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PlurkPakistan has done more than was in its own interests in the war on terror. Its support for the US has left it with a civil war.
Secretary of State Clinton’s visit to Islamabad last week demonstrated how far the US government has slipped into senility and how desperately it’s seeking an easy—some might say miraculous—way out of the Afghan war by getting others to do its fighting.
Clinton carried a Santa’s bag of $500 million in US taxpayer funds for Pakistan’s leaders and pledged that Washington will be a long-term ally in Pakistan’s economic and democratic development. Her hosts were gracious and naturally accepted the funds, but they know the money is a bribe and the only thing Clinton, the Obama administration and US generals want is for Pakistan’s army to keep shedding blood against America’s Islamist foes.
And Pakistan’s leaders know two other things: (a) their ability to do more of Washington’s dirty work is marginal because the destabilizing civil war caused by being a US ally is entering the Punjab region; and (b) the Islamists can only be beaten if the US military does its own killing and bleeding.
The Pakistanis also must have had quite a laugh when Clinton said she is aware that ‘some Pakistani official’ knows the location of Osama bin Laden and hoped that data would be given to Washington. Even if true, the Pakistanis must have wondered why they would give bin Laden to the Americans now, after Obama and NATO have said they’re leaving, and earn hatred from tens of millions of Muslims when they’re already faced with cleaning up the mess Western military failure will leave in Afghanistan.
How did Pakistan get into this state? Well the disaster is based on a mistaken judgment: former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf believed the US government was serious about destroying the Islamists who attacked it on 9/11. As a career military officer, Musharraf surely thought US political leaders and generals would react as he and his peers would have reacted; that is, by destroying the attackers. Based on this expectation and under intense US pressure, Musharraf provided more aid for the US war effort than any other US ally, NATO or otherwise.
After 9/11, Musharraf allowed US military and intelligence services to expand their presence in Pakistan, and provided much needed military airspace. His security services worked with US counterparts to seize multiple, senior al-Qaeda leaders in Pakistan’s cities. He helped destroy the Taliban regime, even though Islamabad couldn’t have had an Afghan regime more compatible with Pakistan’s national interests. He also allowed part of Karachi harbor to become a naval and resupply base for US and NATO forces.
Most damagingly, though, Musharraf sent Pakistan’s conventional army into the Pashtun tribal lands along the border with Afghanistan for the first time since Pakistan was formed. Until Musharraf’s action, the tribes had tolerated the Islamabad regime only because the latter didn’t interfere in their affairs and provided various economic subsidies.
Photo Credit: US Defence Department
Riaz Missen
While assessing the (in)ability of Pakistan, a frontline state, the most of the writers forget about the fact that India ‘does not’ agree with the US on the aims and objectives of the War on Terror. It amassed troops on the Pakistani border at a time the Al-Qaeda and Taliban leadership was fleeing Afghanistan and taking refuge in the tribal belt of the neighbouring country. Had Pakistani forces acted in unison with war coalition, the story of the Islamic militancy would have been over once for all; raising ante against Pakistan helped religous groups to find a space in politics and keep Musharraf away from introducing certain clauses in constitution that would have improved the lot of minorities. Actually, the years of the War on Terror have been marked with uneasy relations between the neighbours. Pakistan have been detracted by India, and, hence, have fallen short of the expectations of the US. Can the US bring the neighbours closer? We should wait till the US and India are on the same page. Till that time, War on Terror will continue and Pakistan’s fate will keep on hanging in balance.
nicks
I wonder how long we would keep our eyes tightly shut and thinking that prolems doesnt exists, where it lies right in front of us..
I highly disagree with so called ‘’sacrifices” of Pakistan and its soldiers..
Oh yes, you have equal rights to disagree with me coz none of you is a victim of Pakistan sponsored terrorism..The condition Pakistan is in today is the result of its own deeds and I feel happy at last they are getting a taste of their own medicines.
Only if Pakistan had utilized its resources on basic amenities and for the development of country, it wouldn’t have been in the mess it finds itself in.
This hatred injected in the young mind against west had to bear its fruits someday and that’s what exactly Pakistan is reaping.
One who never tries to outperform others, but want to harm the performer gets doomed..I hope Pakistan learns some lessons from present and past but at the same time, i know and am fully aware that Pakistan never learns neither from its mistakes nor from history.
abrar
Michael Scheurer views are closer to truth,it is a joke how the main stream media cherry picks the negatives about Pakistan’s role.wonder why and who is bankrolling them to do so?
