A periodic paranoia

The US used to be a very likeable country till the neo-cons took over in 2001. Its democracy defined by its due process and, somewhat conditional, equal opportunity for all held out a great appeal for the freedom-loving human beings. Despite the democratic dimension, dangerous lobbies mostly dominated its political system with boisterous backing of Mammon. Accordingly a US administration, generally, has to heed horrendous vested interests while deciding its policy. The latter are represented by what President Eisenhower in the 1960s pinpointed as the Military Industrial Complex as well as special-interest groups like the Zionists. Being an advanced society, it has established quality think tanks which tend to set up intellectual international standards. However, for some such serious pursuit can mean a sick mindset.

Seth Cropsey, a former navy official and a senior fellow of the Hudson Institute/DC, has written a tedious treatise entitled Will There Always Be Pakistan in the Foreign Policy Magazine on December 11, 2009. After making impolitic remarks, he ends up by exploiting a political remark of Mr Zardari on the death of Bibi Shaheed. He wrote: "President Zardari had quoted some rioters as saying Pakistan na khappay (Pakistan does not exist), and had tried to quiet the crowd, telling them that Pakistan khappay (Pakistan does exist). He was right...for the moment." Obviously, it was an emotional outburst from some people just to show their loyalty towards Ms Bhutto which their leader deflected. I would have ignored the messy column, but I am reminded of the fact that such running down of Pakistan is done quite frequently by biased braggarts in the US who may hardly know the ground realities.

Similarly, after Pakistan successfully became a nuclear state, de facto only, as a counterweight to India's similar explosion, the US imposed sanctions against her. It is a fact that the US then was using our good offices to influence Taliban in Kabul mainly for promoting the interests of UNOCAL. Therefore, the relations between the US and Pakistan had become tense.

Moreover, when I visited the US in the last quarter of 1999 for a five-month stay, every now and then, I was being rung up by worried Pakistani expatriates asking me if everything was fine in Pakistan. This was due to a spate of rumours about its 'disintegration' spread by Seth-like elements. This appears to have been the pattern since 9/11 and normally such a weapon is used to undermine Pakistan for some ulterior motive. Surely, we are vulnerable as we do not have a reputable system of governance, nor have we had leadership with integrity. Hence, it is easy to bully Pakistan.

Eric Margollis wrote in Khaleej Times: "Pakistan has been ruled since its creation in 1947 by either callous feudal landlords, who bought and sold politicians like bags of Basmati rice, or by generals. Zardari's days as Washington's man in Islamabad appear numbered. Most Pakistanis believe Washington is bent on tearing apart their unstable nation to seize its nuclear weapons. Such is the advice being given to the US by Israel." However, I believe that President Obama is well aware of the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan due to his statesmanship. As the US is stuck in Afghanistan that is raising many demons including the fatigue-syndrome, the former realises the role Pakistan can play. Despite the mutual bickering about their relations over the years, it was Pakistan that hosted the jihad courting Muslims from all over the world with help from Saudi Arabia and CIA during the Afghan War. It was this overpowering combination which brought down the Soviet Union. The rightwing loonies have been hectoring Obama to carry the war into Pakistan on the pretext of finishing the 'safe havens' established for Al-Qaeda. Undoubtedly, Obama is much too shrewd a politician as not to know what is cooking.

According to Margollis: "One is immediately reminded of the Vietnam War when the Pentagon, unable to defeat North Vietnamese army and Viet Cong forces, urged invasion of Cambodia." Responding to naïve demands by some elements in the US to take the war to Pakistan's FATA/PATA areas he warns: "Any US attack on Pakistan would be a catastrophic mistake. The Bush administration officials who foolishly advocate attacking Pakistan are playing with fire."

Besides President Obama, his administration officials, like Biden, Ms Clinton, Gates, and General Jones have sober views on the ongoing war and the possible way out of the quagmire. Even commanders like Admiral Mullen, Generals Petraeus and McChrystal recognise the importance of Pakistan's position in this crisis. The commanders are clearly conscious of the fact that Pakistan cannot go the whole hog on her western border in the face of Indian hostility. Pakistanis feel that India has become rather pretentious following the Indo-US nuclear agreement.

In addition, as the movement against Indian occupation of Kashmir soars, like a dozen 'insurgencies' by the low-caste Hindus in South/East India, the latter tries to malign Pakistan. Recently, Admiral Mullen said: "Too many people eagerly and easily criticise Pakistan for what they haven't done, and when I go to Swat and look at what they did there...it is pretty extraordinary," so he "advises patience and humility" vis-à-vis Pakistan.

Jeff Gates, the author of Guilt by Association stresses: "Ordinary Americans need the assistance of Islamabad now more than any time in the past six decades." In this context, Pakistan has offered to act without compromising her sovereignty a la "do more" mantra. The way Pakistanis are bravely facing the odds would make any nation proud. It is induced by their faith that the time, mode, and place of death are destined. Look at the police who have to face death daily and without being properly equipped they deal with it despite the prevailing mess in their lives. If we can put up such a fight while being in the gutter governance-wise, how the world would change when we can claim, like Burke did for contemporary England: "The people are the masters." An illusion as yet, thanks to power and pelf pastime of the fluky!
source: The Nation - news from Pakistan

The writer is a former secretary interior.