What is wrong with children flocking to their mother with their hopes, their worries, their complaints (for example about siblings' bad behaviour), their aspirations, seeking guidance, looking for solace and comfort, hoping to find a solution for their problems, an end to their worries, a boost to their self-confidence?
Nothing, except that in the case before us, the mother was the third level representative of a so-called "super power" and the children were our own rulers - President, Prime Minister, politicians, army top brass and so on. The mother and her naughty children!
The "children" in the case had been elected by the people of their country to run the affairs of the government and the country in such a way that a measure of prosperity was brought within reach of the vast majority in the country suffering from all kinds of deprivations. The people also expected that the elected leaders and representatives would run the affairs of the country so as to earn for it a position of respect among the nations of the world.
The Leaks have dampened those hopes. A sudden cascade of revelations by an organisation called WikiLeaks of how those very leaders have been running to functionaries of another country - at a lower level in most cases as compared to themselves - with their opinions and aspirations, abject requests, pleading for their own personal and selfish ambitions and gain, throwing to the wind any consideration of their own dignity and worse still that of the prestige of the country they were elected to represent and lead. Unfortunately for them and as an eye opener for all others, their undignified and demeaning contacts meant only for the ears of those they considered in effect to be the masters of their destiny found their way into the public domain and have been the talk of the town since some three weeks now.
What is WikiLeaks? This is how WikiLeaks projects itself: WikiLeaks is a non-profit media organisation dedicated to bringing important news and information to the public. We provide an innovative, secure and anonymous way for independent sources around the world to leak information to our journalists. We publish material of ethical, political and historical significance while keeping the identity of our sources anonymous, thus providing a universal way for the revealing of suppressed and censored injustices.
Why change a highly effective 'viceroy'?I wonder why the American government recalled Ambassador Patterson at this point. She was doing an excellent job of furthering America's interests. She had almost all important functionaries and politicians in Pakistan eating out of her hand. They were routinely approaching her to explain their postures, seeking American support for themselves and even against their political opponents, offering support for American positions on matters concerning the two countries and so on.
She was the incarnation of the Viceroy of the British rule in pre-independence India. Her replacement would probably amount to a setback for American diplomacy in the region. The new ambassador will have to find his way around rather warily. Our rulers and politicians will no longer come forward to bare their bosom before the super power representative at least for some time.
The conspiracy theory A conspiracy (on the part of America) theory has also been floated. The alleged objective: cause bad blood between Muslim countries like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran. A corollary of the theory is that the apparent American discomfiture over the Leaks is fake, concocted and only for the show.
Likewise, according to the theory, American anxiety to bring Julian Assange's to book on allegedly flimsy charges actively pursued belatedly only now, after the "Leaks" occurred (nearly half a year after they were first brought against him, in August this year), is not a reflection of genuine American angst over the Leaks but part of the strategy to prove to the world that that they are themselves the victim and not perpetrators in the matter. As for the Leaks themselves, we are told the current cascade was only a small part and much more is on the way despite apparently frantic efforts by the US and others to prevent that. We don't set much store by this theory.
How the Leaks affect our leaders Our leaders (how the word sticks in our throats) have chosen to stay put with the ignominy the Leaks have conferred on many of them. We have not heard any serious contradictions or denials from them. Obviously they realise that any denial will expose them as liars in the eyes of the super power they cannot afford to antagonize! On the other hand, it appears they could not care less about what their own countrymen thought of their disgraceful behaviour.
Asif Zardari's frequent - formal and informal - alleged contacts with the US ambassador and other US diplomats and his alleged promises to keep America in the loop in policies and actions, compromised our sovereign status. It also had the effect of reducing the status of our diplomats to mere messenger boys with little or no part in negotiations and other diplomatic exchanges with their US counterparts, who could directly access the top decision makers of the country like the President and the PM with no trouble at all.
Army Chief Kayani has allegedly said things to American officials, which amount to dangerous loose talk. The Army Chief, who has acted very sensibly in most matters since taking over his present responsibility to date, may have learnt his lessons from the Leaks and will certainly be more careful in the future.
Nawaz Sharif does not come across very badly from the Leaks that have appeared so far. However, he has been careful not to ruffle American feathers on issues near the core of American policies and priorities and appears to be trying to keep on their right side.
The Leaks about PM Gilani and drones stink rather badly. What is common knowledge of long standing in Pakistan concerning the dastardly drone attacks has resurfaced in the Leaks as part of US diplomatic mail, namely that Pakistan has an understanding with the US: you carry on drone attacks while we keep up with our protests. The sad part is that PM Gilani, while communicating this to a US diplomat has also involved the Parliament by quipping: "They (the Parliament representing 180 million people of Pakistan) would protest the attacks in the National Assembly and then ignore them", thus making the whole parliament party to the shameful duplicity.
It is further alleged that when Interior Minister Rehman Malik advised the US to hold off "alleged Predator attacks until after the Bajaur operation", Gilani brushed off the remarks, saying: "I don't care if they do it as long as they get the right people." No marks for guessing what the survivors and near and dear ones of some 2,000 civilians killed to date in the process would think about that and about the rulers in Pakistan.
Fazl-ur-Rehman appears to have been mauled rather badly from the WikiLeaks. For most politicians and most people in Pakistan, his treacherously ambitious style of politics is familiar. But even for them, his abject begging for American support to help install him as the country's prime minister as well as his alleged offer to put his party's numbers in the parliament at the disposal of the bidder with the right price must have been a new low in their assessment of the JUI leader.
As for his admirers and followers, they appear to have been disillusioned by the Leaks' revelations. Particularly shocked are many Taliban groups, who had a lot of respect for him and believed that he was supportive of their way of thinking and actions, was opposed to American intrusions in the region, was effectively espousing their cause and would continue to do so in any future negotiations with Pakistan government and the American invaders of Afghanistan.
They had this respectful and optimistic view of him for two reasons: they are under the religious influence of the Deobandi Madressahs spread across the country and presently, by and large, Fazl's JUI represents that influence in the country's politics. Secondly, they had great respect for his father Mufti Mahmood who was one of the leaders of the PNA movement, which toppled Z. A. Bhutto in the wake of the massively rigged elections of 1976 and was known for his austere style of living unlike that of his son. (Some doubts were expressed about whether he had a proper academic qualification when he mounted his late father's gaddi). Much of that is now set to change, it seems. Fazl may have overplayed his cunning this time.
The last word on the subject? The last word on the subject was probably spoken by a character in a Bernard Shaw play long, long before WikiLeaks hit headlines. To the best of my recollection, the character said in the inimitable Shaw style: "What we think we ought to think (about others) is bad enough, God knows; If everyone came to know what others really thought about them, it would mean the end of civilised society in England". I cannot vouch for cent percent correctness of the quote but this is what it was, more or less.
Thanks to WikiLeaks many of our leaders know that everyone knows what they think of each other. It is unlikely, however, to lead to a breakdown of communication between them. The cynical reason is that each had a pretty good idea already of what the others really thought of him. What they did not probably expect was that their secret thoughts would get into the public domain: from hearsay to documentary report, from word of mouth to hard copy! Let us brace for what more is to come via Leaks next.
(owajid@yahoo.com)