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The world according to an Afghan
Ali is extremely well-versed in global politics, not everyone will agree with his interpretations, predictions.
The writer is author of The Gun Tree: One Woman’s War (Oxford University Press, 2001) and lives in Bhurban
“Uzbeks are straight up guys,” said Ali, who to most people is just a nameless face in the crowd and prefers to remain this way. “I was having tea in a filthy Jalalabad bazaar when an Uzbek guy, a real tough looking character, asked if I spoke Pashto or ISI lingo and once we had settled on Pashto and I had dusted off my ancestors to his satisfaction, he asked what I thought of a handsome young man loitering nearby. I agreed that he was striking. ‘My son,’ he told me. ‘A big disappointment. My village is in the south and I make a damn good living selling fresh water to a British Army base. A dollar a litre I get but that boy is creating a huge problem. I have told him again and again it’s fine, you’ve got to kill at least one firangi a month but he is knocking off at two or more!’ Yes. Uzbeks are straight up front and murderous and they don’t hide it, which is more than I can say for some!”
“Look at the Yanks,” continues Ali. “All pomp, ceremony and bullshit and the idiots expect everyone to swallow their guff about good intentions and, shamefully, many people do. Look at Iraq, look at Syria, Afghanistan, the situation they are creating in Iran and as for Balochistan … well … the Yanks are set on ‘liberating’ it from Pakistan and then exploiting it dry. They are also working hard, pulling out all the stops to keep President Asif Ali Zardari in power; they need him and Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, too, otherwise they will not get Balochistan. All of these wars are about energy and mineral wealth. Back in the 1960s, America was operating on a 40 per cent shortfall in oil supplies, now it’s up to 85 per cent and they are desperate.”
“One of the major problems is that 90 per cent of global oil is in Muslim countries — yet, the Yanks have absolutely no idea how to communicate with Muslims so they go into attack mode and instigate wars and chaos, alienating everyone in the process. Currently, there is no viable alternative to oil: armies run on the stuff and gobble up astronomical amounts of it — as does society, global society, in the way it has been indoctrinated to live. This utter greed for the black stuff will be the death of America by 2050, at the latest. It is already imploding, as is the ‘global policeman’ it set up — Israel. They will both go bang and then the way will be clear for China and the Central Asian states to come into their own. Look at the power Russia is quietly wielding … President Vladimir Putin is one astute guy who knows exactly how to play the game … especially when no one is looking!”
Ali, like so many other ‘ordinary’ people here in Pakistan, is extremely well-versed in global politics although not everyone will agree with his interpretations and predictions. But, even taken with the proverbial pinch of salt, his views are certainly food for thought!
Published in The Express Tribune, July 19th, 2012.
Reader Comments (29)
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ET allows precious column space for writers that have nothing enlightening to say except for promoting crude stereotypes. What a shame!
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One of the major problems is that 90 per cent of global oil is in Muslim countries
so, much self-importance…get the guy to take a look at facts….65% is not equivalent to 90%….
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The oil statistics are all wishful thinking. US has been producing more oil than before and its import needs for oil are going down. The next oil is going to be from Shale oil and Canada and US have huge reserves. Uzbeks may be ignorant but that is no reason that Pakistanis should follow them and make decisions on wrong information.
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I still don’t think the US is that desperate for oil that every war, every issue they create, and they are certainly the ones creating the issues, are based on oil. Some of what that guy says is correct, but he has basically tarred all US foreign policy with a single brush. Still, interesting article.
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Hahhahhahahah its a good one and local mind set…..
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@Ejaaz:
Oh common. This is basic stuff. The idea isnt actual need for a resource its the control. You do know what a Dollar Hegemony is right, and how important the Petrodollar is to maintaining that,
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Contrary to what Ali believes, truth is that US has very friendly relations with oil rich Islamic countries i.e Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries.
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@Ejaaz:
wow …its a news for us…fine..but please provide the source of your information.
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Instead of blaming America,they should first ask their ummah Arab countries like Saudi Arabia,Kuwait,Bahrain etc why they decided to sell oil only using Dollars and Pounds…
It was only because of that US started printing more currency than they were supposed to.
In 1950s 1 US Dollar = 7 Indian Ruppees
Now 1 US Dollar = 55 Indian Ruppees
How come Indians had a better exchange rate when most of them were starving and industrial output was insignificant compared to the current booming economy.
Its because Indian has to buy dollars from US to buy Oil and because of which their dollars have gone up…
If the OPEC countries stop the dollar monopoly on Oil,then they can easily cripple USA without striking a blow.
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@1984,
U are geniouse man.
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@1984:
1 US Dollar = 7 Indian Rupees
The rupee isn’t a convertible currency.
This unrealistic rate was set and dictated by the Reserve Bank Of India as a part of Fixed Exchange rate system because Indian Economy was very small. . At the time Indian economy was almost totally closed to western businesses. I remember India could not afford to offer more than about $50 to Indian students going to the USA.
If this rate was indicative of the strength of Indian Rupee, the rest of the world would have invested and purchased Indian Rupees. (Although India did not allow it anyway) No country in the world (Rich or Poor) at that time would even think about investing or keeping part of their money in Indian Rupee. (It is true to some extent today too).
