We have been relying on our geo-strategic position in the sub-continent but our reliance has suffered a serious setback in view of the changing political scenario in the region.
After the occupation of Afghanistan by the coalition forces and our logistic support to the US-led invasion made things easier for the US to dig in and stabilise for a long haul. On the one hand we became US partner to fight global terrorism and on the other US promised Afghanistan "freedom and democracy," reconstruction and financial assistance.
The Afghans tired of the Russian occupation and the rule by Taliban thought it better to pull along the American way. The assistance and reconstruction started at a snail's speed with the result that a state of unrest and despondency prevailed amongst the masses.
Unfortunately the Afghan government preferred Indians who involved themselves in all activities for reconstruction and capturing Afghan market. The presence of Indians on the Afghan soil brought security problems where the Indian Consulates are operating to the detriment of Pakistan. We have a security situation on our western border and 70,000 troops are deployed on the ground for the purpose. Recently due to US-Indian strategic alliance Indo-US forces will be deployed to combat terrorism emanating from the Pakistan side.
On the East we have our arch-enemy, India. There is a permanent deployment of troops by both sides along the cease-fire line since 1948. We have to keep our guard to ward off any threat posed by the enemy. During the Afghan war the Taliban force was created to fight Russians. This force comprised religious die-hard Afghans who were motivated to put up resistance in Afghanistan and were equipped with American arms.
We are enveloped on three sides of our border with India on the east till North-Afghanistan on the north-western border and Iran on the west. We have working relations with Iran and apprehend no security problem in the area.
Unfortunately the border facing Afghanistan poses serious security threat in view of cross border insurgency taking place from both sides of the border. As a result we were compelled to deploy approx. 70,000 troops on this side of the divide line.
This is the aftermath of our logistic support to US-led coalition forces. Thus one finds Pakistan sandwiched between hostile forces on three sides of the border.
An alarming situation to cope up with. Recently Indo-US strategic alliance jointly spells out fighting terrorism from Pakistan. A country that fought global terrorism with US co-operation is now the victim of combined fight by US and India directed against it. What a coincidence?
The global political scenario has seriously jeopardised the geo-strategic position of Pakistan. With the passage of time US intentions in the area are surfacing to crystallise. US wants India to become a Super Power to face China. It wants to occupy oil rich Arab States in the Middle East to control oil resources. It has plans to divide Iraq into Shia-Sunni zones and is planning to create a religious rift in other areas to weaken the Muslim Ummah globally. Its involvement in religion is going to backfire and with its present policy of expansionism it has blurred its image in the eyes of the world.
US is now being looked upon as a force determined to harm Muslim interests all over the world. The recent Israeli invasion of Lebanon was a planned conspiracy. The amount of interest it took in the murder on behalf of Lebanon and its recent fillip to destroy that country should be an eye-opener for the Muslims world over. Israel as per US plans pushed through Lebanon causing destruction of unprecedented magnitude. Not only that it martyred innocent women, children and the older people in the process never seen in history before.
This war perhaps has opened the eyes of the Jews as it for the first time it suffered heavy battle casualties inflicted by Hizbollah. There will be eventually a cease-fire and the Muslim Ummah should get together to evolve a strategy to fight and protect the Arab world from blatant aggression of the evil powers.
The Arab countries of the region particularly Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Egypt should form a defence pact for their survival. Countries like Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia rich in oil, should finance to build and procure arms equipment.
This task force be assigned the mission to fight external threat in the region particularly Israel and it headquarters be located in Saudi Arabia with a portion of troops stationed at Lebanon, Syria and Palestine. The force should have the capability to deploy anywhere at a short notice. This force should be trained by the Muslim countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan.
This force should be trained to fight pitched battles plus excel in the art of guerilla warfare to surprise the enemy. The Arab world should consider assistance from Russia, China and North Korea and try and involve these powers in the Middle East affairs. Reliance on US and the West has not proved beneficial to them. A change of friends is the need of the hour.