Commentary
Pakistan and
the Expansion of the War on Afghanistan
During his run for the Democratic
nomination for president, Barack Obama made it clear that he thought that the
war in Iraq was a mistake and that all U.S. efforts should be focused on the
war in Afghanistan. Since his inauguration Obama has been making concerted
efforts to forge a new alliance to conduct that war. A central demand of both
the U.S. and its allies has been that Pakistan must actively enter the war and
deprive the Taliban of sanctuary in the western frontier regions of Pakistan.
For many years Pakistan has resisted such a role, fearful that stirring up a
hornets nest in the frontier regions would tear Pakistan apart. The Pakistan
government also protested the frequent U.S. missile attacks on Pakistani
civilians and U.S. armed incursions into Pakistani territory
The U.S. more or less openly supported
the bid of Benazir Bhutto for power and, with her assassination, supported an
alliance of opposition forces to defeat former President Musharrif.
It would appear that the price for that support was a promise to wage an
all-out war against the Taliban in the provinces of Pakistan bordering on
Afghanistan. High level talks between the U.S. and Pakistan have been going on
for months, leading to Pakistan’s declaration that it was sending 30,000 troops
to Waziristan province several weeks ago. The fighting in that province has
been fierce with scores on both sides being killed. It has also led to a spate
of bombings of civilian targets in Pakistan’s major cities. One such bombing
occurred during a recent visit of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to
Pakistan. It is not clear whether these bombings are being carried out by the
Taliban in retaliation for the attacks by the Pakistan army or if they are the
handiwork of U.S. and Pakistani intelligence services to drum up support for
the war against the Taliban. However, it is clear that it is the Pakistani
people who are being made to pay for Obama’s expansion of the war against
Afghanistan.
Following Pakistan’s entry into the war,
a number of European countries pledged more troops for Afghanistan and the U.S.
army is asking Obama for another infusion of troops. It is becoming clear that
the war has already expanded to Pakistan and will undoubtedly expand even
further in the future. This holds serious dangers not only for the people of
Pakistan, but for all of the people of the Indian subcontinent. India has plans
to become a regional superpower and has been looking for an excuse to attack
Pakistan. If civil war in Pakistan tears the country apart, India will
doubtless step in to seize whatever territory it can. India will also not be
comfortable with a permanent U.S.-European military presence on its borders,
challenging its superpower role in the region. So, politics in the region is
bound to become even more complicated and more dangerous than it already has
been.