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fasi.zaka@tribune.com.pk
I just don’t understand how our TV anchors are glib enough to justify calling Osama bin Laden a shaheed. The man had no regard for life, especially Muslim life. He engineered attacks on the West, so they would retaliate and kill Muslims en masse in their vengeance upon selected countries. Every Muslim was a pawn to his mad dreams.
But true to form, the Americans have ably demonstrated their incompetence with uncanny ability. When will they realise that the Muslim street thrives not on falafel and biryani, but conspiracy theories?
By killing Osama and not releasing pictures of his body and hastily dumping the corpse at sea, it is the perfect storm of facts that could now be used to create doubt about the man’s demise. If the victory in killing him was largely of symbolic value, then what good will it be if it has a looming shadow of doubt cast over it?
But forget about the ‘I-saw-Elvis!’ phenomenon that is likely to follow in the wake of his demise. What is truly concerning is not what this means for al Qaeda or their reprisals, but what will happen to Pakistan.
As usual, the army and intelligence agencies have taken the easy way out. They haven’t explained their role in the killing, even if it is just one of sharing intelligence. If a land operation like this in Abbottabad was truly done without their sanction, aid or go ahead, then the only logical conclusion is that we have terribly incompetent soldiers.
That, I am sure, they don’t want you thinking. So what are other possible conjecture at this time when information is still scarce? Well, one is that the ISI finally helped reset its relationship with the US after a very damaging round of WikiLeaks by throwing them this bone.
If that is true, boy are we in for a lot of trouble. When the smoke settles in Abbottabad, the inevitable thrust of the conversation will not be our cooperation in the targeted operation, but how someone so wanted could live for this long next to Kakul and an army presence.
Unless we wish to plead absolute incompetence, the new suggestion that the US views the ISI as a terrorist organisation because of its support to certain other organisations will only be cemented further. Forget the brief honeymoon that will ensue after Osama’s death between Pakistan and the US — when the celebrations are over the deliberations will begin, and Pakistan will be seen as the Copacabana of choice for terrorists once again.
If anything, what’s urgently required now is a total and systematic denunciation of our strategic depth doctrine, our urge to play God with terrorist groups needs to end in totality if we are to present a face to the international community that prevents us from being seen as more culpable than we actually are.
It’s safe to say that the US can never be trusted as an ally, nor as a state that respects international conventions, witness the Iraq invasion. But it’s also a predictable nation, one that has set security parameters. If there is any further attack outside this country that was planned and ordered from Pakistan, it’s safe to say the drones won’t stop in the tribal areas.
If Osama was found in Waziristan, we would have had plausible deniability because the writ of the state is so weak in these areas. But being found in a hill station in the lap of relative luxury in scenic surroundings so close to the heart of where the Pakistan Army is manned; well, we now have an entirely different problem on a scale that we have yet to digest.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 4th, 2011.
More in Opinion
Obama gets Osama and perhaps a re-election?
You, the writer with the flat earth theory; your military had no role, your ISI had no role. If intelligence was shared with either of them, OBL will be alive today. Does it really matter what the muslims on the street think? No, it doesn’t. All of you live on flat earth anyway and completely outside of reality. Earth is really flat. Sperical Earth theory was purposely put out there to discredit muslims. Is anything ever Pakistan’s fault? Never. How can there be fulats in the land of the pure or is it land of the rubbish?
It is all India’s fault because they want to invaded the pathetic country and take over.Recommend
According to the American announcement, Osama bin Laden was not killed DURING the firefight but executed with a shot in the head AFTER he had been taken into custody. Like CIA kingpin K. Subrahmanyam’s fake death, his death — in preparation for a withdrawal from Afghanistan — is a consequence of India having prepositioned five to six nuclear weapons in various cities/countries for the nuclear destruction of New Delhi and then the coast-to-coast destruction of the United states (see below) and may be similarly fake.
I am India’s expert in strategic defence and the father of India’s strategic program, including the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program and in my blog titled ‘Nuclear Supremacy For India Over U.S.’, which can be found by a Yahoo search with the title, I have shown that all terrorism and insurgencies in the Indian subcontinent and in much of the rest of the world are sponsored by the C.I.A. Both Pakistan’s ISI and India’s RAW function as branches of the C.I.A. and participate in terrorism and insurgencies throughout the Subcontinent, under direction of the C.I.A. The goal of the U.S. invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and partial occupation of Pakistan is eventual occupation and overt colonial rule over the Subcontinent as a whole; India is already under covert CIA rule. To end this, India has said that five to six nuclear bombs have been prepositioned in various cities/countries such as New Delhi, Washington and New York — see my blog — for the nuclear destruction of New Delhi and then the coast-to-coast destruction of the United States. Satish Chandra
Indian media people have been covering the white man’s wedding as if he is India’s prince. How many stories have you carried about India’s sovereign (see my blog above) who is also the most intelligent, most handsome man on Earth whose toe-nail clippings are worth more to India and the world than the rest of the billion-plus Indians combined? RAW has been putting out a breathless story on the white man’s wedding, in the Times of India, NDTV, etc., about every five minutes just as it promotes the AIDS woman and her gang-rapist son. It is all part of maintaining white rule over India (see ‘What You Should Know About RAW’ in my blog above).
