Cede Afghanistan to satellite status under Pakistan

[dabong1]

My friend and New America Foundation colleague Nicholas Schmidle has just published an extensive profile of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari titled "The Black Widower".

The piece got me thinking about what a successful strategic shift in our eroding situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan would look like. I'm not convinced Zardari matters in the overall equation of achieving a strategic shift in the future.

While most realists -- even Bob Gates -- have been saying that there is no military solution to the AfPak problem, it seems that most of what is being deployed there are military approaches, including the deployment of a new 17,000 U.S. troops -- this before the "strategic review" that Obama has requested has been completed.

A former top strategic adviser to an American president told me that our engagement in Afghanistan has more complexity than the Soviet invasion, which didn't set one combat foot into Pakistan. He told me that ultimately the U.S. has a very, very difficult choice to make in Pakistan regarding Afghanistan, its regional neighbors, and our other allies.

He said that one possible way to stabilize both countries is to make a deal with the devil and engineer a very strong, close military alliance with the Pakistan military and its intelligence operation. That means we choose Pakistan over its other regional rivals -- and that we cede Afghanistan to satellite status under Pakistan.

The implications of this course would be profound and potentially disrupt our improving relationship with India. I haven't thought through other implications of this strategy and am not convinced such a plan would even work.

But what is missing in much of our discussion about the AfPak mess is a discussion of serious alternatives and a clear-headed comparison of hard choice scenarios.

This may be one of them.

-- Steve Clemons
The Washington Note: February 2009 Archives

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

one possible way to stabilize both countries is to make a deal with the devil and engineer a very strong, close military alliance with the Pakistan military and its intelligence operation. That means we choose Pakistan over its other regional rivals -- and that we cede Afghanistan to satellite status under Pakistan.

In the meantime, the US appears to be doing exactly that, if you replace the word Pakistan in the above with India ...

 

[muse]

It not about Afghanistan, it has never been about Afghanistan - It's about Pakistan, it always has been about Pakistan.

What kind of Pakistan, whose Pakistan? Saudi Arabia's or Mohammad Ali Jinnah's?.

I have post a piece about comparative strategic culture - a review, I think, will offer reader insight both into the kinds of idea that animate the security establishment and the choices international community may be left with.

A Pakistan that is a responsible power, a part of the international community, a partner - is a idea that may find greater acceptance in Pakistan, now that a shift in public perception with regard to the nature of Islamism seems to be gaining ground, however; we must be cautious and admit that this shift in perception is not as deep as we would all like to see.

Afghanistan as a satelite of Pakistan? certainly not! The Afghan have suffered much in the last 30 years, they need, in a paradigm Pakistanis will understand easily, "Friends, not Masters" - And Pakistan can be such a friend, not onloy because it is our neighbor, but because our deep cultural affinities and shared heritage, Pakistan ought never think in terms of Master but always as Friend, when it comes to Afghanistan.

 

[PeacefulIndian]

First of all, it is ludicrous to make a sovereign nation a 'satellite' to another nation. No one has a moral right to do so, without taking into account what Afghanis feel. There would be another insurgency in Afghanistan, if US tries to make it a satellite of Pakistan. Pakistan would just take this opportunity to solve its own problem by offering a share of power to Taliban in Afghanistan & drive them out of Pakistan. And there we go again. Back to the square one.

 

[araz]

A really bad idea. Pakistan has enough problems of its own, without taking more on by taking on responsibilities in Afghanistan. Also from the strategic point of view this is exactly what the west want not to happen.
We have forgotten history, but let me remind readers that traditionally Afghanistan has always allied itself with India against Pakistan. Other than the brief period between 79-98 , there has not been much love for Pakistan, and the situation will revert back to its original square the moment we embark on this misadventure. Plus also consider Pakistans financial condition and the need for Afghanistan's development, which is beyond anything that Pakistan can offer.
The best idea is to keep away.
Araz

 

[iPhone]

why can't Afghanistan be just a sovereign country on it own, free from the clutches of India, Pakistan and the U.S.?

