The American war on terror, being funded, for the past decade by the Americans in the form of ‘protection money’ also being fought by the Americans is what ails South Asia.
According to a news report (Dec 13), the ‘protection money’ which is confessed by US officials to be approximately US$ 144 million is being paid by the US to the Taliban for the safe passage of Nato supplies making it one of the largest sources of funding for the Taliban-led insurgency with money raised by drugs only exceeding this amount.
Apparently, everything seems to be same in the region since the US troop deployment with some slight adjustments made on the end of both the Taliban and the US officials. The terror network is still intact and receiving its copious funds from the US. Apart from this, the miseries of the Afghan and Pakistani people too, remain unchanged.
What has changed, however, is the economic and political state of Pakistan as the economy takes a sharp downward dive and politics losing its grips with a fractured law and order situation and a completely tarnished world image with an incessant pressure to deal with a phenomenon that has led to military defeat to a superpower with another en route.
In this backdrop it has to be asked what is the purpose of fighting a war that one is funding oneself? The US needs to address this issue urgently as it plays a major role in strengthening the terrorist networks.
Does this also not call for a change in our policies that should be made to watch our interests instead of aiding the international political schemes?
BAZGHA AYUB
Gujrat