pkpatriotic
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2008
- Messages
- 2,317
- Reaction score
- 0
Owning the war on terror
Mushfiq Murshed
Thursday, October 09, 2008
If terrorism's objective is to instil fear in the hearts and minds of the common man then the war on terror is being lost in Pakistan. The initial knee-jerk reaction of anger and sorrow for the victims of the Marriott bombing of 20 September 2008 has regressed to that of trepidation.
With over 4000 terrorist attack casualties in Pakistan in 2008 alone, one would presume that the citizens of this country would unify under the war on terror banner and a nationwide outpouring of rage would ensue; somewhat on the lines of the post-9/11 scenario in the US. On the contrary, the people of Pakistan have never been more disunited.
A strong and visionary leadership is required to guide the people through one of the most trefying moments in Pakistani history. President Asif Ali Zardari's eagerness in the US to project Pakistan as a frontline state in the war against terror needs to be reinforced by well-thought-through measures within the country. The government has not yet been able to galvanize the nation to rise up against the terrorism menace that has engulfed it.
This failure to sensitize the people about the gravity of the terrorist threat has generated confusion which is further compounded by a lack direction. The upshot is that two distinct groups with divergent views have emerged. One feels that the war is an American war while a minority considers it as Pakistan's war. The former's apologetic stance on extremist violence is tantamount to acquitting the militants and extremists of the heinous crimes that they have committed. Their argument stems from the cause and effect principle, whereby the west, especially the US, has caused and is, therefore, the sole reason for the reaction and unrest within our borders.
These apologists suggest that military operations as seen recently in Bajaur and Swat are fuelling the militancy. They suggest political negotiations followed by economic and development assistance in lieu of military action should be used to win over the hearts and minds of the insurgents. However they fail to realize that any respite in military action, as was suggested by the adviser on interior affairs, Rehman Malik, for the month of Ramadan, will only provide an opportunity for the militants to regroup, rearm and reorganize their flanks. Whereas the need for economic aid is undeniable, it should not supplant but supplement military action.
The previous government attempted to implement a similar indulgent policy in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The fallout has been negative. The erosion of the writ of the state is no longer a phenomenon restricted to the tribal areas as it has spread to the settled districts of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). With it comes oppression of the weak, women and minorities as well as vigilante justice such as public executions and floggings under the pretence of enforcing Shariah.
The failure to pre-empt the spread of extremist dogma within the country by the previous government resulted in avoidable incidents such as the Lal Masjid debacle and led to a phenomenal increase in terrorist attacks. In 2003 terrorism claimed 189 lives, by 2007 the number soared to 3500 and, according to one estimate, has already capped 4141 in the first nine months of this year.
Despite these statistics, there is yet to be a realization that terrorism is the country's foremost enemy. On the contrary, food and power shortages, inflation, and unemployment have generated widespread frustration verging on desperation. This, in turn, has made people vulnerable to exploitation in the guise of religion. The obscurantist worldview of half-educated and, in some instances, barely literate clerics is blindly accepted. Segments of the print and electronic media and even some parliamentarians, especially those who have tried only recently to justify violence against women on the ridiculous premise of tribal traditions, are no less culpable.
A few months earlier General Kayani rightly observed that for a war to succeed it must have the backing of the people. For this a national consensus is sorely needed. The nation has to be made aware of the grave perils confronting it. The in-camera briefing to parliamentarians on the security situation and on-going military operations in FATA and Swat is a step in the right direction. The elected parliamentarians are the true representatives and voice of the people and the war on terror can only be won if they are united in the cause. It is, however, necessary to assure that this situation does not degenerate into an endless debate and inaction. In times of war and emergency (both of which Pakistan is in) a centralized command and control system proves to be the most efficient method where quick and decisive actions are the need of the day. Imagine what would have happened if the decision to send troops to Bajaur agency (Operation Sherdil) was based on a debate and vote of the parliament? Nothing.
An elected government is now in place. What is lacking is firm and decisive leadership. The essence of a true leader is to mould public opinion in the pursuit of a just cause. In recent history Churchill and Roosevelt provided such wartime leadership to their peoples and, thereby, inspired them to confront daunting challenges and sacrifice for the sake of their respective countries. The same metal has to be displayed by the leadership of Pakistan.
