Partial Amnesia

Submitted by Swahili Dinaz (India), Jul 30, 2005 at 14:23

Well done, Dr. Pipes. An interesting expose; but the truth will continue to elude, because of the whole discussion on terrorism in South Asia, as it continues to be discussed in the West and its media, is in the nature of dumb charades. A discussion of Pakistan and Musharraf -- with his tight rope act -- without understanding where the rope leads, will always be futile. Factor out India from any discussion on Pakistani policy, and what you get is zilch. It is as though Pakistan has no history in the Indian subcontinent, it has simply arrived on the world scene as the rogue terrorist-minded baby of distant Saudi Arabia! How much progress can you make with this mindset?

And what if Al Qaeda is not the 'phenomenon', just as Taliban is not so -- both being mere puppets of Pakistan? What if the assassination attempts (rather common around the world, as alibi) are staged? Western analysts even go to the extent of separating the actions of the Pakistani ISI (Inter Services Intelligence) from its Head of State, who is the military chief, mind you, to avoid seeing what is right under their noses?

The tight rope act consists of wearing a suit and tie for the Western media and the uniform at home! He almost has them eating out of his hands, the smart puppeteer, who understands their psyche so well, and speaks their language too. That's how he's come a long way, in the most dangerous of circumstances. And at home he's the Boss, make no mistake about it.

Another thing we must not forget, is the sharp switch the US made, from Afghanistan to Iraq, instead of the logical progression to OBL and Pakistan! The famous airlift of Pakistani forces fighting on the side of Taliban is not easily forgotten. Post-9/11, when Bush declared that he would 'smoke them out', very few understood that he meant Saddam and not OBL! That is why the Iraq war is most confounding and illogical to most observers, not just to the Islamists.

One more question; Pakistan has been as much bankrolled by the Saudis, especially its programme of the Islamic Bomb and the maddressahs, as by the US. Looking at the pictures of the 9/11 bombers, what if they happen to be Pakistanis with dual citizenship? --Because the Saudis especially, fit ill the profile of suicide bombers, and Pakistanis are more expendable in the cause of the Islamic jihad? (As also the Africans and Egyptians, only less so).

What if, the soldiers of jihad involved in the beheadings in Iraq are Pakistanis -- in training for a long time? --Because, Pakistan is most strategically situated on the cusp of South, Central and West Asia, has the will, the means and the capability! And it has willingly been supported by the US and UK to that end ever since its creation, especially by the British.

Musharraf is a smart guy, smooth and savvy by any reckoning. The tight rope he walks is to appease the locals while seeming to give in to Western demands, and he does this with the trade off of continuing jihad against India in Kashmir, and against Russia in Chechnya (rather indirectly, through the Arabs of Al Qaeda).

The locals are happy with that. Pakistan flaunts its prize guest Dawood Ibrahim, Most Wanted Terrorist on Earth, with his vast control over crime and narco terrorism in India and all over the world. He continues to live in Karachi as the guest of ISI, using his contacts in India to funnel in explosives, drugs and fake currency. Then, Pakistan hosts innumerable terrorist cells under the LeT and JeM for example, in active training to destabilise India even now. This is a clear trade off with the US and UK, who continue to look the other way, ostrich like. That is how the attacks happened in London. Because terrorism is like playing with forest fire, to the sad and belated reckoning of Western powers now!

For Pakistan, its leadership made a pact with the citizenry after the separation of Bangladesh in 1971, publicly on radio --"to eat grass if needs be, but to bleed India through a thousand cuts" -- to avenge itself against India. This fits the jihadi profile, because Bangladesh was forced into civil war by the Punjabi military brutes of West Pakistan, and scapegoating India suits its purpose. A clever sleight of hand that fools some, but not all, with its glaring internal contradictions.

Because India never subscribed to the two-nation theory of the British partition. India continues to be a Secular democracy, with the second largest Muslim population after Indonesia! The highly disciplined Indian military continues to be Secular, with Muslims serving in hight posts. The President of India, third time around, is a patriotic Muslim and very popular with all Indians. This is a slap in the face of Pakistan with its heinous jihadi ideology. India continues to flourish and prosper, unlike Pakistan. India has always been a thorn in the flesh of barbaric Muslim imperialism over the centuries, with its dominant ideology of the eternal dharma! This makes its total wipeout the reason for existence for jihadi Pakistan, and the least it would wish is the prize of beheading India! For that is what Kashmir is, in the final reckoning! Its head severed, India will be rendered dead and then the internal jihadis can scavenge over the rest.

This was the trade off, unfortunately, since the war in Afghanistan began!
And now, watch the tight rope again. Because India can take very good care of itself, with tolerance and equanimity, and at times, following the 'Raj Dharma' as it did in the event of post-jihad Gujarat riots! What will the British do, is the million dollar sterling question.

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