India’s emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, was kept in exile while the British ruled India just as India’s sovereign is being kept in exile while the CIA rules India. Tens of millions of Indians killed by the British in just the ten years after 1857 — depopulating entire regions so there weren’t any men left to till the land — and many more right up to 1947 is how you generate love and admiration for conquerors — Americans doing the same in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. call it ‘pacification’ — loved and admired by one Swapan Dasgupta who wrote a column admiring me as “Quick Gun Murugan” about twenty years ago at which he was recruited by CIA-RAW. India will depopulate enemies — to hell with love and admiration — with nuclear bombs.
Satish ChandraRecommend
tell you another aspect…ISI and CIA had knowledge of OBL’s presence, this place being his summer resort,however allies dint act at once they initially monitored his activities and his courier’s activities in pursuit of remaining organization. Once they become sure that activities can’t be predicted nor can they hook book other big heads they decided to vanish this symbolic monarch of al Qaeda. After what has happened to Salman Taseer only a crazy man can acknowledge to have given go ahead for this sting operation. Politicians don’t get cover once in opposition and after retirement military men fear fate of col imam nd khalid khawaja.
We had enough of this double edge US and Al-Qaida fear now let us common Pakistanis think within our economy. what about senator zahid khan ?Recommend
“If there is any further attack outside this country that was planned and ordered from Pakistan, it’s safe to say the drones won’t stop in the tribal areas.”
Exactly my point of view a few weeks earlier, now getting credence from all circles.
The elephant is in the room.Recommend
As always you have a good point and explained it beautifully.Recommend
Dear ET readers,
I am not worried about the commentator Satish Chandra above but I am concerned about those who clicked “recommend”. Where is Maria, missing her as well.Recommend
Unless we wish to plead absolute incompetence, the new suggestion that the US views the ISI as a terrorist organisation because of its support to certain other organisations will only be cemented further.
No reason you can’t be both incompetent and a terrorist organization.Recommend
Hassan Niazi
if dead: a hero.
ur legacy will last forever, and ur ideology will last till the fall of america.
war is coming to pakistan now…9/11 part 2, a reason to kill more Muslims.
WAKE UP DEAD NATION!!!
Recommend
Have these indians run out of their own news websites?Recommend
“It’s safe to say that the US can never be trusted as an ally,” US is known to have allied with Pak and ditched Pak once their objectives are achieved. That, my dear author, is statecraft as per your own article yesterday, Individual morality does not apply there. There are no permanent enemies and permanent friends when it comes to international relations.
But isnt Pakistan competent enough to judge the US’ intention. “Trust but verify” was said by Reagon. But who is Pakistan to say this. The double tongued, deceitful, willing to sell their mother for USD, capable of milking a bull Pakistan to comment about US. This description is not by me but by the ex ambassador of your strategically deep Taliban govt of Afganistan about Pakistan in his book,. He goes on to say that Pakistan is cheating the milddle east with “Islamic bomb”, cheating the west using terrorists and cheating its own people by “Kashmir”. The chickens have come home and will come home to roost.Recommend
@ Fasi
“Muslim street thrives not on falafel and biryani, but conspiracy theories?”
Do you know what the definition of conspiracy theory is?
“A TRUTH THAT CANNOT BE DENIED WITH FACTS.” Do you know who are the Conspiracy Theorists? They are outstanding researchers, scholars and professionals of international repute who do not find space in sensational substandard garbage selling newspapers.
So, in future be careful in using this word even if you do not have the capability to swallow the TRUTH which majority of the journalists does not have in Pakistan!
By questioning the mysterious way in which Osama’s death body is disposed off you yourself are authoring a conspiracy theory. Isn’t that strange? KYA YEH KHULA TAZAD NAHEE?
“ISI finally helped reset its relationship with the US after a very damaging round of WikiLeaks by throwing them this bone. IF THAT IS TRUE, BOY ARE WE IN FOR A LOT OF TROUBLE”
What is wrong with ISI’s inclination to “reset its relationship with USA?” Are you worried that funding pipeline for NGOs will dry and few journalists will lose their part time job of writing fake reports for them?
Do you think Pakistan is a blind bird in bush that will be easily killed by USA or any of its enemies? You people underestimate Pakistan. Pakistan is far more threatened by Pakistan’s educated elite class and English newspaper columnists than USA, India and Israel.
