Those who have ousted Musharraf say that the ‘military confrontation’ with religious militants has ‘backfired’. Will Pakistan Hunt For Al-Qaeda After Musharraf Steps Down?By Cliff Montgomery – Aug. 19th, 2008Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Monday announced his resignation. During his eight-year rule, Musharraf became both a violent oppressor of his own people and a staunch U.S. ally in the effort to eliminate al-Qaeda. The terrorist group’s leadership is based in and around the porous Pakistan/Afghanistan border. Spinning his resignation as best he could, Musharraf declared his hopes of sparing Pakistan from the increased instability of an impeachment battle, and at one point even insisted that all his actions as president were “for the people and for the country.”But oppressed Pakistanis would disagree.Musharraf has dominated their country since seizing power through a military coup in 1999. His decision to make Pakistan a major U.S. ally in the fight against al-Qaeda won him friends in Washington, but destroyed much of his appeal at home.A large number of Pakistanis blame Musharraf’s collaboration with America for the increasing level of militant attacks in their nation.Then in late 2007, Musharraf began a six-week-long “emergency rule,” which had more to do with a personal desire for absolute power than anything else.Parliamentary elections held in February 2008 gave power to a coalition strongly against Musharraf’s continued rule. For the last several days, that coalition had been working on plans for his impeachment.But while we at The Spark are glad to see the Pakistani people throw off their oppressor, there’s a question which all Americans must ask: Who in Pakistan will go after al-Qaeda’s leadership now?Though a tyrant, Musharraf essentially was the one person in authority whom George W. Bush assumed would continue a full search for Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda leaders and their Taliban allies. ‘Incurious George’ appears to have bet the house on that thought, easing America’s focus on Afghanistan to play in the sands of Iraq.It was a poor gamble.”In 2008, Al Qaeda appears to be increasing its influence among the myriad Islamist militant groups operating along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border,” states an April 2008 Congressional Research Service (CRS) study entitled, Pakistan-U.S. Relations.”At an April 2008 House hearing on Al Qaeda, a panel of non-governmental experts agreed that the ongoing hunt for Al Qaeda’s top leaders was going quite poorly,” added the report.”The U.S. commander of counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan subsequently blamed a growing Al Qaeda presence in Pakistan for a large increase in the number of foreign fighters infiltrating into Afghanistan,” continued the CRS study.”CIA Director Hayden said in March 2008 that the situation on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border ‘presents a clear and present danger to Afghanistan, to Pakistan, and to the West in general, and to the United States in particular.'”He agreed with other top U.S. officials who believe that possible future terrorist attacks on the U.S. homeland likely would originate from that region,” noted the CRS report.”Many analysts believe that Pakistan’s intelligence services know the whereabouts of these Afghan Taliban leadership elements, and likely even maintain active contacts with them at some level as part of a hedge strategy in the region.”Reports continue to indicate that elements of Pakistan’s major intelligence agency and military forces aid the Taliban and other extremist forces as a matter of policy. Such support may even include providing training and fire support for Taliban offensives,” noted the study.”At a January 2008 House Armed Services Committee hearing on Afghanistan, three non-governmental expert witnesses reiterated a widely held opinion that success in Afghanistan can only come through the close engagement and co-operation of Pakistan,” added the CRS report.But what of those who have ousted Musharraf? Can we count on them to hunt down al-Qaeda and Taliban leadership?”Pakistan’s new civilian leaders have called for renewed efforts at negotiating with the country’s Pashtun tribal leaders and religious militants, claiming a strategy reliant on military confrontation had backfired and allowed the militants to become stronger and more influential.”Asif Zardari, Benazir Bhutto’s widower and the new PPP leader, has called for a new approach in the FATA:
- While immediate steps must be taken to hunt down identified terrorists, the long-term solution to extremism lies in respecting the will of the people and in providing them with a means of livelihood at every level — food, clothing, shelter, jobs and education. By talking to and respecting our people, we will be able to isolate the extremists and terrorists.
“The militants themselves have expressed a willingness to engage such talks, while also warning the new government that they will retaliate if militarized efforts continue in the tribal regions.”[America and Pakistan] increasingly may be at odds over counter-terrorism strategy. An approach emphasizing negotiation reportedly alarms U.S. officials, who are concerned that such a tack would only allow extremist elements the space in which to consolidate and bolster their own positions,” the report concluded.Like what you’re reading so far? Then why not order a full year (52 issues) of thee-newsletter for only $15? A major article covering an story not being told in the Corporate Press will be delivered to your email every Monday morning for a full year, for less than 30 cents an issue. Order Now!
