Rings around Baghdad (and other cities) will bring peace in Iraq

The "surge" seems to be working. The jury is still out though. However all of us hope that peace will soon prevail in Iraq. There are some important aspects of military action under the "surge" scheme.

I think a study should be done to see the major aspects of the "Middle Eastern style" peace keeping. For the tribes throughout the region, stability is more important than freedom to travel. Commerce and other national systems are not up to the level of more urbanized societies, so people really don't need to move around the country on frequent basis.

That is why the whole middle East is typically run in the form of rings. Every city, province, and state forms a ring of police and other law-enforcement agencies. Anyone crossing from that ring must have a valid permission from the higher authorities.

Case in point Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia every major city is controlled by security rings. Every visitor, citizen or not, has to stop and show the documents before entering the city. The same thing should have been done in Iraq too.

Granted that in Iraq a similar concept was used in a limited application. Green zone in Baghdad is essentially a ring around the sensitive buildings. This "green ring" has pretty much held itself safely. Compared to the rest of Baghdad and Al-Unbar, the green ring of Baghdad has been an oasis.

We lost the initiative when we didn't make bigger and wider rings beyond the green ring. That's when insurgents and terrorists took hold of "free areas" and brought so much death and destruction.

Finally President Bush and few of the top generals have the right idea called "the surge". However it should never be a "mad surge". What we need is a careful, surgeon like precise drawing of rings around important sites. Slowly these rings will merge and peace will expand.

We should avoid chasing the insurgents in a mad rush. Let's keep and hold the rings in Baghdad. And then based on the availability of troops, form similar rings around other important areas. I am confident that ultimately the security rings will prove their value for a long time to come.

Pakistan's development and American Pakistanis

Here is one more Pakistani Mr. Amjad Malik settled in his comfy American chair, lecturing the whole nation (his essay attached below). Obviously a “children for sale” news would perturb anyone with an iota of humanity left in his heart. However using that news to beat up the whole nation is unfair at the minimum. I agree with Ganenthiran and Mr. Uzair Usman with their comments on Pak Tribune website. Mr. Malik's rants are pure none-sense and here is why!

One of the most recent Pakistani budgets is roughly $20 billion a year. For a nation of 160 million this is mere pittance. We are expecting that 6 foot tall Pakistan should survive on a ration of 1 cup flour a day. When Pakistan looks feeble due to poor "financial nutrition", we are ready to pounce on it like a wild cat.

I'll do the numbers first and then hopefully shame some of these overseas Pakistanis to do something for the country instead of launching tirades against your mother nation.

For Pakistan to have Scandinavian style welfare we need at least $3 trillion a year spending. For a relatively poor lifestyle of Britons, we need close to $2 trillion a year. And last but not least, for a non-welfare American style Pakistan needs $1.5 trillion a year.

Let me ask these people with aol.com accounts just one simple question! Considering these $trillion figures where do we stand as a nation? At $20 billion! In other words we have to increase spending in Pakistan by 100s of times the current budget. Without proper spending we should never expect that grand social services will somehow materialize from thin air.

Mr. Malik with aol.com account, just watch and see how some poor countries of 1940s have become giants and why others have remained mired in abject poverty. Only then you should wield your self-righteous baton on the hapless people of Pakistan. The following list encompasses every shade of governmental system and political climate. Some of them had democracies, some were occupied. and others were simply dictatorships. The only thing common among these are their pro-West industrialists, and their pro-West immigrant population in the West.

• Dublin Ireland was a poor area 30 years ago but thanks to Irish-Americans things turned around for the whole Ireland.
• India was poverty stricken socialist hell for its first 40 years of existence. Thanks to Indian-Americans it now has almost reached the level of prosperity of? Guess what? Pakistan.
• China was another commie jannat (heaven) for 50 odd years. Now thanks to Chinese-Americans it has turned its economic-ship around.
• South-Korea was a bombed-out hell-hole after the 1950s war. Thanks to its pro-American intellectuals and industrialists it is now a world power.
• Japan had the moon-like craters thanks to years of war, fire bombing, and getting nuked. Guess what? It made peace with America in no time. It's pro-American industrialists and intellectuals have now made Japan as the second largest budget country after America.

Pakistan started out right. Thanks to Ayub Khan we became part of global alliances like CETO, and CENTO. Money flowed in and we were on the path of becoming a rich nation. Unfortunately Ayub's gains were undermined by the Pakistani-socialists and we were never able to take advantage of the close relationship with the West.

The result is simple we don’t have Tatas of India or Hyundai and Samsung of South Korea. At this juncture of time i.e. March 2007 we should be pushing for NATO membership. It is so unfortunate that we instead want Pakistan to be more like communist hell of North Korean or Islamic jannat of Iran. Obvious result of this communist desire is that we are on the path of becoming economic nightmare just like North Korea or Iran.

In the midst of this madness what do American Pakistanis do to improve Pakistan? Nothing substantial! We love to criticize Pakistan, and we scoff at America. This totally vicious behavior is now the hall mark for the most American-Pakistanis. Islam Khutray may hai (Islam is in danger) is the source of large hue and cry in almost every Pakistani gathering. This worthless and stupid behavior is not benefiting Pakistan. And then the same American-Pakistanis turn around and blame Pakistan. So sad and so stupid indeed!

