The AfPakIndo Theater

[Demon of Undoing]

We'refuckedistan ?

[skyhook77sfg]

ANDERSON

you have it right.

and if you include Nato

the Shanghai Cooperation Council

belongs on the list also.




from

http://www.cfr.org/international-peace- ... tion/p1088

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)--composed of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan--was formed as a confidence-building mechanism to resolve border disputes. It has risen in stature since then, making headlines in 2005 when it called for Washington to set a timeline for withdrawing from military bases in Central Asia. Over the past few years, the organization's activities have expanded to include increased military cooperation, intelligence sharing, and counterterrorism drills. The SCO has also intensified its focus on Afghanistan, and may play a greater role in international efforts there in the near future.

[skyhook77sfg]

First, as a neighbor to Pakistan, India has repeatedly warned the US that Bin Laden was being sheltered by rogue elements within the Pakistani intelligence community, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). These are possibly some of the same individuals who had a hand in orchestrating the Mumbai attacks, according to the latest charge sheet released by the Indian government.

Now that America has killed the boogieman, the hidden nexus may fully come to light.

We also know from credible reports from the Times of India that Indian officials warned the US on at least two separate occasions about the whereabouts of Bin Laden, "once in mid-2007 and again in early 2008 when they specifically mentioned his likely presence in a cantonment area".

On both instances, the Americans either did not take the intelligence provided by the Indians seriously or perhaps were preoccupied with their own leads.


India and Pakistan, it has often been said, are like two long-lost brothers separated at the time of independence in 1947, who have been dueling ever since. India's territory has been repeatedly breached from the northern regions by ISI-trained terrorist groups due to the Kashmir dispute and most recently from its western shores.

Yet, India cannot openly retaliate for fear of escalating nuclear tensions in the region, as both countries have nuclear weapons.


http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/ME13Df02.html




India to help Afghanistan build 12 dams on Kabul River
Thursday May 12, 2011 (1315 PST)



ISLAMABAD: After restricting the flow of waters in the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers by building hydropower projects on these rivers, India seems poised to intensify the water war against Pakistan with a plan to build 12 hydropower projects on the Kabul River in Afghanistan.
Indian experts are extending help to Afghanistan to build 12 dams on the Kabul River with a total water storage capacity of 4.7 Million Acre Feet (MAF), 25% more than that of Mangla Dam.

According to documents exclusively available with our sources, the government of Afghanistan is initiating multi-purpose water projects on the tributaries of the Kabul River with assistance from the international community. India plans to assist Afghanistan in this initiative, which will adversely impact Pakistan.


http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?239239


TIGHTENING OF THUMB SCREWS UNDERWAY

ON THE ARMY WITH A COUNTRY

[Ibrahim]

Nice of India to build some dams for the future Taliban government of Afghanistan. Though maybe Mullah Omar will eventually dynamite them for being "un-Islamic" at some point in the future.....

[skyhook77sfg]

Taliban is doomed without Pak ISI support and protection.

Pk ISI is now on notice their double agent days are over.

IndoAmerican strategic planning now coincide.

Pak military glory days skimming US aid 50% and up finished.

The army with a country now behaves or else....

[Ibrahim]

[skyhook77sfg]

NEEDS?

what is needed is often trumped by what is wanted...

India want's to deny Paki control of strategic redoubt in rear

commonly known as Afghanistan.

now US does too.

PaK ISI BURN NOTICE
IN THE MAIL.....

[Ibrahim]

[skyhook77sfg]

That's the old fashioned military industrial approach.

There are cheaper ways to achieve denial of control.

A narco state as in Afghanistan comes to mind.....

The Golden Triangle.....

Bekaa Valley Lebanon

[skyhook77sfg]

India can capitalise on Osama’s death
May 15, 2011 9:52:00 AM

Siddharth Ramana

With the death of Osama bin Laden, Pakistan’s bogus claim of being part of the global war on terror stands exposed. It is high time India hardened its position against Pakistan. It will find support among those betrayed by Pakistan's perfidy

The death of Osama bin Laden holds a number of lessons which can be incorporated by India. India, which has long accused Pakistan of hypocrisy towards terrorism and holds it solely responsible for the deaths of hundreds of its citizens, has lessons to learn from the most important targeted assassination in the history of counter-terrorism. Can the lessons learnt from the operation translate into an Indian military option against groups operating in Pakistan? What are the lessons?

