AstanoshKhan
<b>PTI: NAYA PAKISTANI</b>
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- Jun 28, 2009
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Can Nawaz & Imran join hands to end the Drone Strikes? ..There is a good chance they can, only if they believe that now they have the power to do so. This self-belief and confidence is important.
Everything flows out from what you believe in.
Obama Administration is under tremendous domestic and international pressure on the issue of Drones. There are various reasons: these represent extra-judicial killings and a burden on international especially European conscience; the strong Pakistani public opinion as expressed by Imran and victory of PTI in KPK, the 15 million votes of PMLN, a party that never approved of Drone Strikes - unlike PPP and ANP - but perhaps the most important reason is that Obama wants to wind down the war and declare victory (however fake that may be) they way he did in Iraq in 2011 (read Vali Nasr about that in Dispensable Nation) and most of the original targets of Al Qaeda are actually finished. For all practical purposes whatever Al-Qaeda was, is now dead or dying. Americans are now fighting an insurgency in the form of Afghan Taliban which they have finally realized that they cannot win, could have never won, so they need a semblance of stability before they leave. (the kind of smoke screen they created in Iraq before leaving)
Drones were as much, if not more, political than they were strategic. Bush increased the number of Drone Strikes before the election of 2008 to show toughness against terrorism. Obama multiplied Drones to reduce pressures from CIA and Pentagon who argued for "boots on ground" inside Pakistan. And Drones are very popular in the US, they make Americans feel very macho and strong. So Obama - a President from the weaker side of US politics - has used them as a tool of power, but while the drone remains a powerful too in the American arsenal, its real need inside Pakistan is decreasing. US will very much like Pakistanis to negotiate so that they can develop consensus on a frame work for minimum strikes with Pakistani approvals (may be issued later) they way it was in Musharraf era. (just 6 strikes from 2004 to 2007) But this may not be possible for Pakistan and its political parties. However a strong, well prepared initiative from Nawaz backed by Imran (Good cop, bad cop) can find a solution; but Nawaz govt will have to give something in return, Americans will need a quid pro quo. Ending Drones without a Pakistani gesture, a quid pro quo will be a political liability for Obama and he won't be able to do it...ball is in Nawaz Sharif's court...
We did an interesting discussion with Ahsen Iqbal, Dr. Shirin Mazari, Maleeha Lodhi and Ikram Sehgal; see the common ground between PMLN and PTI on this issue....22-23 million votes on this single issue speaking with one voice... Moeed Peerzada.
Everything flows out from what you believe in.
Obama Administration is under tremendous domestic and international pressure on the issue of Drones. There are various reasons: these represent extra-judicial killings and a burden on international especially European conscience; the strong Pakistani public opinion as expressed by Imran and victory of PTI in KPK, the 15 million votes of PMLN, a party that never approved of Drone Strikes - unlike PPP and ANP - but perhaps the most important reason is that Obama wants to wind down the war and declare victory (however fake that may be) they way he did in Iraq in 2011 (read Vali Nasr about that in Dispensable Nation) and most of the original targets of Al Qaeda are actually finished. For all practical purposes whatever Al-Qaeda was, is now dead or dying. Americans are now fighting an insurgency in the form of Afghan Taliban which they have finally realized that they cannot win, could have never won, so they need a semblance of stability before they leave. (the kind of smoke screen they created in Iraq before leaving)
Drones were as much, if not more, political than they were strategic. Bush increased the number of Drone Strikes before the election of 2008 to show toughness against terrorism. Obama multiplied Drones to reduce pressures from CIA and Pentagon who argued for "boots on ground" inside Pakistan. And Drones are very popular in the US, they make Americans feel very macho and strong. So Obama - a President from the weaker side of US politics - has used them as a tool of power, but while the drone remains a powerful too in the American arsenal, its real need inside Pakistan is decreasing. US will very much like Pakistanis to negotiate so that they can develop consensus on a frame work for minimum strikes with Pakistani approvals (may be issued later) they way it was in Musharraf era. (just 6 strikes from 2004 to 2007) But this may not be possible for Pakistan and its political parties. However a strong, well prepared initiative from Nawaz backed by Imran (Good cop, bad cop) can find a solution; but Nawaz govt will have to give something in return, Americans will need a quid pro quo. Ending Drones without a Pakistani gesture, a quid pro quo will be a political liability for Obama and he won't be able to do it...ball is in Nawaz Sharif's court...
We did an interesting discussion with Ahsen Iqbal, Dr. Shirin Mazari, Maleeha Lodhi and Ikram Sehgal; see the common ground between PMLN and PTI on this issue....22-23 million votes on this single issue speaking with one voice... Moeed Peerzada.
