Monday 16 June 2008

Karzai’s Declaration of War on Pakistan

Much of Pakistan’s destruction in Afghanistan has already been exposed and it is estimated that further damage is yet to be revealed. Pakistan has never let an opportunity slip to terrorise Afghanistan. However, unlike the Afghans they never speak of their intentions. Instead, they carry out the damaging work and it is revealed years later.

I have always been supportive of Karzai’s administration. He came in to power when Afghanistan was at its weakest point; almost nothing man-made remained in the country. There was a distinct lack of administration, infrastructure, peace keeping establishments and the economy was equal to nothing. Despite the obvious criticisms that his government has been facing such as administrative corruption, lack of security, the presence of war-lords and human rights violators in key positions of the government, he has done a terrific job of gradually establishing a system. Afghanistan now has a national army, police, judiciary system, exponential rise in economy has been seen, freedom of speech and practice is now in place, an enormous amount of reconstruction efforts have been completed, the education system has seen major improvements. Overall living standards have improved for a majority of Afghans.

However, watching his comments of what seemed to be a rational speech has made me consider a U-turn on my beliefs of the current government. Although some Afghans always considered Karzai’s government as a puppet administration of the US, his public announcements of raging a war inside Pakistan made his position that more clear. His efforts to cover up for the American bombings inside Pakistan last week gave away the roots of his decision. If he is going in to war on behalf/order of the US (his bosses) then at least not pronounce it in the open or was that what he was instructed to do?

While a war against insurgents across the borders may bring the moral of some Afghans up and may bring about a temporary unity within the country as it always happens, however, it will go downhill from there and very quickly. War against the insurgents does not have to be through bullets, it could be done through tightening security on the border. Dialogue and negotiations will prove far more effective. Looking in to the causes of why the nation is providing sanctuary to insurgents and what motivates the insurgents should be the point of focus NOT ANOTHER WAR.

Afghanistan has suffered enough. Decades of war has shuttered it in to pieces. We need peace and stability now so that we can collect the pieces back together. Ordinary Afghans will have to pay the price for this war with their blood, health and wealth. Food prices are already sky high, millions of Afghans are already misplaced from their homes, hundreds of thousands of innocent lives have already been lost; how many more sufferings will Afghanistan have to endure???

I pray for Afghanistan’s durable security and peace, that is what it needs now! Afghanistan has already sacrificed much of its assets for the proxy wars of others on its soil. We haven’t even recovered from that yet and already signs of another war!?