Who is Entangling Americans in Afghanistan?

By Atta Rasool Malik

Americans are entangled or leaving Afghanistan is still a hot topic in Islamabad. Other important gossip which dominated few days back and now seen as fete de compli (irreversible since written in the fate), were General Pervaiz Kiani reappointment as chief of army staff and Hillary Clinton’s visit to Islamabad. We congratulate Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani for bringing feudal lords, Pir, Maulanas, sincere bureaucrats and now Military establishment on one platform in best service of democracy. Politicians whether holding fair or fake degree, given a chance can create consensus, so essential to further the spirit of democracy. Today, every stake holder stands happy and protected so people of Pakistan have no right not to be happy over such historic occasion.

  Back to topic, when Americans are going to leave Afghanistan? If you ask this question from well informed personals of Pakistan, mean agency walas, (People from intelligence agencies) whether serving or retired they will give you  highly contradictory and ambiguous answer and yet complain, there is no political support from masses. Wow.  How can masses support a policy which is not known to them?

If one ask from civilian defense analysts or well read soldiers (mean senior military commanders). He will lecture as assertive and bitter as Hillary Clinton ‘talk’ delivered to carefully selected audience comprising credible and disciplined  reporters along with   elite and potential elite, on, how to govern Pakistan. Such wise men insist, first we need to understand why American came to this part of the land, Afghanistan?   In cold war era, Afghanistan was a term used by Americans for some thing unimportant, some thing very far off. (Though, Mike Mullen and Hal broke visits to Afghanistan and Pakistan have proved that these places are not far off.) They will inform you that USA has vital interests in the region. You see, USSR is not fully disintegrated and Americans want to ensure each -stan (all central Asian republics) develop well founded friction with Russians, among themselves and there is no chance that Islamic identities are re-established.  ‘Great game’ and ‘New Great Game’, Caspian oil, pipe line politics, Silk Road, containment of China, prevention of ever expanding Chinese trade, disruption of energy corridor through Afghanistan and Pakistan, recent discovery of Trillion dollars minerals in Afghanistan, Blockade of Iranian export of oil and gas to energy thirsty China and Pakistan, stoppages of transmission of oil to European market through Gawader Port which can destroy USA monopoly of oil business in dollars, are some of the themes one has to digest, to qualify for simple answer, when American are leaving Afghanistan ? One can summaries these arguments; USA has vital interests in Afghanistan; hence, they are not leaving Afghanistan any time soon

Few days back I went to my village bordering FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) where People were badly struck with flash floods. For hours my family talked about other people miseries only to prove that we were less miserable. I enjoyed this fine way of consoling each other.

Later on, gathering turned to soft topic. Islamabadia, (literally meaning resident of Islamabad but a term used in  countryside to denote people who have no concern or understanding of problems of common people of Pakistan) When American are leaving Afghanistan? ; asked my uncle. I was recently educated and bubbling with knowledge. I narrated whole story of Americans interests in the region and concluded they are not going to leave Afghanistan any time soon. My mother appreciated my knowledge of history but for most of my family members it was a good bed time story and they were yawning and searching for their beds in darkness due to load shedding of electricity which had extended that day for twelve hours.

My uncle, an old man in seventies, well conversant with Afghans traditions was not impressed. He said every one who invaded Afghanistan in the past, too had some motivation, some interests, and some purpose to embark upon such adventure. Likewise, if Americans have some interests in the region, it is not a matter of great surprise. Actual question is, can Americans stay in Afghanistan despite Pashtun and Taliban resistance? He himself replied. No. They can not stay for long. Americans can not fight Taliban despite their superiority in technology.  Taliban are simple people with simple living style and firm belief in God. For Taliban, sufferings come from God to gauge them as to who is firm and steadfast in the time of hardships. They rightly believe, those who stand by the test would be rewarded with greatest reward, paradise, the dream and purpose of life of every Muslim in this world. That is why Taliban never suffer from low morale despite huge losses of men and material. With increasing losses they become better motivated for revenge, a tradition of tribal culture. Religion, culture, terrain and above all simple way of life support Taliban. They have moral ascendancy; they have a cause to fight. Taliban have not destroyed Twin Towers, and they are not fighting on American’s main land. US have come to fight them in their country, the land where their forefather lived. Russians had their interest, too, these interests were more vital than Americans but they had to leave. They were more willing to make sacrifices than Americans and they were better motivated. Their understanding of people and terrain was better, but what happened. They bled white.

In tribal culture, there existed poor and rich but there was minimum social difference because of blood ties. Rich were not indifferent to poor’s problems. Maliks of such tribes did not cheat their people like Baloch Sardar, Punjabi or Sindhi Pir and feudal lords. Afghans society particularly rural one had enjoyed semblance of respect, freedom and social justice and because of what they are resisting change. Mind you, division of Afghanistan will destabilize entire region, though Afghanistan is artificial state and living museum of different races, ethnicity, cultures, languages and sectarian affiliations. Yet it has sizeable population of all ethnicity with whom it borders i.e. Tajik, Kirgiz, Uzbek, Turkmen, Balochs and Pashtuns. Great poet Allama Iqbal had described Afghanistan as heart of Asia. If it is disturbed, neighboring countries would also be disturbed, for example Uzbekistan, Kirgizstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Pakistan and even India will be affected if borders of Afghanistan are redrawn as being considered by USA think tanks.

Once USA leaves, yes, there will be bloody civil war again. Power politics of Afghanistan, which was established for the last three centuries, has been badly imbalanced Kabul has been ruled for the first time by Non-Pashtuns (Northern-Alliance) under Americans occupation since Ahmed shah Abdali’s times (1747). Non-Pashtune do deserve fair share but not total domination of central Govt. USA will have to leave irrespective of their vital national interest in the Afghanistan. This is known to USA but they have been badly entangled in Afghanistan by their own contractors/firms and few other friendly countries to whom USA know very well. Americans are neither allowed to win the war nor letting them become fully frustrated to leave. There are so many good Americans and Europeans, who now really want to compensate their atrocities and build Afghanistan but they will not succeed since they have lost trust of Taliban and commons people of Afghanistan. Afghanistan is battle ground its roots are in Pakistan. People of Pakistan do not trust USA and hence, insurgency in Afghanistan will keep finding moral support from Pakistan. USA should leave Afghanistan, earlier the better.

             Humidity, load shedding and mosquito were becoming unbearable; I asked my uncle, Baba Jee, What would you tell Pakistani Govt? I enquired. I shall tell them; Indians may train Afghan army and even relieve NATO. Don’t fear Indians and never interfere in Afghans affairs. Let Indians do any good to Afghanistan irrespective of their intensions. Pakistan security is neither endangered nor its western border is unsafe until and unless tribes of FATA turn against Pakistan.

Pakistani Govt must stop heavy artillery fire and Jet firing on tribes in FATA.