Because of what they read and hear in the media, it may seem far-fetched to most US and other Western readers, but the fact is this – it is India that is lying to and cheating the US in Afghanistan, not Pakistan.
First things first. The belief in the doctrine of “American supremacy” runs deep in the culture and history of the United States. American troops quite often underestimate their foes, and such is the case with the Taliban in Afghanistan. They believe that they possess better weaponry, training and tactics than any other nation they may face as an adversary.
Such a perception has often directly led to disastrous results in US actions in Afghanistan. Believing themselves to be superior to any threat they might possibly face, US forces often throw caution to the wind during their operations. To support my arguments, I recommend viewing in full the documentary Operation Anaconda: The Battle of Roberts’ Ridge, about a three-week-long US sweep against al-Qaeda and Taliban.
Unfortunately, the Indian lobby is exploiting the US military’s mindset and further misleading the Americans by scapegoating Pakistan for the US failures in Afghanistan. India wants the US to remain entangled in Afghanistan for larger Indian interests. As a result, Afghanistan continues to bleed, Pakistan remains under pressure and most of Pakistan’s army is tied up on its western borders.
India wants the US to continue fighting the Afghan Taliban and keep arming India to “contain” China. If history is any guide, this is a target India will never be able to reach. India cannot check the rise of China.
Engendering mistrust
India is continuously endeavoring to create mistrust between Afghanistan and its neighboring country Pakistan. It is also exploiting the Afghan government’s unpopularity to defame Pakistan to generate more pressure from the US on Pakistan.
The contours of the US-India multidimensional assault on Pakistan are now taking concrete shape. Recently, a new campaign on social media in Afghanistan is being sponsored against Pakistan. Old pictures of Afghan leaders in Pakistan are being circulated to mislead the US Central Intelligence Agency. It is an effort to malign Pakistan by alleging that its Inter-Services Intelligence agency is harboring Afghan Taliban in the country.
India’s policy of encircling Pakistan with the help of anti-Pakistan elements present in Afghanistan is seriously disturbing the strategic environment of the region. Despite Pakistan combating terrorism on its western border and curbing militants in a mission spanning the whole country, immense pressure is building up as India and Afghanistan continue to accuse Pakistan of perpetrating terrorism inside their territories.
To simplify the complex issues of terrorism in Afghanistan, the United States has repeated India’s vile disinformation mantra that Pakistan is harboring Afghan Taliban on its soil. Pentagon press secretary Colonel Rob Manning demanded that the Afghan Taliban not be able to operate from Pakistani soil. Later, however, he assured, “We stand ready to work together with Pakistan to combat terrorist groups without distinction.”
This is welcome news if the US finally agrees to target the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan leadership, which is based in Afghanistan and is creating mayhem in Pakistan. Loyalty is not a one-way street. The sooner the US administration understands this, the better.
However, the US has a long tradition of not learning from past mistakes, and of never admitting that it has been in the wrong. Such an institutional culture of covering up mistakes can only lead to the same erros being repeated and resulting in yet more needless loss of life. The Americans perceive the admission of mistakes as being potentially damaging to the image of the US as the invincible superpower, thereby missing valuable learning experiences that could prevent similar errors and losses in the future.
Pakistan has been an energetic and willing partner of the US for a very long time, until recently when US understanding of the region was shaken up by the Indian lobby. The lobby appears to have been successful in creating mistrust and painting China and Pakistan as enemies of the United States. The newly released US defense strategy also indicates the commencement of great-power rivalry in the region. Regrettably, the US considers Russia and China bigger threats than the menace of international terrorism.
India has turned Afghanistan into the base for a proxy war against Pakistan. Until the US see the realities without the Indian prism, Afghanistan will remain another failed battleground for the US and a source of misfortunes for millions of people in the region.
Michael Bagala …I never said India was one in the sense of a Westphalian territory based nation state politically. The union of India is that now and there is undoubtedly a national identity that transcends regional differences. But India was always one in spirit. 18th century Sikhs did not rule the Pathan areas directly but exacted tribute because they were outside her sacred space – but Sikh murals showed the Sikh conquest of Lanka! And Maharaja Ranjit singh wanted to will the kohinoor to the Puri temple in Orissa – there is no way to explain this other than a deep civilsational consciousness of India as one sacred geography….its why in the 6th century saint Adi Sankara could travel to Bihar Orissa or Kashmir from Kerala easily…his seat is called the Seat of Solomon there to this day by locals since converted to Islam ( takht i sulaiman)
Parshu Narayanan
The modern nation state is not an Indian construct, and the Hindu sense of a Bharat included modern day Pakistan and Bangladesh. It also included Nepal, but again the modern concept of a nation state is a European product.
Alexander the Great went as far as Pakistan which you claim under the term "Asetu Himachalam" as part of that collective world of Hinduism. It is no longer that. In that sense Alexander never entered modern day India. he only entered Pakistan.
I focused on the concept of the nation state and history. you are expanding that concept to include mythology. You simply cannot do that and get logical solutions
Take the Tamils. They rejected outright Sanskrit entering their Tamil world way back during the time of the Sangam. They rejected Hindi imposed on them in the 20th century and their history, language and even many of their Gods are Tamil. Tamils were never governed by New Delhi except under the British. If you are Tamil you know this.
the word "India’ is a meaningless word to anyone from Bharat. That is foreign as well as the word "Hindu" . You might as well substitute "India’ with Bharat and Hindu with "Sanatana Dharma".
The "Civilizational geography" of Bharat should include Buddhism and if that faith which matured in Bharat for 1500 years is included then that "civilizational Geography" includes SE Asia and E Asia to nations in Central Asia. That is why you cannot use your system to judge nations. You have to use mine and in doing so "India" a nation of nations slapped together by the British Empire.