The first lesson which is clearly observable in the American approach towards Osama bin Laden has been a re-shifting of focus back to the primary target. While the Bush Administration began ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’ with the right intentions, including the stated objective of capturing Osama bin Laden “dead or alive”, counter-terrorism efforts were subsumed by the growing insurgency in Iraq. It is reported that the President Barack Obama built on his election promise, to re-double efforts and aid to the task force in charge of Osama bin Laden. India should emulate this by not losing our focus in our primary demand to bring back fugitives who have sought sanctuary in Pakistan. The administration must have a steely resolve towards achieving this goal, with ruthless efficiency. It is time for India to harden its position, especially now, since it would find echo among those betrayed by Pakistan’s double crossing ways.

The second lesson, which India needs to learn, is that Pakistan’s national sovereignty for all practical purposes of international law is dead when it comes to dealing with terrorist groups. The United States had to learn this in a way which is analogous to their sport baseball. A batter in baseball is allowed three consecutive swipes at the ball, and if he misses all three he is out. Pakistan had allowed high ranking Al Qaeda leaders from Khaled Shaikh Mohammad, Abu Faraj Al Libi to Osama bin Laden to be based in Pakistan, and it was only owing to American intervention that they were captured or killed.

Two of the three operations that occurred beyond the traditionally lawless tribal areas indicate a complete failure of the Pakistani state in its official capacity to uphold UNSC resolution 1373 dealing with counter-terrorism. Therefore, India should capitalise on this section to urge the international community in applying additional pressure on Pakistan, and possibly even encouraging commando style raids against targets in Pakistan. Indian Army heads have repeatedly left the decision to the political leadership. This confidence in the armed forces should be trusted and exercised.

While such an action would invite retaliation from Pakistan with a possible escalation to a full-fledged war, it needs to be realised that the international community, as a whole, is already suffering from a proxy war and blackmail in the form of Pakistan’s refusal or inability to act against terrorist infrastructure. India cannot continue to wait on the bylines, while action is mounted against groups operating against other countries, while its citizens are to be treated like cattle, deserving to perish in a ceremonious act of politico-religious fundamentalism. It would be unfathomable for Pakistan to throw any remaining vestiges of rationality to the wind and escalate its conflict with India, at a risk of further international isolation and inherent degradation.

The third lesson from the operation is the need to revisit intelligence apparatus basics against groups such as Al Qaeda. According to media reports about the sanctuary, Osama bin Laden was living in a palatial house, without a telephone or Internet connection. The years it took to pinpoint his location is attributed to tracking the whereabouts of a Kuwaiti human courier, whom Osama bin Laden trusted. Osama bin Laden’s aversion to communication tools and meticulous radio silence has helped him evade capture for over a decade. The same technique was adopted by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, who was killed only when he went to visit a cleric who was monitored by intelligence forces. India’s intelligence capabilities have come in for a lot of criticisms, especially in the aftermath of the November 26, 2008 attacks, and while we augment our technical resources, it would be useful to develop our human intelligence resources as well. In many ways they are the unsung heroes behind foiled plots.

The final lesson to be incorporated in learning from such incidents deals with releasing information to the media. The United States in an effort to be circumspect in its euphoria raises more questions than answers in its post-incident media briefings. Questions relating to the level of cooperation with other allies, additional intelligence factors and civilian casualties are some of the details which could have been shared with the public, to prevent rumors and suspicions. The media’s role becomes even more important in directing public reactions towards a more humane reaction, as opposed to the scenes of jubilation which denigrate human life and can provide additional fodder to terrorist groups.

The writer is a Research Officer, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies.

