New strategy against terrorism (needed) - Saleem Safi

[EjazR]

New strategy against terrorism

By Saleem Safi
It was widely publicised by our interior minister, the US administration and various respectable news outlets that Hakeemullah Mehsud was killed in a US drone attack in South Waziristan. However, this scribe and two other journalists, Mushtaq Yusufzai and Samiullah Dawar, had time and again stated that the TTP leader was not dead (Jang, March 9). Independent sources have now confirmed that the TTP leader is very much alive. This recent development is an indication that many other claims by the US and Pakistani official sources regarding terrorism may be wishful thinking.

The success of the Swat and South Waziristan operations pushed the extremists out of the two areas. Consequently, extremists once holed up in the operation-hit areas slipped into the settled districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and big cities like Karachi and Lahore. The extremists’ dream to establish their writ in Punjab and Karachi will not come true, but they have succeeded in re-establishing a presence and acquire assets there in every urban centre to launch suicide attacks like the ones on the GHQ and American consulate in Peshawar.

Investigations show that planning and arrangements for suicide attacks in Lahore and Rawalpindi had originated in the same cities. More worrisome are the signs that many TTP sympathisers of some mainstream religious parties have been actively helping the militants. The extremists’ capabilities have further been bolstered by their adaptability to the changing tactics of anti-terror agencies.

The official claim that military operations have reduced terrorism is false. In fact, the operations have caused the spread of the terror network in the whole country. Before operations, militants flocked into Swat and tribal areas to dodge arrests or death in the settled areas. But the operations in Swat and the tribal areas sent them back into the cities.

Extremists from the banned Jihadi and sectarian organisations had migrated to South Waziristan to join the TTP under the leadership of Baitullah Mehsud. But drone attacks and military operations rendered the TTP’s command-and-control system ineffective. Consequently, the extremists rejoined their parent organisations and gained considerable operational autonomy within the weakened TTP. Their operational independence is betrayed by the fact that Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Asian Tigers (the Punjabi Taliban) now accept responsibility for all attacks they carry out in the country. The abduction of Col (r) Imam, Sqn Ldr (r) Khalid Khawaja and English journalist Asad Qureshi is an example of this new trend.

The US is hungry for the blood of Osama bin Laden and Mullah Umar, while Pakistan struggles to get rid of Hakeemullah Mehsud. But alive, they may prove a blessing in disguise as the US and Pakistan will need them for talks at an appropriate moment. In Afghanistan, the political solution of the conflict would necessitate talks with bin Laden and Mullah Umar. If Baitullah Mehsud was alive, Pakistan would have needed him for the same purpose.

Pakistan’s policies towards the US, Afghanistan and India have actually resulted in the spread of militancy in Pakistan. Musharraf needed to but never changed those policies, which the present government continues to pursue. Besides, our education, economic and political systems are equally responsible for the mess. State institutions, mainstream religious parties and the media induced young impressionable minds towards violence in pursuit of elusive foreign-policy goals. Even today, people involved in violence abroad are portrayed as heroes. At a certain stage, they were ordered to take a U-turn, which understandably, was not possible overnight.

In the wake of the famous U-turn, Pakistan needed to engage the extremists in a constructive dialogue to explain the emerging scenarios which caused reversals in internal and external policies. They must have been rehabilitated in the society as useful citizens. But on the contrary, they were divided into categories of “good” and “bad,” arbitrarily arrested and were subjected to military operations. In reaction, they began hating Pakistan more than India, and started to avenge their betrayal by targeting this country. Now this problem is becoming more difficult as enemy secret services, especially India’s, are relentlessly indoctrinating extremists that Pakistan was responsible for all their problems and therefore must be the first target. New literature under this philosophy is being prepared and distributed among all organisations.

On the other hand, Saudi Arabia’s enemies are brainwashing and inducing Al-Qaeda members to first take on Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to liberate these lands from American stooges. The strategy asks them to take on the US and the West later on. Under this plan, people from this region are trained and transported to Yemen via Iran. This plan is all set to make the situation worse for Saudi Arab and Pakistan, not for the US and its allies.

The Americans, who got a bloody nose in Afghanistan, may soon leave the country without any remorse. But after packing up, the US will face no consequence in the near future. In that scenario, Al-Qaeda, the Taliban and their affiliates will train their guns on Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which will then have to fight their own citizens. To avoid this eventuality, the two countries need to bolster mutual consultations on the issue. They also needed to chalk out a reconciliation plan with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda by following in the footsteps of Libya.

But the questions are: Why Saudi Arabia and Pakistan cannot reconcile with Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, respectively? How is this reconciliation possible?

These questions will be taken up in the next column.

