The French astrologer
Nostradmus (1503-1566}, many of whose forecasts have proven correct
prophesied on 11th of September in the year 1651 that “ It has been
foreseen that exactly three hundred and fifty years into the future,
silver phoenixes shall strike down the twin brothers of oppression that
carried the kings nation, which shall bring the apocalypse.” Exactly 350
years to the day the terrorists attacked the twin towers of the World
Trade Centre, the symbol of America’s economic might and followed it up
with direct hits on the Pentagon the edifice of America’s military might.
The horrific sight of the barbaric destruction, which has left around six
thousand innocents dead, is indeed an apocalypse [a grand and violent
event giving visions of the end of the world]. 19 suicide hijackers of
Arab origin {9 Saudi nationals] with links to Osama bin Laden {Saudi} have
been held responsible for the mass murder and carnage. The silver
phoenix’s {planes] mentioned in the prophecy are “mythical Arabian
birds”.
Nothing can justify
the inhuman, abominable and faithless crimes against humanity perpetuated
on innocent civilians belonging to all nations and all faiths on the 11th
September. The implications and repercussions of these horrendous acts
have not as yet fully been grasped. It is, however, imperative to ensure
that terrorism executed by a few demeaned individuals is not permitted to
be coloured with ethnicity or any form of nationalist or religious
connotations. A clash of civilizations and beliefs as history amply
demonstrates can lead to conflicts of horrific proportions. Terror is
terror, no matter where or against whom it strikes. Human life
irrespective of its caste, creed, colour, race, religion, belief or
persuasion is the most precious and sacred gift of the Almighty and must
be honoured as such. The people of Pakistan were shocked, horrified and
sickened by the acts of raw terrorism. Pakistanis view the attack on the
twin Trade Centres as a senseless, barbaric and heinous crime against
humanity. Such actions violate the basic tenets of Islam. Islam condemns
in no uncertain terms the murder of innocent civilians, women and children
and decrees that even one such murder is equal to the murder of all
humanity. No Muslim, certainly no Pakistani in his right mind can support
such an act. There were companies belonging to 31 countries having offices
in the World Trade Centres. People from 40 different nations were working
there. There were more than a thousand Muslims including many of Pakistani
origin in the twin towers at the time of the attacks. Because these
particular acts of terrorism were carried out by one or more radical
Muslim terrorist group, the catastrophe has done great harm to Muslims and
even their most legitimate causes all over the world. It is a great
tragedy that Islam which is a great peace loving and most compassionate of
all religions is being equated with fanaticism, fundamentalism and
terrorism.
The government and
people of the United States are oblivious to the hate and anger generated
towards them by many countries and people all across the world especially
amongst the Muslim states. The US has increasingly and often unnecessarily
entangled itself globally in a myriad of problems often bullying,
punishing or alienating nations and people with dissenting ideologies or
perceptions than those held by the United States. The time has come for
the American leadership to take stock of the prevalent ground realities
and reassess the situation in its entirety and to seek the right
approaches and solutions. The Americans while dealing with Muslim states
and their interests have adopted an often arrogant, lopsided and
unreasonable stance. Blind support to Israel builds and smolders distrust,
rage and resentment amongst Muslims especially Arabs. Unjust and
anti-Muslim policies of the United States government have created ripe
environments for mushrooming of blind fundamentalism and birth of
fanatical Islamic radicals whose doctrines of hate, terror, murder and
destruction is at absolute variance with the teachings of Islam. The
Americans, therefore, in their own best interests require to undertake a
great amount of soul searching with regards to their policies, acts and
stances in international affairs especially in their dealings and
relationships with the Muslim states. It is obvious that they have managed
to invoke such an extraordinary level of hate, abhorrence and motivation
against them that people are willing to sacrifice even their lives for no
material benefit to themselves or even to their cause whatever that might
be. Before these attacks on the centres of America’s financial and
military might located in the very heartland of America, the United States
was smug in the belief of being the world’s only super power and safe and
secure in its continental geographical location. The USA shows unbearable
arrogance even towards its old friends and allies. This is mainly because
the external policies of the United States are dictated and formulated by
internal pressure groups especially big money and the Jewish lobby. The
attacks have shaken the nation’s notions and perceptions of invincibility
and exposed its vulnerabilities. The collective Americans leadership has
to rethink its stance on various global issues. Its policy regarding the
international court of justice and the Kyoto agreements. Its contributions
to the suffering of the Iraqi people, especially the women and children
rather than Saddam Hussain who is allowed to remain in power, The presence
of its troops in many oil rich Arab states, but most of all in its
continued unjust stand on the Arab-Israeli conflicts; so much so that it
does not even heed to its European and Arab allies.
