Sir it is a porous border. If we were able to stop those Afghan Taliban from entering Pakistan wont we have done so with the TTP bastards who are literally killing our children? Or are you or any one suggesting that TTP too is some hoax of ISI? I know you are not. TTP and its support in Afghan areas is a know fact. The problem here is that the border terrain is such that it is nearly impossible to container cross border movements. Thus the calls of fencing the border.
It is precisely that, dear Arsalan, a porous border which CANNOT be made impenetrable. Those who are suggesting it are people who haven't even looked at natural conditions on these borders. The idea is laughable. Pakistan would, as you have pointed out, moved heaven and earth to keep out terrorists.
Fencing the border IS NOT POSSIBLE.
I can only suggest, with a sense of frustration and helplessness, a layered defence, heavily dependent on remote sensing mechanisms, both static and mobile (drones included), mines at some choke-points (I say this knowing it is politically incorrect, and believing that allowing kids and schools to be at risk is even more incorrect), very small, very mobile patrols sweeping at random intervals, fixed camps at the points where mountain passes debouch on to pathways and small roads, and an intensive road-building programme.
This sounds unreal, but if somebody has a better idea, I'd love to hear about it.
You know that i wont deny our own follies but the India connection in there and cant be ignored. It was there since the time of Afghan Civil war and Indian closeness to Norther Alliance. The major part of the problem in Afghanistan still remains the difference between northern alliance supporters and Taliban sympathizers. Something people usually ignore when they set out to blame Pakistan and ISI for everything wrong with Afghanistan.
We are on the same page as far as the difficulties arising out of ethnic differences (showing up as differences between the Northern Alliance and the former Mujahedin, later to regroup themselves under different leadership as Taliban). However, I urge you and every other REASONABLE Pakistani analyst to keep in mind that the Indian intelligence services are of an entirely different kind and composition, and outlook, even, than your own.
Most of the time Pakistanis tend to take the known capability of their own intelligence services, and their activities, and extrapolate them onto Indian parallels - which really don't exist.
Please note that I am not denying the existence of a desire to act in a certain way, among Indian decision makers. I am doubting their capability.
[[I will continue on this in a few minutes after a medicine-administration break. Please bear with me.]]
And yes, you are right about the loyal Pakistani thing, people usually tend to ignore the facts and harsh realities specially if they implicit them or there country in some wrong doing. It is the same for everyone. Thank you for keeping an open mind, a broad view and sharing your thoughts with us.
Here I would like to clarify something: my intention was to point out that India simply does not have that nuanced, measured and phlegmatic approach towards either Pakistan or Afghanistan or the confluence of the two policies that some Pakistanis imagine. My remark was half-amused, half-frustrated; do you really think we are such terrifying figures out of some dark, oriental Fu Manchu kind of conspiracy?
Thanks for explaining the presence of Afghan Taliban in our lands for me.
I know you can look at the broader picture and see that this argument works both ways.
LOL.
C'mon, champ, I know you know what I'm saying, and of course it cuts both ways.
This is just as "proven" as TTP leaders hiding in Afghanistan and TTP getting training there. Lets talk about real things and not speculations.
OK, all this emanates primarily from the ground reality that people cannot vanish. But to an additional extent, the dozens of interviewers and correspondents who have met the Taliban leadership within Pakistan is a convincing counter-argument to an Indian not determined to maintain a judicial weighment of all information and evidence. You are right, even Homer nods, even the most well-intentioned of us has a moment or two of disillusionment.
Perhaps our individual circumstances at a given point of time might have something to do with it. At this moment, to see anything generous and open-hearted in the situation is difficult. When Alexander ordered the execution of his father's general, Parmenion, the executioner said to the unsuspecting general,"The whole earth smells of corruption."