The writer works for Geo TV. Email: saleem. safi@janggroup.com.pk

 

[TATA]

Saudi Arabia and USA will get away. The Pakistan has to revisit its strategy of playing with fire. And there is no good or bad terrorist all pigs are the same. The terrorists has to be eliminated at all cost.

 

[niaz]

There had always been a very large segment of Pakistani underclass and a small portion of upper middle class who resented US neo colonialism and harbored deep anti US feelings. This was the result of years of US overt support of the Palestinian cause; Pakistanis feeling of being ditched after US had taken whatever advantage they could out of Pakistan and also US actions against Iraq. All these actions have created an impression that US is against the Muslims in general and is part of the Zionist conspiracy to cut Pakistan down to insignificance.

Regret to say that each day I watch Geo TV, I realize that free media instead of being a boon has proved to be a bane to the state of Pakistan. Nazis realized very early on that mass media can be a very effective brain washing machine. More than a decade of Zia regime had given rise to unusually large number of extreme right wing journalists. Under the guise of freedom of speech these journalists are responsible for creating a large pool of Islamic terrorist sympathizers out of the anti US segment of the polity.

This is a fight for the survival of Pakistan but we see TV programs where pro Taliban and anti US anchors openly invite politicians such as JI Chief Syed Munawwar Hassan, ex playboy turned politician Imran Khan, retired ISI Chief’s such as Hamid Gul almost daily spreading anti US and pro Taliban propaganda. When you add to this the fact that even PML-N’s Rana Sana Ullah wooing sectarian Lashkar Jhangvi without remorse; how do you expect public to react.

Is there any solution to this? I don’t think so. Jehadis will either take over all of Pakistan or would eventually be eliminated. However it looks more than likely since we have virtually powerless government; Pakistan will carry on as it is.

 

[EjazR]

Militancy: realism needed

Tuesday, May 18, 2010
By Saleem Safi
Military operations are not the solution. This is a multi-pronged issue, which needs a wholesome response. The issue is religious as well as political, strategic, economic and social. Therefore we need to find out a multi-pronged political and reconciliatory process.

The method of suicide bombings, an effective weapon for the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Afghan Taliban, was transferred to them by Al Qaeda. Previously, the Afghan Taliban considered videos and pictures impermissible, but now they consider it a very important medium to relay their messages. Similarly, the Internet is nowadays also a very effective weapon for the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban. This was also introduced by Al Qaeda. As such, Al Qaeda is on the driving seat. Therefore, by ignoring Al Qaeda we can neither think of reconciliation with militants nor solve the issue of militancy.

Tactics and preferences may differ even among members of a single party. To see this fact, we should observe the tactics of Aitzaz Ahsan and Babar Awan of the PPP. The same difference is also evident in the tactics and preferences of Mullah Omar, Hakeemullah Mehsud and Osama bin Laden. Local environments definitely affect the behaviour of all national, political and religious parties. Our political and religious parties support the issue of Kalabagh Dam in Punjab, but lobby against it in Sindh.

And the same differences can also be seen in the activities of Al Qaeda, the TTP and the Afghan Taliban. But not only ideology, the shared concept of jihad and Shariah, they also fight against common enemies. The difference is: Al Qaeda has been interested in taking on the US and its international allies, the Afghan Taliban have restricted their activities to Afghanistan while the majority of TTP members have a declared policy of "Pakistan first." Al Qaeda needs the help of the Afghan Taliban in Afghanistan and the TTP in Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban and their Pakistani counterparts also needed Al Qaeda.

Persistent instability and disturbance have turned this region into a centre for proxy wars among international and regional powers. State writ is non-existent on both sides of the Durand Line, where proxy wars among secret services are in full swing. It is difficult to tell friend from foe. In this situation, apart from Pakistani agencies, RAW, the CIA, Mossad, and the Iranian and Russian agencies are active in the area. Certainly, some of the militants would be fighting, knowingly or unknowingly, for the objectives of these agencies, but a clear majority of these people consisted of individuals who, under their ideology, are committed to fighting for this chosen cause as they consider it the only way to deliverance.

Inside Al Qaeda and the TTP, extremist elements have now taken over the reins. They consider fighting the US, along with its Muslim allies, as an act of faith. They demand that if fighting Soviet allies Babrak Karmal, Dr Najeebullah and their Muslim Afghan supporters was a jihad, then how come the current fight against US ally Hamid Karzai, and other Muslim leaders, is not holy war? Now the new thinking of first taking on Arab countries and Pakistan before attacking the US is also taking root. Along with this approach, the element of revenge is also becoming visible.

They think the Pakistani state has betrayed them. Previously, they only targeted government employees and army personnel, but now they think that everyone who opposes them is permitted to be killed. And under this very approach, new literature in different languages is being prepared and distributed.

