The parallel universe

Governments and political leaders usually face situations that involve very difficult decisions in the face of competing alternatives to resolve challenges; a phenomenon known as the parallel universe. Such situations test the mettle, sagacity and vision of the leaders in tackling those challenges in the best long-term interest of the nation, even though they might be very unpopular at the time when they are taken. Numerous examples can be given where the leaders took unpopular decisions and paid a heavy price politically. USAs involvement in the Vietnam war that cost nearly 50,000 American lives was the most unpopular decision ever taken by a US President, but when an aide of Lyndon Johnson after his retirement referring to the war suggested to him that there could have been some other road to peace, he said: "Do you know what it's like to feel responsible for the deaths of men you love? Well, all that horror was acceptable if it prevented the far worse horror of the World War III. For that would have meant the end of everything we know." From that perspective, the decision by Musharraf to go along the US in the so-called war on terror was quite pragmatic. He faced a tricky situation and had to decide whether it was in the long-term interest of Pakistan to cooperate by partially surrendering its sovereignty or choose a disastrous course of total annihilation by a superpower hell-bent on avenging 9/11. He saved Pakistan from being pummeled, though his decision never had the public approval for which he was even dubbed as an American agent. In hindsight that decision was correct and because of that, a decade later, we now find ourselves in a much better position to stand up to the American highhandedness after the Mohmand attack, as much water has flown under the bridge and new ground realities have emerged. Pakistan now is in a much better position to correct the imbalance in the equation of relations between the two countries. In fact, the US strategy of threatening and badgering us to continue doing what is not in our interest has proved counterproductive and made us to show resistance. The Salalah incident has given us a godsend opportunity to assert our position and take a tough stance. The decision to suspend Nato supplies, have the Shamsi airbase vacated, boycotting the Bonn Conference and the orders to our field forces to retaliate in case of any attack have gone well with the entire society and created a stir at the international level. We have sent a strong message that Pakistan cannot be taken for granted any longer. However, playing to the gallery is not a preferable option in regard to serious foreign policy issues. It requires cool introspection and not just the anger. We have to use our cards prudently and avoid the propensity to overemphasise our leverage against the US in finding an amicable solution to the Afghan conundrum. If Pakistan is indispensable to the US in achieving its objectives in Afghanistan, it is also in its best interest to facilitate settlement in that country. If there is a strong anti-US feeling in Pakistan, there are also influential voices within the US Senate and Congress, who are advocating a change in Washingtons policy towards Pakistan, hinting at the possibility of action against the Islamic State for its alleged patronage of the Taliban. We need to tread cautiously to avert a situation of confrontation. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has stated that the Pak-US relations will not take long to repair. In an interview with Associated Press (AP), he said that Pakistan remained committed to working with Afghanistan to bring insurgent leaders into talks with the government and allow the US to begin withdrawing its troops. He also revealed: "We have evolved some mechanisms and we are ready to cooperate. The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has welcomed the statement. Before the US leaves it wants to ensure that the Taliban do not pose a threat to the new dispensation later. To achieve that objective, reportedly, the US is planning a massive military offensive in Eastern Afghanistan and take out insurgent groups allegedly based in Pakistan that might entail aerial attacks within our territory. Given our latest stance that any future attack will be befittingly retaliated, military confrontation with a superpower, in any case, is not desirable. Our leadership will have to show vision and not allow the present crisis to go out of hand. The writer is a freelance columnist. Email: ashpak10@gmail.com