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Bush versus Umar
By Gen. (Rtd) Mirza Aslam Beg
The article by
Pakistan’s army chief was written about 13th of October, the sixth day
of America's War of Terror against Afghanistan. Many things have changed
since but the basic principle remains: the difference between the
‘civilizations’ of Bush and Omar-- of brutal force and faith.
Both leaders are as far apart in their approach to life as
Washington and Kabul. George Bush threatened to hunt the terrorists, kill
them, to throw Afghanistan into the Stone Age, get Osama dead or alive,
defeat the Taliban and install a pro-US regime, whereas Mulla Umar
remained calm, cool and mysterious as the sea. The Taliban shoora
suggested Osama could leave Afghanistan (provided Saudi Arabia restored
his citizenship). It also suggested dialogue with the US, but these
suggestions were considered presumptuous and promptly rejected. US and
allied forces were mobilized for aerial attacks on Afghanistan starting
October 7, hitting targets such as air bases, command and communication
centres, electric power stations, Osama's suspected hideouts and terrorist
training camps. In response Mulla Umar declared jihad and asked the Muslim
countries meeting at Doha on October 10 to either choose to support the US
or Afghanistan. The Ummah opted in favour of the US.
Mulla Umar is thus alone in his fight against the US and the allies, while
in the 1980s the Afghans fought the Soviets supported by the USA and its
allies. The odds now seem to be 100 to one against Mulla Umar and the
Taliban. After six days [over one month by now] of air action, the US
claimed to have achieved air supremacy over Afghanistan. (I bet a single
Pakistani F-16 can gain air supremacy over Afghanistan in a single day
against the Taliban's obsolete aircraft and air defence). Over 300
innocent [more than thousands by now] civilians have been killed, ground
opposition softened, and the US are now preparing to launch heli- and
airborne troops against selected targets. Bush has threatened that such
punishment will continue indefinitely.
After six days of bombing, it was claimed that communication centres have
been destroyed. Yet the Taliban's command communication network, based on
portable walkietalkie sets, is fully operative. Their logistic support has
no tail, as it follows the foot soldiers and the local population provides
extra support. Their strength has swelled to about 60,000 armed fighters.
The local militia and armed jihadis now number 30,000-40,000. More are on
the move from the tribal belt of Pakistan and other areas. The Taliban are
waiting for the ground battle, as their strength lies in the foot
soldiers, difficult terrain and the experience of fighting outnumbered.
The Taliban plan to hold cities and towns lightly, lure the enemy in, and
then encircle them for destruction. Their morale is high as they have not
experienced the shock of US airpower, but compete to locate the falling
bombs and claim the lead and cartridges which sell at a premium. They
prefer cluster bombs, as they deliver greater payloads of lead and
cartridges. They have already collected about 20 unexploded Tomahawk
missiles, waiting for a buyer, including Pakistanis who got 27 such
missiles free in 1998 for reverse engineering. Taliban hold enough stocks
of weapons and ammunition.
Replenishment is no problem, because borders with Pakistan and Iran are
porous. The Stingers, whose shelf life is almost over, have reportedly
been replaced with more effective systems. The Taliban, who have been
fighting the Afghan opposition since 1994, are now fully steeled. They
have found substance and meaning in the jihad against the Americans and
are prepared to fight to the last to defeat the aggression. The US war
against the Taliban goes to prove that they were not a plant. They truly
represent the tribal will of Afghanistan. In fact they are the young
generation, which has taken control of the destiny of the Afghan people in
the form of the Taliban, similar to the youth in Iran which has given the
verdict in favour of an Islamic Democratic Order, providing the
psychological harmony between the two countries, to face the common
threat.
Opposing the Taliban on ground are the three factions of the Northern
Alliance, mainly mercenaries. The faction under Ismail Khan had been
operating east of Herat in remote Ghor province. Some Dostum supporters
are operating west of Mazar-e-Sharif but they do not pose a real threat,
as the Pakhtoons around Mazar-e-Sharif themselves are capable of thwarting
any attempt towards the city. The main wing of the Northern alliance of
10,000-12,000 soldiers, under Mulla Faheem in Badakhshan, is a demoralized
force, waiting to ride the US tanks into Kabul, where they will find the
Taliban waiting for them.
In the south, Zahir Shah supporters, with the help of agencies and some
political parties are trying to raise a militia from the tribal belt of
Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Logar. Some old jihadi commanders like Dr
Abdullah, Dr Abdul Rahman and Commander Bismillah, have been identified as
leaders. All possible methods are being used to buy tribals' support for
the new opposition group, but most tribes like the Waziris, Shinwaris,
Mohmands, Kharots, Zadrans and Tanais have decided to support the Taliban.
The Tanais, a known pro-Shah tribe, received the bulk of the relief
airdrop recently, but were condemned as Israeli/US agents and forced to
burn the foodstuff to prove their loyalty to the Taliban.
The turn of the events has placed Iran in a unique position. The
statements by their leaders, condemning the US military action, reportedly
brought tears to Mulla Umar's eyes, as they are the only country, which
shares the pain of their suffering, deprivation and isolation.
The US has a clear technological edge over the Taliban so long as it
continues using airpower from safe heights of 20,000 ft-plus. Now they
appear ready to launch lightning ground attacks, to occupy and destroy
selected targets and return to their bases without getting involved in
combat with the Taliban. Such operations will continue for some time, till
the Northern alliance under Mulla Fahim or the southern alliance under Dr
Abdullah is ready to venture towards Kabul and Kandahar. They may well
reach their objectives but to hold these cities would be impossible
without the physical support of US troops. In 1979, having installed a
puppet regime at Kabul, the Soviets had to induct more than 100,000 troops
to sustain it, but failed. How many troops can the US bring, is to be
seen.
George Bush and Mulla Umar, representing two different civilizations and
different values of life, are pitched against each other, not being able
to establish a balance between freedom and responsibility. One is overly
intoxicated with being a superpower, enjoying the support of the civilized
world, boiling with anger and urge for revenge. The other, having suffered
the ravages of war for over two decades, with a population suffering from
hunger, drought and disease, abandoned by their traditional friend
Pakistan and forsaken by the Ummah, are totally resigned to their destiny
and faith in Allah, which makes death an adorable commitment, is ready to
face the challenge, presenting the dialectics of opposing wills - one
equipped with material strength and the other with faith.
This indeed is a unique war, which will prove that the grandeur and depth
of human life is too great to be captured in one culture.
Tolstoy said: "Faith is the force of life." The Taliban may well
prove him right. q |
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