Hello Masters! Are You Home?
By Anwaar Hussain
With the audacious Taliban attack at the GHQ main gate this Saturday, the very portal wherefrom these creatures came slithering out more than two decades back, the affair between the creator and the creations has come full circle. Knock knock, said the hypnotized oddballs, rudely shaking their masters out of their reverie– perhaps fatefully and finally.
Why did these killers come calling on the doorsteps of their makers? The simple answer to this question is that while the creators may be experiencing a memory dump, the creations cling on zealously to their cherished past.
The masters may be trying to forget the time when back in the 80s, on the calling of the grand masters from distant lands, they were supplying almost 65,000 tons of weapons per year to these same godmen. The aims for the grand masters then–the Soviet Union had to be taught a lesson and the resources in its hinterlands accessed. And for the GHQ supremos suffering from majestic delusions–a strategic depth had to be carved out in face-off with India while having a go at the leftovers from the Manna once the grand masters had left the table.
The godmen remember the beginning when they were used and misused in Kashmir. But it was in Afghanistan where they achieved a real life form. They remember that it was on the urging of ‘grand visionaries’ from this very HQ that the JUI party in Pakistan, a political party always tight with the military, released thousands of seminary students to fortify the Taliban. They recall how the generals from within these four walls encouraged Maulana Samiul Haq to shut down his 2500+ student madrassa and send his entire student body to fight the Soviets alongside the Taliban. The next year, the same religious leader helped persuade 12 madrassas in Pakistan’s Frontier Province to shut down for one month and send 8000 students to provide reinforcements for the Taliban army in Afghanistan. That was just the beginning, they remember it.
The godmen lovingly recall times when back in 1995 just within three months, with the support of men from these same buildings, they took control of twelve of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces and had captured Kabul by September of 1996. Ah! those heady times, the giddy action, the vengeful killings, the Jihadi songs, the dance of the dead men, the glorious martyrdoms, the endless funds, the deadly weapons….they remember it all.
They remember of course how these generals looked the other way when the Taliban started to spread their dark dogmas to parts of Pakistan. They recall the amused looks in the eyes of these ‘grand strategic thinkers’ when a little while later some Taliban groups in FATA were banning TV and videos, bombing barber shops, beheading opponents, imposing Sharia punishments such as stoning and amputation in open defiance of Pakistan’s legal system, killing Shias and forcing people, particularly women to adapt to the Taliban dress code and way of life.
The godmen remember the helping hands from the GHQ when they were stirring the hell-broth of innovations from Sharia, Pathan tribal codes and radical Deobandi interpretations of Islam. Matter of fact they vividly recall when a little while later the ‘thinkers in khaki’ added to the marinade generous portions of their own of Wahhabism of the rich Saudis and the jihadism and pan-Islamism of some other born-again religious mutants. The ‘thinkers’ were aware all along of course that the heady brew ferments in time into a concoction the imbibers of which would kill any one opposing their creed, religion not withstanding.
And now when fully imbibed the godmen are, the makers disown them? And that too on the urging of some distant ‘infidels’? Nay. Now THEY come calling.
For the affair to end conclusively any time soon, the creators will have to expedite aborting the experiment that has gone dreadfully out of kilter. For the purpose, the memory dump will have to be accelerated, the brakes on the military steam roller standing at the gates of Waziristan gathering steam for some months now gently released and the colossus allowed to slam into the heart of darkness with full momentum. No mercy is to be shown to the murderers who have killed some 2300 innocent Pakistanis in about 280 bombings in the past one year alone.
When all is over, the epitaph on this sordid experiment may then be left engraved as a warning on the gates to Waziristan. The inscription should read;
“YOU ARE ABOUT TO ENTER A MOST UNFORTUNATE REGION. HERE AN IDEA WAS PRACTICED AS A BELIEF. THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT LIVES LATER WE NOW REALIZE THAT WHILE IDEAS CAN CHANGE, BELIEFS REMAIN STAGNANT. THOUGH THE AREA WAS RECENTLY STERILIZED, STRAY MUTATIONS MAY STILL BE FOUND. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. WE ARE SORRY.