For Sale

by Amjad Malik (amjadlaw@aol.com)

http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?170570

I heard the news with great sympathy and contempt emanating from rural Punjab that a poverty ridden father who could not afford the upbringing of his children put a ‘for sale’ board outside his house to sell his off spring. If we for a split second try to visualise the apathy with which this act may have been done, the life seems miserable and the whole nation’s condition becomes obvious with which our rulers in bullet proof cars are totally out of touch. That’s the quagmire in which Pakistan is engulfed now a days.

Nexus of our judges with Generals have ruined the future of democracy in Pakistan. Nepotism, bribery, lawlessness, unmeritorious appointments and lack of respect of law in an unjust society has made life impossible for lay Pakistanis who are looking towards a ‘messiah’ for their salvation. President Musharraf who apparently came for their rescue have bitterly failed in their salvation and could not bring about true democracy and rule of law. His 7 points objective statement itself has become a laughingstock as the scandals have wiped the resolutions as virus. His referendum & 2002 elections are an epitome of his claims to hold fair elections in future and his reluctance to appear before Parliament shows his trust on his own hand picked. Though at the end of 5ht year of Parliament his Ministers are still training their fellow graduate members of Parliament how to behave when and if President ever gives the honour to address them.

Government which has land mafia, sugar and cement crisis, oil price hike, Steel Mill Judgement, continuous stock exchange crash(es), Nabbed’ ministers and Bajaur and Dama Dola killings in their baggage has hardly come to grip with the real problems. Alas democracy & political promotion has never gone that low in Pakistan’s history, that’s the ingenuity of the current day political landscape where even one person can affect the whole system any day, and could be any time.

In order to continue this trail of unlawful rule, judiciary has weakened further and Chief Justice was made to go home without reason. Ordering oath under PCO hit the nail aright and judiciary lost its teeth as an institution. Rulers claim of accountability & cheaper justice at the door step of common man was made to sacrifice at the alter of personal gains. Now it is the face saving exercise at both ends. This nexus of Judges and Generals have ruined the fate of a nation which is strong in character and rich in culture, their faith untarnished and their history to be proud of. A nation who had heritage of Imam Hussain’s sacrifice & a lesson of not to bow before a tyrant leader and justice of Umar Ben Khatab who would ensure that even a dog does not sleep hungry on the bank of the river of Farat whilst he is caliph. With this heritage and history our citizens are selling their kids, dying of hunger, unemployment, lawlessness and killings of thousands of our countrymen and we are acting as bye standards then either we are fools ourselves of ignoring the true situation or some one else is fooling the nation with their claim to have earned billions in their so called ‘War of Terror’. On the name of enlightened moderation, we participated in someone else’s war and became a direct victim of reprisals. Our soldiers are dying of counter attacks as witnessed in ‘Dargai’ which is rare in Pakistan’s history at or around Durand line. Our rulers put ‘for sale’ label on our professional army and made them to kill our own in tribal areas, the army who had the potential of not only defending our country well but can nail if any tyrant ruler attacks it in any given situation. It is now killing its own tribal(s) who were considered a backbone of Pakistan as was once said by the founder of Pakistan. We neither learnt from Afghan War nor we are sick of one way affair with United States and gave in on one phone call what nations gather in their whole life time. Self respect in fear of reprisals. That poor man whilst selling his kids did not realise that selling kids may not be that offensive however selling self respect and nation’s honour may be a crime which could never be forgiven by the martyrs of this rich nation and the architect of the country ‘Pakistan’.

Pakistan was made to allow the millions of Muslims of sub continent who pact with its founder to live with ease and freedom and give a signal of a strong nation in character and modern in outlook to learn technology and compete with his neighbours and live freely. Lawlessness where their own Ministers are not safe, Judges are struck whilst hearing court cases, and day to day law an order situation gives a bleak picture of our civil government agencies control. Whilst all this is happening in real, our chief is busy taking actions suo moto against ‘kite flying’ and nation is being traumatised by initiating a debate to legalise ‘alcohol’ and ‘Women protection Bill.’ Women have always been well protected by the constitution and Islamic Injunctions however practical difficulties and unbridled police powers who always work in conjunction and backing of local politicians have forced the gang rape victims to come on television and cry for help. That’s the true picture of rule of law in General Musharaf’s Pakistan.

Nation is demanding justice, justice and justice alone. This nexus of Generals and Judges must be broken & buried forever and it is not acceptable where our judiciary is a silent spectator on the most crucial questions of conflict with our constitution and their decisions are required in time to avoid a further deadlock. Their rulings on Article 6 and its scope, COAS to be a President, Independent election Commissioner, Care taker set up, and disqualification of the corrupt and qualifications of popular amongst the masses will pave the way towards true democracy. We always take pride to compete with India in words, its time that our judiciary compete with them in action(s). Their judges are neither angels nor were brought out of country, but still are playing the role of a referee independently, freely, without fear of PCO and all the authorities respect it.

Political class need to unite to demand fair elections in Pakistan and must continue up right struggle for free and fair elections under impartial care taker set up, ideally under judges. That one demand and struggle can keep the nation away from yet an other disaster and believe you me, we are very poor in learning lessons from our short history.