(The Big Brother Game no longer effective)
Weight of Regional rivalry on Afghanistan’s deteriorating situation
Naser Koshan
My country has always been victimized by the regional enmity and clash of interests both between regional and international powers. Clearly, most of the harms have been done to our stability by the civilian and military rulers of Pakistan in the last 3 decades, as this country still fantasizes being the big brother post soviet exit in Afghanistan not knowing the fact that the big brother game is no longer effective and worthwhile.
Long time ago, when Afghanistan was enjoying a powerful central government along with a mighty army there was no room for such explicit interference of this country in our domestic affairs and all the conspiracies which were designed in Islamabad to destabilize Afghanistan through elements within the so called mujahidin were simply neutralized by the then government in Kabul, unfortunately as soon as civil conflicts started in the country and especially during the dark Talibani regime they had an upper hand in playing a greater role in shaping their policies thus considering itself the big brother in the region.
I do strongly believe that for the sake of solving the Afghan crises we do need an effective regional cooperation with our neighbors especially Pakistan being the focal point in targeting terrorist camps and leaders within its territory and should be persuaded to act honestly in the ongoing struggle to defeat terrorism within the region. We surely need to reassure Islamabad that a peaceful and functioning Afghanistan will help Pakistan greater than a passive, unstable and engaged in war Afghanistan.
In contrast, we having a huge train of border with this country are unable at the moment to guard this vast area and control the entrance of disturbing elements such as Taliban and Haqani guerillas and are quite vulnerable to the illicit demands made by the Pakistani officials in terms of our foreign diplomacy and mutual relationship with regional and world powers such as India and the United States.
Pakistan knowing the vulnerability of both Afghanistan and the U.S. in this regard is always using it as weapon to threat Afghanistan politically and economically, meanwhile asking for further ransom and aid from the U.S. government in return to assist in war against global terrorism, no doubt as Afghan student abroad I strongly believe that this vulnerability can only end if the U.S. congress no longer approves unconditional aid to this country and put further pressure on the military establishment of Pakistan to launch a widespread military operation against the fundamentalists and destroy the madrasas which acts as a producing machine of hatred and suicide bombers.
At last, after the recent assassination of known figures in Afghanistan it is the right time for the prevailing government to review its policy in terms of pleading for peace talks with the insurgents as they proved that they do not have any acceptable message to the ordinary citizen of this country and will always prefer hatred and killing over embracing the chance to come to the negotiating table and reintegrate into a civilian life.
Author: Naser Koshan
Washington, United States
2011