Just like the Afghan Taliban, some of the Pakistani Taliban are intent not on fighting with Pakistan, but the majority of them now accede to the Al Qaeda approach. Apart from the Mehsud group, all jihadi and sectarian militants (the Punjabi Taliban) who had flocked to the tribal areas and are now returning to their hometowns have been infected with the Al Qaeda approach. As compared to the Afghan Taliban, Al Qaeda has a greater impact on these individuals.

In the beginning, it was claimed that there were no foreigners in the tribal areas. But proved wrong on this count, we took to find new pretences. It was propagated that Baitullah Mehsud was a US agent, but when targeted in US drone attacks we left the field. Now confusion is being created against the TTP and Hakeemullah Mehsud and their threats are called brags. Their capabilities are questioned. But after humiliating Americans by targeting the CIA station in Khost through an Arab suicide bomber, can we afford any underestimation of their capabilities? The suicide bomber's video film with Hakeemuallah Mehsud before setting off on the Khost mission is a clear evidence of close relations between the TTP and Al Qaeda.

In fact, the TTP's strength is the strength of Al Qaeda, and vice versa. The same is also true for Al Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban. Therefore, whatever is decided for one of these partners should also be extended to the other one. If power is used against Al Qaeda, we cannot hope for reconciliation with the TTP or the Afghan Taliban. Good wishes for the Afghan Taliban's victory will leave us unable to dismantle the TTP in Pakistan. The policy of reconciliation in one area and a military operation in another, fighting against one group and reconciliation with another is destined to destroy us.

By changing the contours and basic approaches of internal and external policies, we should find an inclusive political solution. Otherwise, we should be ready for dire consequences.

 

[EjazR]

Terrorism's real nature

Tuesday, May 25, 2010
By Saleem Safi
The basic faults in the strategy against terrorism will make success in the war against terror irrelevant at best. While devising a strategy both the US and Pakistan have missed the point: it is a multi-dimensional problem. Al-Qaeda and the Taliban are fighting this war professionally and cover all fronts of the war, while the US and Pakistan are fixated on a single point of armed response to the threat. They ignore the ideological, social, political, economic and strategic aspects of the problem.

Terrorism in the region sprouts from ideological and religious sentiments. Al-Qaeda and affiliates believe in a certain interpretation of the Islamic concepts of jihad, state, crusades, non-Muslims and killings of Muslims who support non-Muslims in this conflict. The Afghan war ended but the ideology survived for more than 30 years and a whole generation was brought up on this theology. Al-Qaeda has now shouldered the burden of propagating this ideology through mosque leaders, the internet, CDs and all other means of communications, not only in the region but in the whole world.

Contrary to the ideology of Al-Qaeda and others, the traditional Islamic interpretations eulogise love for humankind, sympathy, peace, respect for life and property of every man and a belief in peaceful means of preaching and propagating Islam. The US and Pakistan needed to counter the Al-Qaeda through promotion of this true interpretations of the concepts of jihad, state, crusades and Muslim-non Muslim relations shared by an overwhelming majority of ulema. The majority of people who oppose Al-Qaeda's interpretation of Islamic concepts are either terrorised into silence or are indirectly used for promotion of that ideology. Only a few, though at the cost of huge threats to their lives, are fighting the Al-Qaeda ideology.

This specific interpretation of jihad and state has formed the basis of Al-Qaeda's ideology. For instance, this ideology preaches that state authority or approval is not needed in waging jihad against infidels. Similarly, it advises its adherents that helping Muslims in trouble in any part of the world is not only necessary but an act of faith. Such thinking effectively negates the sanctity of nation-state boundaries. It is precisely in accordance with this thinking that the borders of Pakistan were opened for Afghans who were allowed to carry out their activities inside Pakistan. All mosques leaders faithfully played the role of advancing the Afghan cause. The arrival was facilitated for fighters from all over the world, including Osama Bin Laden and his top leadership, to come here with the financial and technical support of the US. Pakistan not only welcomed them as state guests, but also hailed them as heroes.

This ideology also stipulates, as an act of faith, that evil should be put down with force. This thinking has permeated mainstream religious political parties attacks, which results in attacks on New Year's Eve parties, the defacing of signboards in Peshawar and many other incidents. This interpretation is still current among the majority of Muslims youths and in the general masses. They are convinced of its correctness. The same political and religious leaders who oppose Al-Qaeda and its affiliates at public platforms privately adhere to the same narrow interpretations of jihad, state and Islam. Resultantly, an overwhelming majority of people in Afghanistan and Pakistan support Al-Qaeda's struggle against the US and allies.

