Enough is enough

Of late a slew of statements has emanated from the US official sources blaming the heightened Taliban insurgency on Pakistan, defying the common knowledge that the harsh winter of Afghanistan would normally damp down the guerrilla activity.
Leading the charge was Condoleeza Rice's deputy John Negroponte who told a senate committee that the al Qaeda is rebuilding from safe havens in Pakistan. According to him, Pakistan is a "major source of Islamic extremism" and "the home for some top terrorist leaders". But he did not stop at that and made the amazing observation that should such terrorist activities persist India would be tempted to launch pre-emptive strikes inside the Pakistan territory - only to invite a stiff rebuke from the Pakistan foreign office.
The next to speak on the subject was Kabul-based Major-General Benjamin Freakley, who gave vent to his military mindset by claiming that those killed in the Khost bombing were the ragtag elements of the Jalaluddin Haqqani force, stationed in Pakistan. By then Assistant Secretary Richard Boucher had arrived in Pakistan.
His message was the same but with a variation, as he acknowledged Islamabad's stated commitment to ensure that the territory of Pakistan is denied to the terrorists, of any colour or creed. But the pipeline of accusations had not emptied out yet. Defence Secretary Robert Gates had arrived in Kabul, to praise Pakistan as a "strong ally", though for him, the border problem "clearly has to be pursued with the Pakistani government".
General Eikenberry who thought, "the enemy is using both sides of the border", was there to elaborate Gate's remarks. Caught as it is in this torrent of allegations the Pakistan government is disappointed, if not shocked. It has gone the extra mile in appeasing the Americans; even bombed its own people. Its plan to seal and secure the common border has been ridiculed and rejected.
There is no taker of its plan to set up biometrics scanning on the border with Afghanistan. And, Islamabad's sincerity in the assiduously arrived at peace deals with tribesmen have been questioned by the Nato commanders, who claim that the surge in cross-border attacks has coincided with the agreement reached last September in North Waziristan.
What is it that is prompting the United States to persevere in its 'not enough' harangue, ask the people in Pakistan? One would not be wide off the mark to see a link between the growing pressure that Pakistan should do more and some developments in the United States, where there is a growing perception that having failed in Iraq the Bush Administration would like to shift the focus elsewhere.
President Bush would be hard pressed to carry the Democrat-dominated Congress with him in securing funds to finance the additional troops in Iraq. At the same time the Bush Administration is seeking a much larger aid package from the new Congress for training Afghan security forces and reconstruction work.
One more reason to push the ball into Pakistan's court is to provide the much-needed alibi to President Hamid Karzai's total failure in running his country. Famously, his writ is confined to the city of Kabul. And, as the time passes and reality on the ground unfolds, it becomes abundantly clear that the election that catapulted Hamid Karzai to the top slot was seriously flawed.
If his majority in the parliament were genuine the Taliban could not have survived the mighty Nato force to challenge the Kabul-bound Karzai administration. But that said one does not expect Pakistan to lose its patience with this tintinnabulation of accusations. Pakistan should fight terrorism and extremism for itself and, if required, on its own.
President Musharraf's resolve to stand up to this menace remains unshakeable. "Any sanctuary or hideout will be knocked out whenever it is found," he said addressing the conference of the corps commanders here the other day. It should not be forgotten that but for Pakistan's wholehearted co-operation fighting out the scourge of international terrorism would have been a different ball game, and the sooner it is realised the better.