If India had floated their currency for free conversion with mighty US Dollar or other world currency 1 US Dollar would be equal to 500 kg of Indian Rupee and not 7 Rupees!!!.
Starting in 1975 India devalued rupee by more than 20% and at present it follows a managed free floating exchange rate system that is supposedly determined by Market forces in reality the Reserve Bank of India still plays significant role in exchange rate. After such devaluation the current conversion rate is more realistic exchange rate
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This is one of the most bizarre and outrageous pieces I have recently read.
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@comments here
How is this bizarre? It’s accurate. Afghans hate foreigners , and it’s known as the graveyard of empires.
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Babloo
Whatever reads bizarre and outrageous to an Indian always criticizing Pakistan is guaranteed to be saying something good for Pakistan. That good thing is that Pakistan has had a civilizing effect on the violent Afghan mind which is incapable of discipline except under the Taliban. India and Americans had better leave Afghanistan so Pakistani and Afghan brothers can find peace and friendly relations. Heck, if it pleases you, we would even read and promote fine Taliban poetry for Afghanistan if the dirty duo of India-US disappear from the scene.
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Pakistan – land of pure… ignorance.
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@ 1984
if USA had not revolutionized automobile and other industries, oil would have been much less important. And Arab/Muslim world would have been still dominated with camels and donkey carts. Which is what is going to happen when oil runs dry.
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I think realistically about 60% oil is in countries with majority muslim population – but 100% knowledge of who to dig and pump that oil out remains with non-muslim countries!!!
By the way – why are musllims so obsessed with their religion that they need to even give a religious colour to what is a purely commercial/geological statistic?
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@1984:
From 1950 USA had economic growth and innovation way ahead of the rest of the world. That is why they became wealthier.
Exchange rates are determined by the differentials in inflation rates between the two countries.
In 1945, jap yen was 365 to 1 USD. today it is 78 to 1 USD. has US detireorated that much to japan?
Author has written as if this man knows whats happening. Obviously he is saying heresay without an iota of facts. the Oil story is silly, as every one knows that US needs very littele Arab oil now.
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It reads more like ‘the world according to a Pakistani.’
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Dear Writer, are you aware that Venezuela has reserves of 296 Billion barrels, Canada 175 Billion and Russia 74 Billion? None of them are Muslim and as a comparison, Saudi Arabia has 264 Billion barrels. Muslim countries still have control of most of the world’s reserves, but OPEC does not. Please remember the difference. Anyways, Muslim countries control only about 55-60% of the world’s oil reserves.
If we talk about OIL PRODUCTION, Muslims control ONLY around 45%. So there you have it!
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kaalchakra.
india and america leave afghanistan so that….
how was it from 1988 to 2001with no india no america in afghanistan.learn some lesson from history which is not as distant.was that a honeymoon period between pakistan and america.
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in my last comment a miss print it; should be read as, was that honemoon period between pakistan and afghanistan
thanks
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@Kaalchakra: “That good thing is that Pakistan has had a civilizing effect on the violent Afghan mind which is incapable of discipline except under the Taliban.”
May I request you to please elaborate this? How in last 65 years Pakistan has had a civilizing effect on so called violent Afghanistan? How come Pakistan became more violent while civilizing Afghanistan? Afghanistan was a far more civilized and peaceful country before Pakistanis started needling in their internal affairs. Do you still remember the skirt clad Afghan women of 70s? That was the Afghanistan which Pakistan converted into a medieval society. Is that you call civilizing Afghanistan?
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To all the Kaalchakras and Ali Tanolis on this forum
Please check out this link and judge for yourselves the potential and promise Afghanistan held before it got sucked into 30 years of turmoil. Afghans are resilient and progressive and they are once again on the march towards progress and development and nobody will stand in their way this time.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/05/27/onceuponatimein_afghanistan
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@Kaalchakra
That good thing is that Pakistan has had a civilizing effect on the violent Afghan mind
WHOA!
I thought Pakistani ‘Culture’ (whatever that may be) was a gift of Ghaznavis, Ghoris and Abdalis. Has any one ever heard of Afghans venerating any Pakistanis as their national heroes?
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“They are also working hard, pulling out all the stops to keep President Asif Ali Zardari in power; they need him and Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, too, otherwise they will not get Balochistan.”
How can that be true?
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@kaalchakra
Apart from giving civilizing effect to violent Afghan mind, Pakistan also protecting Afghan from expansionist Indians. You should have mentioned that.
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How can a state that is built on lies and in denial of its Indian roots offer civilization to anyone? Hassan Nisar eloquently exposes the lies propagated in Pakistan on all his shows. Some of the trolls posting on this forum really need to watch Hassan Nisar on Youtube to get the real picture and civilization of Pakistan. Thank God for people like Hassan Nisar and Najam Sethi maybe they will enlighten some Pakistanis and show them the mirror.
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@Cynical
Pakistan also protecting Afghan from expansionist Indians
By expanding into Afghanistan. Lol!
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