Vijay D
Michael Scheuer has a combination of Switzerland and Stockholm syndrome that can only end being lethal for him and Pakistan
Syed
Fantastic article by Mr. Scheuer. Pakistan has paid the highest price of helping the US in the War at times sacrifice itself for NATO soldiers. While Pakistan has been fighting terrorists, India has been instigating unrest in Balochistan. On top of that India has been increasing arrogant in shunning dialogue with Pakistan and making regular threats of military force. Only with the support of allies like America can we become strong and stable and build a sufficient defense to deter all potential aggressors.
Brij
There are many prices which Pakistan hasn’t paid yet. Pakistan has not paid the price for genocide against its minorities, whose share of population went from 30% in 1947 to less than 1% today. Pakistan has not paid for the crimes of sponsoring terrorism in India for decades. Pakistan has much to pay for. And yet, instead of penance, Pakistan is preparing for massive destruction of everything and everyone it hates, including its own, ugly reality.
Usman
It is high time for India to pay for the crimes it has committed and continues to commit against its minorities and its violation of international law on countless occasions. The crimes committed against the Naxalites, Sikhs, Kashmiris, and Assamese will come home to roost for India someday. And its repeated violations of international law have all been committed under this hoax, this sham, that they like to call the “Indian Union”.
Ydouneed2know
These comments show your inability to make an objective judgment. Democracy is not where there aren’t no problems, it is about solving a problem to the satisfaction of everybody. Secondly, actions of individuals can’t be attributed to the state itself. If we had communal riots then those thugs and scoundrels are being hounded by the govt and the courts – Khandhamal, Gujrat….how many more examples you need. The fact that a highly educated Sikh is the Prime Minister of India should shatter any concoctions about Hindu-Sikh issues. Assam -? The leaders of ULFA don’t have the guts to stand up to their own beliefs and are running to China and wherenot? Many of their tops leaders have surrendered or have been arrested and Assam didn’t go up in flames!!! Kashmir – that ratfu**er called Syed Geelani shouldn’t have been saved by the Indian Army 3 decades ago and that’s the mistake we made when the Kashmiris were about to lynch that mofo when he supported Zia after he hung Bhutto. All these separatists roam around enjoying Indian govt’s services with Indian passports ratfu**ing Indian taxpayers money and make it a religious quarrel. We may have issues but we will solve justly according to democratic norms. We are not perfect and we know that. But you are far worse and you don’t realise that.
Contrast this to Pakistan – all genocides have been state sponsored. The Punjab govt has donated millions to JuD. Ahmedis are not considered Muslims by state ordinances, even the press don’t call them Muslims!!! You don’t have an answer to loss of B’desh other than to blame somebody else. You use fighter jets to kill Balochis. You take their resources and don’t give them anything. In constrast the Kashmiris are being well fed by the Indian tax payers.
Blaming somebody else might satisfy and massage your ego but it hardly addresses the issues or helps in solving the problem. Read an article written by one of your own journos in TheNews in Oct/2009 when the Kerry Lugar bill was passed – he said Pakistan is nothing more than a condom!!!
RealityCheck
And what about the price India and its rabid Hindu Nationalist (I assume you are one of them) have to pay for all the blood they have on their hands? For crying out loud, forget about Pakistan and for a change consider your own atrocities. When will Indians get tired of bashing and maligning Pakistan? Wise up and look within, lest you find yourself facing an ugly reality inside India (think Gujrat, Kashmir, Maoists rebellions…). Let’s also not forget to mention the RAW-sponsored terrorism within Pakistan that goes unrecognized by mainstream media. If Pakistan has a price to pay, surely by the same logic India has its own price to pay. Hindu nationalists are the biggest threat not just to India but to the entire region. The sooner Indians realize that the sooner South Asia can move forward.
Brij
Killings in Indian Kashmir: Pakistan trained and armed jihadis are responsible.
Killings in Indian Punjab between 1978-1994: Pakistan trained Khalistani terrorists are responsible.
Genocide in pre-independence Bangladesh (3 million dead): Pakistan army at work.
The annihilation of all civilized things in Afghanistan: Pakistan again.