It must be remembered
that the United States supported by big Saudi money is itself responsible
for the creation of the really big and dangerous terrorists, organizations
and cells that are scattered all over the world. Osama bin Laden was
wholeheartedly supported by the USA with great deal of finance and
military hardware while he was fighting the Russians in Afghanistan in the
eighties. Saddam Hussain was the great blue eyed boy and bolstered up to
the hilt by the US and Arab kingdoms as a counterfoil to Iran. Monsters
invariably turn upon and haunt their creators. The most dangerous monster
that the US has created is Aerial Sharon and his militant Israel. It is
indeed strange that justice and freedom loving America even after being
rocked to the core by these terrorist strikes easily accepts use of tanks,
planes, rockets and other sophisticated weaponry by Israel against
Palestinian civilians, women and children as “response” and ruthless and
cold blooded assassinations as “targeted killings”. This ferocious monster
is sure to turn on its creators and in the last few days has already shown
its ugly teeth. When it fully turns and shows its true colours all hell
will break loose because it has a vice like grip and tentacles in almost
all aspects of American life. The Taliban may turn out to be our worst
nightmare. The monster is already growling and threatening the very
Pakistan that gave it life and sustained it at great personal risks and
cost.
President Pervez
Musharraf has acted promptly, correctly and in Pakistan’s best interests
by assuring the USA of “our unstinted cooperation in the fight against
terrorism” His response and grasp of the situation has been mature,
focused and statesman like. He at this critical stage of our history
deserves the nation’s full support. It is certain that Osama bin Laden,
his terrorist training camps, his infrastructure existing in Afghanistan,
the seminaries producing military trained hardcore fundamentalists along
with the Taliban leadership and organization as a whole will be subjected
to massive retaliatory military attacks by the U S alone or along with the
international coalition it is getting together {with great success}. The
US leadership has made it amply clear that the United States will take
strong retaliatory military action against terrorists who committed the
acts and those who harbour, support, encourage and finance them. President
Bush has no option but to act in order to appease the American public,
which is clamouring for military action. Nobody really cares against whom;
just as long as the might of the United States is demonstrated and someone
is seen to be punished. There are many internal and external compulsions,
just as there are numerous political factors forcing him to take strong
and effective military action. Delay of President Bush in returning to
Washington on the day of the strikes has caused his image some
embarrassment. Attempts have been made to cover it up by claiming real or
perceived threats on the White House or his plane the Air Force One. This
great blunder is sure to cause his Presidency embarrassment in times to
come when the crises and the flag waving is over. The fact remains that
Americans want their President and Commander-in-Chief to be a tough and
assertive leader. It is almost certain that his political career depends
on strong and spectacular military strikes undertaken by US alone or in
conjunction with some allies. Some form of military response against Osama
bin Laden, the Taliban or Iraq or on all of them is very much on the
cards.
The fight against
terrorism will perforce have to be long and hard affair, as it will be
directed against an elusive and invisible enemy operating in small
independent cells scattered all over the world. It must be a proper
operation. It cannot become an act of retribution and revenge. Revenge
without reason and sanction of morality turns retribution into murder and
thereby places the good at the same level as the bad. No selectivity
between good and evil can be permitted or tolerated. Only a long-term
effort in the economic, diplomatic, political and even military fields
backed by an efficient and well-coordinated global intelligence effort can
root out this evil. The international coalition against global terrorism
must combat this evil in a well-coordinated and systematic manner. All the
ugly heads, faces, branches and roots of the menace have to be destroyed.
