United States failed strategy

The American"s infatuation with long-term military presence in Afghanistan is indeed as surreal has been the foreign occupiers" act right from the outset in their occupied country, mainly because of their blank ignorance of its polity and its inexorable ground realities. They landed to oust the  Taliban and dismantle and al-Qaeda network. But then all they sat down to give it modernity and democracy, without showing any realisation of its tribalistic, ethnic and sectarian affinities and without understanding if at it was ready for what they had in mind for it. The Italians promised it a modern Judiciary, the Germans promised modern police, the British promised modern agriculture and eradication of poppy cultivation and drugs manufacturing, the Americans promised an Afghan military force along with security and stability.
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It seems American president Obama has learnt from the failed United States policies especially in terms with the South Asian region. Mr. Obama who was pertinent to teach Iran a lesson has now set aside the option of attacking Iran by saying that those who are interesting in military action against Iran must know the financial effect of the attack as well. America is facing economic crunch these days and has decided to decrease its defense budget. So opening too many fronts for America is not advisable. Although more than 43 countries have contributed in the allied forces contingents serving inside Afghanistan yet these nations have many of the reservations in context of attacking Iran. America knows it will not be getting unconditional support from these countries.

America came in this region after the 9/11. It used the rhetoric of eradicating terrorism from the region. One is amazed what it has achieved from the so-called war on terrorism. It has thrown trillions of dollars in the war. That was the amount of the American tax payers. That should have been used on the betterment of the masses. The same could have been used for provision of employment to the needy American citizens. America’s unemployment rate has reached 10 percent or so.

It attacked Afghanistan in order to penalize the Muslim countries of the region. Israel has made hundreds of nuclear weapons. America never question Israel’s nuclear capabilities but keep on pressurizing Pakistan and Iran for that. Israel has time and again threatened Iran for attacking its installations. It is not difficult to synchronize on whose support Israel makes the threats.

However it is something appreciable if president Obama has realized the sensitivity of the threats and is avoiding the immediate attack on Iran. It is for sure that any of the American resolve to attack Iran is not going to be valued world over like it was applauded and supported when it attacked Afghanistan. Its strategic policy pertaining to the Afghans hasn’t been very successful as after 10 years long stay in Afghanistan, only one incident of Quran burning has instigated new wave of hatred and processions against it. The number of attacks on NATO troops have increased manifold. Many of the countries including France and Great Britain have vowed to pull out their troops.

The afghan aggression is obvious. No Muslim, Christian or so can accept mistreatment of their respective holy books. Don’t know who advised the NATO soldiers to go nasty. These soldiers should have been groomed and trained enough to refrain from the matters which can further aggravate the crisis. This incident of burning copies of the Holy Quran by US soldiers on a NATO military base last month helped in eruption of violence. It has raised many questions about US strategy. The incident has not only inflamed the passions of the afghan Muslims but it is world over. Even American Muslims may not be coming out from their house to protest against the same yet they must have been hurt from the core of their hearts. President Obama has rightly felt that that Quran burning incident has not only hurt the Muslims but the American cause (if any) in Afghanistan. This was the incident which has proved that America and its soldiers in Afghanistan have been defamed like anything. Reason being answering to the media in news conference in Washington president Obama said “Yes, the situation with the Quran burning concerns me” and “I think that it is an indication of the challenges in that environment and it’s an indication that now is the time for us to transition.”

It seems Mr. Obama is reasonable enough to understand the consequences of certain incidents and wants to take certain measures to normalize the situation but at the same time it depicts that the American establishment and the political leadership are not on the same grid. Politically American wants to convey its soft posture within the masses world over but the establishment and the forces deputed in Afghanistan seem toeing their own agenda of humiliation. Use of force is the best option according to them but the world recommends the course of negotiations and harmony among the stake holders. In Afghanistan case America is not the sole stakeholder but Afghan masses, Taliban and the state of Pakistan whose more than 35 thousand people have been killed in this war is also a major stake holder. A peaceful Afghanistan will suit Pakistan instead a vibrant and hostile neighboring country whose soil is being used by many elements working on destabilization of the regional peace.

This is very crucial time. America has to avoid any of the adventure at this time and frame. The statesmanship of president Obama can help bringing peace of the region if given a chance to be implemented fully. Obama also knows that things are not that smooth that one can have long hopes form the ongoing circumstances. He has already said that “NATO forces have begun to gradually put local police and soldiers in the lead for security. While the Afghan military is far larger and better equipped than it was, it will remain heavily reliant on outside help and funding for years to come. Obama said he was confident his plan could be carried out. “But it’s not going to be a smooth path,” he said. “There are going to be bumps along the road just as there were in Iraq.”

It is the height of the failed US strategy that the Afghan soldiers who have been recruited, trained and being salaried by the America have been found involved in killing American and the allied countries troops deputed in Afghanistan. It means they haven’t yet accepted the presence of foreign boots on their homeland. Quran desecration incidents are like ‘to dig one’s own grave’ and the allied forces are going to have it. Muslims may become the moderates or what ever they never compromise on the desecration of their Holy Book. America would be wise enough if it could review its strategy and make it ‘human’ friendly rather to pushing them to the wall.
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By Yousuf Alamgirian

sources: Pakistan Observer is a Newspaper Daily from Islamabad, Pakistan