War outcomes can never be predicted one hundred percent and to make high and mighty claims of a definite victory in Afghanistan is turning out to be one of the gravest mistakes the superpower has made so far.
The report of a dangerously dipping trend in the US patience levels towards Pakistan exemplifies that the news is not being accepted very gracefully. For a new term, the Obama administration must maintain the power the US has over the globe.
The fact that Pakistan has blocked the Nato supply routes after repeated American military adventures of unilateral nature into the Pakistani territory is being taken as a symbol of defiance from the Pakistani side. But the fact that the Pakistani security forces are still fighting terrorism inside the country and continue to share intelligence information contradicts all such claims. A very recent example of intelligence sharing is the killing of a senior Al-Qaeda leader through a drone strike after the Pakistanis had indicated his location.
Furthermore, the brunt of involvement in this war is still being borne by the Pakistani security personnel as scores have been targeted and butchered in cold blood by the militants in the post-US-Pakistan standoff.
Bullet riddled bodies of 15 soldiers found after being kidnapped and tortured by the terrorists cannot be easily brushed off as a routine happening. It is enough to display the level of commitment and dedication that the armed forces of Pakistan still exhibit towards the prime task of eradicating militancy. There has been no apparent change in troop deployment arrangement nor have Pakistani troops been pulled back that could indicate Pakistan’s refusal in fighting against the terrorist.
What can be seen, however, is the American need to press Pakistan beyond its limits. Having experienced the strike of the famous stick more often than having the good fortune of enjoying the carrot, Pakistani leadership is compelled to redefine its terms of engagement in the war. After being involved in a war for a whole decade with the terms and conditions becoming fuzzy and the need to safeguard national interest in the light of new developments, Pakistan surely needs to set new targets and develop new and refurbish old relationships to make them strong, durable and beneficial.
Pakistan must come up with a decision that is in harmony with its own interests which must be respected by the international and regional powers too, realizing that Pakistan has had to suffer a lot and that it is time that it should focus on strengthening itself. A stronger and more stable Pakistan would be better able to reverse the terrorist onslaught.
UMAR QAYYUM MALIK
Lahore