–GRAND STRATEGIC THINKERS”
It would be wise to tilt the angle of the warning sign a little skywards so that the drone operators too can read it. They need to know that the experiment has been called off.
Anwaar
I am an avid reader of your clearly articulated articles. You have an inimitable style and are very bold (as I have known you in the PAF). Keep up the good work. I am sure your writings will make a difference.
Best wishes & regards
October 12th, 2009 at 4:50 pmKaiser
Brilliant analysis sir.Also see one I wrote below on the day of the attack
Attack on Pakistani GHQ
A.H Amin
While it is simple to blame the Taliban or Al Qaeda for the attack on Pakistan Army General Heaquarters the issue is far more complicated.The 1970s saw the utilisation of non state actors by state actors to disrupt another state viewed by the opponent state as a danger or threat or for political or strategic mileage.
Pakistan led by the tinpot military usurper Zia was the first such state to do in alliance with USA,Saudi Arabia and NATO.The stated rationale was the ideology of Islam and Jihad.The real rationale was strategic,military and political.The Pakistani military junta was an illegitimate orphan And needed international political and military support.Saudi Arabia feared the USSR and its egalitarian ideology of world revolution and the Shia revolution in Iran.USA wanted to settle scores with USSR for the Vietnam war.
All major state actors used Islam as a noble slogan for their ignoble aims.
Around late 1980s this misuse of ideology using non state actors got out of control.The non state actors realised that they were being used as cannon fodder.They saw the big contradiction in their handler states stated and real objectives.Pakistani military saw the non state actors as cheap vassals against India.Saudi Arabia saw Islam as useful tool to divert their unhappy masses disgust with the repressive Saudi state.USA was using Islam as a cheap tool for global supremacy.
Out of this grand contradiction well understood by the non state Islamist actors arose the new phenomenon of the primacy of the non state actors against the terrible and impure state.
Broadly non state Islamist groups may be divided in the following :–
Genuine groups fighting for supremacy of a particular ideology which these groups think is the recipe for all evils but have no state actor as sponsor but a large number of non state supporters worldwide or in a particular area.
Groups who are genuine in their belief but have state actors as sponsors.
Groups whose members think that they have a genuine cause but have been penetrated by state actors through third or fourth parties who are using them as tools for the state actors state specific agenda while the group members do not know who is their actual state sponsor.
Further broadly all Islamist non state groups are fighting against the following :–
Their own mother states like in Pakistan,Saudi Arabia,Iraq etc who they perceive as vassals of the non Muslm West led by USA.
Against USA or NATO or against Indians in Kashmir.
The groups have one or any of the following state sponsors:–
Pakistan against India or any other power in India or Afghanistan.
India against Pakistan in Afghanistan or in Pakistan.
Any third country like USA,Israel,UK,Russia,Iran who have penetrated an Islamist group through a third or fourth party using non state actors as cover.
The Tehrik I Taliban Pakistan for logistic reasons is forced to rely on state as well as non state actors.The non state actors are various.The state actors which have penetrated the TTP fall in the third category discussed above “Any third country like USA,Israel,UK,Russia,Iran who have penetrated an Islamist group through a third or fourth party using non state actors as cover”.
In a nutshell thanks to General Musharrafs unnecessary forays in Pakistans tribal areas without provocation created this major strategic dilemma for Pakistan.The attack on the Pakistani GHQ is a milestone in this unfortunate situation.In October 2003 in an article published in Statesman Peshawar titled “The Gathering Storm” I had advanced this possibility that the tribal area Pashtuns would be used by state actors based in Afghanistan.About seven days after its publication the newspaper e mailed me that the article had caused a storm in the GHQ and he could no more publish any of my articles.
Pakistan above all and its people and the army are paying the price of strategic sins of all starting from General Zia till General Musharraf in using non state actors against other states and non state actors as auxillaries in the name of Islam.History is now watching General Kiani (and his team) who is the only man who can turn the tide.Pakistan has to charter a new course in which it is neither perceived as a US vassal or as an irresponsible state.
