Fri May 18, 2012
War on Terror – Six Years On
By Atul Singh, UK – September 2007
Six years after the horrific attacks on 9/11 and President Bush’s declaration of a war on terror, the world seems to be a more unsafe place. Iraq is a mess; Pakistan is in turmoil and Afghanistan is in utter chaos.
Indeed, just three years ago, 26 per cent of the districts in Afghanistan’s four southern provinces were out of bounds to Afghan government officials. Today, UN figures reveal that number has risen to 41 per cent. Inadequate numbers of American and NATO troops on the ground have led to a reliance on air strikes which have caused
massive civilian casualties and only increased support for the Taliban. Furthermore, across the country, factional conflicts, poppy cultivation, narcotics trade and other criminal operations have led to the near total collapse of any form of governance.
The situation in Pakistan is also alarming. The government’s assault on Islamabad’s Red Mosque spawned a spate of bombings in retaliation. The Red Mosque episode only highlighted what is rotten in the state of Pakistan – the inability of its military dictatorship to control violent Islamists. The government is falling apart and
tensions are further exacerbated by the upcoming elections which are likely to bring back exiled leaders Benazir Bhutto and Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Iraq seems trapped in civil war between Sunnis and Shia and assorted other enemy combatants whether the US stays in the country operating under a “surge” or withdraws. The declaration by Moktada al-Sadr to freeze the activities of his Mehdi army for six months is already being interpreted by his spokesman as not referring to suspending or continuing the operations against the occupation.
Clear thinking and new strategies need to come soon. Terrorism, which has its roots in radical Islam, is spreading throughout the world. Increasing numbers of young Muslims have fallen under the sway of this ideology. Part of the reason lies in the perceived threat to Islam but rapid population growth and urbanization are contributing factors as well. Terrorism shall only be controlled through a judicious mix of military and political interventions. It will require foresight, patience and cultural sensitivity.
But it will also require America to understand that not all Islamists are of the same hue. For instance, Turkey’s Islamists are progressive, committed both to economic reform and joining the EU. These “Islamists” have challenged the Istanbul elites and are creating a society with greater opportunity and social mobility. The election of Abdullah
Gul is a signal shift in power equations in Turkey and should be welcomed. Both America and the EU should work wholeheartedly with the Erdogan government which has recently won a thumping election victory and has a reputation for good governance in contrast to the secular elite that held power before.
Similarly, Hamas is not quite the demon the Bush administration makes it out to be. Lest we forget, it won a democratic mandate in a fair election and provides better governance than the corrupt Fatah. Despite the financial embargo, public services are delivered more efficiently and Hamas leaders are more accessible to the public. Political engagement can draw it into the mainstream and perhaps even lay the grounds for its transformation into a purely political force like the IRA.
There are other Islamists that are worth talking to. The Front Islamique du Salut, (FIS) which was robbed of political power in Algeria in 1992, advocates a free-market approach with lower taxes and incentives for developing the private sector. There are other organizations like FIS with popular democratic support and talking to them will mitigate the threat of Islamic terrorism.
America, while leading the charge towards creating democracy around the world, needs to understand that its support of repressive regimes like Saudi Arabia is counterproductive. This support, based largely on economic and strategic interests, leads to the West being seen as hypocritical. Ironically self-interest in the propping up of crony
autocratic regimes is a contributing factor to terrorism. Without government support in public welfare, people turn to radical Islam as the only other alternative to combat the status quo.
Prospects of a new approach are on the horizon. America shall have a new leader in a little over a year. Britain, France and Germany have relatively new leaders at the helm. Perhaps together they can assume a new more enlightened approach to tackling the menace of terrorism.
But what these new leaders must keep in mind is that democracy doesn’t always breed desired outcomes, which might not be that bad in the end. Some terrorists have viable political objectives. In the eyes of their supporters they are legitimately waging war against oppressors.
Not too long ago, Margaret Thatcher called Nelson Mandela a terrorist but he was exactly the sort of “terrorist” you could make peace with. And many countries, even America, have had to take up arms to win their political freedom.
Just as there are Islamists with irrational goals like Osama there are others with tangible political aims. They are no different to some of their Republican counterparts in America who are similarly religious and want their values to inform the policies of the country. Senator Barak Obama is right when he says that no one ever gained anything by not talking to an adversary. It is time to get started.
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