Pakistan’s Self-Defeating Army

This article repeats the common myth that the USA gives "enormous amounts of aid" to Pakistan. $7.5 billion over 5 years may sound like a lot, but Pakistan is a country of 170 million people. Do the math: it's only about two pennies per day for each Pakistani.

It's also tiny amount compared to the estimated trillion-plus dollars spent on the "war on terror".

The aid will not make much difference to the average voting Pakistani. Worse, if the USA tries to use this paltry sum as leverage to demand changes, that will put Pakistani civilian leaders in a bind. If they submit to American demands, their political opponents will accuse them of cheaply selling out Pakistan's national interests for little benefit.

The USA should either give no financial aid, or give so much that it transforms Pakistan,. Half-measures are likely to result in disaster.

This article repeats the common myth that the USA gives "enormous amounts of aid" to Pakistan. $7.5 billion over 5 years may sound like a lot, but Pakistan is a country of 170 million people. Do the math: it's only about two pennies per day for each Pakistani.

It's also tiny amount compared to the estimated trillion-plus dollars spent on the "war on terror".

The aid will not make much difference to the average voting Pakistani. Worse, if the USA tries to use this paltry sum as leverage to demand changes, that will put Pakistani civilian leaders in a bind. If they submit to American demands, their political opponents will accuse them of cheaply selling out Pakistan's national interests for little benefit.

The USA should either give no financial aid, or give so much that it transforms Pakistan,. Half-measures are likely to result in disaster.

This article repeats the common myth that the USA gives "enormous amounts of aid" to Pakistan. $7.5 billion over 5 years may sound like a lot, but Pakistan is a country of 170 million people. Do the math: it's only about two pennies per day for each Pakistani.

It's also tiny amount compared to the estimated trillion-plus dollars spent on the "war on terror".

The aid will not make much difference to the average voting Pakistani. Worse, if the USA tries to use this paltry sum as leverage to demand changes, that will put Pakistani civilian leaders in a bind. If they submit to American demands, their political opponents will accuse them of cheaply selling out Pakistan's national interests for little benefit.

The USA should either give no financial aid, or give so much that it transforms Pakistan,. Half-measures are likely to result in disaster.

Most of these ideas in the article are nice but they fail to understand two of the main issues. As long as a feudal land ownership system exists in Pakistan then you can't have a responsible government of the people because the people are too controlled by powereful landowners. Second, you can't really have a democracy when people aren't educated and able to think for themselves.

A self serving analisis with no relation to ground realities , which can only be expected from an Indian

excerpts FROM
The Ideologies of South Asian Jihadi Groups
by Husain Haqqani, current Pak Ambassador to USA
http://www.futureofmuslimworld.com/research/pubID.30/pub_detail.asp

the following 3 posts are from the above artcle by Ambassador Haqqani to US written in 2005

Contd.

The Markaz/Lashkar/Jamaat-ul-Dawa movement construes Muslim territories under non-Muslim occupation in the broadest sense. ???Muslims ruled Andalusia (Spain) for 800 years but they were finished to the last man. Christians now rule (Spain) and we must wrest it back from them. All of India, including Kashmir, Hyderabad, Assam, Nepal, Burma, Bihar and Junagadh were part of the Muslim empire that was lost because Muslims gave up jihad. Palestine is occupied by the Jews. The Holy Qibla-e-Awwal (First Center of Prayer) in Jerusalem is under Jewish control. Several countries such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Cyprus, Sicily, Ethiopia, Russian Turkistan and Chinese Turkistan ??? were Muslim lands and it is our duty to get these back from unbelievers. Even parts of France reaching 90 kilometers outside Paris and some of the forests and mountains of Switzerland were home to Muslim mujahidin but are now under the occupation of unbelievers.???
Some of the arguments and claims might appear historically incorrect or practically impossible but this does and will not deter a closely-knit jihadi group from raising funds, organizing cadres and fielding militants or terrorists in pursuit of a broadly defined global jihad aimed at the revival of Islam???s global ascendancy and eventual domination.

(CONTD)
ALTHOUGH AN OVERWHELMING majority of South Asian Muslims has practiced several variations of Sufi Islam over history, the region has been home to minority puritanical movements resisting ???un-Islamic influences??? or non-Muslim rule. Most jihadi movements in South Asia have grown out of these Islamic revivalist movements. In recent years, jihad has been used by the fragile Pakistani state to bolster its national identity against India. Pakistan???s crucial role as the staging ground for the anti-Soviet Jihad in Afghanistan created a nexus between Pakistan???s military and secret services, which was heightened by the state sponsorship of jihad against India in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Several jihadi groups have emerged over the last two decades in Pakistan and Kashmir, occasionally spreading operations into parts of India. Some offshoots of radical Islamist movements in Bangladesh have also embraced jihadi ideology and rhetoric in recent years, increasing the prospect of militancy and terrorism in Bangladesh.

