28/04/2009 / PAKISTAN
"Taliban Bush". Source:
www.anvari.org
I don't think the Taliban can take over the country. However they could be a nuisance for a long while (which they already are), they could do a lot of damage and ruin the country by wrecking the economy. They intimidate and act with guns - ordinary civilians cannot fight that. If women are forced behind veils and walls, and men submit, they do so out of fear for their lives, not out of ideological choice. That has been the false image spread by large sections of the western media, especially in the US.
The Taliban advance in Pakistan and America's 'double game'
The Taliban have positioned themselves less than 100km from the Pakistani capital. One of our Observers in the country tells us that she doesn't see the militant group taking power. She explains however that the US, which has today expressed alarm over the advancing Taliban, is partly responsible for the mounting success of Islamic extremism in the country.
Earlier this month Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari agreed to allow the Taliban-controlled region of Swat Valley to implement Sharia law, provided that the aforementioned put down their weapons. The Taliban law did indeed change, but the Taliban chose to ignore their part of the pact. This was demonstrated by their continued military offensive, which soon brought them to the district of Buner, just 100km from Islamabad. Last Wednesday US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the advances a serious threat, saying that the Pakistani government was "abdicating to the Taliban and the extremists".
Contributors
"The US has always been suspected of playing a double game"
Najma Sadeque works for a women's rights NGO in Pakistan.
I don't think the Taliban can take over the country. However they could be a nuisance for a long while (which they already are), they could do a lot of damage and ruin the country by wrecking the economy. They intimidate and act with guns - ordinary civilians cannot fight that. If women are forced behind veils and walls, and men submit, they do so out of fear for their lives, not out of ideological choice. That has been the false image spread by large sections of the western media, especially in the US. This didn't all happen overnight. It's the legacy of General Zia-ul Haq and his dubious 'Islamization' of a country that was already Muslim. The US agenda also had a part to play. They installed him and then dispensed with him when he was no longer useful to them. It is common knowledge here. After he was gone, Saudi Arabia continued with their fundamentalist objectives in the region. They can't fight with guns or knowledge; the only way they know is to brainwash. But then that's no different from tactics that America and other countries use through propaganda and disinformation.
General Musharraf is also responsible for taking the situation from bad to worse through his wrongful decisions and inaction at crucial moments. He did nothing to make peace with the Taliban through means such as economic development, livelihood improvements, healthcare, etc. He thought it was enough to avoid fighting them.
As for the US, it has always been suspected of playing a double game. They use Pakistan to fight a problem that they themselves created in order to have an excuse to stay in the region because they're after the minerals and other resources in Afghanistan and Pakistan. That has been their history of intervention and theft for more than a century."
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Comments
Taliban a nuisance?
Submitted by Logic and Reason (not verified) on Thu, 28/05/2009 - 02:32.I like how you are quoting someone who is obviously so completely out-of-tune with reality, like you are doing some sort of favor for anyone trying to comment on the situation in Pakistan. I am an American who fell in love with France 24 when I went on vacation to France, but I am appalled at the obvious attempt to feed anti-American, anti-freedom, drivel to your readers.
The Taliban a nuisance? Is that all you are prepared to call them? A nuisance does not impose Sharia Law (and we know what that means: unquestioning obedience and submission to Islamic Law, or death/imprisonment/physical punishment) on societies in TODAY'S world; a nuisance does not kill women, children, and innocent lives because of modernity; a nuisance does not wish to annihilate groups of people for holding different views; and a nuisance does not prevent progressive movement/thought in the perverted, distorted, and blatantly ignorant interpretation of their religion. Terrorists do. The Taliban, and any other evil group of terrorists are the scum of the Earth, and God will have his judgment on all of them when they die. They are terrorists, and no one is misled or fooled by your incredibly ignorant article.
France 24, by publishing this immature and obviously, so insanely slanted article, should be ashamed of the apparent lack of common sense you have displayed in publishing this article.
