no question that Pakistanis don't want their country to become Washington's third war after Iraq and Afghanistan. But the Bush administration is feverishly pushing in that direction before the end of its term in order to force the hand of a future government in Washington.
What part of American successes in Iraq and Afghanistan is the current Pakistani government so impressed with that it has no problem in turning Pakistan into CENTCOM's third area of operations? The US military, which is so keen on training Pakistanis, has been a failure in counterinsurgency warfare in two war zones. It has turned Iraq into a permanently weak and divided nation. In Afghanistan, it is supporting criminals, warlords and drug smugglers. The Afghan opposition, including the Afghan Taliban, is being pushed to the wall.
This is why it is stunning that President Zardari's government is doing very little to stop Pakistan from becoming America's next war zone. There should not be a problem in deciding this one: this for sure is not our war. Why is it difficult for our president to tell the Americans they need to pacify the Afghan opposition and resistance groups and end the reign of Karzai's 'war-lord regime' in Kabul in order to bring peace to that country?
It is also time for Islamabad to come out of the closet. The Afghan Taliban, with whom we ended diplomatic relations seven years ago, is a legitimate Afghan player along with the other resistance and opposition groups. We have no quarrel with them and there is no way that peace can be achieved in Afghanistan without bringing them on board. This is necessary to stabilize our own areas and end America's excuses to invade Pakistan.
With America's steep financial crisis, it is strange how our government is slavishly pinning hopes on a rescue package for Pakistan and in the process is keeping mum on major acts of hostility from our so-called allies. Pakistanis used to be chided by the Americans after 9/11 for fostering 'anti-Americanism'. Now our so-called friends are spreading 'anti-Pakistanism' around the world, misrepresenting the Pakistanis and reintroducing us as 'Iraq II'. But not a single voice of defence from Pakistan. History is inviting President Zardari to take a stand and carve a name for himself. He should start by doing and saying the right things in his upcoming unnecessarily delayed 'first official trip' to China.
The writer works for Geo TV. Email: aqahmedquraishi.com