–
October 12th, 2009 at 5:03 pmMan would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.” –
Albert Einstein !!!
Anwaar, fantastic appraisal. Do you really believe all that you have narrated was the accomplishment of those “Masters” Or they were only the puppets on a chain with actual masters sitting far off?
I read A H Amin’s post too. I couldn’t get the connection between the article & the quote at the end!
October 12th, 2009 at 7:16 pmHello Mr. Hussain,
I enjoyed the article , the language is very good, facts are undeniable, and I agree with your your perception .
There is a touch of Pashtun Humour.
Regards,
Moinuddin
October 12th, 2009 at 7:20 pmSir,
You have very nicely narrated the facts.
What do you think the end will be, or what lies in the future.
Once we came to UAE back in 1997, I thought it was very bad times in Paki land. Now that i am back in this land, I myself think….. these are good times we are seeing….. bad times are still to come.
Any comments
Regards
Ateeq Tayyib
October 12th, 2009 at 7:55 pmGood one Anwaar, amigo. A real doozey.
How many Americans remember that it is THEIR gov’t who invented the current mess in Afghanistan (poppies and all) and its warlords, just as they dreamed the mad-dog Zionist, both Christian and Jew? Zbigniew Brzezinski saw fit to arm and train the Mujahedeen against the Soviets, only to have the Soviets go home with their tails between their legs.
WATCH the same thing happen to the Masters! Sixty, one hundred, five hundred thousand more troops will not conquer the Afghanis. After all, the Afghanis are playing on the home team and have a reputation to uphold: that of being the graveyard of Empires. May God have mercy on all who fight there, especially those on the side of the empire.
October 12th, 2009 at 8:44 pmYes sir, we INVENTED the Mujahedeen, and now the Taliban, just as we dreamed the mad dog Zionists. We invent the monsters, now we have to try and slay them.
HA! I don’t think the one in Afghanistan is going down very soon, if at all.
Happy Halloween Masters.
Good one Anwaar!
JO
TRUTH EXISTS, FALSEHOOD HAS TO BE INVENTED.
October 12th, 2009 at 9:22 pmAnwaar, congratulation for writing excellent article, no question about it. You have exposed the undoing of the past that has created the current unfortunate situation.
However, I strongly feel the question now is where we go from here. We know we cannot undo the wrongs of the past.
One thing we know that fanatics and extremists whether Muslims or Christians or any other religion are a threat to humanity and peace.
What is the solution to eliminate extremists and fanatics who are enemies of humanity and peace? As you call them “Godmen” they will not listen to anyone or stick to any peace treaty. They believe in “their way or highway”.
As far as I see, there is no other choice but to support the Pakistan Army as well as foreign army to get rid of the enemies of humanity and peace who call themselves Muslims but their actions are worst than enemies of Muslims.
Pakistan and foreign countries must set up “information network” to exchange information on “the Godmen and their sympathizers” and take appropriate action to isolate them from the society.
October 12th, 2009 at 10:29 pmWhen war is over those involved seldom ponder why it started, they only are thankful that it has passed. Those that are rational anyway. The natural way of man is one of cruelty and dominance. This trend must be changed if we are to progress.
October 13th, 2009 at 12:33 amWhich verses of the Koran the terrorists quote? An open discussion about this is necessary.
What are the criteria of fascism? Which religion fulfills these criteria to what extent? Muslims should be taught the criteria of fascism so that they can recognize the real value of their religion.
October 13th, 2009 at 3:26 amGreetings, Anwaar—
We’ve posted your story at:
http://baltimorechronicle.com/2009/101209Hussain.shtml
Your assessment of the Taliban is perfect. What a mess this world is in!
Best—
Alice
October 13th, 2009 at 4:33 amHate reading your articles…Always makes me feel a literary inadequate, and I thought I was very good, alongside you I am but a muddle minded scribbler.
Tom Edgar. Australia
October 13th, 2009 at 4:59 amDear Vishwas:
Those who kill innocents, do not follow Islam. Allah/God says in Holy Quran “If any one killed a person, it would be as if he killed all mankind; and if any one saved the life of a person, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.” (Quran V: 32).
