VIEW: Americans in Afghanistan —Dr Mubashir Hasan
Since its birth, Pakistan has served the US slavishly enough to earn the title of a client state. Even today, the rivers of Afghan blood irrigate the American killing fields in Afghanistan with the crucial help of Pakistan
While innocently attributing the assertion to unnamed Pakistani and American officials, Jane Perlez, Eric Schmitt and Carlotta Gall, in their despatch to The New York Times (NYT) on June 24, 2010, unfairly accuse Pakistan of “exploiting the troubled US military effort in Afghanistan to drive home a political settlement with Afghanistan that would give Pakistan important influence there but is likely to undermine US interests”.
For a long time, the US has considered Pakistan a reliable partner. Since its birth, Pakistan has served the US slavishly enough to earn the title of a client state. Even today, the rivers of Afghan blood irrigate the American killing fields in Afghanistan with the crucial help of Pakistan.
History is witness that the Afghans never surrender before foreigners. They will not agree to be subservient to the US or Pakistan or a combination of both. In today’s situation, the best course for the US is to work in collaboration with Pakistan so that one day, with the permission of Afghanistan, it is in a position to make investments in that country.
According to these journalists, Afghan officials alleged that “General Kayani had offered to broker a deal with the Afghan Taliban leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, and had sent envoys to Kabul from another insurgent leader and longtime Pakistani ally, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, with the offer of a 15-point peace plan in March.”
The NYT piece also asserts, “Pakistan is presenting itself as the new viable partner for Afghanistan to President Hamid Karzai, who has soured on the Americans. Pakistani officials say they can deliver the network of Sirajuddin Haqqani, an ally of al Qaeda who runs a major part of the insurgency in Afghanistan, into a power-sharing arrangement.”
According to Jane Perlez and her fellow journalists, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is a friend of President Hamid Karzai and the Pakistani general also exercises significant influence on Afghan Taliban leaders Mullah Muhammad Omar and ‘longtime Pakistani ally’ Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. The question arises then, what is the US waiting for? It has a golden opportunity to make its exit from Afghanistan by negotiating the best possible terms in these exigent circumstances.
And that is not all. They also say, “There have long been suspicions among Afghan, American and other western officials that the Pakistanis were holding the Haqqanis in reserve for just such a moment, as a lever to shape the outcome of the war in its favour…On repeated occasions, Pakistan has used the Haqqani fighters to hit Indian targets inside Afghanistan according to American intelligence officials. The Haqqanis have also hit American ones, a possible signal from the Pakistanis to the Americans that it is in their interest too, to embrace a deal.”
The Pakistani generals are at war. The country has lost more than 3,000 soldiers on its own soil in this fight. Because of the war and its economic burden, Pakistan is a bankrupt, lawless and corruption-ridden country. It is fighting for its existence. In such a situation, what is wrong if the Pakistanis are doing as the writers say they are? As for their reference to the Indians, may one ask what are the Indians doing in Afghanistan?
There is yet another important factor that should tempt the US to listen to the Pakistani general. According to the NYT, “The Taliban, including the Haqqani group, are ready to ‘do a deal’ over al Qaeda, a senior Pakistani official close to the Pakistani army said. The Haqqanis could tell al Qaeda to move elsewhere because it had been given nine years of protection since 9/11.”
It is in the highest interests of the US, Pakistan and also Afghanistan that the present window of opportunity of the American exit from Afghanistan is not missed. The end of American occupation is the key to the beginnings of peace in the region. The sooner the US leaves Afghanistan and the sooner the Pakistan Army forgets that it should have a role for maintaining its influence in its neighbour, the better it would be for all concerned.
The writer can be reached at mh1@lhr.comsats.net.pk
Mohammed Abbasi 