Emergency in Pakistan: Opportunity or Headache? Part-I
By now, most of you must have read about the imposition of Emergency in Pakistan by General Musharraf (read a report on the turmoil here: Black coats face off brute force). Although a transition to full democracy has been promised soon, the signs are not good.
I have not yet had a chance to read through my entire “pending list” of articles and news-stories on this development but VCK and Patriot made a few good points on another post which I have moved here in the hope of prompting more discussion.
Please read and share your thoughts and I will add some more reports/views in Part-II, hopefully by tomorrow.
In the meantime, here are some thoughts:
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Comment by v.c.krishnan, on November 4th, 2007
Dear Sir,
The perfidy of the US has been exposed to the full. The US sate department shamelessly states the emergency in Pakistan is very disapponting but “it does not mean that Military support will cease”.
The British spokesperson says that we hope the democracty will return to pakistan. “A bland statement”.
Wheras the white establishment went hammer and tongs when emrgency was imposed in India. They pushed India to a corner when we did the Pokhran blast.
The US shamelessly sent in the Seventh Fleet fleet to threaten India during the ‘71 war.
But for all this we will have the white press and its underdogs coming to the support to state that if not for the US India would have lost the Indo-China war in’62!
At that time we had a very poor leader at the helm of affairs and in his arrogance he refused to listen to sane advice of “Hindu Chini Bhai Bhai” was a thought of an Indian Ostrich and not that of the Chinese at any time. He only listened to the advice of “Skirts”.
Today we have the legacy of that weak man leading us and hence this pressure from the US. During the times of the BJP they spoke from the point of equal strength but today the US knows we are speaking from the side of weakness.
The US is not needing the deal for itself but it is to “Screw” black Hindu India. How can the “white christian CIA” miss out on the Pohkran blast! How can the “black Hindu” threaten the “White Christian Economies” by becoming powerful economically?
How can the “Black Hindu” have a backbone in spite of the “White Christian Press” and tthe plethora of “Christian Hindus” and Muslim Hndus” known as the ’seculars’ fighting against them tooth and nail.
So what is the best alternative?
Slowly put the “Screws” on India and destroy it fully by once again putting into use the techology known as the “Trojan Horse” and getting treaties like this signed.
Regards,
vck
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Comment by Patriot, on November 5th, 2007
The Unravelling of Pakistan
The declaration of Emergency and Musharaf’s desperation is in my view, one more step down the road of Pakistan’s disintegration. Especially, if the Islamised portion of the army splits and joins the al-qaeda in FATA.
Check this analysis of the Pakistani army. Excerpt:
“The past few months have been extremely difficult for the Pakistani security forces. Over 1,000 have been killed fighting extremists in NWFP and Waziristan, others have been targets of bombings — in an officers’ mess, outside a cantonment and, most recently, at an air force station. Others, like the paramilitary troops, have chosen the easy way by getting ‘captured’ willingly by the Taliban.”
Don’t miss the last line of this article.
Of course, this is very bad news for India, as our neighbourhood goes on the boil and into a downward spiral of violence.
Check out this analysis of the issues for India. Excerpt:
“Although India might be unwilling to admit it, this war against Islamic extremism across the Durand Line between Pakistan and Afghanistan could redefine the security politics of the subcontinent. Our political class has been too immersed in an increasingly trivialised nuclear debate to notice the profound transformation occurring along the Durand Line and its implications for India. The security establishment in New Delhi, in turn, finds it difficult to overcome the inertia of the recent preoccupations on J&K and cross-border terrorism………………………………..
……………………………………. As it comes to terms with an unusual security challenge from its west, India must construct a different template for its Pakistan policy. New Delhi must move from a mere refusal to take advantage of Pakistan’s current internal crisis to a series of considered step — including troop reductions in J&K and greater cooperation across the international border — to signal India’s positive support for Pakistan’s territorial integrity.
