US Double Standards in GWOT Proved

By Zaheerul Hassan

Reportedly, in an early morning of 29 May 2013, a U.S. Drone Strike killed four men in Pakistani Tribal area near North Waziristan. According to Pakistani officials, one of those killed in the strike was Wali ur Rehman, the number two commander of Pakistani Taliban but known as a rival to the leader of the TTP, Hakimullah Mehsud. 

According to the reliable sources, Wali ur Rehman was considered to be a more moderate and likely to be engage himself in serious peace negotiations with Islamabad. In this connection, Saifullah Mahsud, director of the FATA Research Centre said, "I would rather have Wali ur Rehman alive than dead”.  He also stressed that killing of Wali, would now strengthens the Hakimullah Mehsud clan. Saifullah also claimed, "Hakimullah represents the very worst of the TTP." 

Hakimullha is also closely associated with Mangal Bagh and Maulana Fazlullah militant leader of Swat presently sheltered in Afghanistan.  Moreover,   Maulvi Faqir, former deputy `commander’ along with four accomplices identified as Shahid Umar, Maulana Hakeemullah Bajauri, Maulana Turabi and Fateh  of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan from Bajaur,  have been arrested by Afghan security forces when they entered into Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province in February 2013. Despite Pakistani demand, Afghan government has not handed over of the TTP spokesman Maulvi Faqir and other militants to Pakistan. 

Thus, targeting an individual who was interested in negotiations with the government, not handing over Maulvi Faqir, providing shelter to Maulana Fazlullah in Afghanistan, continuation of drone attacks and supporting anti Pakistan elements in Balochistan are very big questions mark over  U.S. sincerity  in culmination of war on terror.  

Anyhow, Pakistani foreign office has shown concern over the strike and issued the statement,   "Drone strikes are counter-productive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives, have human rights and humanitarian implications and violate the principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law".

It is the first drone attack after election May 11, 2013. Notably, PML (N) Chief Mr. Nawaz Sharif, who has yet to be sworn in as prime minister, PPP, PTI winner of KPK (Northern western province of Pakistan) and other leading political parties have repeatedly declared the drone attack counterproductive. The newly elected political parties are determined to end the drone attacks, and have held out the prospect of peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban.

CIA launched drone strike   comes six days after President Barack Obama speech, in which he promised to close down the operation in Afghanistan by 2014 and vowed to rein in the use of drone strikes. According to the carefully calculated data by Bureau of Investigative Journalism estimates 369 total CIA launched drone strikes in Pakistan from 2004-13, of which 312 occurred under Obama’s direction. In these attacks till today (May 29, 2013) between 2,545 and 3,537 people were killed, 417-851 of which are civilians, and 168-197 of which are children.

On 9 May 2013, Peshawar High court has declared that US drone strikes in the tribal belt are illegal, inhuman and the sovereignty of the country. The court has directed the government to move a resolution against the attacks in the United Nations. The court urged, “If the US vetoes the resolution, then the country should think about breaking diplomatic ties with the US”. The High Court issued the verdict against the strikes by CIA-operated spy planes in response to four petitions that contended the attacks killed civilians and caused “collateral damage”.

In terms of finical and lives, Pakistan has suffered with a closely losses from September 11,20O1, to date. According to media reports, country’s supreme Intelligence aagencies while defending a petition in the Supreme Court stated that Pakistan has lost 49,000 lives. As per their statics, more than 24,000 people including civilians and elements of security forces have been killed in terrorist attacks during the period between 2001 and 2008. Another 25,000-plus people died during military operations against Taliban insurgents in tribal regions since 2008.

According to the Attorney’s report, the armed forces have suffered 15,681 casualties while fighting Taliban militants in the tribal areas. Moreover, due to foreign sponsored militant, 5,152 civilians have been killed and 5,678 injured in bomb blasts and suicide attacks since 2008. Similarly, 3,051 insurgents were killed and 1,228 wounded in security operations during the same period.

The report further stated that 235 suicide hits, 9,257 rocket attacks and 4,256 bomb explosions in the last five years. More than 200 members of tribal peace committees, or Lashkars, including volunteers and chieftains, were also killed and 275 wounded in targeted attacks in the last three years.  TTP insurgents also destroyed 1,030 schools and colleges were destroyed in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa from 2009 to 2013.

Anyway, future historian while penning down the history will make U.S. responsible   for regional instability, killing of innocent people, causing insecurity, spreading fear of unknown in US masses and hate between civilizations. If Washington feels it otherwise, then she must adopt pragmatic approach of resolving Afghan issue through smooth exit of her troops, rather than playing cards to increase her influence in CAR’s states.