Why Obama Must Save Pakistan

With the fall of Swat to the Taliban, the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team and the killing of the policemen, Pakistan has plunged into a major crisis of confidence. On March 16th, the Muslim League and Jamaat-i-Islami will lead a protest march to Islamabad. If there is bloodshed, Pakistani generals may be forced to think of intervening again.

Pakistan would be back to square one and its democratic dreams once again dashed.

President Barack Obama would then be faced with a difficult choice: to support a military dictatorship or challenge it and push shaky Pakistan further into crisis.

It is critical for Americans to therefore understand why they need to ensure Pakistan's viability and integrity before the country goes over the brink: Pakistan is a much larger nation than either Iraq or Afghanistan with a total population of over 170 million people; Pakistan is nuclear; it has an established army with a coherent command and control structure; and above all it has a long border with Afghanistan which at the moment allows Taliban to move freely across either side to play havoc with its enemies.

Americans must understand the significance of the fall of Swat, and why Pakistan must take it back by reestablishing the authority of its judicial and civil service structures. If this does not happen soon the Taliban will surely move to the fertile valleys of Mardan to the south of Swat and Peshawar will fall like a ripe fruit. America's land route to Afghanistan through Peshawar will be closed and Afghanistan will be imperiled. If Pakistan is lost today Afghanistan goes tomorrow.

While Obama has given Afghanistan as his top priority and we hear so much of the "surge" which will bring an additional 30,000 US troops to that country, Pakistan seems to be treated almost like a neglected stepchild. Yet, the paradox is that the war in Afghanistan can only be won if Pakistan remains stable and secure.

Losing Pakistan, therefore, is not an option.

That is why Washington needs to develop an effective and long term strategy for Pakistan. For a start it must stop the senseless drone strikes in Pakistan, which may kill a few targeted people but end up creating widespread ill will toward Americans.

Washington should use its generous aid to Pakistan more wisely and to create confidence among Pakistanis ask former President Pervez Musharraf to account for the 15 billion dollars the Americans gave him since 9/11.

Thinking long-term, Washington must do everything possible to help Pakistan avoid another martial law. If the military were to take over, the democracy promised at the time of the country's creation in 1947 by M. A. Jinnah, known in Pakistan as the Quaid-i-Azam, would not materialize.

Jinnah, the quintessential founding father, embodied the modern Muslim democrat. He championed the causes of women, minorities, and the constitution, and acted as a beacon to an entire generation of Pakistanis. Jinnah showed that it was possible to balance modernity with the traditions of Islam.

That vision made sense. After all, the vast majority of the country was -- and is -- Muslim. There were, however, some who would have wanted a much more literal interpretation of Islam. These, in time, would grow in strength and one of their strains would take the form of the Taliban. Although many literalists have a reasoned and balanced approach to governance, the Taliban have little patience with girls schools, music shops, and other expressions of what it sees as dangerous modernity.

In the early days of Pakistan it appeared as if the modernists like Jinnah had won the day. Today with the shariah imposed on Swat it appears as if the pendulum is swinging toward the literalists.

However, moaning about the shariah in the West does not find a resonance in Pakistani ears, except among the Western elite in the cities. For most of the people in Swat, the shariah means law and order and justice. That is why the government of Pakistan has to reclaim its capacity to provide these for the people of Swat. Pakistan's leaders must understand what is at stake.

Obama needs to sit down with Zardari and work out a strategy to help Pakistan move and flourish on the democratic path. This he can do by reminding Zardari of Jinnah, who is still widely respected in Pakistan. The democratic process should encourage more Jinnahs, which in turn will automatically neutralize those Pakistanis who terrorize their fellow countrymen by using -- or misusing -- religion.

But Obama must ensure that more than lip service is paid to the concept of Jinnah's democratic Pakistan. Jinnah actively fought against nepotism and corruption, which flourish in Zardari's Pakistan. Obama must encourage Zardari to ensure that law and order is not compromised at any cost.

This can be done by the re-institution of the judiciary and the civil administration, which Musharraf almost destroyed.

Zardari also needs to vigorously follow the principles set by Jinnah and work toward establishing a healthy democratic opposition. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, for example, who represents the Muslim League, the second largest party in Pakistan, need to be treated as an honorable opposition leader and not as a target for the government.

All this may seem too much for Obama, beset by economic woes at home, but he has staked his reputation on winning Afghanistan. He cannot do so without saving Pakistan

Comments

[Sikander]

No one can save Pakistan apart from the Pakistanis themselves.

http://real-politique.blogspot.com

Obama's America can help by not not micro managing Pakistani affairs of the state as it is creating resentment and hatred in Pakistan polity towards USA and it might turn out to be another Iran ( revolution & all) .

[joebiz]

Save Pakistan? Pakistan is annexing Afghanistan and you want to save Pakistan.

[HPMW]

In relation to the last post, my email is [e-mail]
Regards

[HPMW]

I'm addressing Mr Ahmed, or anbody that can link me contact with Mr Ahmed

I have read your book 'Jinnah, Pakistan and Islamic Identity: The Search for Saladin' and agree entirely with your position on Jinnah, Pakistan, and it's relationship with the USA.

But what I'd like to know is, has there been any historiography on Jinnah post 9/11.
I mean has there been any historiography on him since 9/11, antagonising him say from a Western parochial perspective or an enlightened perspective because of the increased interest in the East.

My apologies for not relating this to the article, in my case yes there should be a greater awareness of Pakistan and a more cohesive approach with Pakistan not just the politics of it.
Less fighting more talking.