[skyhook77sfg]

India can capitalise on Osama’s death
May 15, 2011 9:52:00 AM

Siddharth Ramana

With the death of Osama bin Laden, Pakistan’s bogus claim of being part of the global war on terror stands exposed. It is high time India hardened its position against Pakistan. It will find support among those betrayed by Pakistan's perfidy

The death of Osama bin Laden holds a number of lessons which can be incorporated by India. India, which has long accused Pakistan of hypocrisy towards terrorism and holds it solely responsible for the deaths of hundreds of its citizens, has lessons to learn from the most important targeted assassination in the history of counter-terrorism. Can the lessons learnt from the operation translate into an Indian military option against groups operating in Pakistan? What are the lessons?

The first lesson which is clearly observable in the American approach towards Osama bin Laden has been a re-shifting of focus back to the primary target. While the Bush Administration began ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’ with the right intentions, including the stated objective of capturing Osama bin Laden “dead or alive”, counter-terrorism efforts were subsumed by the growing insurgency in Iraq. It is reported that the President Barack Obama built on his election promise, to re-double efforts and aid to the task force in charge of Osama bin Laden. India should emulate this by not losing our focus in our primary demand to bring back fugitives who have sought sanctuary in Pakistan. The administration must have a steely resolve towards achieving this goal, with ruthless efficiency. It is time for India to harden its position, especially now, since it would find echo among those betrayed by Pakistan’s double crossing ways.

The second lesson, which India needs to learn, is that Pakistan’s national sovereignty for all practical purposes of international law is dead when it comes to dealing with terrorist groups. The United States had to learn this in a way which is analogous to their sport baseball. A batter in baseball is allowed three consecutive swipes at the ball, and if he misses all three he is out. Pakistan had allowed high ranking Al Qaeda leaders from Khaled Shaikh Mohammad, Abu Faraj Al Libi to Osama bin Laden to be based in Pakistan, and it was only owing to American intervention that they were captured or killed.

Two of the three operations that occurred beyond the traditionally lawless tribal areas indicate a complete failure of the Pakistani state in its official capacity to uphold UNSC resolution 1373 dealing with counter-terrorism. Therefore, India should capitalise on this section to urge the international community in applying additional pressure on Pakistan, and possibly even encouraging commando style raids against targets in Pakistan. Indian Army heads have repeatedly left the decision to the political leadership. This confidence in the armed forces should be trusted and exercised.

While such an action would invite retaliation from Pakistan with a possible escalation to a full-fledged war, it needs to be realised that the international community, as a whole, is already suffering from a proxy war and blackmail in the form of Pakistan’s refusal or inability to act against terrorist infrastructure. India cannot continue to wait on the bylines, while action is mounted against groups operating against other countries, while its citizens are to be treated like cattle, deserving to perish in a ceremonious act of politico-religious fundamentalism. It would be unfathomable for Pakistan to throw any remaining vestiges of rationality to the wind and escalate its conflict with India, at a risk of further international isolation and inherent degradation.

The third lesson from the operation is the need to revisit intelligence apparatus basics against groups such as Al Qaeda. According to media reports about the sanctuary, Osama bin Laden was living in a palatial house, without a telephone or Internet connection. The years it took to pinpoint his location is attributed to tracking the whereabouts of a Kuwaiti human courier, whom Osama bin Laden trusted. Osama bin Laden’s aversion to communication tools and meticulous radio silence has helped him evade capture for over a decade. The same technique was adopted by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, who was killed only when he went to visit a cleric who was monitored by intelligence forces. India’s intelligence capabilities have come in for a lot of criticisms, especially in the aftermath of the November 26, 2008 attacks, and while we augment our technical resources, it would be useful to develop our human intelligence resources as well. In many ways they are the unsung heroes behind foiled plots.

The final lesson to be incorporated in learning from such incidents deals with releasing information to the media. The United States in an effort to be circumspect in its euphoria raises more questions than answers in its post-incident media briefings. Questions relating to the level of cooperation with other allies, additional intelligence factors and civilian casualties are some of the details which could have been shared with the public, to prevent rumors and suspicions. The media’s role becomes even more important in directing public reactions towards a more humane reaction, as opposed to the scenes of jubilation which denigrate human life and can provide additional fodder to terrorist groups.

