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Mainstream, Vol XLVIII, No 23, May 29, 2010

Afghanistan: The New Game-plan

Tuesday 1 June 2010, by Mansoor Ali

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It is quite a well-known fact that Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the Americans are at odds with one another. Rumours are rapidly spreading with effortless ease that US President Barack Obama dislikes Karzai and his distaste for the latter is growing. As a consequence Karzai is becoming defiant and even promising to join the Taliban and carry out unspeakable acts to defend the honour and independence of the Afghan fatherland. However, at the same time behind-the-scenes the US authorities in Kabul and President Karzai are busy conducting one joint operation: destroying what is left of the Northern Alliance, which is anathema to both.

The Northern Alliance, a combine of former mujahideen and civil and military cadres once loyal to the erstwhile Soviet Union, had been able to withstand the war against the Taliban and remained unvanquished. But Washington is wary of the Northern Alliance precisely because of its old, time-tested and proven relations with India, Iran and Russia. Thus the Americans view the Afghan United National Front (UNF), the heir to the erstwhile Northern Alliance, as an obstacle towards establishing complete control over the Hindu Kush. Hence the UNF is under permanent pressure even in a scenario wherein the NATO is suffering military failures as at present while possible defeat at the hands of the Taliban and other blue-eyed boys of the Pakistani ISI is staring the Aliance in the face.

This summer is set to witness President Karzai, his fellow holders of Green Card in the Afghan Government and the civil society taking upon themselves the principal task of stripping the UNF and its allies of majority in the country’s legislative bodies. The Americans, Europeans and UNAMA are expected to extend allout support in this direction despite their incessant cries about corruption and inefficiency of the Karzai coterie.

A novel plan has been worked out to marginalise possible UNF candidates in the Afghan parliamentary elections due in September. It hinges on the policy of raising the educational qualifications of the contestants. As is obvious, after 30 years of war in the country, launched initially against the former USSR by Islamabad, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar and the Taliban (all enjoying the West’s unreserved patronage and blessings apart from material assistance in those days), there are many local leaders with only primary education (if at all) but simultaneously equipped with considerable common sense and goodwill. At the other end are Karzai’s relatives and others who migrated to the US, UK and Germany but have lately returned to the country; they hold more than one diploma from prestigious schools and colleges but lack the will to fight the Taliban.

All regional countries must unequivocally tell the US, UNAMA other Western well-wishers of Afghanistan to stop playing dirty games with the unsophisticated Afghans. All regional countries must also support efforts underway to reduce and remove tensions between the Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, Turkomans, Pashais and other ethnic groups. In both these endeavours India has the capacity, potentiality and moral authority to take the lead provided it does not feel inhibited by the possibility of incurring US displeasure. As a matter of fact in order to stall the Taliban’s march to power it is essential to unite all Afghans desiring to rebuild the country as a prosperous and peaceful state even if its laws would be perceived as conservative and outdated for some advocates of minority rights. At the same time the qualifications of candidates for contesting the future elections should be simple, that is, willingness to fight extremism, opium and corruption, the three basic scourges threatening the entire Afghan polity and society.

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