Mushfiq Murshed
Thursday, October 09, 2008
If terrorism's objective is to instil fear in the hearts and minds of the common man then the war on terror is being lost in Pakistan. The initial knee-jerk reaction of anger and sorrow for the victims of the Marriott bombing of 20 September 2008 has regressed to that of trepidation.
With over 4000 terrorist attack casualties in Pakistan in 2008 alone, one would presume that the citizens of this country would unify under the war on terror banner and a nationwide outpouring of rage would ensue; somewhat on the lines of the post-9/11 scenario in the US. On the contrary, the people of Pakistan have never been more disunited.
A strong and visionary leadership is required to guide the people through one of the most trefying moments in Pakistani history. President Asif Ali Zardari's eagerness in the US to project Pakistan as a frontline state in the war against terror needs to be reinforced by well-thought-through measures within the country. The government has not yet been able to galvanize the nation to rise up against the terrorism menace that has engulfed it.
This failure to sensitize the people about the gravity of the terrorist threat has generated confusion which is further compounded by a lack direction. The upshot is that two distinct groups with divergent views have emerged. One feels that the war is an American war while a minority considers it as Pakistan's war. The former's apologetic stance on extremist violence is tantamount to acquitting the militants and extremists of the heinous crimes that they have committed. Their argument stems from the cause and effect principle, whereby the west, especially the US, has caused and is, therefore, the sole reason for the reaction and unrest within our borders.
These apologists suggest that military operations as seen recently in Bajaur and Swat are fuelling the militancy. They suggest political negotiations followed by economic and development assistance in lieu of military action should be used to win over the hearts and minds of the insurgents. However they fail to realize that any respite in military action, as was suggested by the adviser on interior affairs, Rehman Malik, for the month of Ramadan, will only provide an opportunity for the militants to regroup, rearm and reorganize their flanks. Whereas the need for economic aid is undeniable, it should not supplant but supplement military action.
The previous government attempted to implement a similar indulgent policy in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The fallout has been negative. The erosion of the writ of the state is no longer a phenomenon restricted to the tribal areas as it has spread to the settled districts of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP). With it comes oppression of the weak, women and minorities as well as vigilante justice such as public executions and floggings under the pretence of enforcing Shariah.
The failure to pre-empt the spread of extremist dogma within the country by the previous government resulted in avoidable incidents such as the Lal Masjid debacle and led to a phenomenal increase in terrorist attacks. In 2003 terrorism claimed 189 lives, by 2007 the number soared to 3500 and, according to one estimate, has already capped 4141 in the first nine months of this year.
Despite these statistics, there is yet to be a realization that terrorism is the country's foremost enemy. On the contrary, food and power shortages, inflation, and unemployment have generated widespread frustration verging on desperation. This, in turn, has made people vulnerable to exploitation in the guise of religion. The obscurantist worldview of half-educated and, in some instances, barely literate clerics is blindly accepted. Segments of the print and electronic media and even some parliamentarians, especially those who have tried only recently to justify violence against women on the ridiculous premise of tribal traditions, are no less culpable.
A few months earlier General Kayani rightly observed that for a war to succeed it must have the backing of the people. For this a national consensus is sorely needed. The nation has to be made aware of the grave perils confronting it. The in-camera briefing to parliamentarians on the security situation and on-going military operations in FATA and Swat is a step in the right direction. The elected parliamentarians are the true representatives and voice of the people and the war on terror can only be won if they are united in the cause. It is, however, necessary to assure that this situation does not degenerate into an endless debate and inaction. In times of war and emergency (both of which Pakistan is in) a centralized command and control system proves to be the most efficient method where quick and decisive actions are the need of the day. Imagine what would have happened if the decision to send troops to Bajaur agency (Operation Sherdil) was based on a debate and vote of the parliament? Nothing.
An elected government is now in place. What is lacking is firm and decisive leadership. The essence of a true leader is to mould public opinion in the pursuit of a just cause. In recent history Churchill and Roosevelt provided such wartime leadership to their peoples and, thereby, inspired them to confront daunting challenges and sacrifice for the sake of their respective countries. The same metal has to be displayed by the leadership of Pakistan.