The writer is a Research Officer, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies.

[skyhook77sfg]

India can capitalise on Osama’s death
May 15, 2011 9:52:00 AM

Siddharth Ramana

With the death of Osama bin Laden, Pakistan’s bogus claim of being part of the global war on terror stands exposed. It is high time India hardened its position against Pakistan. It will find support among those betrayed by Pakistan's perfidy

The death of Osama bin Laden holds a number of lessons which can be incorporated by India. India, which has long accused Pakistan of hypocrisy towards terrorism and holds it solely responsible for the deaths of hundreds of its citizens, has lessons to learn from the most important targeted assassination in the history of counter-terrorism. Can the lessons learnt from the operation translate into an Indian military option against groups operating in Pakistan? What are the lessons?

The first lesson which is clearly observable in the American approach towards Osama bin Laden has been a re-shifting of focus back to the primary target. While the Bush Administration began ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’ with the right intentions, including the stated objective of capturing Osama bin Laden “dead or alive”, counter-terrorism efforts were subsumed by the growing insurgency in Iraq. It is reported that the President Barack Obama built on his election promise, to re-double efforts and aid to the task force in charge of Osama bin Laden. India should emulate this by not losing our focus in our primary demand to bring back fugitives who have sought sanctuary in Pakistan. The administration must have a steely resolve towards achieving this goal, with ruthless efficiency. It is time for India to harden its position, especially now, since it would find echo among those betrayed by Pakistan’s double crossing ways.

The second lesson, which India needs to learn, is that Pakistan’s national sovereignty for all practical purposes of international law is dead when it comes to dealing with terrorist groups. The United States had to learn this in a way which is analogous to their sport baseball. A batter in baseball is allowed three consecutive swipes at the ball, and if he misses all three he is out. Pakistan had allowed high ranking Al Qaeda leaders from Khaled Shaikh Mohammad, Abu Faraj Al Libi to Osama bin Laden to be based in Pakistan, and it was only owing to American intervention that they were captured or killed.

Two of the three operations that occurred beyond the traditionally lawless tribal areas indicate a complete failure of the Pakistani state in its official capacity to uphold UNSC resolution 1373 dealing with counter-terrorism. Therefore, India should capitalise on this section to urge the international community in applying additional pressure on Pakistan, and possibly even encouraging commando style raids against targets in Pakistan. Indian Army heads have repeatedly left the decision to the political leadership. This confidence in the armed forces should be trusted and exercised.

While such an action would invite retaliation from Pakistan with a possible escalation to a full-fledged war, it needs to be realised that the international community, as a whole, is already suffering from a proxy war and blackmail in the form of Pakistan’s refusal or inability to act against terrorist infrastructure. India cannot continue to wait on the bylines, while action is mounted against groups operating against other countries, while its citizens are to be treated like cattle, deserving to perish in a ceremonious act of politico-religious fundamentalism. It would be unfathomable for Pakistan to throw any remaining vestiges of rationality to the wind and escalate its conflict with India, at a risk of further international isolation and inherent degradation.

The third lesson from the operation is the need to revisit intelligence apparatus basics against groups such as Al Qaeda. According to media reports about the sanctuary, Osama bin Laden was living in a palatial house, without a telephone or Internet connection. The years it took to pinpoint his location is attributed to tracking the whereabouts of a Kuwaiti human courier, whom Osama bin Laden trusted. Osama bin Laden’s aversion to communication tools and meticulous radio silence has helped him evade capture for over a decade. The same technique was adopted by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, who was killed only when he went to visit a cleric who was monitored by intelligence forces. India’s intelligence capabilities have come in for a lot of criticisms, especially in the aftermath of the November 26, 2008 attacks, and while we augment our technical resources, it would be useful to develop our human intelligence resources as well. In many ways they are the unsung heroes behind foiled plots.

