Cantonment in Swat : Wrong Solution

This is the bane of a mercenary army. We have to rid ourselves of these robbers with guns who are holding not only us but the whole world hostage through their nafarious schemes. But this is not a new phenomenon the Islamic Caliphate, the Ottomans and the Mughals also suffered from this curse. The Ottoman Sultanate established the jannisary core as the palace guard to counter the constant intrigues emanating out of the army commanders. But this solution lasted only till the janissaries learnt that they could extract more money from the Sultan.

Caliphs would be deposed or installed through such plots where he was only there as a figure head while power rested with the handlers. An excerpt from the confessions of a tenth century caliph in Al Suli’s Akhbar is revealing.

Al Radi said to us one day, “By God, I suppose people ask, Is this caliph content (radi) that a Turkish slave should run his affairs and even control finance and exercise sole power? They do not know that this authority (of the caliphate) was already ruined before my time and that certain people put me in it without my desiring it. I was handed over to the life guards and palace guards, who acted insolently towards me, demanded audiences several times a day, and even came to seek me during the night. Every one of them wanted me to favor him above his fellows and to have his own treasury. To save my life I played no tricks on them, until at last God rid me of them. Then Ibn Raiq seized power and acted even more insolently than they in the treasury. He had no peer in drinking and pleasure. IF HE OR HIS PREDECESSSORS WERE TOLD THAT ONE PARASANG AWAY THERE WERE HORSEMEN LOOTING PROPERTY AND KILLING PEOPLE AND IF THEY WERE TOLD TO TRAVEL ONE PARASANG TO FIGHT AGAINST THEM, THEY WOULD FIRST ASK FOR MONEY AND DEMAND ARREARS OF PAY – AND EVEN SO, THEY MIGHT WELL HAVE TAKEN THE MONEY AND THEN NOT MOVED. ANY ONE AMONG THEM OR AMONG THEIR COMPANIONS MIGHT COMMIT AN OFFENCE AGAINS MY SUBJECTS OR EVEN MY INTIMATES, AND IF I ORDERED ACTION AGAINST HIM, MY ORDER WAS NOT OBEYED OR CARRIED OUT OR PUT INTO EFFECT.�

From “Discovering Islam� by Akbar S Ahmad.

Even the British kept their troops stationed as far away as possible from the civilian population, but not this Khaki Klan!

Check what the word CANTONMENT means:

1) Temporary troop accommodations: temporary accommodations for troops, especially the winter quarters of an army
2) Assignment of troops to quarters: the assignment of troops to temporary quarters
3) Military camp in British India: a permanent military station in India during the time of British imperial rule
4) U.K. military training camp: a large military training camp, especially formerly

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The most expensive land is in these very cantonments!

Slick Zardari strikes two with one stone, he gets army on his side by offering them more land while eliminating Taliban scourge.

Somehow makes you wonder whether all this fuss of flattening Swat with bombs was about having DHA bangalows with a view? If it indeed was then why all this killing? Start construction and employ the taliban as labour. Every body stays alive and makes money. Heaven.

2,500 retired Khakis have already been employed as POLICE-men for Swat! The real police are doomed to die like those in Iraq.