By the way, you look funny in photograph with all your weight because in Pakistan there is nothing so funny to laugh at!
The problem with you people is that you do not know when to laugh and when to cry. You laugh at corpses and cry at weddings!Recommend
@ author
since he could not live ” next to Kabul “….he chose to live ” next to Kakul”Recommend
The myth of strategic depth and guarding strategic assets is out. Along with it is the broken myth of the superiority of the intelligence of ” mother of all agencies” which actually runs this country. There is a clear division of governance in this country, while the Government is allowed to run by politicians, military establishment handles dealings in defense (!) and war on terror. However, after this debacle, you can see the military establishment going in hiding and the political government taking the blame for all the mess.Recommend
Inasmuch as Osama / Obama are concerned Osama has won Obama the coming elections. His political graph has gone high and he sure shall, in turn, please his Pakistani counterparts. There will be made another OBL if it is so desired and things can go on. The main reality that faces us today is not just happenstance.Recommend
Fasi Zaka, Yaar this is the best piece I have read post ObL redundancy.
Satish Chandra Jee I owe you tons of gratitude. After reading your post I am now convinced that Pakistan has nothing to fear from Indian Nuclear threat, with friends like these who needs enemies! By the way, any relation to Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan? Both of you sound meglomaniacly delusional.Recommend
@John:
Regarding Satish Chandra, this fellow seems to be lunatic, I second you.Recommend
Always enjoy Zaka. But when he talks about Muslim lives, he gives away his liberal credentials. Are Muslim lives more sacred than other lives? Are we still in the middle ages where life was measured according to the faith of the individual? All human beings are children of the creator. We all have similar wishes, loves and misery tales. So stop this bit about Muslim lives.Recommend
How about neither incompetence nor complicity? If there is a man who never comes out of his high walled house, never takes a walk around the neighborhood. If there families liver in the compound and there is no suspicious activity. Then why would the police or intelligence agencies decide to raid the house or whatever? Even the locals did not suspect anything as per TV interviews. They thought it was some Afghanis. It is common to have high walls in Afghanistan and in KPK. There were no phone calls to trace or emails to intercept — so how could the guy be discovered. He had a couple of couriers or so visit him like once a month so there was nothing to be suspicious about. Haven’t mass murderers hidden in the cities of the USA for decades before being found e.g. Son of Sam? Moreover who knew that OBL would be audacious enough to hide near a big city. Would assume that security forces were hunting for him in the tribal regions.
Second, the USA tracked this place over several years by first finding out about the couriers who might be visiting him and then tracking the courier. The USA has a wealth of info from detainees at Gitmo that apparently was not shared with Pakistan. Also CIA has loads of cash, prize money for info and for turning people in, and superior technology — particularly satellite technology and bugging/tracking devices. So the USA leveraged all these things to take out OBL.
Certainly do not think the ISI knew about OBL location or was protecting him — if so, the USA would have discovered this during their intelligence surveillance of OBL and this news would be out by now.Recommend
It would have been a source of serious embarrassment for the US to exit Afghanistan without killing Bin Laden, who had allegedly masterminded the 9/11 attacks on the United States and they had been using him and have been really busy for th…e last ten years or so in state terrorism by killing millions of Afghanis and Pakistanis (dont forget, none of the alleged 9/11 masterminds or implementers were Afghanis or Pakistanis) and secondly for the last couple of years OBL has been of no use to Americans so it was the right time to eliminate him and if we look at the big picture this was the right time to score points against Pakistan as these days ISI and CIA relations are not that great.
Not only this I have doubts over the whole story, the DNA test was done on the Navy ship. So lets see…US ships are equipped with a DNA lab and their Navy can get DNA results in less then 24hrs but their military can’t find a man on dialysis who’s been living in the same place for 10years? Seriously?!?!?Recommend
After the Watergate scandal, Nixon said: “There is no whitewash in the White House”. I modify that and say “There is no White House without whitewash”. How a wise man can believe the most wanted man in history goes and sleeps with peace of mind in a mansion right under the nose of a garrison and for years. How can I help myself solving this riddle out of “Conspiracy Theories” and “Game Plan” theory? The only riddle I can’t probably solve is why the screenplay writers of the White House write their scenarios full of contradictions. (I’m sure they know what they do, but I’m not that intelligent to understand that). The only thing I found out is this: The Democrats desperately needed this victory (Remember what happened to the American hostages and Reagan election). And that the strategy of War on Terror needed refreshment.
PS: I’m from Iran but not a Shia and not a government fan. I’m a dissident here as well.Recommend
Good One Zaka !!!! on a serious note there were many indication of the Pakistan state working with mercenaries………..Kasab case being one, any sane state would have done a self introspection when its find his own people …are part of the problem, but then Ostrich head are buried, so for Pakistan problem does not exist…..until some day Osama gets killled in Abbottabad, but i have full conviction Pakistan would do the same and bury its head until some time in future Dawood or Mullah Omar gets killed.
