17^th august a day of remembrance

 Certain events remain alive in the history of a nation, and 17^th august is one of them. It is a day of remembrance, a day of sorrow and foreboding for the nation. President Zia, General Akhtar, US Ambassador Raphel, US military attaché Brigadier Wassom, eight other Pakistani generals, their staff and the crew, in all 31 people were killed in an air crash. They are not dead; they are Shaheeds. They will remain alive till the dooms day.

 After the crash the official inquiry revealed sabotage as the only possible cause. The culprits were never revealed as neither Pakistan nor America wished them to be exposed. The US went so far as to instigate a deliberate cover up despite the fact that their ambassador and military attaché had been murdered. The cover up took the form of forbidding the FBI investigation team that was pressing to go to Islamabad, from doing so. Only quite recently, the US had passed the ‘Long Arm Law’, which empowers the FBI to investigate any terrorist attack overseas involving US citizens. On this occasion it was not until months later, when the trail was cold, that the FBI were allowed to send out a team of three. Even then they were seemingly under orders not to lift too many stones.  Their investigations were conspicuously cosmetic.

 The truth was that US and Pakistan had no wish to unearth a can of worms that might implicate the KGB or KHAD. It would ruin their policy of détente with the Soviet Union; jeopardize the Soviet troops withdrawal. Similarly, the dilemma was almost as serious if the plotters were from RAW or with in the Pakistan military. It would be futile to say that US relations with India or Pakistan would be in ruins. From the US view point, the crash’s only drawback was that two Americans had been sacrificed – but this was accidental as Zia had only asked them to join him for the return flight at the last moment.

 The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan sent shock waves through out the world. The Soviet invasion had changed the power equation in the region. Washington registered a major shake up in the area vital to their interest.

  China perceived the invasion as another step towards its encirclement by the Soviet Union. Russian air crafts at Shindand, only 480km from the gulf had altered the geo-strategic environments in the South Central Asia overnight. Saudis were equally alarmed, scared because of the Soviet threat to their oil supplies.

 Pakistan faced a highly dangerous situation, sandwiched between the two enemies; India on the east and Soviets troops knocking on her western border the likelihood of Pakistan being squeezed out of existence was a real possibility. It was a nightmare for Pakistan. The military balance was turning in favor of India.

Zia and his foreign office were in real dilemma.

 Zia being a military man, valued the advise of his generals. On this occasion he turned to General Akhtar, Head of Inter Services Intelligence, for opinion and assessment. Akhtar and his staff studied all aspects of the situation. His recommendation was that the Pakistan should support the jihad. He argued that not only was Afghanistan Pakistan’s front line, but that with the communists in control there the odds for further territorial expansion into Pakistan through Baluchistan were dramatically increased. Akhtar considered, that if Zia was to covertly support the afghan resistance in a massive guerilla war the Soviets could be halted, even rolled back. He believed that Afghanistan could be made into another Vietnam, with the Soviets in the shoes of Americans. He urged Zia to take the military option. President Zia agreed with him. It would be Jihad against communist infidels; it would be Pakistan front line of defense in the west.

 The geo –strategic compulsions and economic interest, brought Pakistan, USA, Saudi Arabia and China on a common platform to support the Afghan Mujahideen.. But each country had her own interest in the region besides Afghanistan. The US being a super power had much at stake.

 For almost 8 years, General Akhtar had been the architect of the strategy for the Jihad. With a handful of officers from Pakistan army, the jihad had been brought to the point, where ultimate victory was in sight. During 1986, President Gorbachev told 27^th the Communist Party Conference that “Afghanistan has been transformed into a bleeding wound”. ISI had almost wrought a miracle.

With the death of Zia, the political scenario in the country changed. Benazir Bhutto emerged as a leader of the country, whose father had been hanged by the military regime. Military and Benazir, , both had their own  apprehensions and self created fears. Soon the President of Pakistan dissolved her government.

The political scenario in the country continued to change hands between Benazir and Nawaz Sharif as Prime Ministers. Resultantly, Pakistan could not follow a policy of consistency. Mujaddadi, Rabbani, and Hekmatyar were tried and supported by Pakistan, which further accentuated the political polarization in Afghanistan.

 During this crucial period, General Hamid Gul the then head of ISI emerged as a staunch supporter of Afghan Jihad. He did his best to keep the Jihad going but he was handicapped by his own government as well as by the Americans, with in a year General Hamid Gul removed by Benazir on the behest of CIA. This was yet another blow to the cause of Afghan mujahideen.

 The political chaos and confusion continued in Afghanistan till the “Taliban” appeared on the scene. With “Blitzkrieg” like operations they established their authority almost all over Afghanistan. in weeks. The old Stalwarts of Afghan Jihad were left with no option but to flee. Talibans were about to bring stability in the country, when the invisible hands once again struck the blow and prevented the peace in Afghanistan. Dostum and Masood were provided massive aid to organize the resistance against the Talibans and United States prevented their government to be recognized by the world.

 The Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan was a victory for Pakistan. It is considered to be a victory of Pakistan Army, because the western border, were secured. It was a victory for United States because they had avenged their defeat in Vietnam. The Saudis and Chinese felt secured and took a sigh of relief. All but Afghanistan, had achieved their aims and objectives. The Soviet threat to their vital interest was removed. Afghans were left in the mid stream to fight against the communist regime – a situation, Which existed prior to Soviet invasion 

 With the Islamic revolution in Iran and its after math against the United States, the Jihad in Afghanistan and resurgence of Islamic brotherhood, the term Islamic fundamentalist got its new political implication

Denoting “anti American feeling “ The American continuous support to “ Israel” was one major factor which always widened the gap between the US and Islamic fundamentalist. It is because of their continuous support to Israel, that the Americans now find themselves the target of religiously committed political elements termed as Islamic fundamentalist.

 Washington introduced the theory of “spill over “ of Islamic fundamentalist or the resurgence of Islam in the region. Pakistan was the first to get scared. The two major political parties in Pakistan namely PPP and Muslim League perceived a major threat to their bank note from the religious parties in the country who had been actively participated in Afghan Jihad .

 Chinese were equally alarmed because of the large Muslim population in their province bordering Pakistan.  The Saudis considered it as a potent threat to their monarchy. Thus the die was cast to destabilize the Islamic fundamentalist in Afghanistan. All demanded .a broad base government in Afghanistan.

 By design the US policy makers had been over playing the communist threat to the world to rally their allies in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. To contain the communism in Asia, Americans had been supporting the Islamic fundamentalist countries, political parties, groups and even prominent individuals to organize and fight against the communism in Asia and else where as a part of their global strategy against Russians. But now the situation has changed. The Soviet threat has been replaced with Islamic Fundamentalists. Albeit, this threat is being over projected by the news media to malign the fundamentalists as a part of American policy.

 The US government has still deep strategic and economic interest in lands locked central Asian States bordering Afghanistan. The Americans have practically ousted the Russians and have consolidated a firm base in Central Asia, and would not like the Russian to regain their foothold at any cost. Afghanistan therefore, is still a vital bridge to their global interest in Central Asia, Strong Pakistan and peaceful Afghanistan are still vital to American interests but the  “Spill Over Effects Of Fundamentalisms” are high.