The Raymond Davis fiasco

The Raymond Davis affair is shrouded in mystery: First, the name of the American national is suspect because, according to the State Department, it is not his original name. Secondly, the weapons, electronic gadgets and maps recovered from his car make it an enigma. Also, the information from his cell phone revealed that he had lunch and dinner engagements with certain militants, which further make his activities doubtful. With each passing day, the Mozang tragedy is becoming more complicated. Davis non-cooperative behaviour and Pakistans frequent arm twisting by the US administration for his immediate release claiming diplomatic immunity, which is a doubtful assertion, is creating immense confusion. Normally, whenever a so-called diplomat (a spy agent) has to be compromised, his country disowns him and plays it cool. But amazingly in this case, Washington is so rattled that it has come out brazenly in his defence and using all sorts of pressure tactics including the blackmailing of Pakistan to impose economic and diplomatic sanctions. Washingtons warning to put on hold all the aid pledged in dollars and supply of military hardware; Secretary Clintons refusal to meet Ex-Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Munich; State Departments cancellation of the trilateral dialogue between Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US scheduled in the third week of February on the lame excuse of political changes in Pakistan; prominent US law makers and even the administrations subtle hints of impairing or disrupting other bilateral initiatives including slowing down of visa process for Pakistani citizens; and to top it all, the possibility to indefinitely defer the exchange of bilateral visits of the heads of states of the two countries scheduled during the current year - all these tactics amount to pressurise Pakistan to release the American spy. It is surprising that the US - the sole superpower - is confronting, and so openly, a small regional power like Pakistan with dire consequences if one of its undercover spies is not released. This man - Raymond Davis - if that is his real name, seems to be an extraordinary person, or the job that he was assigned was of a special significance. In its anxiety to secure his release, the US administration is running helter-skelter, and the State Department is issuing ambiguous and at times contradictory statements. Cameron Munter, American Ambassador to Pakistan, specially sojourned to Washington DC for consultations. Besides this, the White House has summoned Pakistans Ambassador twice to convey its concerns on Davis continued detention. But who is this man? According to Pentagon, Davis is a Virginian, who served in the American army for 10 years - first with the infantry division before joining the 3rd Special Forces Groups (commando) in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He left the army in August 2003. After that he set up a security intelligence agency called Hyperion Protective Services, registered in Las Vegas. He was hired by the CIA for the State Department and despatched to Pakistan, and was initially granted visa for three months, which expired in December 2009, wherein the purpose of the visit was declared as official, but did not determine whether he enjoyed diplomatic status or not. Perhaps, that is why the US Embassy is hesitant to reveal the exact nature of his work here. He carries two passports, and speaks Urdu and Pushto fluently, which may have helped him in making secret contacts with the locals. This clearly proves that Davis is one of the employees of the private armed security and intelligence agencies like Blackwater hired by the CIA. Hence, those employed are granted visas by the Government of Pakistan and some of them carry diplomatic status, while others dont. It is also unfortunate that the State Department officials admit that he was hired by them, yet decline to divulge the nature of his job and his real name; the American Embassy is also hesitant to talk about it either. According to WikiLeaks, the former President of Pakistan General (retd) Pervez Musharraf under a secret understanding had instructed the Pakistan Embassy, in Washington, to issue any number of visas to the American citizens even without the clearance from Pakistans security agencies and Foreign Office. Reportedly, in the first flush 500 visas with one year validity were issued in three days to Americans. The system continues and 3,555 visas were issued in the year 2010. But the question is: What do the Americans really want to do with such a large force of secret service undercover agents in Pakistan? And also the expansion of the US Embassy and upgrading of its regional offices, along with the stationing of naval 'guards, point out to the American desperation to get hold of, or destroy Pakistans nuclear capability. As a first step in this direction, they are working to destabilise the law and order situation by supporting and funding insurgency in various parts of the country, particularly in Balochistan. This spy agent is only one of the hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of the US underground secret operators engaged in achieving US objectives in Pakistan. Nevertheless, it should be clear that Pakistan is not going to get anything substantial from the US, except for empty words and the dazzle of dollars, but no dollars, as the Americans will not risk upsetting India, whom they want to see as a regional power. It will change the regional dynamics in South Asia, and the Middle East, to reduce Pakistans influence and make it strategically subservient. In any case, the mercenary role that Pakistan has played so far must end, and it should stand on its own feet. It would be a hard and difficult venture, but it can be done and should be done; there is no other way out. Surely, US sanctions if imposed will hurt Pakistan most being a smaller country, but the superpower will definitely feel the pinch and miss a reliable ally in its war in Afghanistan and a friend in the region. So far, Pakistan has been toeing the American line, maybe out of compulsion for the need of pelf, but living perpetually on the dole of US dollars is not good enough. The Davis phenomenon has provided Pakistan with an opportunity to review the whole scenario and be bold. The coming times are crucial as the eye of the storm is moving fast towards Pakistan. It is now or never and there may not be a second chance. The writer is former ADC to the Quaid-i-Azam.