Just a little more than a week ago, the world's most dangerous man - Osama bin Laden - was executed during a covert operation ordered by the world's most powerful man - Barack Obama - the President of United states.
The news of Osama Bin Laden's execution was rather a sigh of relief for the whole world. As President Obama officially announced this news to the world, he did not forget to mention the contribution of Pakistan in the war on terror and in helping US capture Osama Bin Laden. He also mentioned that President of Pakistan - Asif Ali Zardari - was pleased by the fact that world has seen the end of the most gruesome man in the recent history.
It was clearly a victory for mankind and peace loving people. Especially for the Muslims, who after the events of 9/11, were stigmatized and were personified by Osama. Although, I would partially blame Muslims who, were and still, are confused to where they stand in their support. Which helped promote, rather than defuse, this impression.
Severity of the 9/11 events and the need to respond led many, including the then US President George W. Bush, to make mistakes. Mistakes aside the US, and later Pakistan, was on the right side of the history. In a war against global terrorism, and those who had pledged to kill the innocent.
As Pakistan and US fought the war many victories along with mistakes were made. There were tons of human-rights violations, many soldiers lost their life, and enormous collateral damage, of both US and Pakistani military forces, and innocent civilians inside Afghanistan and Pakistan. That also coincided with the damage done by terrorists who struck back at Pakistan - by killing thousands in suicide and other attacks - for supporting the war on terror, which is a war against them and their ideology.
The mistakes US made during the last decade, fighting terrorism, is constantly debated openly in the American media and society at large. Though similar activity takes place in Pakistan, I am skeptical about the fairness of the debate. There is a lot of political rhetoric and media spin, especially due to the hatred for the US, but most importantly for satisfying the audience and winning TRP wars.
The topic most discussed by the Pakistan media is of the country's sovereignty, and the implications of losing it during this war. Most media men and rightist political analysts and politicians argue that the partnership with the US has led to the loss of Pakistan's sovereignty. They say, as US drones and or soldiers enter Pakistan for special operations and executing terrorists, they're violating Pakistan's sovereignty.
However, they fail to realize that sovereignty is a subjective matter and is often more of a political slogan then a reality. No one nation has complete sovereignty, as they are a part of international organizations such as UN, or in agreements such as NAFTA (North American Free Trade Treaty), or European Union. In all cases some form of sovereignty is compromised for greater goals.
Pakistan, perhaps, had given up some of its sovereignty by indulging into a proxy war with India. Or at the time of "Afghan Jihad" when Pakistan took in many foreign fighters and trained them on its soil, opened borders with Afghanistan, where anyone could freely travel to Pakistan, without any consideration to Pakistan's own sovereignty. The recent war on terror suggest the same. Most of the terrorists who are living in Pakistan illegally are transgressing Pakistan's sovereignty.
The fact remains that US and Pakistan has mutually agreed on eliminating terrorism from Afghanistan and Pakistan. US has also pledged to rebuild Afghanistan and help Pakistan's fledgling democracy through support and civilian along with military aid. The partnership includes joint intelligence sharing and operating against militants and terrorists wherever they are spotted.
Although, at times there is disagreement between US and Pakistan in the methodology and goals of the war against terror, it is still in both nations' interests to continue to work together, and so they do. Even with the recent events that led to tensions between the two countries, they are still willing to build upon more trust and learn from their mistakes. Which is a positive sign.
Developing good relations with the US, Afghanistan, and India has always been and always will be in Pakistan's best national interests. The citizens of all these nations need to support and in some cases press the governments and establishments of their respective countries in moving towards the direction that will do nothing but bring prosperity for South Asia and the world at large.
The news of Osama Bin Laden's execution was rather a sigh of relief for the whole world. As President Obama officially announced this news to the world, he did not forget to mention the contribution of Pakistan in the war on terror and in helping US capture Osama Bin Laden. He also mentioned that President of Pakistan - Asif Ali Zardari - was pleased by the fact that world has seen the end of the most gruesome man in the recent history.
It was clearly a victory for mankind and peace loving people. Especially for the Muslims, who after the events of 9/11, were stigmatized and were personified by Osama. Although, I would partially blame Muslims who, were and still, are confused to where they stand in their support. Which helped promote, rather than defuse, this impression.
Severity of the 9/11 events and the need to respond led many, including the then US President George W. Bush, to make mistakes. Mistakes aside the US, and later Pakistan, was on the right side of the history. In a war against global terrorism, and those who had pledged to kill the innocent.
As Pakistan and US fought the war many victories along with mistakes were made. There were tons of human-rights violations, many soldiers lost their life, and enormous collateral damage, of both US and Pakistani military forces, and innocent civilians inside Afghanistan and Pakistan. That also coincided with the damage done by terrorists who struck back at Pakistan - by killing thousands in suicide and other attacks - for supporting the war on terror, which is a war against them and their ideology.
The mistakes US made during the last decade, fighting terrorism, is constantly debated openly in the American media and society at large. Though similar activity takes place in Pakistan, I am skeptical about the fairness of the debate. There is a lot of political rhetoric and media spin, especially due to the hatred for the US, but most importantly for satisfying the audience and winning TRP wars.
The topic most discussed by the Pakistan media is of the country's sovereignty, and the implications of losing it during this war. Most media men and rightist political analysts and politicians argue that the partnership with the US has led to the loss of Pakistan's sovereignty. They say, as US drones and or soldiers enter Pakistan for special operations and executing terrorists, they're violating Pakistan's sovereignty.
However, they fail to realize that sovereignty is a subjective matter and is often more of a political slogan then a reality. No one nation has complete sovereignty, as they are a part of international organizations such as UN, or in agreements such as NAFTA (North American Free Trade Treaty), or European Union. In all cases some form of sovereignty is compromised for greater goals.
Pakistan, perhaps, had given up some of its sovereignty by indulging into a proxy war with India. Or at the time of "Afghan Jihad" when Pakistan took in many foreign fighters and trained them on its soil, opened borders with Afghanistan, where anyone could freely travel to Pakistan, without any consideration to Pakistan's own sovereignty. The recent war on terror suggest the same. Most of the terrorists who are living in Pakistan illegally are transgressing Pakistan's sovereignty.
The fact remains that US and Pakistan has mutually agreed on eliminating terrorism from Afghanistan and Pakistan. US has also pledged to rebuild Afghanistan and help Pakistan's fledgling democracy through support and civilian along with military aid. The partnership includes joint intelligence sharing and operating against militants and terrorists wherever they are spotted.
Although, at times there is disagreement between US and Pakistan in the methodology and goals of the war against terror, it is still in both nations' interests to continue to work together, and so they do. Even with the recent events that led to tensions between the two countries, they are still willing to build upon more trust and learn from their mistakes. Which is a positive sign.
Developing good relations with the US, Afghanistan, and India has always been and always will be in Pakistan's best national interests. The citizens of all these nations need to support and in some cases press the governments and establishments of their respective countries in moving towards the direction that will do nothing but bring prosperity for South Asia and the world at large.
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