No one, nor any nation can ignore the scale and magnitude of the threat
that terrorism poses to mankind.
Terrorism in all its
forms, nationalities or beliefs smoked, must be out and exterminated not
only in Pakistan but all over the world. Fundamentalism is a present and
clear danger to any and all religions be they Hindus or Christians, Jews
or Muslims. The international operation against terrorism must not be
allowed to turn into a war against Muslims or Islam. The Muslim states,
especially Pakistan must perforce play a leading role in the international
coalition. Only then while the terrorists are brought to book, at the same
time the interests of the Muslim states and their people and even the fair
name of Islam can be protected and safeguarded.
Pakistan enjoys a
pivotal position and has a vital role to play. In the world of
“realpolitik” we have been caught between the devil and the deep sea. It
is indeed a redefining moment. Globally the stakes are higher than they
have ever been before. India has in all indecent haste quickly offered the
fullest cooperation to the Americans along with permission to use its soil
as a staging point for military operations and as usual has steeped up its
rhetoric against Pakistan and the Kashmiris. The United States, the west
and the moderate Muslim states are looking towards Pakistan not only for
its active participation but also for its leadership. The military regime
must educate and motivate the masses of Pakistan to the vital national
interests and the issues involved. Pakistan must act in accordance with
the doctrine of safeguarding of national interests and for the common good
and benefit of its people. The stand that Pakistan takes will have far
reaching, vital and long lasting consequences for good or bad both
internally and in our external relations. The decision of the government
of Pakistan to support the United States and its global alliance against
global terrorism in accordance with the unanimously passed United Nations
Security Council Resolution Number 1368 and decisions bearing the sanctity
of international law in close consultation with our close friends and
other Muslim states is timely, wise and morally upright. The government
must undertake a massive media campaign to convince our political and
religious leaders of Pakistan’s best short-term and long-term national
interests. It must build a strong national consensus by going to the
people direct and taking them into confidence. Small bands of heavily
armed militant groups, armed thugs, trained terrorists and organizations
preaching prejudice, bigotry and hate against fellow Muslims and other
human beings, some of them indulging in sectarian killings, bomb blasts
and acts of terrorism on Pakistani soil and holding the poor, weak and
peace-loving people of Pakistan hostage to their nefarious activities must
be exterminated. Some misguided religio-political parties are sure to
attempt to create chaos and disturbances inciting the people against the
government in the name of religion. These will have to be sternly dealt
with by the army. This opportunity must not be allowed to be squandered
because of a minute segment of the population who combined have failed to
get more than two per cent of the popular vote in any general election
held in the country. The vast silent majority must be mobilized and their
collective voice heard. This is our last chance. The will and collective
desire of the majority must prevail so that the government can get rid of
terrorists from our soil and create an environment of safety, security,
law and order in the country. The nation must no longer be held hostage by
a handful of radicals and fundamentalists. For the people of Pakistan
enough is enough. The terrorists, be they global or local must be crushed.
All cells, organizations and groups operating in Pakistan soil must be
destroyed. President Musharraf must expertly walk the tightrope and with
subtle diplomacy and extreme tact extract maximum benefit for the
Pakistani nation. Cooperation with the US has to be conditioned with a
political and financial package for Afghanistan. Guarantees for a neutral
and if possible pro-Pakistan government in Kabul guaranteed by an
international treaty ratified by the United Nations can be sought. The
return of all Afghan refugees and their rehabilitation in Afghanistan can
be arranged. This is also a God-given opportunity to turn round our
economy, usher in an era of economic growth and prosperity, get all
sanctions lifted, get an economic bailout, inflow of aid and assistance of
all kinds and regain our position in the community of nations as a
tolerant, modern, vibrant, progressive and dynamic nation as envisaged by
the Quaid-e-Azam. Do we, the government and people of Pakistan have the
wit and the will — the faith and the persistence to grasp the opportunity
and come out of the dark pit in which we have allowed ourselves to fall
and in a concerted and united effort reach the mountain peaks of our
destiny?
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