Editorial | The Pioneer
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Taliban knocking on the door ---- Afghanistan's journey from a war-
torn country to a united and prosperous democracy seems to be
interminably on hold. In the latest burst of Taliban offensive -
which has been rather pronounced over the past fortnight - more than
200 lives have been lost. Of course, the majority of those killed
are believed to be Taliban militia, but the moot point is that we
may be witnessing the gradual fall of Afghanistan into the chaos of
the 1990s. The Americans may not agree, but they ought to be
reminded that it was they who had initially dismissed reports of
Taliban's resurgence back in 2003.
The fragile peace has been punctuated by violence far too often for
the global community to continue accepting Washington's claims that
the situation in Afghanistan is under control. Domestic opinion in
America is already building against the Bush Administration's
handling of the war on terror; before long, the American people may
begin to march out in protest. It was the emergence of Iraq as the
principal battleground that had somehow pushed Afghanistan, the
source of 9/11, into the shadow area of America's concerns about
terrorism.
The focus on developments in Baghdad helped the US gloss over the
fact that more than 500 people, including soldiers, bureaucrats and
aid workers, had died in recent weeks in Afghanistan: A theatre
of "war against terrorism" which was considered closed. As much as
the rising death toll, it is the question of mere survival of the
hapless Afghans and those from outside helping in rebuilding the
nation, that begs attention. The sudden rise in terrorism has forced
the abandonment of reconstruction projects and made several NGOs
wind up their humanitarian missions. With 27 Americans - as also 12
Canadians - killed in Afghanistan in 2006, President Bush needs to
go back to the dossier on Taliban's revival which had been handed
over to him during his visit to Kabul in March this year.
The ramifications of the continuing war in Afghanistan on South
Asia's security cannot be overestimated. The US must realise that
Operation Enduring Freedom has lost its edge because the source of
terror in the region is Pakistan. Unfortunately, this is a point
that the Bush Administration refuses to concede: It still describes
Pakistan as its "stalwart ally" in its war on terror. Regardless of
America's reasons for coddling Islamabad, it can now hardly ignore
the fact that the Hamid Karzai Government has at last spoken out.
The US-supported Afghan leader gave a stern warning last week to
President Pervez Musharraf, asking Pakistan to desist from fishing
in Afghanistan's troubled waters. As a lone voice emerging from the
wilderness around Kabul, Mr Karzai may not be entirely effective;
however, it is to be hoped what he says has post facto approval of
Washington. Unless pressure is mounted on Pakistan to mind its own
business, peace in the region is unlikely to get a chance.
--
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