 

[Joshi]

one possible way to stabilize both countries is to make a deal with the devil and engineer a very strong, close military alliance with the Pakistan military and its intelligence operation. That means we choose Pakistan over its other regional rivals -- and that we cede Afghanistan to satellite status under Pakistan.

In the meantime, the US appears to be doing exactly that, if you replace the word Pakistan in the above with India ...

Only if you replace the word 'devil' with 'angel' as well.

 

[kidwaibhai]

i personally think that this is a great idea. we can solve a lot of problems that are occurring right now. the key to afghanistan is not the people of afghanistan. it is the warlords that we have to work with. we should support the war lords and work with them they can help us fight the taliban. we can let them have their own fiefdoms and i am sure they wouldnt want anyone like AQ crazies messing with that. as long as the warlords work with us we can help them when they work against them we can always empower another warlord and crush him.
i dont know maybe this is my inner hawk speaking or maybe i am a neo con

 

[Nemesis]

Here's a novel idea, why don't Afghans decide for themselves what kind of a nation they want.

 

[Enigma SIG]

Here's a novel idea, why don't Afghans decide for themselves what kind of a nation they want.

afghans ruined our country; least they could do is become our satellite state

and by the indian notion we should've invaded afghanistan and shouldve annexed large portions of it because of the mass influx of refugees creating strain on our resources

 

[BATMAN]

This is much BETTER idea than the puppet karzai govt. controlled by neo cons and RAW.
Otherwise there will be no peace in the region and a big war will follow which may engulf various regional countries incl. india, Pakistan.

Even if govt. is handed over to majority Pashtoons in democratic way it will be better solution but what is happening in Afghanistan is ethnic cleansing.... already millions of Pashtoons had been murdered in the pretext of Talibans.

It is not a secret why UN army is kept out of action... Pakistan army is biggest contributor to the UN peace keepers, and would be perfect idea to strenghten Pak Army in this direction.
Attack helicopters, advance survillance, UAVs etc. shoul dbe made available to Pak army for this purpose.

Afghan children are being abused by thousands of indian army present in afghnaistan covertly and overtly.
At least this will stop by dissolving undemocratic Karzai govt.
We must not forget that it was the same reasons which gave birth to the Taliban movement. When Afghanistan was ruled by unpopular warlords.

On the other side, Pakistan is going from bad to worst due to this war people who are displaced are certainly not happy, observers can see that govt. is reluctant to share the proofs of indian involvement with media.

IMF is being used to forced Pakistani tax payers to finance this war engineered by neo cons in complicity with northern allaince and their stretegic ally india.

 

[RabzonKhan]

It not about Afghanistan, it has never been about Afghanistan - It's about Pakistan, it always has been about Pakistan.

What kind of Pakistan, whose Pakistan? Saudi Arabia's or Mohammad Ali Jinnah's?.

I have post a piece about comparative strategic culture - a review, I think, will offer reader insight both into the kinds of idea that animate the security establishment and the choices international community may be left with.

A Pakistan that is a responsible power, a part of the international community, a partner - is a idea that may find greater acceptance in Pakistan, now that a shift in public perception with regard to the nature of Islamism seems to be gaining ground, however; we must be cautious and admit that this shift in perception is not as deep as we would all like to see.

Afghanistan as a satelite of Pakistan? certainly not! The Afghan have suffered much in the last 30 years, they need, in a paradigm Pakistanis will understand easily, "Friends, not Masters" - And Pakistan can be such a friend, not onloy because it is our neighbor, but because our deep cultural affinities and shared heritage, Pakistan ought never think in terms of Master but always as Friend, when it comes to Afghanistan.

Well said!

 

[BATMAN]

Afghanistan is a launch pad of terroism against Pakistan and consistent source of supply of children to indians, which are later raised as suscide bombers and forced laborers to transport weapons and explosives in to Pakistan.
Replacing foreign troops with UN army will very much take away the threat to existence of Pakistan.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Only if you replace the word 'devil' with 'angel' as well.

'Angels' don't have satellite states...

 

[kidwaibhai]

i think the best thing for afghanistan is a jirga system that selects the leader of the country this way every tribe will be on board with anyone who is in power.