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Prophets of doom and gloom are trying their best to portray Pakistan as a failed state. Their propaganda machine is working overtime to propagate stereotypical images of Pakistan.

http://pakistan1947.blogspot.com/2006/07/is-pakistan-failed-state.html

Americans displaced Briton after its demise in the Second World War to start the New Great Game.

They forged a close alliance with Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey during the Cold War to contain Russians.

People of this region turned against Americans because of their support for dictators.

The Great Game was used as a term to describe the struggle between Briton and Russia who were vying to colonize this region since Tsarist Russian Empire in early nineteenth century.

Read More ...

http://pakistan1947.blogspot.com/2006/08/shadows-of-great-game.html

Before America can think of winning "the war on terrorism" it better define who it is fighting? Terrorism? Terrorism is not an enemy -- it is a strategy of the weaker group. Is it fighting an individual by the name of Osama and if Osama is killed will that be the end of the "war on terrorism"? Or is it fighting an ideology that help America defeat the USSR in Afghanistan?

If Pakistan is a failed state then India is a deeply insecure and petty Hindu state masquerading as a modern democracy. A few strategic shocks and the state of India will shatter into its natural pieces.

Pakistan is essentially a failed state. It is Islamized to the extent that it suffers from the AAA syndrome: Allah, America and Army.

The Washington Post had stinging criticism on the recent deal that Pakistan has struck with the Al Qaeda militants in granting them Amnesty in exchange of "Good Behavior". Well, this is a joke. How can anyone believe that if radical Islamic militants (who are "Islamic facists") granted amnesty would not fly the next plane to some other tall building inside USA ? What is the credibility of the Pakistani Government in "fighting the war against terror" ? Washington Post had earlier stated that USA has got nothing from General Musharraf, and that the radical Islamic ideology sems alive and well. To me USA is pursuing a self-destructive path in trusting Pakistan in its absurd deal with Al Qaeda militants in granting these murderers amnesty.

There will be a heavy price for USA and the West to pay for such follies.

The folks on this page seem obsessed with Musharraf and the Pakistani govt, neither of which is responsible for the current mess in Afghanistan. The solution to Afghan problems lies in that country, not in foreign states. Wild theories like Haroon and Chaudhry Shujaat will not solve any problem in the region.

All the drug tycoons of South West Afghanistan are residing in Quetta Cantonment, they have special facility including guards provided by ISI, special permits for their modern vehicles, their children are studying in army college of islamabad and hasanabdal, they are showering money on higher ranks of military Generals.The poor's child is being sent to Madrassah, for becoming a suicider and a taliban fighter.Creating Pashtunistan and free Balochistan is the only solution to curb fundamentilism and religious fanticism in the region.

Before 9/11, Pakistans foreign reserves were 1.7 $ Billion, bur after 9/11, and Pakistan's willingness to act as ''frontline' state in war against terror, reserves reached to 13 $billion. So Pakistan has been in win win situation, why would it even do anything for this Holy War, we have gained in all terms. South west Afghanistan suiciders are giving more money to Islambad.Before 9/11, our military failed to target and kill Altaf Hussain (MQM) in a city like Karachi, but after 9/11, the CIAsophisticated equipments made it possible to go and kill secular Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, in remote caves of Balochistan.

The politcal over centralization in Pakistan has provided opportunity to the military to rule and run country by their own wishes and desire.The political decentralization, promotion of secular ideas are crucial to stop military to run the country through intelligence agencies. I as a former military expert, confirm that we have been engaged in destablization of our neighbour, Afghanistan, and still this idea persists among the senior and junior ranks of the Military. International community, US particularly needs to shun the fact that a Punjai dominated military will produce any better results for War on Terror. Today even after 5 years, Afghanistan has become more volatile and fragile, and once again NATO is battling large number of fighters, with modern weapons, technology and military know hows.

