End Pak-US peekaboo

[Omar1984]

End Pak-US peekaboo

Rizwan Ghani


Jhaa in Urdu is an equivalent of peekaboo in English, and it is a game played to amuse small children, in which the face is hidden in the hands and then suddenly uncovered as peekaboo is shouted. The entire Lahore spy episode has exposed the ugly truths about Washington’s anti-Pakistan activities, true faces of the leaderships of both countries and their crimes against state of Pakistan and its people. It takes to two to tango. As an adjective, Peekaboo means a dress having holes or gaps intended to reveal parts of the body. The illegal drone attacks and desecration of Holy Quran have further exposed the raw Pak-US relations. Therefore, to protect Pakistan’s core economic, military and national interests, the Pak-US relations need to reviewed and brought down to nominal levels.

America’s silence on Datta Khel drone deaths has been explained by Obama’s rejection of a direct appeal for an apology for Washington’s role in fomenting Chile military coup in 1973. Reportedly, Obama said that the US and Chile could not be “trapped by our history” and insisted that he could not “speak to all of the policies of the past,” but only “to the policies of the present and the future.” The military coup plunged the country into 17 years of dictatorship and entailed the murder, torture, imprisonment and exile of hundreds of thousands and US backed Dictator Gen. Pinochet was never punished for 9000 deaths (unofficial figures 28,000). The failure of Obama’s three-nation tour shows that Latin America is not going to trust America again. Pakistan needs to end its support for America’s so-called war against terror (SWAT) because it is a ploy to occupy Afghanistan as part of “Contain China policy” on lines of Eastern European states of former Soviet Union. American leadership is on record that occupation forces will stay in Afghanistan indefinitely. America is building Asia’s largest airbase in Afghanistan and it has military bases in 130 countries. Pakistan needs to end all kinds of cooperation including supply routes to end average Afghans resentment against Pakistan. Islamabad needs to change its foreign policy to deal with US occupied Afghanistan to deal with the dangers to the regional security and Pakistan itself. Islamabad should demand for an end of illegal occupation of Afghanistan. It is also important to keep the region clear of US Africa Command like setup to protect regional military, energy and economic interests.

America’s illegal Afghan occupation is costing its taxpayers $30bn a month. Going by the same yardstick, it is costing Pakistan around $10bn a month to sustain its 160,000 soldiers deployed on its side of the Pak-Afghan border. Pakistani governments cannot go on funding America’s SWAT while its people struggle to have one square meal a day. Islamabad should seal Pak-Afghan border with fences, mines etc. and redirect public’s money for generating electricity, creating and sustaining jobs, education and healthcare. Pakistan has already spent $43bn on America’s SWAT. A quarter of that amount could have addressed energy shortfalls, circular debt and added 6000 MW of electricity to national grid. Therefore, Pakistan should withdraw its armed forces, scrap K-L Bill, forget about RoZs, cleanse the country of all western setups and divert tax money for public welfare. Public voted Musharraf out to get rid of him and pro-US policies. It is about time PPP upholds democratic aspirations of the public or make way for those who can uphold democratic aspirations of the public.

Pakistan should withdraw all the land from the American including 160 acres in Baluchistan and reduce the size, number and staff strength of US embassies. Lahore has shown that Washington is abusing international law, using its diplomatic setups, and staff against the national interests of Pakistan. Cuba has given 15-year jail term to a US contractor for acts against state Cuba charges US man with spying. History shows that East India Company used its first land acquisition Madras Fort in Southern India to capture India. The land was given in good faith, which the British used to kill and enslave their hosts. After getting the land, the viceroy wrote to the Queen, “It is the beginning of an Empire”. The cable is available in British museum. It was no coincidence that famine stricken locals were forced to leave the area. Ironically, population of Baluchistan is decreasing, workers are being killed on Gwdar port and the doors of Baluchistan remain closed to those Pakistanis who want to settle in Baluchistan despite the fact that it is their constitutional right.

American and Pakistani leaders including Obama should be taken to ICC for 1000 plus deaths due to drone attacks. These attacks are undermining Pakistan’s sovereignty and UN laws of respecting sovereign rights of its member state. UNHRC has already called drone attacks on Pakistan illegal. International community must end its double standards and demand accountability of involved leaderships. The law lords of Pakistan should scrap immunity of office holders involved in drone attacks and bring them to book accordingly. Pakistan’s laws are made in accordance to the Shariah, therefore extra-judicial killings are illegal and just like the American spy it is about time all such leaders are also held accountable in the Hague.

