents.org
Ever since the assassination of Ms. Bhutto took place a couple of weeks ago, the American war machine and the main stream news media have stepped up their propaganda against increasing dissent and militancy being demonstrated in Pakistan. The New York Times reported last week that the Americans are considering for covert CIA operation in the Pakistani tribal areas. The Pakistan – Afghanistan border area is considered hotbed for Al-Qaeda sympathizers as well as a possible hide out for Al-Zawahri.
Musharraf has firmly rejected the proposals for any direct action by CIA or NATO forces within Pakistani borders. The New York Times of January 15, 2008 carries a lengthy report by Gall and Rhode, making a case that the militants are totally out of control of Pakistani authorities. I wonder if these authors gave a thought to the fact that the world’s most advanced military has not been able to control the militancy in Iraq, a country geographically less then half in size with a population less than one eighth of Pakistan.
During the latter half of 2007, as Washington had arranged to bring Ms. Bhutto back into power in Pakistan, it was clear from her speeches and the statements she gave to the press that she was planning to allow the American and NATO forces to operate freely in Pakistan. Now that she is no longer around to provide a free hand to the American whims and in the absence of an American Plan B, Washington is putting more pressure to squeeze Musharraf, who is already between a rock and the hard place. Had Ms. Bhutto become the elected PM and allowed the American forces to operate freely in Pakistan, a floodgate of militancy and underground resistance would have opened against the Americans as well as the Pakistani authorities.
Ignoring the lessons of the history is a classic mistake that has been repeatedly made only to yield the same disastrous results every time – alas, some will never learn. Some learn from other’s mistakes, some learn from their own mistakes. There are those who simply refuse to learn. The USA seems to be bent upon not learning even after making the same mistake over and over again. The Americans have failed to learn any lessons from Viet Nam, Korea, misadventures in South America and Africa as well as in Iraq.
The political dissent, the religious extremism, the social hard line attitudes which exist today so pervasively in Afghan-Pakistan region was in fact created unwittingly with American dollars during 1980s to fight against the Soviet invaders. With the help of American funds, under the guidance of then Pakistan’s leader Gen. Zia and the logistics provided by the ISI; thousands of freedom fighters with Jihadi mindset were created to fight against the Soviets. These are the same freedom fighters or the ‘Mujahedeen’ with the same mind set who are now working against the American interests as well against those who willingly or unwillingly go along with the American wishes. The only difference is that what was known as ‘freedom fighting or Jihad’ in 1980s, is now being dubbed as ‘militancy’. The militancy will continue and will only increase as American, NATO or Pakistan army efforts are increased against various groups that resist the presence of the American led forces in the region. The Afghani or Pakistani public at large consider American and NATO forces to be the invaders just as the Soviets were 25 years ago.
Contrary to the notion that Samuel Huntington has suggested as the clash of civilizations (in his book, ‘The Clash of Civilizations and Remaking of World Order’); the reality is far from it. The hot spots around the world are not a result of clashes between civilizations. But an orchestrated and well planned effort of richer, militarily stronger and highly industrialized countries to maintain their global position and influence over others by ensuring that the poor and under developed nations continue to stay in that predicament. This is one way for the rich nations to stay rich by exploiting the cheap labor and the raw materials of the weak and the poor.
The suicidal bombings, social chaos and political upheaval that is dominant today in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq are not going to seize until the American and NATO forces leave the region. More aggression of these forces is only going to create more problems for the public at large and the authorities of these societies. The American pressure on Musharraf to push hard on the tribal areas at the Afghan-Pakistan border is only going to escalate the violent reaction from various resistance groups as they see America or its allies as the oppressors. It will only make it harder for the local governments and ISI to control the terror created by the militants. It is imperative to realize that the small scale terror is directly linked with the large scale terror being carried out by the American and NATO forces in the region. This message has been totally lost on Washington so far.
Musharraf’s administration was in power for just over a year when 9/11 happened. Musharraf was told by the United States in no uncertain terms that Pakistan would be bombed back to the stone age if he chose not to participate in the so called war on terror. Although he has been a reluctant player in this American game but, his participation is the major reason for his unpopularity in the country. The conflict is between the United States and the people of Afghanistan, but Pakistan has been dragged into it by force, certainly not its own choice. This may well be due to an American plan to render Pakistan and its administration extremely weak and chaotic, only to use the excuse to control its nuclear assets in the end.