The final lesson to be incorporated in learning from such incidents deals with releasing information to the media. The United States in an effort to be circumspect in its euphoria raises more questions than answers in its post-incident media briefings. Questions relating to the level of cooperation with other allies, additional intelligence factors and civilian casualties are some of the details which could have been shared with the public, to prevent rumors and suspicions. The media’s role becomes even more important in directing public reactions towards a more humane reaction, as opposed to the scenes of jubilation which denigrate human life and can provide additional fodder to terrorist groups.

The writer is a Research Officer, Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies.

[skyhook77sfg]

NOW ITS OFFICIALLY THE AFPAKINDOSINO THEATER



BEIJING: China has warned in unequivocal terms that any attack on Pakistan would be construed as an attack on China.

http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?239475

[AzariLoveIran]

[Najar]

Interesting - this is how the two world wars started with unconditional (often illogical) supports and alliances forming.

China/Pak/Russia/Venezuela/Cuba (May be French too?) against US/UK/Australia/Canada (May be India too?)

[AzariLoveIran]

[skyhook77sfg]

that declline in living standards has already begun...

with total backing of capital free to migrate to better prospects..

but same privilege denied by force to people.

an ultimately self cannibalizing principle.

liver and favas anyone?

lenin's witticism about capitalists supplying the rope comes to mind

without any need whatsoever for leninism.

[Najar]

Azari,

Brits & French could get free resources from colonies , but post WWII , the nations can sell their resources in market - in fact China buying these resources are the main reason why the currencies of AUstralia , Brazil etc.. are risng against the USD. I dont see any 'lock on commodities' the way you mention.

SKy's point is apt , where governtments encourage capital flow but restrict immigration , creating favelas around the world.

[AzariLoveIran]

[skyhook77sfg]

Would you care for a million ruble Czarist bond to add to your US Treasury portfolio?

Or would you prefer 10 MILLIARDEN Weimar Hypotheken?

[AzariLoveIran]

[Ibrahim]

[skyhook77sfg]

bullseye imagery sir

but do recall those particular Prussians then went on to Paris like good solingen steel slicing roquefort cheese...


sometimes rattling sabres is just that

sometimes foreplay

eh?

[skyhook77sfg]

HAPPILY REPORTED TO A BILLION POINT TWO PEOPLE



Arab followers freely visited Osama in Pak hideout
By ANI

Taliban leaders and wealthy Arab supporters often visited Osama bin Laden without endangering their safety in Abbottabad, Pakistan, documents and computer files seized from his compound revealed.

The Telegraph quoted an Afghan Taliban commander as saying that bin laden had direct contact with his followers.

Western intelligence chiefs had earlier thought that bin Laden's contact with the outside world was conducted via messages on memory sticks, but recent revelations depict a different story altogether.

The commander also said when he last saw the terror leader in Abbottabad two years ago, he seemed healthy and well briefed on recent developments, but concerned about his safety and money. He also said bin Laden had admitted that he had to continue meeting top aides because so many senior lieutenants had been captured or killed.

http://in.news.yahoo.com/taliban-arab-f ... 22969.html


REMEMBER ANI IS DELHI BASED ASIA NEWS INTERNATONAL

AND INDIANS HAVE A QUARREL WITH PAKISTANI COUSINS

OVER INDIAN REFUSAL TO HOLD KASHMIR PLEBISCITE

AS AGREED AFTER GUNGA DIN TOOK OVER THE RAJ...


COULD BE RAW DISINFORMATION

YOU THINK?

[skyhook77sfg]

PAKISTAN/INDIAN ANALYSIS AGREE
FOR FIRST TIME IN LONG TIME



Following Machiavelli’s famous advice in The Prince that “a wise ruler invents enemies and then slays them in order to control his own subjects”, Barak Obama showed the world how he intends to deal with anyone who poses a challenge to the USA the sole existing imperialist power today.