?????????.the reason is simple cause whoever takes the lead will be setting himself up for quick retribution a la Benezir and due to revolution like conditions you would end up with tons of blood on your hand and by the time it ends you wont know who is on the side of good or evil???.
- Posted By: tigerwoods
Agree. Fear of assassination is tormenting the men in high places. Presidents or Prime Minister s or Generals all are prone for attacks. Sad but true.
This list of itself is sufficient to justify a virtual state of permanent jihad. ???Have all the obstacles to observing the faith in the world been removed???? the unnamed author asks rhetorically, adding that non-Muslim dominance of the global system makes jihad necessary. ???Is the current world order that of kafirs (unbelievers) or of Muslims? Is the global economic system according to the wishes of Allah, which requires the end of interest and usury???? Jihad is described as essential to ensure ascendancy of Islam and to create circumstances whereby non-Muslims would either convert to Islam or pay jizya. Furthermore, all major powers have broken their pledges to Muslims made at one time or another, for which they must be punished, runs the argument. ???Are Muslims not being mistreated all over the world? Are not weak Muslim men, women and children calling for help against oppression from India, Kashmir, Philippines, Chechnya, Russia, China, Bosnia and several other parts of the world? ??? Burma???s Muslims are under attack from Buddhists, who expel them from their homes ??? Israel has pierced the dagger of its existence in the heart of the Arabs.???
excerpts FROM
The Ideologies of South Asian Jihadi Groups
by Husain Haqqani, current Pak Ambassador to USA
http://www.futureofmuslimworld.com/research/pubID.30/pub_detail.asp

Well.. all that has been suggested is at least 2 years too late. In Pakistan there has been Mullah, Army and Feudal equation (Political parties). Any reform if at all it happens will need 5 to 10 years to set in and war for control of Pakistan will be decided in next 3 or so years and could start in as little as 3 months time. Right now Pakistani Taliban have momentum on there side..social, economic conditions are ripe for revolution and as Pakistan is a Islamic country so it has to be Islamic revolution. After Iran this is going to be next big thing.

Now coming to Pakistani Army. As I have been saying all along Pakistani Army has never won a single direct war since its creation and this is something that Pakistani Generals are well aware of. If the Pakistani Army is still a fighting force and do carry, use guns ..the reason is Mortal hatred of India. If it was not for this it would have ended as a permanent ruling party.

The professionalism of Pakistani Army has been going downhill since 1960s and with it Army's fighting capabilities. Army has been reduced to role of scheming against neighbors and ruling its own people. So it is not a fighting force but more of wheeling dealing political outfit bereft of any ideology except to be in position of power and accrue benefits from that position.

[Contd]
Unfortunately US and West has encouraged this wheeling and dealing in Pakistani Army. In effect Pakistani Army was able to drive USSR from Afghanistan, create and have sphere of influence in Afghanistan, bleed India with low intensity conflict and also get paid for all this by US. All of this is commendable when you dont have the development of country on your mind or have to justify or live with decisions. So it does not matter if good relations with India are in the interest of both countries, if Tribal areas or SWAT falls to Taliban. If Taliban can be manipulated to keep peace by allowing take over of Buner then be it.

If West is thinking that Pakistani Army will fight Taliban then they would be deeply disappointed. No amount of money and pressure will work, after all Pakistani Army is no mercenary force :) .. Right now political parties are looking towards army and army towards political parties to take on Taliban. the reason is simple cause whoever takes the lead will be setting himself up for quick retribution a la Benezir and due to revolution like conditions you would end up with tons of blood on your hand and by the time it ends you wont know who is on the side of good or evil.

So what US will get for all the dollars is more deals and still more alibi. Which in turn makes Taliban more strong and end game even more bloodier. The army will take on Taliban only when army's survival is at stake. Survival as business and political organization. I would be surprised if all top tier Generals dont have plan B - tons of cash stashed in Swiss Banks, possibility of asylum in US or other western countries ..social security benefits in old age will make it too good to be true... what else you could ask for..Pakistan and world be damned.

So to get these guys to act would be to ensure that there is no plan B. If US and West is serious about Pakistan then to go after Pakistani Army's slush funds should be at equal priority as going after terrorists. Once plan B is thwarted then US should hope and ensure that tipping point is reached soon. Point when it is certain that either Taliban or Pakistani Army has to go. One thing is certain that Taliban may or may no go after political parties but will surely go after Pakistani Elite and even slightly moderate elements in Pakistani Army.