Nearly three decades ago, when the Soviet troops entered Afghanistan then Indian prime minister, Indira Gandhi, sent her foreign minister P.V. Narasimha Rao to Islamabad to suggest a joint Indo-Pak response to the crisis. General Zia-ul Haq, who was all set to play a dramatic role in the new Great Game, dismissed that offer.
As the Great Game, in its latest incarnation, threatens to devour Pakistan’s territorial integrity, discreet offers of help from India might find a more receptive ear in the General Headquarters at Rawalpindi. As the Durand Line dissipates, India must contribute its bit to holding the line against resurgent extremism on the northwestern marches of the subcontinent. A democratic Pakistan would surely have been better positioned to win this war. India, however, does not have the luxury of choosing the political system in Pakistan. “
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Comment by Patriot, on November 5th, 2007
And, here is Brajesh Mishra, NSA to Vajpayee, talking about the Nuclear Deal, ties with the US and how close India came to war with Pakistan:
Very interesting reading ……
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B Shantanu, on November 5th, 2007
@ Patriot: Thanks for the links. I will have a look at the articles.
Quick comment on the excerpt (with the proviso that I have not read the linked article in full):
“including troop reductions in J&K” – I think this will be suicidal.
“India, however, does not have the luxury of choosing the political system in Pakistan“ – this, unfortunately, is the reality.
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P.S. Did any of you pick up this disturbing news about Taliban?
“HERAT, Afghanistan: Taliban insurgents have captured a third district in western Afghanistan, local officials said on Monday.”
I think this is an opportunity.
An opportunity for Pakistanis to realize, once for all, that they have been misled by their politicians/generals into supporting Islamist causes.
They should resolve that they will never support anything Islamist again. Ever. Not against India. Not against anything. If they really believe this, Pak will get out of this mess.
If not, well… 🙂
Dear Sir,
There are a lot of Pakistanis who have realised that their hard earned splitting from India was a mistake. They have been led by the nose by the generation which lived in the times of the British which meant they lived in the times of the white man’s divide and rule policy, which has developed into a Hydra Headed Monster. They are dividing , the country is being divided, by the same class of power hungry persons at the helm of affairs. Unles they also turn to what we Indians are looking at currently thru our discussions here, the culture which existed in their country prior to the Islamistion or the White man’ rule, they will end into an Abyss of no return and no power on earth will help them to get them back on the feet.
India “Should not Fish in Troubled Waters”. The top Military Brass, the Bhutto clan, the Imran Khan’s etc. are deeply entrenched in their “HATRED” towards India.
If we interfere the “WHITE American and his lap dog country” will will state that India is flexing its muscles and acting like a big brother.
The White American” may also ask his “Friend” China to flex its muscles, and with a undercurrent of a difficult time with our age old freind Russia, India will end up with a lot of egg on its face and endless trouble on its borders.
Let them thrash it out and if the Taliban threatens India then we have the right to destroy them with or without the weak kneed UN supporting us or not.
I strongly feel that India should not be led by its nose to one more ignomony under the rule of the UPA.
Regards,
vck
Very provocative article (do not read, if you have low tolerance level for gratuitous american insults)
Stephen Cohen on India vis-a-vis Pakistan:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/235722.html
I tend to agree with VCK that we should not support one group over another, because an anti-India ideology runs through all of them. Maybe, Benazir is the best of all of them, but then she is seen as a very divisive force internally in Pakistan.
The bigger threat really is that the army gets fed up of Musharraf and throws him out and the Islamist generals take over. I don’t think that the majority of Pakistanis realise that the shift to theocracy has compounded their problems, and instead they may look at militant Islam as their “saviour”. Given that their mullahs have been feeding them a steady diet of anti-US, anti-Musharraf and pro-Taliban diet, I think the possibility of a split in the country and an immediate Taliban neighbour has become more real.
Here is a view from a non-resident Pakistani professor:
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/236125._.html
We are entering very dangerous times in our neighbourhood.