by B. R. GOWANI
some highly educated, and intelligent people
got into a clash
egos encircled reasoning
one by one
the sanity cards began falling:
domino effect was now unpreventable
India became two
as the bankrupt British quit the arena
the up-and-coming United States entered the drama
India’s second half, Pakistan
was small and insecure
the US lap was vast and alluring
the lap was offered; but free it was not
and the arms were extended too,
for fiery warmth
to save Pakistan from communists!
the vision-less leaders and the tunnel-visioned military
jumped into the lap,
lap it was not, a black hole it was
now Pakistan was a permanent prisoner
in less than a dozen years
Pakistan saw more than half a dozen leaders
military was in the background
but was pulling the strings
who would fill the leadership void?
the military was the economic vehicle chosen
good for Pakistan’s military and 22 families
and beneficial also for the US corporations
(in Southeast Asia
the US thoroughly destroyed Vietnam
but failed to make it to say:
“Uncle Sam”
that made the victory less enjoyable)
and now Pakistan entered its third decade
and so it got ts third dictator
an Islamist/military tyrant …
the US wanted the Soviets
to have a taste of humiliation,
in Afghanistan this time,
and needed to forge an alliance
Prophet Muhammad was a trader
Islam is not anti-capitalist
capitalism is not anti-Islam
so the Islamists were chosen
then:
the US gave “the Soviet Union its Vietnam”
the Soviets invaded Afghanistan
the Mujahideen were created
Reagan declared them as “freedom fighters”
Pakistan became the command center
it became Kaba for the Muslim nuts
the CIA trained Osama bin Laden
(the Palestinian Intifada began)
someone blew up Zia’s air plane
the Al-Qaeda was born
the Soviets were defeated
the US said adios and left hurriedly
the Mujahideen fought among themselves
the Soviet Union disintegrated
the US became the lone Super Power
(the US attacked Iraq)
the ISI* and Benazir supported the Taliban
the Taliban restored law and order in Afghanistan
they showed their barbaric side
they banned all women from the outdoors
Clinton tried to befriend them
the women’s groups in the US protested
the US distanced itself from the Taliban
the Taliban turned against the US
(the Second Palestinian Intifada began)
the Al-Qaeda attacked the US
Bush declared “war on terror”
Afghanistan was attacked and invaded by the US
US installed Karzai as Afghanistan’s leader
(Iraq was attacked and invaded by the US)
Pakistan became a US target
today, Pakistan is a testimony
to its internal contradictions
the extreme interpretation of Islam
and the US armed ruthlessness
meanwhile, the last three decades
have witnessed the US more capitalist
and more intolerant of any progressivism
on the other hand,
there is a split among the Pakistani leftists
they all oppose the Taliban
but then they differ
as to how to rid Pakistan of this nuisance
some oppose US attacks on Pakistani Taliban
some support US attacks on Pakistani Taliban
it may seem odd
but may be not
US may accommodate the Taliban
occasional whispers can be heard
US history is littered with such instances
once again the ragged left will be more tattered
B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com
*Inter Services Intelligence, Pakistan’s equivalent of the US CIA.