Afghanistan, NATO and US cannot be deal with Taliban unless the bases of Taliban are disrupted first.The strategy has been misplaced,while Taliban found a heaven place in Pakistan's Balochistan and NWFP provinces with help of Intelligence of Pakistan. While all international efforts have been engaged in targetting them in Afghanistan.
Pakistan's ruling military dominated by Punjabi ethnic group do not share any cultural, historical, social and economic relations with Afghanistan, and want to retain their politcal and military monopoly in the region, so they are directly engaged in destablizing its neighbour. The border sharing regions like Balochistan and NWFP should be free of Taliban and Pro taliban elements, those now even in power, and sharing power with the Ruling Military regime. So two things become clear at this point i) Due to lack Secular and democractic forces in these Pakistani provinces and at large, it is easy for Pakistan to administer and influence both politically and militarilly, the activities and movement of taliban elements. Therefore strenghtening democractic forces and cracking down pro taliban groups and elements would be key to handling the taliban phenomenon. ii)Secondly, Afghan refugees in NWFP and Balochistan, must be returned back home, as plenty of evidence exists that Taliban militants easily getting refuge in name of refugees'' in Quetta and Peshawar.
iii)It is an open secret that senior sects of ISI Pakistan and military have ideological and ethnical sympathies with Taliban elements, and they have benefited from this entire conflict, in the name of curbing terrorism. A heavy flow of Taliban fighters has regained strength in south Afghanistan, while making Pakistan as their base, as always.
Therefore US and International community should put the priority right otherwise there is a fear of battling on Misplaced targets. Simply NATO cannot win by launching operation against Taliban, while their recruitment and training bases are safe and intact in Pakistan, where today even, religious parties can easily recruit large number of individuals, as it has been doing earlier for KAshmir and Afghanistan.
Pakistan military regime today enjoys support of US, and this has led to the Musharaf government to curb secular forces inside the country, where media and information has been controlled by intelligence, on the other hand Islamic fundamentalists which do not enjoy popular support, have been given more space to operate, and make political decisions. These all have given rise to extremism, pro taliban and fundamentlist thoughts inside pakistan and its promotion in Afghanistan.

It is difficult to envisage anything going right as long as we have a hapless, indecisive leader who lacks not only vision but also leadership.

Policies are usually a reflection of vision - something that Mr Karzai is fully devoid of. Further, he has failed to clariy his position on terrorism, drugs and modernisation of Afghanistan. How could when his own corrupt cabinet/family members are involved in drugs and corruption and when is contantly attempting to appease the very Taleban that the West dislodged in 2001? A leader can not be half pregnant. We need a strong leaders that leads not from the back but from the front. With a clear picture of where he is taking us to.

When the US handed over the responsibilities to NATO, the Americans were already being defeated. Now they blame NATO, how low is that?

Pakistan is the real culprit propping the Taliban. Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are an indication of American weakness - unwillingness to topple the governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

While Pakistan may have nukes and Saudi Arabia has oil they are no match against all out American military attack.

Pakistan is not to blame for the failure and troubles of the Afghans. The Afghans need to negotiate with insurgents like the Taliban and pursue Alqaeda. Additionally this Ahmed Rashid is an anti-Musharraf fanatic, ignore what he says.

The invasion of Afghanistan was a military success.
The invasion of Afghanistsan was a success because it was a perfect field for massive American air bombardment strategies. The country is open, albeit, incredibly rugged. Nonetheless, combinging tactical and strategic intelligence platforms, movement in Afghanistan is wide open to monitoring. The "caves" that the Taliban and al-Qaeda retreated to were successfully destroyed by high-tech bombs the U.S. has developed. I imagine the war planners and developers saw Afghanistan as a toy-maker's heaven.
Afghan Warlords are quite adjusted to adapting to colonial interventions. The Americans are only the latest group of outsiders to come in and think they've found the answer to making Afghanistan like their model of success, freedom, democracy, modernity, etc.
This is a joke to the warlords. Remember, Alexander The Great had a hard time in Afghanistan. So, too, did the British and Russians. Afghanistan is rugged, primitive, and if the Americans were EVER serious about changing Afghanistan into a place where Islam might develop into a more western style democracy, with a central religion, then the U.S. has dropped the ball.
The reason the U.S. dropped the ball is simply that Americans are never going to develop the kind of mentality that European, Russian, Asian "Imperialists" had towards "conquering" and absorbing nations into the "Empire." This is because Americans are NOT imperialists, per se. They see their interventions in an Evangelical way ... we, and we alone, can bring freedom and democracy to your land! Just by invading and kicking out the oppressors.
But, without a completely different sense of patience, Americans will NEVER be true imperialists. As such, they do not believe in wars more than a few years. Vietnam was a war of at least 10 years duration. We've been in Afghanistan and that is a lifetime. I doubt most Americans would ever wish to see us in Afghanistan for ten years.
Americans have not yet grappled with the consequences of being a Unipower without the psychological committment that goes with "staying the course." They have not grappled with the consequences of being a "Unipower" which is a kind of post-Colonial Colonialist. They are NOT willing to return to a draft, and empires cannot be maintained or expanded without a much larger military force.
Americans have not grasped the incredible significance of what that means for future "Unipower" status.
A big part of that, however, is the reality of this fact:
Americans simply do not care, in a human way, about Arabs and Muslims as much as they do about Americans and Israelis;
Christians and Jews. They do not care about Muslims or Arabs enough to "do the hard work" that needs to be done in Afghanistan to see that country truly have the chance it needs to become a model democracy with Islam as the fundamental "
"state" religion.
Without a human and humane committment to the Muslims of Afghanistan, this war is like the Italian Campaign in WW II.
It is low key, off the radar, and will quietly be left behind because the American people don't care enough about the Afghan people to "stay the course."
Bush could care less.
He is an Attention Deficit Disorder, Hyperactive, unrecovering alcholic and drug addict, who has replaced substance addiction with power addiction. As such, he hasn't a shred of feeling for the Afghan people; for Muslims; for Arabs. He only sees them in light of their being backdrops to the "Long War" scenario he and his friends have created with the invasion of Afghanistan, Iraq, confrontations with Hamas and Hizbullah, Iran and North Korea, as well as Syria. Add Venezuela and the former Soviet Republics to that (coup d'etats), and you have a mechanistic view of his version of "historical significance."
The deeply troubling and sad reality is: he could give a crap about the people of Afghanistan. That is also true for his subordinates. Americans will not rise to a humane connection with Afghans. It's over. It's just going to take a few more years for Americans to quietly leave, and mumble and grumble about NATO and Europeans not being very "committed" to "the resolute course."
It's very, very sad to know these facts.
But, it helps to see how corrupted America has become.
This is the American reality.
We really are self-centered and selfish.