According to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) “Murdering a human being is one of the biggest sins.” He adds: “Be kind to all living beings so that Allah may be kind to you. Allah does not show His mercy to whosoever shows no mercy to fellow humans.
Mark the word humans that include all mankind (Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus and people with other religions as well a Atheists).
From the above, you can see how valuable is the life of one human being in Islam.
Adapted from: http://members.aol.com/khananis/coexistence.html
Do not blame the religion of Islam and all Muslims of the world for the murder of thousands of innocent human beings by Muslim terrorists. Would you blame Christianity and Christ and all Catholics of the world for the murder of 36 million innocent human beings (Russians 27 million, Jews 6 million, Yugoslav 2 million and Poles 1 million) by Catholic terrorists, Hitler and his Nazis murderers. They killed, may be 100 times more human beings than what all combined Muslim terrorists may have killed during the last 100 years. If you do not believe Hitler was Catholic, click here to learn about Hitler’s religion.
http://www.evilbible.com/hitler_was_christian.htm
October 13th, 2009 at 5:14 amWhat to add here? I most like the term “godmen”. Although the Pashtun world is truly alien to American minds, the latter, of course, have nurtured their own domestic variety, except that these don’t “suicide”.
Someday, I would appreciate some kind of reportage on the subjective reality of the suicider godman. The persistence of the American military at the service of so-called “national security interests” and “necessity” is a pain in the ass of the world. The musical chairs of the Pakistan secret service and military, the “militants”, and the Western advisers and influence brokers is horribly cacophonic.
October 13th, 2009 at 8:30 amsir i regularly read your articles, and yes you have articulated all the facts in a beautiful style, which should be an eye opener to all those who are still sedated, and perhaps gone blind with this small glare of a few billion dollars likely to flow from the grand masters.
well sir keep it up. it is always worth reading articles written by you. i wish these words penetrate into the hearts of the rudder controllers.
good luck
October 13th, 2009 at 3:15 pmAnwaar,
I gave quite a bit of consideration to your thoughts and those of A.H. Amin. In merely thinking of the escalation of violence in the last week against Pakistan it appears a war of increments. If bombs were falling from the sky as opposed to deployed from vehicles, etc. it would be considered an act of war. Problematic for the general populace is their capability to conceptualize and assess the threat when a war of increments is in progress. As a fellow analyst has noted, it is death by a thousand cuts.
I disagree with the thoughts of Jo as they lack historical context prior to the Soviet-Afghan engagement. In analysis of world events the panoramic view of the centuries must be included to properly weigh thoughts. Taking one adventure or one conflict and making determination that the event is that by which all other events must considered denies the need to examine further the important additional sociometrics at play.
* “Americans…. invented the current mess in Afghanistan.”
*….we invented the Mujahideen.”
In looking at the Doctrines of Creed (Kalam) there is ample literature available on the doctrine of Jihad and that of the Shaheed. In current digital form the e-book by Abdallah Shamil abu Idris (Shamil Basaev) is available and was originally propagated at the mother portal for the Caucuses:
http://www.kavkazcenter.com
I paid about twenty dollars for my copy when it first came out. You can now get it online for free. (There are sister sites to this one.)
Another freebie, which was available at Tibyan, until the site was shut down is the “Book of Jihad”. Solid reading, over one hundred pages. Again, battlefield doctrine and rules of engagement which are based in seventh century ghazwa and sariyyah. The Maghazi literature is out there, and yes, some of it makes for excellent reading.
The asymmetrical battlespace is aided and abetted with fiberoptic capabilities and all the modern means of communication, whether satellite or ground transmissions.
Ideological networks such as Al-Qa’ida and the Taliban are now able to potentiate recruitment capabilities via communications transmissions. An army is being called up and the recruiter is on his laptop. Oath precedes action. The call to an oath is going out. What a convoluted oath it has become.
An insurgency-based model of combat which is well-suited for tribal regions in mountainous belts, one which allows the element of surprise via ambush and raid is now being deployed into the urban landscape of Pakistan. There is a fearsome fight ahead with much bloodshed. But if a war of increments is allowed to continue, drop for drop, will the bloodshed citizen-to-soldier be a match over time?
