A psychological warfare operation

Pakistan Army is the victim of a well-planned psychological warfare operation, launched by the US administration.

An American analyst and friend, commenting on an article by Anatol Lieven which suggested that the US policy on Pakistan needed a change, said that “the American administration has reached the conclusion that the Pakistan Army is a part of the problem, not the solution. That the Pakistan Army’s interests are not identical with those of Pakistan and, therefore, the US has decided that it (Pakistan Army) must be cut to size. And, if in doing so, it is destroyed, so be it; and I agree with this conclusion!”

With the passage of time, I have concluded that he knew what he was talking about; the US administration (I read that as Pentagon/CIA, not White House/Capitol Hill) is indeed bent upon destroying the image of the Pakistan Army, its chief and the ISI.

The events of May 2 did more damage to the image of the armed forces than anything preceding it. All of General Parvez Kayani’s efforts of the preceding three years, to rebuild the image of the army, were wiped clean.

And yet, the DG ISI and him seemed to have staged some sort of a recovery by accepting the accusation of ‘incompetence’ rather than ‘complicity’, by presenting themselves before the parliament to accept responsibility.

Then came the dastardly attack on the two posts in Mohmand Agency on November 26. Lots of analysts have commented on this attack, some have been kinder to the US than others. I would like to point out three facts that may not have been adverted to: a) these twin posts were 2.5 kilometres inside the Durand Line on Pakistani territory; b) while these were under construction a couple of months earlier, Isaf/Nato helicopters flew over these to check whether they were being constructed at the location and in accordance with the specifications provided to them and, finally; c) between the two posts, the total number of soldiers present was 40, including two officers. Of these 40, 26 are dead and 14 are wounded; not a single individual survived unscathed!

The survivors in CMH Peshawar narrated that initially one helicopter approached, fired two flares, saw the posts and flew away. Shortly, thereafter, more helicopters appeared and fired flares again, before opening fire. Aircraft also followed suit. Major Mujahid, after trying to get through to his commanding officer, instructed the gunner of the lone 12.7 machine gun to retaliate but the gunner was shot by a gunship. Mujahid replaced the gunner himself and was hit by a rocket launcher, which killed him and destroyed the machine gun. After this gunships and aircraft just picked them off at will. The attack lasted just under an hour.

With apologies to those who still want to give the US the benefit of doubt; this massacre was a ‘turkey shoot’ and very deliberate!

Only one explanation comes to mind for this planned attack to be launched: it was again intended to embarrass the military command and it succeeded! Not just officers and men of the armed forces are demoralised; the entire nation wants to know why the military high command failed to respond to protect its men.

Once again, for a variety of reasons, the attempt did not succeed to the extent that the US administration probably expected it would. One view in circulation is that the attack was intended to draw attention away from memogate. Another view supports mine, which is that the Pakistan Army is the victim of a well-planned, well-orchestrated psychological warfare operation, launched by the US administration. I hope that those at the helm of affairs can take suitable measures to ward off the next event.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19^th, 2011.