The Pakistani Spectator

A Candid Blog


Posts Tagged ‘Afghanistan’

TTP: A Satan in the Robe of a Preacher

By A Khokar • May 14th, 2010 • Category: Politics, Worth A Second Look

To organise a force of volunteers and make them believe in national cause, as is demonstrated by Taliban that they all, very bravely rose up to the occasion to fight for the freedom of their country which is under occupation by foreign forces. Their fight is stretched over such a long period of time which [...]



15 Reasons Why We Can’t Win in Afghanistan

By Guest Blogger • May 10th, 2010 • Category: Politics

1. There is no ” Afghanistan,” only an inchoate collection of warring tribes, factions and clans.
2. To the extent there is an “Afghanistan,” its government is deeply corrupt and unable to control its own divided country.
3. President Kharzai, our “ally” and the official representative of the “state” on whose behalf we fight, would prefer that [...]



US Withdrawal and Its Implications

By Mashaal Javed • May 9th, 2010 • Category: Lead Story

The exasperated American surge-and-exit strategy reflects the increased frustration of the western alliance resulting out of its failure in bringing stability to Afghanistan. The exit part of any military strategy surly materializes successfully however, the stability part post withdrawal or exit of the affected country always remained dicey and similarly in case of Afghanistan, the [...]



Afghanistan Needs a Silver Lining!

By Jawayria Malik • May 4th, 2010 • Category: Lead Story

The first quarter of year 2010 has also been marked with growing violence and insecurity with the armed conflict continuing to spread, insurgent attacks increased with reciprocal killings of greater numbers of civilians in Afghanistan. Poor social indicators and the daily bloodshed mark a negative slope in the governance efficiency graph that continues to stir [...]



Musharraf May Best Serve Pakistan as a Visionary

By A Khokar • May 3rd, 2010 • Category: Politics, Worth A Second Look

After 9/11 Musharraf is known to have taken a unique ‘U turn’ in respect of age old Pakistani policy about Taliban in Afghanistan. This act of his even today has not sat well in the people’s minds that whether, under the circumstances Musharraf did so, in the best interests of Pakistan or otherwise. In his [...]



Indian Proxy War in Afghanistan Intensifying

By Momin Iftikhar Momin • Apr 28th, 2010 • Category: Politics

With US Forces scheduled to begin packing up their duffel bags for the much awaited homeward bound journey, beginning mid of next year, the Indian intelligence has started mobilizing its substantial Afghan assets to challenge Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns in Afghanistan. The ambitious plans not only seek to contend for influence on the Afghan turf [...]



Containing India

By Dr. Haider Mehdi • Apr 23rd, 2010 • Category: Politics

Oh farewell the streets of sorrow
and for all you streets of pain
I’ll not return to feel more sorrow
Nor to see more young men slain
- From a song of the Irish Republican Army
“…peaceful activism is doomed to fail in the face of state repression,” wrote Eric Randolph on “Gandhi’s legacy at stake” (Guardian News)
What India is [...]



Endgame Afghanistan – Implications For Pakistan

By Mashaal Javed • Apr 8th, 2010 • Category: Politics

Sequel to the soft resistance offered by Taliban during the US and NATO march into Marjah the forces are now busy in consolidating their positions in there. Off and on attacks by pockets of Taliban bands on the security forces are being effectively retaliated by them. Once the town of Marjah is cleared of the [...]



Strategic Partnership: Pakistan Must be Helped

By Guest Blogger • Apr 8th, 2010 • Category: Politics

Pakistan’s successful counter-insurgency operations in Swat, South Waziristan and throughout the country has set a major paradigm shift in US-Pakistan relations - from suspicion and mistrust to craving for a strategic partnership that will broaden the range of issues on which cooperation is possible. Due to its strategic location, Pakistan was drawn into the US-led [...]



AfPak Strategy – Talking about Talks

By Guest Blogger • Mar 31st, 2010 • Category: Politics

In the wake of growing realization that Taliban can not be defeated by military means alone, world’s attention has shifted dramatically towards a potential “exit strategy” in Afghanistan.  Although, President Barack Obama talked of an ‘uncompromising core of the Taliban’ which must be defeated, but facing dwindling public support for a war now into its [...]