9/11 terrorists’ source of funds: Pakistan’s ISI
London and Bombay bombers: Pakistanis and Pak-origin suiciders
Genocide of minorities in Pakistan (population of whom went from 30% to 1% in 20-30 years): Pakistan’s version of Da’wa
Pakistan is an unnatural creation – a monster. It deserves to die. Let’s just hope this death is smooth and not violent.
Robert Mulcahy
Let me ask to the whole world! Why are we in Aghanistan to begin with? If somebody is telling me that we are there because of 9/11 attack and to prevent us from another attack, then only a toddler would beleive that. The 9/11 attack was conducted either from Europe or it is an insider’s job. I am not a consipiracy believer. However, only toddlers beleive that Afghanistan is responsible for that attack. Also, what Pakistan has contributed to the war on terror, the rest of the world combined has not. Thousands of Pakistan’s solderis died, thousands of its citizens died. What more are we expecting? If the same sacrifice any other European country or even Israel had given, we would have lavishly provided 100 billion dollars of aid already. Our war on terror is fake. We have a totally different agenda. What we forgot is that we have lost our economy, our country is bankrupt, and above all we can anytime economically collapse. What a sham is it. We have spent no less than 5 trillion dollars on this criminal agenda that could have been used to rebuild our great Country and could have continued to be a superpower for another 200 years. My heart goes out. When my forefathers arrived from Scotland in 1753, who had given their lives to build this nation, what they must have been looking down to what is happening to this nation of hope. Stop this lying. Why should we become sacrifical meat for the nations like India or Israel or Saudi Arabia. Go and fight you own wars. Don’t use us for your interests.
Brij
Who asked you to trust the Pakistanis for help in Afghanistan? Has even one objective in Afghanistan been met? No. And that is because Pakistan sabotages all solutions except the one it prefers – the rule of the barbaric Talibans and a radical Islamist ideology which Pakistan can support with money, training and ethnocides.
Do not be so naive as to believe that leaving Afghanistan in the hands of the Taliban and Pakistan will keep you safe. There are a dozen groups like Al-Qaeda in Pakistan which would love to kill Americans any way they can – and the reasons can be varied, such as American bases in Islamic / Arabic countries, deaths in Iraq, support of Israel etc.
Your terrorist enemies are multiplying in numbers in Pakistan. Do not run and hide. They will take that as a sign of weakness and they will go on the offensive worldwide.
Alexander Younger
An insightful article, as usual, from Mr. Scheuer.
Mohdemes
Resurgence of Taliban seems to be a forgone conclusion if this Scheuer is to be believed. Afghanistan has been a graveyard of Empires is the conventional wisdom. US is trying to buck the trend and defy history. It is still too early to say if US will succeed or fail. Shelf life of these kind of insurgencies is between 10 to 13 years. Statistically one can say US is losing but its never over till its over.
Strangely enough people never stop to think what is the right thing to do. In most case we, ordinary people, dont have the all facts to form a informed opinion or to judge.
Pakistan according to most reports is in a dire condition. If US wins in Afghanistan then the Islamist in pakistan will be really mad and take it out on the Pakistan government. Plus the old enemy India will catch pakistan in a pincer from east and west.
If Taliban wins then taliban may want to take a revenge against Pakistan governement for helping US. Also islamists of Pakistan will have a morale boost and continue in their attempt to overthrow the government.
There is never a good result for a ill thought and unjust action. trillions have been wasted; thousands of life lost; millions of people have become bitter nemies; our infrastructure is collapsing; unemployment is rising; What was it for?
When Empires fall its never because of one single battle but a series of battles and bad decisions over a stretch of time. This Empire will continue its course and like all empires live out its life.
Brij
The only thing required for evil to triumph in large part of the world, is for good men to do nothing in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
lawrence fitton
what do we care about the taliban? serously folks, are we a nation of still in knickers? infact what do we care about the problems, nuances, rivalries, between a multiplicity of factions in afpak? what are we doing? no one knows. no one cares, so long as we do it. so long as we talk tough, and kill, something will get done.
fear becomes stupid, then obscene, then glory.
hey, maybe if we all hide under our beds the goatherders of the himalayas will pass by on magic carpets without saying boo.
Scott
“(b) the Islamists can only be beaten if the US military does its own killing and bleeding.”
This is a stupid quote and conclusion. You’ve succumbed to Imperial Hubris. Our presence there, our killing of innocents fuels this insurgency.
