The Taliban equation

The commonly held notion that the Taliban problem may be solved if the US pulls out is not necessarily true.

The Taliban continue to occupy a central hemisphere in our lives. The bombing of shrines, invasions of airspace and reports of the death of key commanders have been the latest issues to highlight this. Talks in the US also focused primarily on militancy. But it is worth noting that while most people in the country unequivocally condemned the blasts at the resting places of Sufi saints, the Taliban won applause for the attacks on tankers, carrying supplies for US-led forces in Afghanistan, from a wide range of people. The hatred for the US and resentment over its hold on our country is a potent force.

But the commonly held notion that the Taliban problem may be instantly solved if the US pulls out from the region is not necessarily true. The Taliban, who remain entrenched not only in the north of the country but also in other areas, will do all they can to survive. If the US vanishes as an enemy, they will concoct another, if necessary demonising the innocent. Religion has, after all, been used by them to promote its own purposes. In many ways, the actual motive involves a lust for power and this has, in areas like Swat, brought the past months clashes with the feudal elements who hold it. The ‘anti-western’ thrust of the Taliban philosophy can also be used against elements within the country. We must remember that attacks on schools can have little to do with a drive against the US.

The task of getting rid of the Taliban is a complex one. As things stand, the views of most people are mixed. There is a great deal of confusion over the force, which is tied into the mistrust for the US. The two strands of the problem need to be untangled. Without doubt, an exit by the US is desirable and a goal to strive for. But this should not be confused with the issue of the Taliban, whose elimination depends on many other factors.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2010.