On the morning of 12th September, 2001 hardly anyone could have predicted how the gruesome terror attacks of 9/11 would change the world – forever. We may not have anticipated this as we saw on our screens the collapse of the twin towers but the world, as we know it, changed on 9/11.
Apart from the terrible loss of life, 9/11 was a shocking yet sobering reminder of our vulnerability to violent acts of aggression and hatred by non-state actors aimed at spreading terror. The stage and the theatre broadcasting such attacks had never been bigger before. Images from that day, along with their consequences, have travelled across the globe. America showed her resilience in the face of terror and discovered countless heroes in a time of tragedy.
The response of the American government to this tragedy has not always been rational or calculated. Some recklessness was to be expected but George Bush and his team would not have the record that they do if they did not spring surprises. Attacking Afghanistan had national pressure and good arguments backing it. The assertion of the Bush doctrine and then outright lies regarding Iraq did not win America or its government many friends around the world. Regime change in Iraq did have arguments favouring that position but Bush and Blair made crucial errors. Their desperation to sell an argument in many ways strengthened America’s enemies and also needlessly exposed thousands of its brave men and women in uniform to unnecessary harm. Weak reasoning only makes you lose an argument but downright false reasoning makes you lose credibility – a precious commodity in the post-9/11 world. The resulting lack of credibility has raised thorny issues for America and its friends throughout the world.
As far as our home Pakistan is concerned, it radically changed from the country that my generation grew up in. The word ‘home’ lost many of its connotations that we take for granted – among them security and safety. Our lives became shrouded in uncertainty and a growing number of us have had family or friends directly affected by violent terror. Our cities turned from sprawling metropolises to fortresses where barbed wires and security check-points reign supreme. Our marketplaces became centres of mayhem and terrorism (and the struggle against it) became the defining feature of an entire generation’s lives.
Terror poses a common threat to the US and Pakistan and battling our enemies together is important. In this struggle, we will also need to be respectful of and patient with each other. Countries, just like individuals, are better off when they hold themselves accountable and act according to real principles and not mere exigencies. And countries, just like you and me, are better off when they are honest with themselves and those around them.
Pakistan works differently than the US. Ours is a complicated country with dizzying problems and multiple forces shaping policy. Our mistakes in the past (creation of the Taliban while citing “strategic depth”) must not prevent us from being honest towards the problems that we face. The double-game with America has to stop. Equally important is the issue of laws that we enact to ostensibly protect ourselves. Draconian laws betray the principles that we claim to fight for against the violent extremists. Guantanamo is one instance where the US got its policy horribly wrong. The sooner this grave disservice to America’s ideals and constitution is rectified, the better. We cannot merely be ‘against’ something. We must also stand ‘for’ something. We are not just fighting to defeat an enemy; we are also fighting to preserve who we are.
America’s resilience post-9/11 is admirable. It has, for the most part, managed to preserve its real strength which is openness and acceptance of diversity. It has handled treatment of Muslims better than any other society in the world would have done so after such an attack. Its streets, classrooms and government offices remain respectful of the faith of Islam. And if anyone feels that America’s understanding of Pakistan is limited at times, then Pakistan and its policies must be held answerable for that.
The Government of Pakistan recently published an ad in the Wall Street Journal to engage with the American public and to argue that our nation of 180 million people is fighting for a world of 7 billion. Of course, we must do a better job of engaging with the rest of the world, particularly the Americans. But we must do this without belittling their sacrifices and efforts to make the world safe. The rest of the world must realise that, at times, it is too critical of Pakistan. We have lost more than 25,000 people in terror attacks since 9/11. The people of Pakistan despise terror and therefore stand with Americans in this struggle. Pakistan, quite literally, is a country that bleeds every day. And its brave people, regardless of obscure military-led policies, face life and death with an understated but heart-warming resilience.
10 years ago, our world was probably not this divided and our cities (wherever we may have been) were not this unsafe. Today, we face new challenges. Be it right-wing governments, anti-immigrant rhetoric or phobia of religions we live in a time most challenging to globalisation. Dealing with it requires fresh conversations that may be uncomfortable but that must be honest – with others and our selves. In our fight against extremism, we have made significant headway but this war of ideas will ultimately have to be lived as experience where we reject intolerance and strive for a more interconnected world. Unsafe as it maybe, our future generations are better off growing up in an inter-connected world rather than one that is deeply divided. Our most trusted soldiers will be our ideas. May they continue to march strongly long after we are gone.
The writer is a Barrister and has a special interest in Anti-trust/Competition law. He can be reached at wmir.rma@gmail.com