Pakistan Insurgencies

CNN - Afghanistan Crossroads - US Officials: Multiple insurgencies overwhelming Pakistan

According to the article Pakistan is "nation under siege." When was that not the case. Since it's inception as a Muslim country Pakistan has been under siege from one outside actor or another. India, Afghanistan, Iran, US, Russia etc. etc.

In 1971 half of the country was lost.

Fast forward to present day quagmire. The nuclear weapons are at the top of the open issues. Word on the street is that it's in the interest of US to somehow control the cache of nuclear tipped missiles and neutralize them. The hawks at the Pentagon are having sleepless nights and they have not spared a moment to see that this Muslim country's defenses are weakened for good. The resistance within Pakistan continues, for now under the banner of national pride. National pride? Its matter of national survival. But, in the process lives are being lost and greater enemies are being created that will perpetuate the cycle of violence for years to come.

In Afghanistan, after the election of Mr. Obama, US could have taken the high road to reconciliation while many factors play themselves out in the background. On the contrary, and against his better judgement while breaking his campaign promises, the Obama government decided to escalate and up the ante. He inherited the current crop of generals and they decided, at the military's recommendations, to continue the status quo: take no prisoners; make not peace with anybody; eliminate rather than integrate. In the process what is happening is that the insurgency is being pushed out of Afghanistan into Pakistan. Problem solved? Yes, of the nuclear arms since that will allow US to "create" the atmosphere to pressure Pakistan to give up its nukes. Pakistan without nukes is a sitting duck for any taker.

Internal problems and strife abound in Pakistan. Anything and everything goes to the highest bidder.

What Pakistan needs is open access to the most sophisticated arms and first rate training. The current crop of US operatives in Pakistan with their covert support for the Pakistani army, under the watchful eyes of Indian interests, is never going to do the job. The people of Pakistan, just like many times in the past, have bought the idea of Pakistan being an ally of US and want some action from US instead of empty promises.

The second rate under secretaries of defense and that of the state department, the trainees, should be replaced with somebody who has some clout to push the process through congress for substantial and real aid at the right place. They need to select people from outside, Pakistanis who have lived in US, Europe, Asia, or the Gulf countries to spearhead the distribution of the money allocated for aid to Pakistan. To head the progress and see through the completion of projects. Anybody from the inside is too corrupt to make a difference.

There is some hope for Pakistan and by proxy for Afghanistan but time is running out fast. As the article points out, the insurgency that was quelled is raising its ugly head back up and this time it will be twice as difficult to control it.