As always, I lack wisdom. These are merely my observations. I am about to put you up in lights over on my site, Anwaar. My prayers are with your fighting men.
Tammy Swofford
October 13th, 2009 at 5:43 pmDEAR ANWAAR
You have narrated the facts very nicely.
Your assessment of the Taliban is correct.What a mess this world is in.What do you think the end shall be?
Keep it up.
October 13th, 2009 at 9:21 pmWow!!!! Kharab dey kral, Halaka.
Bless you.
October 14th, 2009 at 8:33 amdear Author,
I am not a regular reader of ur articles but this one ie attack on GHQ i tried to read.
when a drone attack kills few talibans/Uzbek etc, it also kills innocent women and children. Nobody talks about these innocent Paki nationals and nobody from govt/army pays any compensation. It instantly creates few new future suicide bombers. From enemy’s point of view(in an unconventional warfare), GHQ was a legitimate target and no innocent women/children died. Lets give the devil its due.
imzafar
October 14th, 2009 at 9:40 amRe: ImZafar
Dear ImZafar,
Thank you for commenting.
Perhaps you failed to notice that the article was not about condemning or condoning the collateral damage caused by either side i.e. the Taliban or the Pak Army/the US drones. The article was more about the origins of the monsters, their creators and about why never to exploit religions in geo-political pursuits because while ideas can change, as geo-politics often do, faiths never change. Notice–it is the same generals, same faith but different ideas now. And it is the same Taliban, same faith but not willing to entertain any new ideas. For that matter, has your faith changed since birth?
Nor did the article say any where that the GHQ was not a legitimate target as far as the as the Taliban were concerned. On the contrary it asserts that when you create zombies and let them loose upon the world, they can boomerang and hit you back. That is exactly why the GHQ was attacked.
And if you think that the Taliban do not kill women or children, please say so. I will be more than happy to furnish the details. None came there way in GHQ. Do you think a suicide bomber has any way of assuring who to kill and who not to in a throng of people?
Any way, since you have raised the question of collateral damage, I want to ask you a question. If you are found sitting within 50 feet of a mamba like Hakimullah Mehsud, should an adversary consider you a legitimate target or an innocent bystander just there on an educational visit or what? How do you think the attackers should ID innocence? Any ideas?
Regards,
PS: Why did you have to ‘TRY’ to read this article? Was the language difficult or the sentiment painful?
October 14th, 2009 at 10:56 amThey came to GHQ to make the masters realize that “KABI HUM BEE TUM BEE BE THEY ASHNA TUMAHIAN YAD HO KEH NA YAD HO. (we were in love & affection with you in past if you remember or not). from here onwards the masters must realize that what could be the consequences of purporting miscreants
Last Aprox 30 years (Grand masters & masters) they have been digging their own graves, Grand masters doors were knocked on 9/11 and master’s doors knocking intensified thereafter.
Those who are still supporting them (From agencies & security forces) have lesson to learn
Surprisingly no inquiry has been ordered by the government till now?
October 14th, 2009 at 5:02 pmThere lies a dilemma between the old adage, “Kill them all and let God sort them out” and the international law of armed conflict which forbids the killing of non-combatants within the area of conflict.
In reality, the rules governing protection for civilians in time of war did not make strong appearance until the days of the likes of Rousseau and his contemporaries; things like the Lieber Code (General Order 100) under President Lincoln also come to mind, when considering the evolution of thought regarding the harsh and brutal reality of war.
For myself, I have had to rethink some of these issues in recent years. Highly sought targets know they endanger all who surround them. If they are located and there is an operational window of mere minutes to make a decision to surgically strike their location what is to be done if they are nesting with their family? They have chosen to draw the innocent into the bulls-eye. Spare the innocent, leave the threat viable to plan a new attack on a new day? Save three children, see ten more die? Yes, we are talking living souls, a thing which is never taken lightly by those who wear the cloth of the nation and embark on defense.