The United States and its allies, desiring perpetuation of their military presence in certain areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan opportunely invented “enemies” in the aftermath of 9/11, but now the time has come to slay some main figures to exert control over dissident elements in Pakistani intelligence networks. The purpose of coming to Afghanistan was not only to boost the war industry, physically occupy strategic lands, but also create an apparition for powerful democratic India and socialist China. The slaying of one of the main “invented enemies”—Osama bin Laden and blaming Pakistan for providing him safe sanctuary for years is nothing but a warning message to men who matter in Land of the Pure that non “cooperation” with USA in the New Great Game would cost the country heavily, even beyond their imagination.

Dr. Sachithanandam Sathananthan in Great Game Continues notes that the ‘war on terror’ and ‘promoting democracy’ are the 21st century equivalents of the 19th century British gobbledygook and American Late Neo-colonialism. According to Dr. Sachithanandam, a Visiting Research Scholar at the Jawaharlal Nehru University School of International Studies, “purveys them as moral justification and as political cover for intervening and, where necessary, invading resource-rich and strategic countries to overthrow nationalist leaders, install puppet regimes and salvage the countries’ wealth. And of course the US is by far the most powerful terrorist force”.

Osama bin Laden was just a tool in the hands of US late neo-colonialism. Born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in a wealthy family, Osama became Jihadi under US tutelage. Once mission of dismembering USSR was achieved, he was abandoned by US like many others self-assumed holy warriors. How he was later held responsible by USA for the 9/11 attacks as founder of the jihadist terrorist organization Al-Qaeda is well-documented.

The long series of counterproductive drone attacks, indiscriminate bombings, arrests, torture, kidnappings and disappearances were carried out by US forces while the CIA covertly funded, armed and supported “Islamists”. According to Dr. Sachithanandam, the US does not want to eliminate the ‘Islamic threat’ but to contain it within manageable limits and to spawn the next generation of ‘terrorists’. Killing of Osama should be analysed and understood from this perspective. Inventing new enemies and eliminating the older ones as part of the New Great Game is understandable Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba are the new assets whereas Osama was simply a liability that had to be wiped out.

Elimination of “Islamic threat” through political moves tried initially by Musharraf and later by Kayani irked the forces imposing New World Order. Any such move could, certainly, diminish “Washington’s leverage to intervene in Pakistan to distance Islamabad from Beijing and exploit energy resources abundantly found in Balochistan and, in the long run, perhaps derail US administration’s well-laid plans to bring Afghanistan to heel and to dominate Central Asia and its oil-rich Caspian Sea Basin”, observes Dr. Sachithanandam Sathananthan.

The Indian scholar in The Great Game Continues has blamed Pakistani intelligentsia (sic) of being “agonisingly unaware of the labyrinthine geo-politics and economic imperatives underlying the New Cold War. He says, “They are blissfully going along with the collaborationist leaders who are bartering away the country’s future for the proverbial pieces of silver”.

The deadly trap for Pakistan started in 2006 with cacophony of the United States, CIA and British intelligence services, engineering panic about the security of Pakistan’s nuclear assets. It was part of a cunning strategy of creating a huge threat of “Islamist militants” using the prefix of “Islamist” with “militant” shows the real motive. It was, in fact, duplication of hysteria they created over non-existent weapons of mass destruction that Saddam allegedly possessed!

A carefully worded article, co-authored by former State Department officials Richard L. Armitage and Kara L. Bue, after acknowledging (sic) Pervez Musharraf’s many achievements (sic), noted: “much remains to be accomplished, particularly in terms of democratization. Pakistan must…eliminate the home-grown jihadists…And…it must prove itself a reliable partner on technology transfer and nuclear non-proliferation”.

According to Dr. Sachithanandam, the US decided to woo Pakistan People’s Party, led by Benazir Bhutto at that time, “to serve and be fully responsive to America’s Late Neo-colonialism”. Benazir summoned senior party members to Dubai on 9 June 2007 for a ‘briefing’ by a team from the US Democratic Party’s National Democratic Institute (NDI), ostensibly on the subject of elections in Pakistan. The ruling Republican Party’s International Republican Institute (IRI) had conducted the previous four ‘briefings’ in June and September 2006 and March and April 2007. Benazir leaned towards the Democratic Party in the last one, no doubt, as a hedge against the party’s possible victory at the forthcoming US Presidential Election. Dr. Sachithanandam argued in his doctoral thesis that even a cursory knowledge of US Imperialism’s standard operating procedure was sufficient to surmise that at least some among the IRI and NDI officers were covert intelligence operatives; and that their ‘briefings’ went beyond ‘tutelage of natives’. Rather they had been grooming the PPP as America’s satrap. The significant events that happened thereafter were:

