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| India-Pakistan |
| The TalibanÂ’s Silent Partner |
| 2006-07-22 |
| By ROBERT D. KAPLAN WHEN the American-led coalition invaded Afghanistan five years ago, pessimists warned that we would soon find ourselves in a similar situation to what Soviet forces faced in the 1980’s. They were wrong — but only about the timing. The military operation was lean and lethal, and routed the Taliban government in a few weeks. But now, just two years after Hamid Karzai was elected as the country’s first democratic leader, the coalition finds itself, like its Soviet predecessors, in control of major cities and towns, very weak in the villages, and besieged by a shadowy insurgency that uses Pakistan as its rear base. Our backing of an enlightened government in Kabul should put us in a far stronger position than the Soviets in the fight to win back the hinterland. But it may not, and for a good reason: the involvement of our other ally in the region, Pakistan, in aiding the Taliban war machine is deeper than is commonly thought. |
| Posted by:john |
| #4 Remember that Musharraf is weak, and he is virtually our only ally in country This is what Liqiat Ali Khan, the very first Prime Minister of Pakistan claimed ... he alone was preveting the bearded mullahs from power. That was almost sixty years ago. In fact, there is an endless sucession of generals and other pliant politicans waiting in the wings, if the price is right. There was even an ISI report mentioned in the Pak press that was quite open about the need to present a facade of anarchy - rabid islamists just waiting to take over, in order to receive American aid - money and guns. |
| Posted by: john 2006-07-22 23:50 |
| #3 I still think it is part of a bigger picture scenario. Remember that Musharraf is weak, and he is virtually our only ally in country. Their government is heavily Islamist and hates us. So our strategy is to make Musharraf more and more powerful, but incrementally. He helps us a little, we make him more powerful, so he can help us more. But if he pushes too hard, he could lose his head and we would be SOL. Right now, Pakistan is split between government ruled, Baluchistan enclave and the Wazoos enclave. We have strengthened Perv enough so that he was able to purge much of his army and some of the ISI. So we gave them weapons, making them and him stronger. So he now has almost brought Baluchistan under his control. This makes his mojo strong, and gives Pakistan lots more resources, and a valuable deep water port. He has already softened up the Wazoos, but that is the heart and soul of his Islamist opposition, so he has to be very careful. He must outmaneuver his opposition in parliament and weaken not just them but the political parties that support them. Finally, he has to maintain and build popular support. I'll have to give Damocles the benefit of the doubt for right now, even if he does have a nest of vipers in his bosum. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-07-22 23:13 |
| #2 And it's a huge money maker for Pakistan since they are supplying our forces for a very hefty fee. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-07-22 13:47 |
| #1 The situation is tragically simple: the very people we need to kill or apprehend we canÂ’t get at, because they are in effect protected by our so-called ally, Pakistan. All we can do is win tactical battles against foot soldiers inside Afghanistan, who are easily replaced. Waging war with your hands tied behing your back has been tried before. |
| Posted by: john 2006-07-22 13:45 |