Time to ditch America Laila Sohail

The army is in the battlefield with a full-fledge operation underway. Pakistan is at war again, but this time our enemy is a devious one. With many faces and a single agenda, this is an enemy behind a mask – a mask that has to be lifted.

These hardcore militants that call themselves the Pakistani Taliban are seen as state enemies and the army, the politicians and the people of Pakistan are united in this war against them.

While the operation is fully supported by all parties, why is the Pakistani government not confronting the ‘real enemies’ who are running the show? These hardcore elements are foreigners with ambiguous agendas of their own (if any) with many leaders and scattered fractions. Who has organised them into a fully funded guerrilla army with the goal being neither Islam nor Shariah – but the destabilisation of Pakistan? While the answer to that question is not a mystery, why an elected democratic government sitting in Islamabad chooses to maintain its silence is definitely one.

In his speech on May 27, President Obama said “The people of Afghanistan seek the promise of a better future. And once again we’ve seen the hope of a new day darkened by violence and uncertainty. So to advance security, opportunity and justice, we need agricultural specialists and educators, engineers and lawyers. That’s how we can help the Afghan government serve its people…”

Situated on Northwest Africa’s Atlantic coast, Mauritania is one of the world’s poorest countries, suffering from socio-economic ills, an unstable political system; a failing economy with limited resources and a long history of military takeovers. So why doesn’t the United States of America make the lives of the people of Mauritania easier by providing them security, opportunity and justice?

Simple enough: because Mauritania does not have anything to offer to the United States. The vision of the US for the world is basically US intervention in as many countries as possible, in the name of sometimes saving them and other times saving themselves as long as it serves whatever strategic or economic interests the US has in the region. So if you have oil, a strategic location or potential to grow and idiots for leaders, get ready to be saved by the United States.

While the US may be fighting a war based on myths and legends including Osama bin Laden, Pakistan is fighting a war against highly trained guerrilla fighters, many of whom have been killed and captured. The Pakistani army is not chasing shadows. It is engaged in battle with men of flesh and blood who are trained mercenaries, men who have been given warfare, and linguistic training. When we say that there is RAW/MOSAD involvement, all under the nose (and blessings) of CIA, we are not shooting arrows in the dark, we have proof including photographs, Indian currency being found in Swat, sophisticated weapons manufactured in the US, India and the Soviet Union.

Moving from Swat to Waziristan, Akber Bugti’s grandson, Brahmdagh Bugti was traced in Kabul, living 4 houses from Hamid Karzai’s (apparently the President of Afghanistan) residence. Brahmdagh is heading the BLA army and leading a separatist movement against Pakistan. He himself has admitted to being present in Afghanistan and declared that accepting foreign aid to fund the separatist movement is his right. When 26/11 happens, the Indian media has a hysteria fit; blaming it on Pakistan within only a few hours of the incident and the Indian government follows its lead. They can get away with blaming it on Pakistan on the story of one out of 10 men that they managed to capture, and we have a confession from the horse’s mouth himself, and the most Rehman Malik can say is that there is some “foreign hand” involved. Which foreign hand? Turkmenistan? Why can’t you call a spade a spade?

Why can Pakistan not confront India and demand for it to stop sending terrorists through Afghanistan into Pakistani territory? We can’t because we have an inept government in place with those at the power centre only advocating Washington’s agenda. National sovereignty and dignity are not on their agendas. The President meets the Indian Prime Minister and is instructed to stop the terrorists and do more. He sits through it grinning, without as much as mentioning the Indian terrorists (that actually exist in contrast to imaginary Pakistani ones).

Instead of receiving lists sent by India containing the names of some alleged Pakistanis to be handed over on some fabricated stories, Pakistan should demand the handover of one Lt Col P S Purohit, who is an Indian resident, an ex-army official and responsible for the killing of 68 passengers in the Samjhota Express tragedy as admitted by Indian authorities themselves

If Pakistan has to deal with suicide bombings, political murders or the IDPs crisis, it is solely because the United States decided to interfere – and not to much surprise – messed up in Afghanistan. 20 years ago the US needed Pakistan to defeat the Soviets. After a triumphant win, the United States decided to pack its bags and go back, leaving Pakistan to face the music. The influx of over 5 million refugees, which had to be clothed, fed and given shelter, was conveniently forgotten by the US in its victory dance. The US rooted out when the generosity was actually needed.

Is this going to be a repeat performance?

Our representatives go all over the world with begging bowls dangling from their necks, and we have to bear humiliating conditions set by the US. We are ready to sacrifice our sovereignty and our dignity all for green bills – we sure don’t see them being used anywhere around here. If all the aid had been used to build schools or hospitals or roads to be used by the common man, one might fear losing out on these facilities by denying the aid. But that is not the case. So who calls the shots for deciding that the aid has become too costly for Pakistan, and is maligning the very ideology on which Pakistan was built? Obviously not our politicians. They can’t look beyond their big cars and fancy houses. National integrity is a concept they are alien to, as they can’t relate to integrity even on a personal level. It should be the Pakistani nation calling the shots. It should be the people of Pakistan deciding. But like all other things that ‘should’ be, this is also far-fetched idealism.

Pakistan can’t be expected to deal with the mayhem every time the United States decides to interfere in the region – and fails. It is about time that we told the United States that Pakistan is not its 53rd state. We are capable of making our own policies and solving our own problems, we don’t need dictation. As for India, it might have deluded itself into believing that it is the next United States, but the rest of the world maintains its sanity. India should look into its own territories to clear the mirage. The T20 World cup defeat would be a good starting point.

We can either wait for policy-makers with a slight evidence of a brain to start working in the United States, or separate our ways now, before further damage is done. Considering the dim chances of the former happening, it is time to ditch the United States now, or else get our hands dirty with the mess the US leaves behind. When will our politicians start acting as democrats? The 11 men who lead us to victory at Lord’s made us proud. We are still waiting for those sitting in the parliament to start their innings. The Statesman