Future of Afghanistan; A Reply to Dr Babar Awan

This is written in response to Dr Baber Awan column in daily Jang dated 15/10/13. I read that because Hassan Nisar praised that column in his own column next day.

I personally don't think Dr Awan analysis is much different that what we hear most days on TV. Bottom line of his theory is that war in Afghanistan, Iraq and Arab spring is a design of  the US, with the help of Arab "petro-dollars" to make sure Israel territorial security could be established. He also added India into it. According to him US wanted to give India a leadership role in South East Asia.

I personally think this is flawed theory and is mainly based on the same flawed pretext that US is the enemy of the Muslims and it wanted to 'get them'. The theory that there is an axial of evil in the world which includes US, Israel and India. This is based on the same pretext where most (right wing) theories are based. This is what most notorious , conservative, commentators in Pakistan believe in including Zaid Hamid, Ansar Abbasi, Orya Maqbool Jan and others. This is where all their further theories stem from. i.e "Malala is good innocent girl But now has been high jacked by the west", "TTP are our own rouge children which are rough because of US policies", "Afghan Taliban are doing Jehad against US" so on so forth.

I think all these events Dr Awan tried to lump together in one theory are actually multifactorial. War in Afghanistan and Iraq had different reasons. Same way Arab spring has different factors in different countries. Lumping these all together, creating a picture of own choice with these amalgamated facts with wrong assertions and interpretations I think qualifies as intellectual dishonesty. Afghan war was done because US was attacked by people who were hiding in Afghanistan. No world power ever in the history of the world, when attacked like this, could afford to let its enemy go without punishment because it weakens their position as world super power.

Iraq war has totally different dimensions US oil companies interests, some concerns about mass destruction weapons, and a rouge state to world superpower in middle of  strategically  important area were the few reasons which lead to Iraq War. Arab spring was different reasons , rise of social media, people's awareness of their rights and freedom, chronic dictatorships, poor living conditions all synch together lead to a genuine upbringing among Arab youth. This took many in west including US by surprise, they never expected that to happen. US couldn't control or guide it otherwise they would never let go their best man in Egypt Husni Mubarak who guaranteed Israeli security for decades.

US (like any other country in the world) is neither anyone's permanent friend nor anyone's permanent enemy. It has it's own interest and policies in line with its own benefit, progress and prosperity. If our interest synch with US interest then we are friends and if our interests contradicts with US interests then we aren't friends. The level and severity of the clash of the interests between any countries dictates their relationship with each other.