Unregistered user
In response
Submitted by Team Observers on Thu, 28/05/2009 - 12:46.Dear Logic and Reason,
In response to your comment I'd like to point out that The Observers is a collaborative website which means we feature viewpoints from a wide range of sources. This includes many fronts in Pakistan (for example). We also have a vast number of voices from the US, including soldiers who are/ have been fighting in the Asia and the Middle East. We welcome ideas and opinions from varied sides of every debate - yours included.
Further comments are appreciated!
Team Observers
Team Observers
Great opportunity to prove your claim of "collaborative"
Submitted by Logic and Reason (not verified) on Thu, 28/05/2009 - 17:45.Okay then, do a piece on many different views of what people's opinions are about the Taliban; not simply state (in your bold letters, supported by the entire body of this article) a premise that is not supported by a logical conclusion. You need to prove that France 24 is journalistically objective to retain my following (and word-of-mouth advertising). I look forward to seeing this example of collaboration. Or, do you seek collaboration, and then only publish what you see fit with your personal opinions?
Unregistered user
Collaborative indeed
Submitted by Team Observers on Thu, 28/05/2009 - 19:03.Logic and Reason,
If you want to contribute yourself to The Observers, then you can set up an account yourself and suggest a topic, as Najma did. We are more than happy to receive ideas and post viewpoints. As for the 'bold' headings, we see little difference between those in the body of the article and those in the comments sections.
Look forward to hearing from you,
Team Observers
Team Observers
Interesting...
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Thu, 21/05/2009 - 02:01.The only things that Afghanistan and Pakistan have in abundance is religious fanatics and opium.
Unregistered user
Double Game
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 29/04/2009 - 22:51.The United States is being accused of playing a double game? I suppose it is all our fault that men are killing each other in the name of their religion. The dominant religion of Pakistan, being a religion of peace and love, wouldn't be so corrupted if it weren't for angry, barbaric Americans right? Have you even read a Koran lately? Or better yet, do you understand what you've been reading?
Double game; very clever of you. I suppose it could be comforting to blame someone else for all your troubles. The point is pressing though. Why are so many people in Pakistan killing each other? Is it really all America's fault? If so, you should all join together and attack and destroy us. Then we'll be gone, you'll be happy, and you can all live in peace and harmony. No more opium, no more throwing acid in little girls faces because they want to read, etc. Yeah, it's all because of America's double game.
You know we have plenty of corruption in America but, I'm not blaming everyone else for it. It's our problem and we have to fix it. Pakistan might try doing the same.
And by the way, ever thought of looking into how many foreign interests are at play in the United States government? Ever wonder who is pulling our strings?
Unregistered user
Very well said. Thank you.
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Tue, 19/05/2009 - 22:11.Very well said. Thank you.
Unregistered user
bull
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 29/04/2009 - 15:45.what minerals does pakistan or Afghanistan have. the only things are hashish
and heroin. we should destroy their weapons and let them kill each other.
Unregistered user
coward
Submitted by Ramon (not verified) on Tue, 28/04/2009 - 23:31.show your face coward.
Unregistered user
Coward by Ramon
Submitted by emotionalinvalid (not verified) on Wed, 29/04/2009 - 13:36.re to Ramon. Please don't show yours because you obviously have an ass for a head. Right on South Park!
Unregistered user
Well, Too many cooks spoil
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Thu, 21/05/2009 - 20:24.Well,
Too many cooks spoil the broth. I'm not a happy contenstant to pull the already tightened strings.
Bizzar column.
Blaming America, Blaming her own countrymen. Super cool.
America and double game are synonyms. Its an old story in new format.
Americans are not bad. But the obscured lobbyists (jews probably the most catalytic) are the real culprits. War and Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and at other places round the globe are the jewish interest. Take for example iran.
The are so poor that their missile can't even touch the mediterranian, so America isn't at any danger with it. But Israili's think they are a real PITA (Pain in the Ass.)
Unregistered user