The only way your quote is correct is if we have a force of 5 warrant officers and marshals to go arrest the last 15 Al Queda in the region. If we so much as fail to take our boots off when serving warrants–full of due process, we will fail.
Mike, our foot print offends. Our demands that Pakis do our bidding–there’s no difference between expecting others to do our bidding or thinking we can trash another country to do some police work.
I have respect for Mr Scheuer but he’s been drifting this way. Al Quieda represents a problem of democracy not a lack of our military umbrella. You never described the shake down that many believe Pakistan is running. This just netted them $500M.
It’s entirely possible too that not only is Pakistan playing both sides of the coin, but we are too. After all, all this military spending, while causing suffering abroad, defrauds and rips of the AMerican taxpayer. Mr Scheuer should make a clear cogent point, find a way to operationalize it and then make his argument. As is, he supporting some nebulous claim and the continuing commitment of American taxpayer blood and treasure for the clear benefit that would go only to war contractors. Nothing else is certain or clear.
Certainly, a foreign occupation force won’t be able to sort this out. We don’t know anything about this place culturally. How can we police through illiteracy. And, who’s talking about policing? Not Scheuer, he’s advocating military forces, forces that breed more resentment more self defeating strategy.
Dana Norton
Pakistan is dealing with part of the problem and the civil war is against similar people as the Taliban is. So if they do not deal with them it would be a problem sooner or later. you can blame the US for the civil war, but only if you think that the world is a better place with the Taliban and other like them.
ghouri
There are so many questions left unanswered The problems is you can lie as you like but no body will believe, believe me 9/11 was biggest mistake what the US did. Then Taleban offered to deliver Osama and even try in international court was dismissed typical power intoxination.War is no option to settle the problems and human being have so for not accepted it.This is a truth.
Musharraf have cooperated and then was punished by demanding more and more and on the orders of Busch so many mosques were destroyed by Musharraf then the massacre of innocent boys and childrens in Lal masjid and then he were out one by another mistakes he made and this was a curse from God.US policy from the beginning was to dictate as they know their feur power. Now the problem is we have to accept the realities.The only blame game is going on and even India was encouraged to do the same threat and blames but how long truth you can,t hide. Indians copied the same thing by killing their own people in Bombay. Terrorist can only destroy their own country but beyond that it is not possible if then why you spent huge amount on your security apparatus.
Hatred against america in Pakistan and in the world is too high we are fighting and killing our own citizens and India is killing civilians in kashmir. This is a reward given to india by america and to Israel kill and kill.
Clington is her visit was dictating terms which the media rejected immidiately.Pakistan can help in exit but they have to give something as we have lost our people and economy and India is getting one after another reward for that.Our daughter Dr.Affia kidnapped in Karachi by CIA and kept in Belgram jail for years. A pakistani women to feurarms or use arms is not possible but blame game is going on one after another. I ask she is Neurologist and studied in america may be she was a CIA agent and how she can do it. This is black spot in the history of american juctice how she was tried treated and sentenced.The same judiciary of US on which we were proud is now worst in the world. I have laready written after exit the whole drama will be public in US.
Ashi
The article smacks of having preconceived notions of the author. Pakistan’s civil war is a directly related to agreement it had entered into militant groups which allowed the militants a free hand in NWFP bordering Afghanistan, thus allowing the Afghan and foreign (mainly Uzbek)militants to escape from Afghanistan and enter Pakistan. Thus the militants got a safe haven to regroup and attack NATO in Afghanistan. But not all of them went towards western border and some started going to Pakistan heartland and Swat region. Subsequent attacks within Pakistan and US pressure led to Pakistan attacking the very places it had declared as safe havens for militants and the commotion started…
Thus as much as Afghanistan was result of US mistakes, Pakistan’s civil war is a result of its own wrong doings.
Djalma Santos
The author is stuck in a 1980’s mindset unfortunately… The US is in Afghanistan is the first place because of an over-reliance on Pakistan in the 1980’s and 1990’s to stabilize Afghanistan. What happened then? We got the Taliban as a result.
The US is rolling out the red carpet to Russia, India, China and even Iran (although the latter two are not spoken about publicly) to create a lasting balance of power in Afghanistan. The 1990’s scenario (with Pakistan’s proxy, the Taliban, controlling everything) is a nightmare scenario for the US and one that should never be followed again…