It is all a matter of who blinks first on some of these things. I am glad that I don’t have the rank to consider that blink.
Tammy Swofford
October 15th, 2009 at 3:15 amExcellent Anwaar, as usual! The only end result of what is now taking place in South Asia is an eventual nuclear exchange between actor states in the ongoing drama. I have no doubt India would launch a preemptive strike against Pakistan, should they feel any group such as the Taliban or Al Qaeda could gain access to Pakistan’s Nukes. Israel would do the same should India not act quickly enough. From either of these scenarios, or many others, the probability of it leading to an all out nuclear world war must be nearly 100%. This has been the scenario for World War 3 for the past 30 years or so, and it seems all the actors are now taking the steps that will guarantee this end result.
October 15th, 2009 at 7:36 amDear Scribe, Having read your “nothing but the truth” article, I cant help but ponder upon one question. Ain’t we adept at carving such a grand strategy and face equally grand disaster ever so often? Whether in Khaki or White, our leadership in their respective field has always let us down. Don’t they ever go through a post exercise/ event analysis and self appraisal process? When will we learn from history, our foul ups, our blunders and the resultant disasters? Clock is ticking and we’re running out of time. There is no third option for us; we take a meaningful step now to leash this monster we created or await (with our eyes closed) for the monster to ravage us. Who will do it though???????
October 15th, 2009 at 7:42 amVery impressive response to imzafar. Well-done Anwaar
October 16th, 2009 at 2:41 pmAnwaar, you are as ruthless as the subject of your article!!!!
October 17th, 2009 at 1:37 amSir,
The best article I have ever read. I am commenting late on this just because I read my mails very occasionally. Anyhow, I liked it very much. Please keep sending me your brilliant work.
Thanks,
M.Y. Khan
October 17th, 2009 at 11:46 amTo imzafar
The Admin replied you very accurately to the point.
I wish to put my two bits as well.
Pakistan’s Army is there to fight and protect Pakistan from all enemies of Pakistan. Today the enemies are the militants and terrorists within Pakistan , and in future (God forbid) it could be a foreign enemy country.
The hard fact is those who live in Pakistan and attack the Army of Pakistan will not hesitate to seek help from Pakistan’s Police and Army to protect them if in the middle of night a crowd of angry lawless people like themselves threaten to drag them out from their homes and kill their women and children first in front of their eyes and then kill them and burn their houses.
What if they phone Police and Army authorities for emergency help and get the reply bluntly “You attacked us so you do not deserve any protection from us. We will protect only those who accept us as their protectors and not become our enemies.”
October 25th, 2009 at 8:09 amSo Taliban don’t kill women and children eh? Check this out;
PESHAWAR: At least 101 people, mostly women and children, were killed and over 150 injured when a huge car bomb ripped through a crowded market here on Wednesday.
October 29th, 2009 at 6:24 amThe worst problem in Pakistan that is causing the current crisis in Pakistan is the vast majority of Pakistani Muslims blindly follow Mullah who are “Neem Mullahs”.
There is a Farsi saying “Neem Hakeem Khatra-e Jaan, Neem Mullah khatra-e Eemaan”
Meaning a half learned physician is a danger to life and a half learned Mullah is a danger to religion (Islam).
Who trains the young Muslims to blow up? No young Muslim will agree to blow up unless he is convinced by a Mullah that the doors of heaven are open waiting to take him in when he dies in the way of Allah. But the fact is the youth does not blow himself up in the way of Allah. You can die in the way of Allah if you die saving a mosque attacked by enemy of Muslims or saving the lives and property of Muslims when attacked by enemies of Muslims. But when you blow up to kill innocent men, women and children, when no one is attacking a mosque or lives and property of Muslims, how could this be a fight in the name of Allah.
I am convinced the Mullahs (including religious leaders) alone are the cause of current crisis in Pakistan. They are the one who control all militants and terrorists.
Please visit these sites to learn about work of Mullahs.
http://www.satribune.com/archives/nov30_dec6_03/opinion_anwaar.htm
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/18-islam-and-social-reform-am-03
November 1st, 2009 at 6:07 am