FOCUSING ON LIMBS, LEAVING THE ROOTS UNTOUCHED
Naser Koshan
Since the war on terror started, the U.S. forces along with the NATO and allied forces have only focused and targeted smaller groups of terrorists in different parts of Afghanistan while not dealing with the permanent whereabouts and roots of these disturbing elements which indeed exist and is still nourished in tribal areas of Pakistan. Strangely, a guerilla movement with basic weaponry is still making landmark victories against the well equipped armies of 47 nations and no body has ever questioned their support system and punished the countries that are openly supporting and give them the incentive to continue their devastating armed struggle.
In fact, Afghanistan as a third world state never had the capacity and social platform for the nourishment and birth of terrorist groups such as Taliban or be it Al Qaeda in a broader term. Unfortunately, during the course of history we have always been victimized by numerous guerilla movements created and imposed on our people most dominantly by our western and eastern neighbors. Fortunately, a considerable bulk of population in Afghanistan indeed has a pro democratic and modern orientation and eager to embrace positive changes for a prosperous society and future for them and their upcoming generations.
Historically, Islamic radicalism in South and central Asia initially originated post 1947 when the partition of India and Pakistan was declared and Kashmir remained a disputable issue in between both the countries. Pakistan controlling a smaller 1/3 of the Kashmir territory in comparison with India controlling a greater 2/3 had no other choice rather than nourishing Islamic fundamentalists thus posing threat to the Indian national security and interests along the LoC (Line of Control). Cunningly, in a very short period of time, Pakistan with the help of Saudi petro dollars managed to create a great number of fanatic madrasas in different parts of the country, where young and uneducated kids and adults were brainwashed and trained to conduct terrorist activities both in India and since 2001 in Afghanistan.
Indisputably, we in Afghanistan during the civil war and Russian invasion of the country never witnessed any suicidal attack on former soviet troops and I as a young Afghan cannot recall any Islamic movement fighting with the red army at that particular time legitimizing suicide bombings and relating it to the sacred values and principles of Islam.
Understandably, The prolong decade war in Afghanistan with no concrete result on board in terms of weakening the capabilities of these insurgent elements and paling the potentiality of their attacks on Afghan civilians and economic infrastructure clearly demands a critical review of the U.S. and allied forces approach towards this crucial matter. I strongly, believe that before it’s too late we need to focus on the real roots of this increasing cancer of Islamic radicalism and take this fight to their whereabouts in the coming decade.
We should be able to recall that it was Pakistan that by using its military – religious nexus provided the Taliban fighters logistical and financial support to bring them in power in Kabul in 1994 and created the anti – western state of Afghanistan. At the same time, when the Taliban regime was toppled by the U.S. in 2001, it was Pakistan that assisted the losing Taliban fighters and safely evacuated them to Quetta and tribal areas of the country.
Last but not least, all these solid evidence could become a compelling reason for the NATO and allied forces to direct their operations towards assigned targets in Pakistan while the U.N. and the U.S. on the other hand should impose further economic embargo on the Pakistani military and government to make them act as a real ally in war against terrorism.
Author: Naser Koshan
Washington, United States
March 2012