Pakistan are true followers of Mahatma Gandhi – They dont see any evil, they dont hear any evil, they dont talk of the evil.Recommend
Your theory is mixed up this time. You are giving it a concern and then writing the very opposite. One man’s freedom fighter is a terrorist for another. If some are stating, its their opinion. “Every Muslim was a pawn to his mad dreams” So all that is happening was his dreams now.
There are still people not having faith in God or like man has never step on moon. They will never believe what they dont want, no matter how much proof you submit.
“As usual, the army and intelligence agencies have taken the easy way out” You should have wait a little before writing, as by now since the Army has announced that they arent aware of anything. Quom soo rahi hai janab.
“If that is true, boy are we in for a lot of trouble” Arent we already in trouble? and Boy funny you put such a humor to it..!!
As stated above, You laugh at corpses and cry at weddings! Completely agreed.Recommend
@Rehman Khilji:
P. S.
The just got rid of their oldest asset.Recommend
What is the common Pakistani supposed to Do? Think? Decide? I wish the writer had thrown some light on the aftermath and how its going to affect us, the Pakistani citizens, who are watching with horror-filled eyes the whirlpool that their free land is going to become with India pouncing upon the chance like a vulture to bite off its share in the country’s flesh, the international media who is already bustling with insinuations of Pakistan’s underhand aid to Osama and the likes, and the USA declarations of Pakistan still being its strong ally amidst sniggering remarks of not having trusted it enough to share their plans lest they go awry.
Beware when USA calls you friend.
As far as I can see, its EXIT Afghanistan-ENTER Pakistan.Recommend
Satish Chandra is hilarous!!Recommend
I just don’t understand how our TV anchors are glib enough to justify calling Osama bin Laden a shaheed.
if he had been killed agaisnt soviet union he would have been called martyer since he went agaisnt USA they used word killed……..it seems he is martyred because he was richest person of saudi arabia and he left his luxurious life and went to desert for jihaad.
MR. writer aught to look into the meaning of shaheed in a relgious context not his on perceptions of the term>>>>
Think not of those who are slain in Allah’s way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance from their Lord. They rejoice in the Bounty provided by Allah…the (Martyrs) glory in the fact that on them is no fear, nor have they (cause to) grieve. They rejoice in the Grace and the Bounty from Allah, and in the fact that Allah suffereth not the reward of the Faithful to be lost (in the least).” (3:169-71)[13]Recommend
Osama’s death is be-fooling of not just Americans and Pakistanis, but the entire world. It is a very immature play Uncle Sam arrangedRecommend
An APACHE is an ATTACK helicopter and CANNOT pick up/accommodate extra people/passengers except for its 2 pilots who sit in tandem.. Who picked up OBL?? Who picked up the crew of the crashed APACHE?? I am not a Conspiracy Theorist.Recommend
“The man had no regard for life, especially Muslim life. He engineered attacks on the West, so they would retaliate and kill Muslims en masse in their vengeance upon selected countries. Every Muslim was a pawn to his mad dreams.”
wow! what proof do u have for your claims? oh the laden videos aired by cnn?? rite ? that’s it? that’s what yr whole article is based upon? well if u accuse me of believing in conspiracy theories i accuse you of believing in fiction. :)Recommend
@Fat Check: Get your facts right. It were christian sailors who thought the world is flat. The Holy Quran clarified that is was spherical. So instead of writing like fasi zakah, without any research and making a total fool of yourself, read some authentic information.Recommend
how come so many obl supporters read tribune?Recommend
@ AZT, pathetic attempt at getting attention no one gave it hahahahahahaah!!!!!!Recommend
@sylon. I was also wondering how so many Indian “Pakistani haters” read it too ;)Recommend
When Benazir Bhutto was planning to return to Pakistan she was absolutely disgust by Osama was clear then she get got mysteriously assassinated ! Enter her charismatic husband as the head of Pakistan he plays good with everyone, last month he is summoned to Washington DC. No photo -op no state dinner.
Hillary Clinton gives him the ultimatum get Osama or the USA will ! If Pakistan got Osama all the crazies would attack a fragile..weak..sinking democracy on the brink of collapse. So Zardari told the US go for it but the US was anxious so rather than work on Pakistan time they took the brave calculated brilliant.. successful ..action got the job done and now its another day leaving Pakistan looking like this incompetent..silly…underachiever..indecisive nation laid by sleep at the job leading its sheepish citizens.Recommend
@Meena Khan:
how did u gauge that?Recommend
come on man…the guy was dyeing his beard black….how in the world cud he be caught in such a perfect disguise……..Recommend