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| Ominous events across the LoC | | Islamabad intensifies search for lethal weaponry | | From B L KAK
NEW DELHI: 'Self-defence is the best defence', is the message from Gen. Parvez Musharraf. And he went all the way from Islamabad to Gilgit across Kargil sector of Ladakh to declare: "The enemy will not dare to cast evil eye on Pakistan".
His spoken words while addressing Darbar of reunion of Light Infantry Regiment (LIR) centre of Bonjhi locality in Northern Areas on July 3 were, obviously, for India: "Work on a 15-year comprehensive plan is under progress to make Pakistan's defence impregnable. The enemy will not dare to cast evil eye on Pakistan".
Again, in an obvious reference to India, Pakistan President said: “Pakistan is not facing any external threat. We guarantee solidarity, security and strong defence of the country and strong defence in this era of ours (Gilgit Agency) is extremely imperative. Under the 15-years plan, armed forces will be modernized and will be equipped with modern and sophisticated weaponry".
Significantly, while Gen. Musharraf was endearing himself to the troops in Northern Areas of Pakistan, Pakistan Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mehmoud Kasuri, Stressed in Islamabad that his country should be provided more training opportunities for its armed forces and hoped that Britain would assist Pakistan in meeting its defence needs by providing modern equipment.
In fact, Kasuri was talking to chairman of British House of Commons’ Defence Select Committee, James Arbuthnot. He was accompanied by a 12-member delegation of British MPs, belonging to the Labour, Conservative and Liberal-Democratic parties, who called on him at the Foreign Office. Kasuri said the British MPs’ visit would play an important role in creating greater understanding between Pakistan and Great Britain on various issues besides strengthening “our relations in the field of defence and counter-terrorism”.
US Congress is scheduled to hold a hearing on July 13 on a 5 billion dollar arms package for Pakistan which includes F-16 fighter jets and an assortment of air and ground weaponry.The Bush administration has asked Congress to approve selling 18 new F-16 jets to Pakistan. The deal allows Pakistan also to buy an additional 18 new or old F-16s.
The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress that the F-16s would come with 200 Sidewinder and 500 AIM-120C5 air-to-air missiles plus 800 general purpose 2,000 and 500-pound bombs.The weapons, along with launchers, training missiles and 500 JDAM bomb guidance systems, are part of Pakistan’s request for F-16C/D jets from the Block 50/52 production run. The agency said the contract could be worth about $650 million to suppliers, including Lockheed, BAE and Northrop Grumman.
The Pentagon said in a statement that munitions would be used in continuing anti-terrorism operations. The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency said the deal would allow Pakistan to upgrade its overall “aging fighter and weapons inventory.”
Earlier, on July 3, India objected to the US plan and called it “non-conducive” to better relations between Islamabad and New Delhi. The Pentagon, however, said it concluded that supplying Pakistan with the new aircraft and munitions would not place India at any strategic disadvantage.
Usually Congress gets 30 days to review such offers. The deal goes ahead if Congress does not move to block it.
The sale offer comes close on the heels of two Congressional panels approving the India-US nuclear deal. At the US State Department, an official denied speculation that the aircraft sale to Pakistan was designed to help balance the US nuclear deal with India.
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July 2006
BRITISH Army commanders have warned Prime Minister Tony Blair that their forces face defeat in Afghanistan, unless there is a significant change in strategy and more troops and resources are sent out immediately.
Considering the pitched battles the British, US and other coalition troops have been fighting across Afghanistan during the past few months, these warnings by the UK generals are hardly exaggerated. The coalition troops as well as the Taleban forces have reported heavy casualties. No wonder those dismissive references to the insurgents as ‘Taleban remnants’ by the coalition and the Hamid Karzai government have lately given way to caution and alarm.
Frankly speaking, this is a pointless war dictated by lop sided priorities. And it is time for the ‘coalition of the willing’ to change its strategy in Afghanistan. Its mission in the Central Asian country cannot succeed unless it reviews and reconfigures its approach to Taleban and the Pashtun majority. The former rulers of the country, dislodged by the 2001 invasion, still command massive support and following in the majority community for their role in ending the civil war and chaos of the post Soviet era.
For all their flaws, Taleban had not only put an end to the terrible infighting between various mujahideen groups after the Soviet pullout restoring peace and stability in the country, but they had also managed to eliminate the opium trade and reign of various druglords from Afghanistan. This is why many still rue the passing of that era.
It therefore makes sense for the coalition to engage the political and military force that still has presence all over the country. That may be the only way to end the conflict and bring lasting peace to the strategic Central Asian country.
This is important as the ordinary Afghans have grown really tired of the current situation in the country. President Hamid Karzai and his government have woefully failed in addressing the concerns and problems of the Afghan people. Five years after the Taleban were toppled, ordinary people are still waiting for the ‘fruits’ of democracy. There is no security. Little has been achieved on crucial fronts like economy, employment, health and education. The so-called reconstruction of the war-ravaged country is yet to begin. On the other hand, the stranglehold of various militias and warlords over Afghanistan is strengthening. There are reports about the Karzai appointed governors and police chiefs having links with drug lords. All this is most unfortunate, considering the hype that followed the fall of the Taleban.
But Afghanistan is still not a lost cause. It is still possible to put it back on the track, provided the US and its allies are prepared to reach out to the alienated Pashtun community. Is the coalition of the willing up to it?
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