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Matrix of power politics

BRIG GEN JAHANGIR KABIR, ndc, psc (Retd)
MOsT of the problems in
occupied iraq following an
easy victory were the creation of American insensitivity. Arrogance of power has estranged iraqis and made the world skeptical about American success. They wanted to humiliate just about everybody for living in saddam's iraq. iraqis revolted against that disparaging arrogance. Resistance though intensified deep inside, capability and endurance is rather waning than gaining grounds. in spite of humiliation, time and space is not in favour of resistance forces in iraq.
Afghanistan was different. since the retreat of erstwhile UssR Afghanistan had ceased to be a state. Ruled by tribal warlords, it was never been a nation. Taliban harshness made it more bloodthirsty and thrust it further into the medieval brutality. Even two-millennium old image of Lord Buddha on the rocks of Hindukush was not spared by the Mullahs. They had bombed this invaluable heritage of mankind into dust. There could not be a harsher way of presenting islam to the horrified world. since the fall of Zaheer shah, by their standard, peace had ceased to exist in Afghanistan. Taliban bigotry under the illiterate Mullah Omar pulverised the uneasy equilibrium of trigger-happy Afghans.
With mentors now turned sworn enemies, Mullahism intertwined in Ladenism has no hope. Noose is already closing on. But the power driven Americans must go for pacification of the breeding grounds more than the instigators of terrorism.
What is the future of war against terror? As a quack approach one may cite Vietnam; but with little parallel. Vietnam was a counterinsurgency war against communists. if the aim was to stop communism the grand burial had actually started in indochina and climaxed in the disintegration of the Red Empire a decade or so later. The antithesis of human spirit disintegrated under the weight of its own failure without a bullet fired. The culmination of the American Cold War was bigger than the victory of two World Wars.
if the UssR could not protect her empire with all her nuclear bombs-capable of destroying the world many times over; with his shanty effort from the hideouts of Afghanistan, Bin Laden could do little but add only miseries to the Muslims. The sufferings of Muslims since 9/11 would speak for itself.
The UsA has paid great prices and bore pains to win wars. Comparing those grand resolves, war against terrorism is not more than a peanut for the Americans. Even tiny israel could not be humbled by fifty years of perpetual war. Today, they are in a win, win situation. it is necessary to sustain battle losses to win a strategic war. Despite 9/11 America remains impregnable not due to material wealth and technology, but more due to unbridled spirit of freemen. More than anything else, the fiercely combative individualism is power source of that great migrant society.
Occasionally however, Americans tend to win a war without loss of lives due to the political contingencies within the beltway of Washington. is a thousand plus killed in occupied iraq too much for a nation of 260 million? Perhaps yes, while war is on for the White House. No president is going to walk out with that kind of human cost either from iraq or Afghanistan. More Americans have been killed, during the time, on the highways of UsA than in the battlefields of iraq and Afghanistan combined. President Bush may not be graded as a great president but certainly a great winner. He appears slightly mellowed down from the days of 9/11; surely should appreciate a favor from the Muslims when he needs it most. it is voting time. Muslims should open up from ghetto mindset and offer him a hand of friendship as the opportunity has come to bridge the gap with Republicans for constructive engagement.
Kerry is a Vietnam veteran and decorated fighter. if President Bush is guilty of sending troops to iraq, senator Kerry is guilty of voting for it. No matter whoever is the commander-in-chief, American war on terror will continue. Kerry if elected, as a decorated fighter, will be less sensitive to combat casualties and more vigorous in the battlefield without the culpability of declaring the war.
The hard reality is that Americans are out to fight terrorism- wish or myth will have little influence on their resolve. The Muslims urgently need a deal to untwine religion from terrorism and march towards progress. More time lost is more threat perceived for improvised Muslim states. With the level of nuisance the terrorists are creating, it is deduced western powers are capable of fighting terrorism infinitely to a satisfactory end and conveniently expand the hit list at the cost of shanty Muslim states. Three years after 9/11, time has come to seriously address; what is the potential of terror war beyond occasional heart rendering brutality like Beslan school tragedy which has made the cause small and shamed Muslims! By any consideration terrorism is a wrong strategy and a no win situation. Constructive engagement with the West is
the only viable choice. Compromise is not cowardice, on the contrary, needs hyped courage to see through the mirage of emotion.
Terror has its limit and capacity of intimidation. 'Twin Towers' did not build America. One of the millions of icons of American strength was the Twin Towers, and Us have the capacity to rebuild the Towers a million times. Great powers have not been built on cowardice or weak legs. Beslan tragedy will ignite harder resolve to fight terrorism and drag more western nations into battle orders that are fence sitters now. if the terrorist activities continue, options for France and Germany would further be narrowed down. But illusive peace can not be anchored either, without a minimum of justice delivered with it.
it is true that Americans have failed to justify the occupation of iraq. But reversal is not possible. in the arena of international paradigm, legality is still an orphan, much of its validity depends on the strength of the hand it holds. With a clear concept of 'Force Majeure' and pragmatism, one may have to occasionally accept the end to justify the means. Muslims can learn the lessons of post war Japan and Germany without asking for the disaster. The promised democracy if rooted in iraq should soon spread as the 'French Revolution' of the Middle East. Muslims have been deceived for centuries by dynastic monarchies and ruthless dictators. Rights of the people have not proved strong enough, in human behavior, without enforcement ability. Nearly the entire Muslim belt lacks that ability today. Ten thousand years ago, iraqis along Euphrates and Tigris rivers gave birth to the earliest known sumerian Civilization. They have the opportunity, in disguise today, to demonstrate democracy for long awaited Renaissance in the Muslim belt. it must not be allowed to slip away.
The author is a writer on strategic issue