In Pakistan, the mainstream political parties are not only convinced of this interpretation, but also propagate and preach this ideology. The faith and Islamic knowledge of those who disagree with this ideology are questioned even by mainstream religious elements. So here a dilemma, unanswered to-date, arises as to why the preachers and propagators of this ideology are not targeted while those who practice it are chased till death or incarceration in this "crime"? In this situation, how could these militants be defeated?

When it comes to the US, not only the religious parties but also the mainstream secular political parties are propagating the view (which is true to some extent) that the US and allies are the worst enemies of Islam. The intentions of the US and its allies towards Pakistan are also not good. In the Islamic world, not only the common man but the majority of the elite holds this view. In the Arab world, the elites in government hail the US as an ally, but after retirement or in private conversations they would call the US an enemy of Islam. This line of thinking gives rise to sentiments of hate and revenge against the US and its allies, which are exploited by the militants for their own purposes.

For the last nine years, the US ignored all calls for improving its image in the Muslim world and reconsideration of the repercussions of its policies that strengthen these views. On the other hand, Al-Qaeda and the militants are skilfully exploiting this environment against the US and its allies through all possible means.

In Pakistan, the sentiments against the US are running high. Therefore, any government seen close to the US cause as a frontline state is least expected to get public support in the campaign against Al-Qaeda and the militants. And as the latter groups, in the public view, is leading a campaign against the US and its allies, the majority of people are least interested in helping the Pakistani security forces and the government in this fight against militants.

 

[Abu Basit]

There had always been a very large segment of Pakistani underclass and a small portion of upper middle class who resented US neo colonialism and harbored deep anti US feelings. This was the result of years of US overt support of the Palestinian cause; Pakistanis feeling of being ditched after US had taken whatever advantage they could out of Pakistan and also US actions against Iraq. All these actions have created an impression that US is against the Muslims in general and is part of the Zionist conspiracy to cut Pakistan down to insignificance.

Regret to say that each day I watch Geo TV, I realize that free media instead of being a boon has proved to be a bane to the state of Pakistan. Nazis realized very early on that mass media can be a very effective brain washing machine. More than a decade of Zia regime had given rise to unusually large number of extreme right wing journalists. Under the guise of freedom of speech these journalists are responsible for creating a large pool of Islamic terrorist sympathizers out of the anti US segment of the polity.

This is a fight for the survival of Pakistan but we see TV programs where pro Taliban and anti US anchors openly invite politicians such as JI Chief Syed Munawwar Hassan, ex playboy turned politician Imran Khan, retired ISI Chief’s such as Hamid Gul almost daily spreading anti US and pro Taliban propaganda. When you add to this the fact that even PML-N’s Rana Sana Ullah wooing sectarian Lashkar Jhangvi without remorse; how do you expect public to react.

Is there any solution to this? I don’t think so. Jehadis will either take over all of Pakistan or would eventually be eliminated. However it looks more than likely since we have virtually powerless government; Pakistan will carry on as it is.

nice attempt in defence of american terrorists ......

The solution is very simple, american terrorists should be thrown out of the region. The more they stay here, the more mess we see in this region.

and this useless fight is simply under the pressure of american terrorists. The american terrorist are feeling pressure in afghanistan, this fight on our side can only give them a breathing space for a short period. The writing is written on the wall ' The american terrorists along with their supporters in our ruling class will be thrown out'.

 

[Patriot]

nice attempt in defence of american terrorists ......

The solution is very simple, american terrorists should be thrown out of the region. The more they stay here, the more mess we see in this region.

and this useless fight is simply under the pressure of american terrorists. The american terrorist are feeling pressure in afghanistan, this fight on our side can only give them a breathing space for a short period. The writing is written on the wall ' The american terrorists along with their supporters in our ruling class will be thrown out'.

Oh for god sake you people act like you're programmed with Anti America 2.0.Honestly what does America have to do with suicide bombings.Next time earth quake happens in Pakistan you blame it on America too.Hey next time you get diarrhea blame it on the crazy amrikans!

 

[Abu Basit]

Oh for god sake you people act like you're programmed with Anti America 2.0.Honestly what does America have to do with suicide bombings.Next time earth quake happens in Pakistan you blame it on America too.Hey next time you get diarrhea blame it on the crazy amrikans!

we are anti america coz of the massacre american terrorists doing in the Muslim world and don't worry, not only we but our coming generations will also be anti america.

Yeah, just like a a fire cracker goes in the american streets and blame comes on Muslims and Pakistan.

 

[SMC]

US needs to stop its interference policy. That's what gets the terrorists going. Is it just a coincidence that there was no such thing as Islamic terrorism, as we know it today, before Israel was created? Before it started meddling in the middle east and South Asia? It's not just a coincidence.