> What is the Purpose of USA, Nato presence in Afganistan?

*Cough* If we disregard a charged past inviting distrust and cynicism ('enemies of my enemy' first being nurtured and cultivated, milked, then being bombed as the world turns etc. etc.)...

Guess the purpose is to suppress Taliban activity and avoid snapback to the status quo ante. And enable nation-building - unfortunately I think 'nation building' has been off the menu for some time now, what with no money, no troops and no political will. I would have really hoped that Europe would have found some additional resources to send down there, but apparently the latest talks in Mons failed.

Failure to keep this 'go board' would just mean the need to reinvade again, finding more civilians dead (after warlords have had their field day) and even more civilians dead (after the next bombing campaign stops). Enough already.

The problem is indeed Pakistan, a 'good ally' in the ill-conceived 'War on Terror'. Something more dangerous than Iran, as they already have the nukes, are wont to sell, are of risk to go radical and actively support what is considered as 'Islamofascist' in POTUS speeches.

There may be no solution though. Maybe on the way out from Iraq the US military could take some time to finish the job in Afghanistan. Maybe after 'COBRA II' (i.e. grabbing Iraq) the US will have to go for 'Rolling Thunder II', flattening the Afghan-Pakistan border area. Then again, this may not be a good idea either.

The question is ill defined. USA and NATO are invaders with no interest in the well being of native Afgans, their sole interest is political control [oil pipeline route], and the misplaced dream that they can win with military force. With the possible exception of the Yalta division of East Europe, there was no successful "colonization" by military force [and that lasted only 30 years or so] in the last 50 years. The fall of the British Empire, the French loss in Africa etc. in the mid 20th century indicates that even long term colonization failed to survice the modern world's pressures. The sole exception to surviving colonization is the State of Israel, essentially either a failed experiment or a nation at constant state of war, whose very life depends on US military might and weaponry.

The notion that war lords, tribes, etc can be brought off after the indiscriminate bombing campaign perpetrated by the USA, and the great increase in opium production since the USA failed to rebuild the nation, indicates that the finances of the natives is insured for purchase of armament [herion trade] and the will to resist the invaders can not be negated by offering a few million USD to a few leaders.
Whereas the reason for the invasion was the elimination of El Quada in Afganistan, which was successful to all intents and purposes [now they have Iraq, Somalia, etc], there is absolutely no reason for USA NATO presence.
Also remembering that the Taliban and the Pushton tribe was an ally of the USA within the last few years, the natives will not trust the words of USA and NATO, for they have learned that the USA iws a most unreliable ally [see Panama, Chile, Bolivia, etc, with the sole excception of Israel].
So I suggest the question should have been: What is the Purpose of USA, Nato presence in Afganistan?
Thank you for your interst