A Strange Tango

you are representing a POPULAR cause. congrats.

Bushys were busy `pacifying` the `Sunni Triangle`` -- it looks like now the Shias are bursting out of ``Shia Rectangle`` to bite the Bush`s Butt --

Bush the Butthead is trying hard to divide the people of Iraq into `Sunnir Triangle``, ``Shia Rectangle`` and ``Kurdish Tapezoid`` --and pit them against each other -- the Old Colonial Trick --

but they don`t know the Iraqis --

all three -- (especially the hostage taker/releaser Reagan`s Ayatollahs) -- will carve out geometric chunks of that Bushy butt one day -- as soon as he turns his back on them --

Did anyone see how our VICEroy in Baghdad Paul Bummer was sucking up to the bearded Ayatollah today -- with folded hands... it looked as if he will kiss the Bearded One`s shoes any moment.

Pathetic Reaganites pigs and their Bushy piglets -- they will never learn --

they have this pathological infatuation with the Bearded Ones -- despite being kicked in the teeth by them repeatedly -- including the 9/11...

looks like Iraq is going to be another -- Made In America -- Afghhanistan --

a GIFT (with a Key to heaven and a Bible) from another Born-Again Christian Jihadi dimwit -- from US Texas --

a gift -- to `OUR ALLIES` - the Shia Jihadis of the ``Shia Rectangle`` .. shouting ``murg Bur Ameeraikaa```` -- ``Murg Bur Ameeraikaa`` -- after Juma prayers.....

what are they saying? ... what are they saying?

.. sir they are saying Long Live America -- Long Live America....

Chowk Staff !
Post # 21 is not mine!

Where is my post ?

Regards,

Faruk

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This is such a drag ... they didn`t even notify me its been published !

Momin-e-Mubtala

I suggest that most of the interactors must read these books:
Inventing a Nation by Ian Talbott
State and Sovereignity by Ayesha Jalal

These books give a very good insight into the development of nationalism in nascent states and how statesmen and politicians exploit environments and symbols for both negative and positive nation building. Pakistan came into existnce during interesting times. The Cold War began while Pakistan faced a credible, structural and existential threat from India. This pot purri created the perspectives that made the region unstable. Despite the over weening profile of both USA and India, it is credible that Pakistan was able to weather the rapids and find a dignified place for itself. Lets not feel depressed by the present state of affairs and notions of Talibans etc. This was a brand of nomadic revolutionaries whom USA helped to arm and fight against USSR. Well if this policy backfired on USA by way of 9/11, it was worse for Pakistan and its domestic political economy.

There are ups and downs in the life of nations. There will be a rise again and let us remain optimistic and continue lighting our own candle rather than lamenting others. We are on a steep mountain climb. There will be crevesses and walls but we but rise, pick up our yokes and keep moving. I am reminded of Kenny Rogers in the gambler`s advice to his son,
``Know when to walk away, know when to run,
never count your money when the cards are on the table,
they`ll be time enough to do it, when the deal is done``

So lets keep moving to make our own little Pakistan a better place to live in.

While ``Pakiland`s`` relevance to ``uncle sam`` is much higher now than it has been for almost a decade and a half, there is nothing particularly pleasing about this relevance (or for that matter that of India). India is relevant to the US because (this is not the only reason though) of its enormous potential as a market for bland mass-produced, mass-advertised, culture devouring products. Just like China`s relevance.
American products, media and entertainment is highly likely to run India`s unique culture and ethos out of India. Both the good and bad parts.

Faruq,
56 years is a very short time in a nations life. The US, for example, took over a century to develop her own identity, and still struggles with it. Pakistan struggles with her identity in the sense that she wishes to be a Democratic Islamic state, while her harsh and rigid interpretation of Islam (which is common place in Pakistan) makes it very difficult for her to bring the two (Democracy and Islam) together.

Pakistani people feel used because they did not agree to this `contract`, that you seem to imply between them and the US. They were not consulted. If you do wish to look at foreign policy using the concept of a customer being provided a service, then the customer`s (US)excesses that result in harm to others (Pakistanis, Afghanis and many others) should be curtailed.The customer and the service provider (Pakistan`s military and government) need to be held responsible. I am sorry but I fail to see the world as some kind of global marketplace where people`s lives are traded for cooked up ideologies.

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Asif,
Interesting perspective!

“Pakistan is a new nation still struggling with its identity. Caught in the political crossfire between fundamentalist Islam and a moderate Islam on one side and military rule and democracy on the other, her pragmatic people are merely concerned about making ends meet. Let the corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and cricketers fight over what’s left of the country. Yet, Pakistanis are a vibrant people, full of life and eternally hopeful that things will work out for the better. “

I am not sure after 56 yrs you can say Pakistan is a new nation, but you have a right to your opinion. Could you elaborate on the Pakistan’s struggle with its identity?

“The US government used us while it suited them and then threw us aside.”

They were paying customers. They paid for the services provided. Why do Pakistani people feel used?


Regards,

Faruk

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ainak_wala,
I agree that the hatred generated by US government policies can be justified. My point is though that we should try and see that our government (whether directly or as the US` lackey) treated the Afghanis just as badly as the US treated us. Therefore the hatred generated amongst Afghanis for us can also be justified. This is a viscious cycle. I choose instead not to justify this hatred. Instead we need to make an objective, dispassionate assessment of the situation. Hatred has led to far too many tragedies all over the world. While the world mourns the tragedy of September 11, Afghanistan has been the tragic victim of political and religious ideological warfare for almost 25 years now. Far more people have died there than on 9-11, 2001. I try my best not to look at these issues from a Pakistani point of view. As a citizen of the world I claim the right to criticize the American and the Pakistani governments.

Jay,
It is too easy to assume that Pakistanis have an ingrained prostitute mentality. Once again we must separate the actions of the Pakistani government and the wishes of the Pakistani people. We know for a fact that most Pakistani people are infuriated with the ``Jamali Administration`s`` (read Musharraf`s regime) involvement with the US.

Zia did not create the Taliban. His regime`s involvement in the creation and training of the mujahideen is common knowledge. The extent of involvement, though, is not.