The Nation has really gone out of touch with reality this time, and has all but asked Pakistan to commit national suicide. Reading today’s editorials, I could only think that The Nation has decided to be disagreeable only for the habit of it.
This week has been the time of important events that mark changes in the security situation of our nation. First, US President Barack Hussein Obama announced that he will increase the number of American troops in Afghanistan for two year in effort to stabilize peace and provide greater training to Afghani police and military. Very clear in his speech was the point that Obama does not want American troops in Afghanistan for more than is necessary to improve training for Afghani military.
Second, we have seen a rise in the brazen violence by jihadis. In our own Rawalpindi, militants were so bold as to commit a suicide bomb attack against a mosque. This has prompted the editors of Dawn to say:
In these columns, we have repeatedly warned the security establishment here that any ‘good Taliban/bad Taliban’ distinction needs to be dropped for the long-term security of the country.
In Mogadishu, a suicide bomber disguised himself in women’s clothes to infiltrate a graduation ceremony. This is evidence that militants are taking a broad view in their efforts to destabilize governments, and shows that we must be on alert against these forces. The editors of Daily Times wrote today:
A suicide bomber is virtually impossible to stop once he or she embarks on the mission in hand. The only way such tactics can be scotched is if good intelligence and police work succeeds in pre-empting the mission. Reactive beefing up of security after every such incident, something we in Pakistan (and arguably elsewhere) are wedded to, and which soon falls prey to normal inertia, cannot be the answer. Good intelligence and police work implies infiltration of the extremist groups to head off plans before they mature and using an aware citizenry as the eyes and ears of the security forces. Without the involvement of the citizen of every threatened country, the security forces will remain on the back foot, hampered by the forbidding task of seeking out the potential bombers before they are launched. To slay the by now many-headed hydra of terrorism, merely military force will not do.
This is why editors of Dawn conclude that the only way forward for Pakistan is to embrace cooperation with Americans. The Americans must continue working on building trust and listening to Pakistani generals and military officers, though, as it is our commanders who have the closest knowledge of the jihadis. But without cooperation, it is everyone who loses, says Dawn.
A public and/or political backlash against expanded strikes could create further instability in the country.
And American pressure on the drone programme could affect military cooperation in other areas, further complicating counter-insurgency operations in the two countries.
Frustration and unhappiness in both the American and Pakistani camps should not overshadow a basic reality: the two sides need one another if they are to defeat the militants.
If even Dawn and Daily Times are coming to agreement about importance of improving military cooperation with the Americans, why is only The Nation saying to cut off contact with the Americans?
It is time the Pakistani state rationalised and limited its cooperation with the US and access to US institutions. Already a new form of terrorism has come to light targeting military officers and installations. The latest attack on a mosque near GHQ, used largely by the military and their families was well-planned and had similarities to the earlier attack on GHQ. These were not simply “fanatics” but well-trained and well-informed terrorists.
The Nation editors appear to have finally gone completely insane. Here they say that terrorism in Pakistan is getting worse and militants more sophisticated. And their solution? Stop working with other nations who are fighting against jihadis. Next thing to expect is The Nation asking us to commit suicide before terrorists kill us. It is the stupidest solution ever.
Pakistan’s military forces are strong and able to defend our nation. But to stop working with other nations will cut off our military from access to vital intelligence, military technology, and important partnerships that are essential to success. Is it any wonder that The Nation editorials are so out of touch since their editors did not do military service? Perhaps it is time for them to let the military do its job and stop talking about that which they know nothing.
