As the annual festive season draws nears for the dominant world, there is the usual spate of visits designed to bring those in the larger net and unable to share the festivities closer and bring them the renowned Christmas Cheer. Most important of these visits has been this weeks unannounced trips to neighboring Afghanistan bringing cheer to the multitude of troops from multiple nations forming the NATO forces assigned to bring a semblance of control in that country.
From Obama to Cameron, the speeches catered to courage, fortitude and heroism of the troops in a strange terrain undergoing hardships extreme in nature; the highlight being the camaraderie the two leaders wish to establish with the forces. Obviously being from democratic environments both need to carry their people, the goodwill of the families being separated and of course the commitment, belief and support of the troops.
The world over there is this unanimous clamor to end the deployment of forces in theatres of war alien to them. The financial burden on these countries is enormous; to their people, the fear of the unknown and the distancing of parents from their growing children is a bigger burden. Whether one believes in this war or not, one must unconditionally acknowledge the enormous sacrifices rendered by the gallant men and women, who are committed to wiping terror from the face of the earth despite the huge hardships and colossal challenges.
To those of us in the two countries directly affected, despite an inherent and natural animosity towards alleged foreign occupation, I would say let us consider the realities we would be facing today had the response to 9/11 been different. A decade later, the situation is far from a resolution and perhaps may take longer than originally envisaged.
But take time to ponder the events in the historically peaceful, aesthetically astounding valley of Swat, the barbaric manner in which it was rent asunder by savagery. This would surely have found its way to our doorsteps except for the timely intervention by the Pakistan army that defeated the perpetrators after a really tough and prolonged battle that took its toll. It has definitely strengthened our belief in the internal ability to keep this frightful enemy at bay.
The genuine belief that the drone attacks are not a deterrent to acts of terror but are actually victimising civilian population not just as collateral but prime damage needs to be quickly addressed. Facts though belie this belief. Experts, both local and foreign, assess the attacks have in fact achieved success by eliminating the target while causing little civilian damage. Personally, I believe, given the terrain, the drones are an uncomfortable necessity. The tragic aspect is that those who protest the inadvertent killing of civilians are those who wish to protect murderers killing innocent civilians in grotesque suicide bombings.
However, let me quickly add, it is difficult to comprehend how these terrorists are allowed to escape from the Afghan side of the Durand Line and take cover in Pakistani territory. Why does the intelligence quality and superior firepower of the combat troops deployed in Afghanistan not take them out either before or while they are escaping? Again we are aware that guerrilla warfare is a different phenomenon but with access to the quality spy equipment with the NATO forces surely they too can do more. Given recent revelations perhaps Wiki will find some cables leaking why this is happening!
On the other hand, we cannot completely ignore that more does need to be done. Spiritually and physically! Support of any kind to extremists, whether monetary or mentally, constitutes a crime. Extremists are oblivious to sensitivity. The warped agenda indoctrinated into sick minds dominates their acts. Only when we unite to ostracize such elements will we have begun to do enough.
Pakistan too has much to celebrate despite the huge reversals during the current year. The fact that we have emerged a strong nation with the people able to withstand the wrath of disasters and return to work and rebuild their destroyed homes with a perhaps wry smile within this short time is cause for celebration.
While the developed world, brushing off WikiLeaks, joins hands in celebrating Christmas and the holiday season, and we extend our heartiest felicitations and commemorate with them, we should take time out to reflect on the magnanimity we need to develop within our national personality so as to share success and failure with the world. Isolation, as wished upon us by 18th century failures, is a curse not a virtue.
We are a modern nation, each citizen equipped to embrace the 21st century and beyond, it now depends on us how we foster them and allow them to be driven by the process of evolution on the path to leadership and excellence. Our success in achieving our destiny will be eventually so judged.
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