I expect people to revolt very soon, the food is being dropped near city centres, it is a clear indication to people of Afghanistan that US sees and observes a distinction between them and their regime.
Unlike Iraqi invasion in 1991 this is one sharp difference that I can feel is the allies and US recognition that 'a whole nation has been taken hostage by Mullah Omar and psychotic bin Laden.' Besides catching the culprits it is 'operation freedom Afghanistan' for the populace of Afghanistan from oppression of Talibans/Osama. What a coward his mother has reared in her womb that puts a whole nation of millions through this ordeal of famine and war and save his own neck buried deep in caves. Will he his fight war from buried deep in caves or may be he runs like a chicken but there is nowhere to hide.
Already I am hearing some news of revolt in the south as ground forces near Iranian border are waging battles against Taliban, the thrust from north is expected soon, Kabul will probably fall as gravity of the situation is realized by the 'lashkars' and the warlords, I don’t think it will be too late.
This is not a beginning of 3rd world war but as some analysts put it the beginning of the second cold war this time the enemy is hidden and deadly, it needed a special rainbow coalition and luckily US got one. Colin Powel is going to emphasise this point of fighting terrorists and not AFGHANIS when he visits Pakistan this week.
On a separate note, I am so proud to see that once again like so many forgotten times in history Pakistan is standing by its long time ally US in times of US need. We did that in 1962 Gary Powel U-2 flight over Russia, Khruchev told us that Pakistan is marked red for a nuclear retaliation, we never backed out.
We were part of SEATO, CENTO, helped Kissinger diplomatic opening with China through Islamabad and fighting the proxy war against USSR when Reagan asked us to do so, Pakistan army ethos are rarely understood and its US alliance historically spread over five decades most misrepresented.
Today US recognises that when Egypt and even Saudis are reluctant Pakistan come on as a pivot and that is what our neighbours fail to understand. A stable Pakistan guarantees a stable region; a fragmented ‘Talibinised’ Pakistan would be the biggest threat to the entire region that includes north of India, US policy pundits have now understood this new change in the dynamics of regional politics. Luckily our liberal forces and silent majority are in ascendancy and they made the best choice out of the present circumstances, I am happy that we were not neutral or wavering.
You will see that US will see a quick exit of Taliban, most unfortunate is that what we are doing we can't even brag about, no one and I say no one after US is so close to action and so helpful from 13th of Sept onwards. Logistics, (manpower) and corridors are all available to US for this huge endeavour. As a Pakistani I think we owed it to US who has helped us since our independence (except the unceremonious ditching by US after USSR collapse) and most of us are proud of it because we are on the right side on side of justice and not terror. Of course these 'holy bearded ghosts' shall be paraded on world media showing us in bad light, but what matters is that Bush knows what we are doing for US in this long struggle. This time no one will forget. |