The western economic models have failed. The recessions in Europe, America and failure of trickle down economic models have resulted in unequal world with disproportionate distribution of wealth and increased poverty. The article “ Development in Reverse” (March 11, China Daily) shows that structural change does not automatically accelerate economic development. Increase in productivity helps owners not the laid off workers. Globalization is counterproductive for countries rich in natural resources due to the trap of growth-reducing structural changes that fail to create sufficient number of jobs. Pak-US economic cooperation has already resulted in destruction of agri-sector, failed urbanization and premature collapse of import-competing small industries leaving scores without jobs and in slums. Without imposing capitalism, it would have been impossible to undo a welfare state. Therefore, Pakistan needs to review its economic model and adopt mix of domestic consumption and alternate energy to revive its economy, generate jobs for an independent foreign policy.

West is all out to denuclearizing Pakistan to keep developing world subservient to its neo-colonial policies. It explains destruction of country’s energy sector, agri-sector and privatization of national assets. In “Story of India” a BBC documentary, the narrator tells that East India Company ordered Muslim soldiers to bite open pig and cow fat tipped cartridges as token of deep disrespect for local cultures and religions. The Americans drone attacks are reminiscent of similar policy and selection of nuclear Pakistan as drone targets has more to do with sending a message to the Muslim world aspiring to be independent and acquire nuclear power for national security.



End Pak-US peekaboo

 

[Omar1984]

Let there be an end to drone attacks

Dr Raja Muhammad Khan

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Started with a slow pace, the drone attacks have taken a heavy toll of human lives in tribal areas of Pakistan. In so far over 250 drone attacks since 2004, thousands of innocent Pakistanis have either lost their lives, wounded or disabled. Over the last two years, the frequency of drone attacks has increased manifold. On March 17, 2011, a CIA driven US drone attack killed forty-six innocent tribal of the Madakhel tribe in Dattakhel, North Waziristan Agency. None of the jirga participant belonged to any militant outfits, rather they gathered to settle a local dispute as per the tribal customs.

Though US drone attacks have always been irrational and provocative, and against the sovereignty of the Pakistan. However, this drone attack has lot of nuances. Just a day earlier, Pakistan had released a US national, Raymond Davis, a CIA operative, involved in the murder of two Pakistani citizens, besides remaining involved in many undesired activities. It was expected that upon his release, US would be obliged and there would be a constructive change in the Pak-US bilateral relationship. But, it was otherwise, CIA drone had arrogantly killed 46 Pakistanis, the very next day and its Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Admiral Mullen demanded military operation in North Waziristan on the day following the drone attack. All these acts of US are interlinked, meaning that, US does not care Pakistan and would take its own course. Analyst believe that, “This is an arrogant US response. Twelve missiles in one day is not routine,” or else, it is an indication of US “unhappiness with the Pakistan’s command structure”.

Since 2009, US has been pressurizing Pakistan to launch a military operation in NWA. Pakistan, however, had a different point of view and believes that any military actions on its territory has to be undertaken, keeping ground realities in view. After all Pakistan cannot kill its masses on the desires of a foreign power. Why cannot ISAF seal the Afghan side of the Pak-Afghan border, thus substantially ceases the chances of any infiltration from the Pakistani side, if there is any?

The above incidents are indicative of the fact that, US would still like to follow its policy of targeting any one: militant or otherwise, at anytime and anywhere, without taking Pakistani consent. On its part, Pakistan cannot afford US drone attacks and dictations. After all “We are not Djibouti or Algeria, we are a nuclear state, and Americans need to respect us”. Condemnation of attack by prime minister and army chief, and handing over of demarche to US ambassador, after summoning him in the Foreign Office has not brought any change in US attitude. Neither US seems bothered about Pakistani decision of pulling out from the tri-lateral ministerial meeting, scheduled to be held on March 26, 2011.

There is a need that fundamentals of Pak-US relationship should be revisited. After all United States should not treat Pakistan as a client state. On their part the people of Pakistan have strongly reacted against the drone attack as well as the release of the Raymond Davis. Indeed, by killing these innocent people, US has committed, a “worst form of human rights violation”. Pakistan feels that US should respect its sovereignty, contrary to the one sided affair so far. In its history, Pakistan has done a lot for US, even at the cost of its national interest. Now it is about time that it’s spying agencies should stop playing double games with Pakistan. As history indicates, nations who strived to live with dignity and respect always forcefully guarded their sovereignty, once disrespected others. In all eventualities, US cannot be allowed to launch drone attacks on Pakistanis, nor can its spying agents be allowed to kill innocent Pakistani nationals.

If American might could do nothing against the tiny Communist state of Cuba, situated next door to it, we should not be afraid of its fury. Only we should learn to live, as a nation having national pride, integrity, independence and above all the sovereignty.

The writer is an analyst of international relations. Email: [email protected]



Let there be an end to drone attacks

 

[Leader]

well that jhaaa is quite terrible, cause it scare the hell out of us, everytime they show their face !!