Michael Bagala …you are wrong – India has been politically many many nations but one ‘sacred geography’ …when Alexanders troops invaded India even then Indians had a very good idea of their civilisational space – every educated family then knew the ancient term ‘Asetu Himachalam’ – from Rama’s bridge to Lanka to the Snow Mountains. As a Tamilian living in Delhi even a people as racially and culturally different as Sikhs I have found by examining their faith that so many core concepts are the same as those of my Tamilian Hinduism – even common terms!! I have always been welcome in Sikh temples because they know I am a brother of spirit. India is one at a civilisational geographical and spritual level and only those who do not understand us or hate our ancient culture try to say, as Churchill, the genocidal colonialist said of us – that we r as much a country as the equator !!
The weapons India is fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan with? Schools, hospitals, highways, dams, power plants and parliament buildings. Can anyone who professes to be a friend of the Afghan people wish the Taliban again on them? Back to public beheadings in football stadiums and no hospital visits or education for women? Back to the 15th century? The world must not let the Afghan people suffer this hell on earth again. Asia Times Online – you just published this thinly veiled propoganda piece by a Taliban supporter.
Please ask this dumb Maik to listen to interview by Gen. Hamid Gul available on YouTube.
Well, what else one can expect from Chanakyai politics and US as usual has failed to understand indian gimmickry!
Thank God USA attacked Afghanistan . Otherwise these terrorists supported by Pakistan would made India to the bottom of their India . Soldiers will be paid sacrifice because of then Govt policies. Let the American forces in Afghanistan another ten years by that time India will kill all traitors in Kashmir . All the best to Indian and American soldiers
My best wishes Mr.Pawan.Its good that you are an Indian.Unfortunately the price of follies being committed by Indian government are enough to lead India towards complete breakdown irrespective of trillion dollars on your coffers.I wish India is there when world is moving around vacuum.You have more potential than you and your compatriots envisage.You are capable of hatching conspiracies against neighbouring countries,waging a futile war against your own atoot ang for year.Sending terrorist to kill innocent people in neighbours.These are the right actions to spread light.Only thing you can and other pandyey and singhs can do to stop seeing Bombay cellulloid crap.
Which Civilisation has solution to problems of contemporary world.western civilisation has attained economical and military supermacy but failed to achive peace and harmony in the world .Greed and self advancement is way to disharmony and destruction .Rise of Arab also failed miserbly to bring peace and harmony in the world .Oil era is nearly over. They could have used huge oil money for making this world better through education and knowledge.No big contribution durning their golden oil era for humanity. They are fixed and stagnant.Stagnant water started giving foul smell to all of us.Contaminated and infectious water is threat to the survival of whole humanity. Our civilisation believe in welness of all .we pray for all.we take all people of world without changing their faith as memember of our family . We are all souls of one God so cant discriminate with any. Believe me Come to india for prosperity with Peace.
I am indian and i am happy beacuse i am free . India was a great country and i am confidant future belongs to india. One day whole world will revolve around the India lke planets around the Sun .We have the potential to spread light and dispel darkness from the world .The dark Era spread by middle east has Solution in india.
John Greene this is not a new phenomina. Everything is same for last 30 years, since begin of jahad against Soviet invasion, but why you are more upset now. This is the theme of article.
Mr.Malik seems to be not in a position to understand the reality with regard to the policies of India.
Art Laramee Trump is a disgrace for your nation. He is desliked by many Americans and around the world. Remember at the last General Elections who won the popular vote was Clinton with more than 2.9 millons of voters above the clown Trump. He manipulated the system of the Electoral College.voters and won it..
In terms of the heavy drain on your financial resources that you are talking about is the money allocated to your armed forces which are more than 750 billions of dollars annually!!!.
Then, you discussed about the globalization and its trade agreements. Your country have beneffited the most. becuase you were the one who lead everyone else. What Trump is not saying is that many companies took their factrories away from USA seeking cheaper labor. That is pure greed. So, this preaching you are making should be directed more to them, the big corporations who are the ones who keep benefiting the most. On the other hand to your surprise, I don´t think Trump would EVER make major waves and shakeup when dealing with the big corporations becuase otherwise he would be kick out of office quite fast,
Vikram Reddy Ha ha ha true
Abhijit Gupta
Reason I mentioned Russia was an article which pointed to the mineral wealth of Afghanistan, Russia’s entry into that land and Reagon counteracting with the Mujahadin
Michael Bagala You have a point there.. but Russia is not in that upset party.. only China is – but its in their interests that Afghanistan returns to normal.. lots of minerals & trade etc. Besides a shaky Afghanistan with Taliban madmen will upset lots of investments in Pakistan (to the tune of some 70 BN worth) something the Pakistanis cant ever pay back but gives China some kind of leverage. Imagine China dealing with a hostile Taliban who negatively influences the Muslim province of China. So there is a lot of play here. India will have the calming developmental influence so required after decades of war in this region. Besides Afghans genuinely like India.
Contain China is a so called target but in disguise it wants to penetrate and eliminate Iran as a nuclear power and thereby safeguard Israel for good. MNT (Modi, Netanyahu, Trump trio) are working together in this process and they need the required hinterland. So this is it.
Mahmood Mushtaq
You wasted your 10 minutes writing. Mr. Greene does not read English.
John Greene you have the audacity of hiding behind a fake name and then calling out Pakistan for the so called terrorism. Please choose to reveal your real identity if you think you are to be taken serious. Besides, India’s cowardly support to the mukti bahini during the 71s war the first cross border, state sponsored terrorism now coming back to haunt those who laid down its foundation.
John Greene
Defending Pakistan? Read the first post where I clearly argue with the author that India is doing what Pakistan was.
But I do understand you being from America. The US school system is producing youth who know neither how to read nor count.