(Cont from Above)

Unfortunately US and West has encouraged this wheeling and dealing in Pakistani Army. In effect Pakistani Army was able to drive USSR from Afghanistan, create and have sphere of influence in Afghanistan, bleed India with low intensity conflict and also get paid for all this by US. All of this is commendable when you dont have the development of country on your mind or have to justify or live with decisions. So it does not matter if good relations with India are in the interest of both countries, if Tribal areas or SWAT falls to Taliban. If Taliban can be manipulated to keep peace by allowing take over of Buner then be it.

If West is thinking that Pakistani Army will fight Taliban then they would be deeply disappointed. No amount of money and pressure will work, after all Pakistani Army is no mercenary force :) .. Right now political parties are looking towards army and army towards political parties to take on Taliban. the reason is simple cause whoever takes the lead will be setting himself up for quick retribution a la Benezir and due to revolution like conditions you would end up with tons of blood on your hand and by the time it ends you wont know who is on the side of good or evil.

So what US will get for all the dollars is more deals and still more alibi. Which in turn makes Taliban more strong and end game even more bloodier. The army will take on Taliban only when army's survival is at stake. Survival as business and political organization. I would be surprised if all top tier Generals dont have plan B - tons of cash stashed in Swiss Banks, possibility of asylum in US or other western countries ..social security benefits in old age will make it too good to be true... what else you could ask for..Pakistan and world be damned.

So to get these guys to act would be to ensure that there is no plan B. If US and West is serious about Pakistan then to go after Pakistani Army's slush funds should be at equal priority as going after terrorists. Once plan B is thwarted then US should hope and ensure that tipping point is reached soon. Point when it is certain that either Taliban or Pakistani Army has to go. One thing is certain that Taliban may or may no go after political parties but will surely go after Pakistani Elite and even slightly moderate elements in Pakistani Army.

Dear Mr. Ganguly:

I must confess, I have oftentimes tried to make sense of your writings and the more you write, the more you expose yourself as a total novice, with full of wishful thinking, totally devoid of reality, and even worse utter lack of understanding of the core issues, surely way below the level of depth one expects of a columnist for a leading news magazine like Newsweek.

While the entire article smacks of all these, your particular assertion that reinstatement of Mr.Chaudhry as the chief justice of Pakistan as a triumph of the civilian govt by sidelining the army shows how poor your understanding of the ground reality is. Even novice Pakistan observers have marveled at the true reach of the army when Gen. Kayani quietly pulled out a deal, while warning both the Zardari govt. of the consequences of letting the lawyer???s movement spillover, while at the same time warning the Sharif brothers of the dangers of expanding the conflict into a bloody one.

Also your calls for separating the civilian and military wings of the Pakistani Nuclear program is laughable, given the well known fact that Pakistan???s civilian program is a mere front for the military goals of the army.

Likewise I can go on-&-on on every word you have said here to expose your complete lack of understanding.

In this context I also have to refer to your article titled ???Religious Wars??? dated March 3rd, 2009 where you have blown up a silly episode of the unheard of Ram Sena in the Mangalore pub incident as a precursor to a religious war, and wrongly accused the BJP leaders of supporting the trouble makers.

I wish Newsweek takes note of contributors like ill informed columnists like you, and those of the even more dangerous people like Mr.Fareed Zakaria who have a clear agenda of selling radical Islam to innocent Americans by deliberately downplaying its dangers.

Murali, Atlanta, USA

Why Won???t Pakistan???s Army Fight?
www.dailyexception.com
Pakistan???s civilian government seems incapable or unwilling to respond to the Taliban???s advance. Meanwhile, Pakistan???s Army, one of the world???s largest, just sits on the sidelines. What is going on? We question not only the ???will??? of Pakistan???s government in fighting the Taliban, but also the motivation of its Generals for not fighting. The half million strong (and nuclear armed) army seems to be letting hardened criminals mount an insurrection that is choking the very state it has pledged to defend. In most countries this would be seen as criminal negligence. Not in Pakistan. To the Pakistani Generals, the Taliban and other terrorist groups are the vanguard of the nation???s defense. They are the Army???s ???strategic assets???. The Generals are loathed to give up these assets, even though they seem to recognize that damage that militancy is doing to Pakistan itself. They will take the absolute minimum action, and even then more as a show to the rest of the world. We believe that it is probably too late for Pakistan. The Taliban are too entrenched and the military too unwilling to confront them for things to meaningfully change. Even though society in Pakistan???s core provinces seem a million miles from the Taliban???s harsh rule, they are not. By appeasing militancy, and not fighting, Pakistan???s Generals are dooming their country to isolation, fragmentation and possibly civil war.
http://dailyexception.com/2009/04/24/why-won%e2%80%99t-pakistan%e2%80%99s-army-fight/