Military must win endless war

Since September 11 (2001), Pakistan military has been engaged in a complex war against foreign backed militants in different parts of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) as a part of the global war on terror. Already it has 110,000 troops in the war-torn areas and countless para-military forces also conducting operations to defeat the enemy of the country’s security. In reality, the present war is likely the most problematic crisis in Pakistan’s history. It is a morally ambiguous conflict from the start, ostensibly a war against foreign and social subversive elements which are trying to damage the integrity and sovereignty of state, system and society. The military elites have awareness that present war or crisis is not an isolated incident but it is a crime committed on a day-to-day basis by foreign trained militants and impossible to describe exactly what happened in troubled areas. It is not easy to explain emotions and feelings of victims and the feelings of the families who suffered severe experiences in the on-going crisis. Simply, militants relived the absolute horror in all areas where military and militants’ confrontation is in its final stages. The brutal and tragic treatment of militants with the armless and helpless people is still alive in many minds that at times when militants raped women, cut off ears, cut off heads, taped wires from portable telephones to human genitals, blew up bodies, randomly shot people, razed villages in fashion reminiscent of Ghengis Khan, and generally ravaged the towns. The militants are product of India, the United States and Afghanistan and targeting innocent people, destroying villages, schools and public property in order to create ungovernable situation. So, the militants’ action of war is rife with paradoxes but now it has become the war of country’s survival. People are right to comment that the participation in the war was poorly defined and after eight years (2001-2009) surprisingly, a profound sense of confusion still pervaded in the entire conflict. There is no doubt that Pakistan military has bailed out the civil government and presently they are playing their role from the larger context of the new Cold War. Ever since the incident of 9/11, Pakistan is in the midst of a struggle to protect national security and national cultural, political and ideological values and also struggling that the conflict should not spread or expand to other parts of country. The enemies of the country escalated conflict in a way that there is no option to avoid from emerging threats which become more serious through proxy forces. The unfortunate situation has appeared that some enemy’s friends propagated against the role of military in Pakistan but majority of population are fiercely proud of backing military because they want that their forces must eliminate paid militants and are willing to fight against foreign elements for the solidarity of country. There is no doubt that India, Afghanistan and the US left no option to antagonize Pakistan’s integrity but credit goes to the military which is playing a role in extreme difficult circumstances than any other country had faced in the past. Moreover, the situation is not usual tentative dance of brinksmanship with the enemies and military leadership is determined to face courageously the imposed environment as well as US intervention. The people have enough trust and believe that the country’s forces with its professional commitment would save the people and country’s sovereignty from any serious disastrous or oppression. The civil-military leadership used all diplomatic and non-diplomatic options to prevent escalation of war and drones bombing campaign, which has killed many innocent people and also destroyed countless homes in North and South Waziristan. The evidence is available that since 2002, the US has used more than 700,000 tons of bombs on the tribal areas (FATA), more than all the bombs dropped on Europe and Japan during World War II. The ultimate human cost of the tribal areas is staggering for all sides: an estimated 8,000 tribal people, 1800 Pakistan military Jawans (soldiers) and officers and only 300 US soldiers have been killed and injured. The “War on Terror” has also a tremendous impact on Pakistan’s society, which are more serious than the ten years long (1979-1990) Afghan war. The country is facing various socio-cultural, political, strategic and economic problems and distrust on the government have been a mainstay of society. So, the time is not far away when the war will figure prominently in Pakistani culture and literature and it will be one of the most potent symbols of national loss. In larger part it is the first war in which Pakistan is facing multi-dimensional threats to its security and the country forces are playing significant role in the war, especially in the arena of great and regional (Indo-US alliance) powers. The people of areas concerned, photographs, videos, and opinions of journalists, coupled with the simple fact that young army personnel are dying for the country’s soil and committed to fight to achieve the desired end to reestablish the writ of the state. Moreover, army has full support of local people and tribal elders (Maliks or Khans). They have urged the army to use power to flush out foreign backed and local militants from their territory. The most satisfactory omen is that Pakistan’s armed forces are well-equipped and trained to fight any war. They have shown their professional ability as international peacekeepers and also demonstrated in the most recent war. So, the military has the capability to move forces anywhere and defeat adversaries in relatively short period of time with relatively low casualties. They are able to conduct operations against the militants and hidden enemies. However, the time will come when our forces will defeat enemies and they will win war for the survival of country and the nation. Thus, the massive drive has been launched to free the country from militants siege and there seems to be no reason that the army cannot win war. So, if the present determination will continue and that will is manifested in strategy and tactical operations then enemy will suffer and face devastating defeat. No matters about the number of casualties because there is a need to absorb in order to achieve victory. According to Paul Johnson (renowned historian), “the experience of the 20th century shows that self-imposed restraints by great power are worse than useless. They are seen by friend and enemy alike as evidence of guilt and of lack of moral conviction.” In my opinion, the “war on terror”, strategically and politically gain tremendous achievements but it perceive that Pakistan lost war on the propaganda battle, at home and abroad. It is also reality that the most powerful country in the world (USA) did not have the will-power to meet the situation and it is the Pakistan army who was whole-heartedly fighting against many random targets. However, the United States does have a role to play in helping Pakistani forces to cope with the current situation and become a successful nation. That role may even be in the form of facilitating to curb militants through training and material support. They should also provide drone technology, logistics support and communications capabilities. In this regard, they must avoid sending ground troops to the tribal (FATA) areas not because the US should not help Pakistan but because sending American troops is not the best way to help rather than it will be a worst decision. Nonetheless, Pakistan cannot afford long war because it will be simply pointless as well as one of the most fruitless bloody mess. It is also much longer and more intense than any previous conventional conflict in the region. It will be disastrous if the war was turned into one of the longest conventional wars of 21 century from the standpoint of achieving no objectives. Moreover, it must be remembered that a military victory is the only option for permanent peace and lasting political solution. The world experience tells us that a “war for peace” approach inevitably means more war for absolute peace. However, once violence will be longer then the cost will be high but military should ensure minimum loss to life and damage to property. The military leadership also carefully handles the situation because the “war on terror” should not become part of Pakistan’s national psyche, characterized by self-doubt and self-blame with profound implications regarding the current War on Terror.

A Z Hilali (A Z Hilali is professor of IR and Political Sciences on the faculty of National Defence University Islamabad hilali007@yahoo.com)