War on terror: Pakistan’s dilemma

Col Ghulam Sarwar (R)

Being a close ally of America in its war against terror, Pakistan has been doing its best to make its contribution felt. In the process, it has suffered very heavily in term of men and material, yet America is not much satisfied. And for the past many months, it has been facing intense pressure from the US to “do more” and thus forestall the re-emergence of Taliban on the political scene, with the result, that each day that passes, pressure on Pakistan is mounting and, thus pressure has now assumed alarming proportions. Pakistan government is trying very hard to deal with the situation but so far, confusion is seen prevailing all around and getting as time passes, it is getting worse confounded.
With regard to Pakistan’s involvement in its war on terror, the current phase of campaign against Pakistan, was unleashed with the testimony of former intelligence chief, John Negroponta, to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, held in early 20007. His statement now forms official view of US administration on the growing menace of terror and Pakistan’s role therein. John Negroponta’s views have now been endorsed by U.S senior officials. Of all these officials, Vice President, Dick Cheney’s remarks with regard to eradication of terrorism, are quite significant. In this context, in order to settle scores with Pakistan, he had undertaken an unscheduled visit to Islamabad and Kabul. The message he had delivered to President of Pakistan, on behalf of President Bush, was visibly tough. Burden of this message for Pakistan was to ‘do more’, while fighting against militancy and terrorism. Despite his failing health, Dick Cheney had undertaken this arduous journey to emphasize the urgency and sensitivity of his mission. Although officials from both sides were hesitant to release details of the message conveyed by Dick Cheney to the President of Pakistan, but according to New York Times, Dick Cheney had delivered “an unusually tough message”, to President Musharraf.
Later, after a few days, Washington based, prestigious think-tank, “The Centre for Strategic and International Studies”, had disclosed that the US had provided Pakistan, more than ten billion dollars for five years, since the 9/11 attack. This Centre had issued a stern warming, indicating that Washington alliance with President Musharraf might have run the course. There are also indications to show that Dick Cheney had carried with him film clippings of alleged Taliban and Al-Qaeda camps. These camps are allegedly operating in settled areas of Pakistan. Assisted by CIA’s Stephen Kappes, Cheney had told the President that with the Democrats in control of both Houses of Congress, aid given to Pakistan might be withheld, in view of its half-hearted efforts to deal with Al-Qeada and Taliban. Pakistan was told in clear terms that this aid will only be released only when tangible evidence of action against Taliban is made available.
It is interesting to see that while Cheney was having parleys with President Musharraf, a senior Bush administration official was quoted as saying in “New York Times” that the Bush administration was getting increasingly frustrated with Musharraf’s promises. It was felt by the American establishment, that no tangible outcome of the war against terror was visible at the movement, despite Pakistan’s loud rhetorics. As a manifestation of this frustration, a few members of the Senate urged the Bush administration to launch military strike at the alleged Al-Qaeda targets inside Pakistan. Pakistan, however, reacted very sharply to this suggestion, emphasizing that military action against insurgents will be taken only by Pakistan’s armed forces.
Intelligence sharing was, however, possible. However, a senior Pentagon official later revealed that the coalition troops had already targeted Taliban and Al-Qaeda hideouts inside Pakistan and that they had an agreement with Pakistan that had allowed them had allowed them to undertake such a mission. In this context, more was to follow when General Douglas Luter, chief operation officer from the JCS, had confirmed that the US soliders could target terrorist sites inside Pakistan, in case of an immediate threat General James Jones, former top NATO operational commander in Afghanistan was also of the view that the US forces could legally strike across the border. Republican Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama was even more vocal and more provocative when he suggested that the US could act against Pakistan on the same legal ground that was used to justify the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan. Pakistan, however, has denied all these charges. It stance is that coalition forces have, on no account, been allowed to target Taliban or Al-Qaeda sites inside Pakistan’s territory. Also, it asserts that no foreign forces would be allowed to launch direct air strikes inside Pakistan’s territory. Back to Dick Cheney’s visit, circumstantial evidence has now proved that this visit was no act of friendship, nor was there any indication of US solidarity with Pakistan. Its objective was simply to demand that President Musharraf takes stern action against the Taliban camps in Pakistan. In view of these developments, it appears that considerable tension has crept into Pakistan’s relations with the US. However, this in no way, is a happy development for either country. There is a growing feeling in the U.S. that the Taliban have succeeded in regrouping themselves in America, the general perception is that might as well carry out bolder operations in times to come.
Viewed in such a scenario, Pakistan is likely to face an intensification of pressure from Washington. This will unilaterally take the form of asking Pakistan to do more; but later, this demand could possibly take the shape of surgical strikes by the US or allied forces, across our frontiers. This will be very unfortunate situation for Pakistan. In view of these developments, it is high time to tell the Americans in the campaign of war against terror, that Pakistan could do this much, and nothing beyond that. And expecting Pakistan to compensate for US’ own incompetence is just not possible. Happily, keeping national interests uppermost in priorities, Pakistan has conveyed a message to the Americans in loud and clear terms, that it had already cooperated with USA in its campaign against Al-Qeada and Taliban, and it cannot allow any outside power to use Pakistan’s territory for eradication of insurgents.
Courtesy: Pakistan Observer, 1/3/2008