Pakistan

It has been over eight years, soon after 9/11, that America invaded Afghanistan. America has over hundred thousand troops and Britain has over fifteen thousand. Other NATO countries have also contributed troops in single digit thousands. The invasion was undertaken as the perpetrators of 9/11, Al Qaeda organization, led by Osama Bin Laden was in hiding in Afghanistan. Prior to invasion America had demanded the handing over of Osama Bin Laden and his accomplices from Mulla Omar led government of Taliban. Mulla Omar denied the said demand. Despite a lapse of eight years, NATO forces have neither been able to capture Osama Bin Laden or Mulla Omar nor have they been able to neutralize Al Qaeda. Only a few months ago Obama sent around seventeen thousand troops to Afghanistan. The present American military commander has been demanding reinforcement by another forty four thousand troops for last few weeks.

It has been over seven years that America invaded Afghanistan in pursuit of Al Qaeda who according to them masterminded 9/11 attacks. History of Afghanistan bears testimony to the fact that no invader has ever been able to reign in the Afghans. The achievements, if any, of US and NATO troops to date also indicate the same. Afghan government and the foreign troops are restricted to a couple of cities and the rest of the country is under control of Taliban, allies of Al Qaeda.

There are indications that sooner or later Americans intend leaving Afghanistan. It's doubtful that this departure would take place after eliminating Taliban and Al Qaeda. So, once foreign troops leave, Taliban will be back in control of Kabul and will be running Afghan government. Having alienated Taliban, how Pakistan is going to deal with Taliban led government?

America is inducting another 20,000 troops in Afghanistan. Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Yousaf Raza Gilani has very rightly and timely expressed the reservations against this move. This induction is likely to intensify the hunt of Al Qaeda and Taliban by the US and NATO troops in Afghanistan pushing the terrorists in larger numbers to Pakistan increasing its existing problems of security and insurgency.

Government has announced increase in the head money of Fazlullah, the leader of Taliban in Swat, and four of his accomplices. There are dozens of other Al Qaeda and Taliban commanders, including Osama Bin Laden and Baitullah Mahsud, whose head money is more than enough to make a fortune. The latter two are yet to be captured despite lapse of many years. Raising head money has not worked to date and is not likely to work this time. Government has to find some other means to capture or kill the Al Qaeda and Taliban commanders!

North America, the entire western world, Russia, India, Afghanistan, Iran and sundry have vowed to fight the menace of Al Qaeda and Taliban as they are the chief source of terrorism the world over. However, it is common knowledge and has become all the more evident during Swat operation that the terrorists are well equipped with sophisticated weaponry manufactured by the countries neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan. Some of the weapons captured during Swat operation also have the manufacturing origin of America. Either this weaponry is being supplied by these countries contrary to their stated political stand of supporting anti terrorist activities or the terrorists are getting plenty of money to buy the weapons on their own, or may be, it is the combination of both. It appears that a big game of politics is going on in which all the aforementioned countries are directly or indirectly supporting terrorism in stead of opposing it for their respective vested interests. Having become a beggar state internationally, we can't point our fingers at anyone, and even if we do, we can't do anything beyond that. We need to put our own house in order in stead of expecting others to do things for us recognizing fully well that others would do what suits them and not us. We need to multiply our intelligence efforts to understand the plot, formulate a comprehensive policy and assemble our indigenous resources to deal with it,

In the recent past, particularly, since the Swat operation, US media is repeatedly showing its concerns about the shifting of Al Qaeda infrastructure in Pakistan. American government officials have also acknowledged the move of Taliban and Al Qaeda from Afghanistan to Pakistan. Similarly, the American media has become pretty vocal in its concern about the safety of Pakistan's Nukes. America invaded Afghanistan to chase Al Qaeda whom it thought was responsible for 9/11. If American targets i.e Al Qaeda and Taliban are being projected/perceived to have moved to Pakistan, what could be the next move of Americans, if Pakistan, in their opinion is unable to deal with the two targets?

It has been reported by a section of media that America and Pakistan have agreed to jointly plan and conduct drone attacks on the suspected Al Qaeda and Taliban prize targets. To date Americans have been conducting drone attacks at will on the targets of their choice in areas falling within the territorial borders of Pakistan. There has been collateral damage of civilian casualties and property as a result of these attacks. Pakistan protested every time it so happened and it added to anti American sentiment in Pakistan. Who is going to bear the blame of collateral damage in case of drone attacks conducted jointly b America and Pakistan?