[freddiefreeloader]

Lets make a deal, you bring us the head of Osama Bin Laden and the Al Qauda leaders, and we'll help you with your taliban problem, deal.

[samesame]

I love Afghans! Afghanistan Zindabad!

[samesame]

One good think I want to thank Jinnah for.

Thanks for the partition. That was the best thing to happen to India.

Imagine if all the people of Pakistan and BDesh had been part of India. OMG, they would be 51% in matter of few years and we Indian's would have been screwed.

GANDHI was dead wrong..Jin­nah was so right. and for that..I salute you, Mr. Jinnah for saving India.

[samesame]

Help Afghanistan. Not Pakistan that has been the source of all the problem.

[samesame]

Here is self help for Pakistanies (the so called moderates and the "secular" crowd).

1. Forget about getting Kashmir from India. It's NOT gonna happen.

Thats it. Problem solved. That alone would save Pakistan from self destruction.

Here is why.

a. You "moderates" have been supporting your Army and the its ISI because of the "HOPE" that these mighty warriors would use their nukes and what not and wrestle Kashmir for YOU.

b. Since they know they cannot win a conventional war, they are using LeT and other J!hadies to do their dirty work and end up supporting the entire Talibani/AQ nexis

As for the concept of Jinnah. Who are you kidding? The whole premise of "Nation of the Pure" is BS to begin with..I say ..go back to your drawing board dudes to come up with a non childish motto for your nation.

[mesmorize3]

I suggest you educated yourself on Kashmir. They Kashmiris have the right to self-determination which was accorded to them under UN RESOLUTION 47 in 1948. Until today they still haven't been allowed to exercise that right.....­.

[samesame]

you have changed the ethnic makeup of POK to a point, we cannot have a referendum. That would be like polling Pakistanis since you never vacated POK and have repopulated it with Punjabies. So its moot..and it ain't happening.

Dream on! while you self destruct! Bye Bye!

End of story!

[Horst]

Photos of Mrs. Bhutto's palace in Dubai were recently posted on the interenet.­..no better example of ostentatiousness and corruption can be found. Clean up your own mess.

[Inquisitr]

So you want us to piss off the muslim world one more time by going to pakistan?

The sooner we nuke the entire section fo the world from the map the better we'll all be. If the children won't learn to share, you take the toys away. Pakistan seems like a great place for New California.

When your skitzo religion figures out if you actually want us there or not let us know. Bu twe're tired of going to help you people only to get blown up for it.

Try it on your own for a while, then if you want you can really call us the great satan, otherwise no. No more help, your cultire is supposed to be superior, prove it.

[Rog49Thomas]

Sorry to break the news, but our President can't perform miracles.

Pakistan is a failed state and has been since 1948.

[Ergon]

I've travelled extensively in the region over the last 50 years and have friends among the elites on both sides. I'd disagree with your definition of 'failed state' which has its basis in American terminology, the better to determine what state to interfere in.
Pakistan has many external and internal enemies, but I believe it'll survive quite well

[samesame]

Afghanistan is in better position than Pakistan. At least the Afghans have recognized their problem and want to improve. If only Pakistanis would stop trying Afghanistan from developing.

Afghanistan cannot fail. That's not an option!

Afghanistan needs all the help.

[gsc 99]

If the fact was restricted to being a failed state it would be one thing but being the epicenter of Ter.r.oris­m and being a nuclear armed Islamic mnation compounds our headache

[Alethia]

I would like to repeat my advice to Pakistan:

Please stop looking to other people (USA and China) for help. Help is right in your own backyard.

Pakistan is one of the most advanced Muslim countries, has a lot technology, has an educated middle class, good infrastructure, industries and natural resources.

Self reliance, man! Please. And in the next elections, vote out all feudal, fossilized politicians.

[MrTruth321]

You got to be Joking BIG TIME.

You say:

""Pakistan is one of the most advanced Muslim countries, has a lot technology""

From 1947 upto 1994 they managed to get only 7 P.A.T.E.N.­T.S.

Yeah......­really P.a.k has ""has a lot technology"".

Their nuke tech is S.T.O.L.E.­N FROM EUROPE and supported by China.

[mesmorize3]

All of the nuclear weapons states received "help" from others.

[mesmorize3]

All nucle@r We@pon states received "help" from others include your beloved India....

[Ergon]

I too wish the Pakistani people all the best, which will probably happen when the military throws out the corrupt politicians. I mean, the leadership of the largest political party PPP is passed on to Benazir Bhutto's 19 year old son like a feudal bauble? With various Bhuttos and Zardaris squabbling to see who could divide the spoils? Please.

[Rog49Thomas]

And is precisely the problem.

The various political parties of Pakistan view that country less as their nation than as an ATM machine.

The main goal of that country's kleptocratic elites is self enrichment and maintenance of their snouts in the public trough.

And like many a failed state, the favorite sport of the ultra rich is seeing which one of them can rob the last nickel from the guy at the bottom of the social ladder.

[thetrajectory]

"Obama needs to sit down with Zardari and work out a strategy to help Pakistan move and flourish on the democratic path. This he can do by reminding Zardari of Jinnah, who is still widely respected in Pakistan."

Are you serious? Pakistan cannot expect to whip up crisis after crisis and then look to the West for resolving these...es­pecially issues of domestic political reconciliation. In an interdependent world the political stability of each unit is vital for the survival of the international system, but this does not make the international community responsible for managing every domestic crisis in all fragile states.
For once Pakistan should gather its national resources-material and psychological- and set its house in order.