| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| The fall of Swat |
| 2008-12-27 |
| There has been no official announcement, no victory parades or televised addresses by the victorious party, no cheering crowds welcoming the liberators – but Swat, to all intents and purposes, has fallen to the Taliban. It is the announcement that all girls education in the valley will cease from January 15 that is the tipping point. All schools that teach girls have been ordered by the Taliban to close by that date or face the inevitable consequences – being blown up being the most usual of these. They have already blown up well over a hundred girls schools, principally those operated by the government, but have moved in recent weeks to blowing up private institutions as well. Female education has virtually ceased anyway, and the Taliban announcement merely puts the seal on what is a manifest reality – the government has lost the battle for Swat and the Taliban have won. They operate at will, go where they like, issue orders and proclamations that a terrified public are unable to ignore and broadcast their message of obscurantism on the radio for all to hear – and obey. The ANP government of NWFP has called for assistance. But little seems to be forthcoming. Refugees stream out of the valley, the operators of private schools try to fight a rearguard action, the tourist trade is dead and buried long ago and the beautiful valley of Swat now enters a time of darkness. The Taliban announcement regarding girl's education may seem a strange point at which to declare Swat 'fallen' – but it is of huge symbolic significance. It is significant because there will be compliance – the population and the operators of schools, including the government who are the majority education provider – will do what they are told. They will obey the orders of the Taliban because the Taliban are more powerful than the government that is supposed to protect and sustain them. The government is unable or unwilling to protect its own schools and is not going to lift a finger to protect those of the private sector. It gives the clear impression of having abandoned Swat and its people to whatever their fate may be. Could the government – either of Musharraf or the present rudderless, drifting Marie Celeste – have done anything to stop this? Yes, and in all likelihood they decided not to. The notion that somehow the militants are our 'allies' runs as a strong and deep current through elements of the army and intelligence services, the bureaucracy and the politicians themselves. There are powerful forces that provide tacit if not overt support to them, forces which would like to see the Taliban triumphant in the rest of Pakistan and not just Swat. The caliphate of Swat is becoming a reality before our eyes. Where next? |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #3 Double JDOTR, please |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-12-27 20:38 |
| #2 Just one large, powerful ARCLIGHT strike, that's all it would take... |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2008-12-27 19:38 |
| #1 "They have already blown up well over a hundred girls schools" WTF is it with these taliban types - do they absolutely hate women tha much? Time to start gelding any and all that we capture. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2008-12-27 17:30 |