George W Bush enabled Benazir’s return from exile by arm-twisting Musharraf to promulgate the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO). The NRO of 5th October granted amnesty to politicians active in Pakistan between 1988 and 1999 and effectively wiped the slate clean of corruption charges against both Benazir and Asif Ali Zardari.

Three weeks later, then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made it appear as if the Bush Administration wished to bring together ‘moderate’ forces, implying a scenario in which Musharraf and Benazir would join forces as President and Prime Minister respectively. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte corroborated Rice: ‘Our message’, he intoned, ‘is that we want to work with the government and people of Pakistan’

Musharraf saw through the US Administration’s transparent ploy to lull him into believing it would not remove him and install Benazir in his place. So, he swiftly invited Nawaz Sharif, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), back from exile in Saudi Arabia to counter Benazir. But even then he could not consolidate his position, especially because he mishandled the judiciary, and was compelled to resign on 18 August, 2008.

It is tragic for Pakistan’s history what happened in the aftermath of assassination of Benazir Bhutto and fulfillment of the agenda of late Neo-Colonialists, it is aptly analysed by Dr. Sachithanandam.

What is happening in today’s Pakistan is a naked and brutal intervention of American Late Neo-colonialism using the self-created spectre of terrorism as pretext. The real motives are containment of China, control of resource-rich and strategically-located areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan by installing corrupt and puppet regimes.

In this background, politicians, intellectuals, members of human rights and civil liberties organisations, journalists, analysts, lawyers in fact every citizen of Pakistan should try comprehending the geo-strategic context in which Late Neo-Colonialists are imposing a deadly war on us in which corrupt and puppet rulers are their tools. Washington, of course, will never be happy with anyone who is determined to steer the ship of Pakistan out of the choppy waters of the unfolding New Great Game, in which the West led by the US is maneuvering to contain the ever-growing Russian and Chinese influences in Central and West Asia.

Obama, like Bush, is irked with Pakistan’s insistence to build the Iran-Pakistan-China gas pipeline. The US successfully managed to force India to betray its earlier commitment for this project. Washington is always alarmed by any leader’s preference for deepening Pakistan-China bilateral relations and forging nuclear cooperation; and more so when Beijing is offered naval facilities at the Gwadar port on Balochistan’s Arabian Sea coast overlooking the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic point through which approximately 30 per cent of the world’s energy supplies pass.

Lessons in history are very clear: Those who are playing in the hands of US must remember how Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s and Ziaul Haq’s lives ended—Imperialist forces not only invent and slay enemies but also “create” friends and then dump them. Washington always wants a “yes-man” whether in the form of Musharraf, Benazir, Nawaz or any other willing contestant. Its aim is to have nothing less than a firm political foothold in Pakistan and a Pakistani foreign policy that complements its strategic objectives in Central Asia. It has always deserted and obliterated the leaders (sic) who refused to “obey” (literally). Washington would have gone along with Musharraf had he focussed on military operations to curb Islamists, but he ventured to defeat them ideologically through dialogues and prompting slogans of moderation and enlightenment. This was not acceptable to Washington. Military action alone cannot defeat guerrillas; but it can kill many of them and in turn induce new recruits — well known points reiterated by William R Polk in Violent Politics (2007) – so that the so-called ‘war on terror’ would not end any time soon—this is the real agenda of Late Neo-Colonialists. Those working for this agenda with US, overtly or covertly, must never forget lessons from our own history—utter military humiliations and dismemberment of a geographical entity. The solution lies in defeating forces of destruction with the support of masses and not becoming part of anti-people agenda of Late Neo-Colonialists.



Dr. Ikramul Haq

Dean Faculty of Science

Pakistan Government College University