The lesson from WikiLeaks :Never depend on Pak for fighting terrorism

by T.V. Rajeswar

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100807/edit.htm#4

THE WikiLeaks disclosures have burst upon the world scene like a thunder and the impact will be seen during the coming months. The 91,000 documents, which an American serviceman with access to all these sensitive papers has provided, cover a period of six years, from 2004 onwards. These leaks have been described as more damaging to the defence establishment of the US than the Pentagon papers, which were leaked by Daniel Ellsberg in 1971. Daniel Ellsberg wanted to expose the futility of the long-drawn-out war in Vietnam and the impact of what he did at that time was devastating.

The most important aspect of the WikiLeaks documents is that they have clearly exposed the collusion between Pakistan’s ISI and the Taliban. Pakistan, which was receiving billions of dollars in aid from the United States, was cynically abetting and indeed actively helping the attacks on the Americans as well as the US-led coalition forces in Afghanistan. While these have come as a revelation to the public at large, the US itself was fully aware of what was happening, as the WikiLeaks disclosures have so clearly demonstrated.

Julian Paul Assange, who is behind the WikiLeaks website, considers himself a master whistleblower and a crusader. He believes that such leaks are an integral part of the information warfare and calls himself a media insurgent. He has announced that apart from the 91,000 documents in his possession, there are 15,000 more documents which are yet to be analysed and released on the web. To go back into the history of the war in Afghanistan, it started with the Russian invasion in 1979. The US and Pakistan pooled their resources – the US with financial help and weapons, and Pakistan with proxy manpower, and after 10 long years, that too after a regime change in the Soviet Union, the Russians withdrew from Afghanistan.

The Pakistan-backed fighters, the Taliban, were subsequently enabled to take control of Afghanistan. Probably no one would have bothered to disturb the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and its close links with Pakistan but for the dramatic attack carried out on the World Trade Towers in Manhattan, New York, on September 11, 2001. Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda, having taken shelter in Afghanistan, were considered as the biggest threat to the US, which led to the entry of American forces in Afghanistan. The US worked out a coalition of forces for which several countries contributed their troops.

With this deep involvement, it was a shocking revelation when the intelligence taps were indicating the Pakistani collusion with the Taliban in mounting attacks on American forces as well as the US-led coalition forces.

Pakistan’s double game was known to the US all along but it had to necessarily work with Islamabad in dealing with the militarily difficult Af-Pak region and the Taliban in Afghanistan. President Obama had announced that, effective from July 2011, there would be a phased pullout of US troops from Afghanistan. There had been clarifications, however, that this would depend upon the situation on the ground. However, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda believe that this is the beginning of the end of the presence of the American troops in Afghanistan.

Undoubtedly, this has led to a power struggle between the various factions in Afghanistan. Pakistan would like to position itself in a manner that it would be recognised as the most dominant military factor in the country. Towards this end, which Pakistan apparently considers as a matter of time, it is collaborating with the Taliban. Even conceding that Pakistan’s double game was in pursuance of this reasoning, how would any observer explain the perfidy of Pakistan almost since 2004?

While the WikiLeaks should come as a shock and eye-opener to the Americans, they are unfortunately in no position to take a harsh line towards Islamabad since the US has to depend on Pakistan a great deal for sustaining the war in Afghanistan. The military supplies go through the Af-Pak territory. The Americans have reportedly given almost $18 billion by way of aid in various forms to Pakistan ever since 2001. There is also a commitment for an infusion of $2.5 billion per annum for a period of five years commencing next year. Commenting on the WikiLeaks, the US National Security Adviser, Gen James Jones, said that such “irresponsible leaks” would have no impact on the US commitments to its partnership with Afghanistan-Pakistan, and this only exposes the helplessness of the US. As for India, the leaks show the unrelenting hostility of Pakistan on India’s role in Afghanistan.

The ISI had actively promoted the attack by the jihadi elements affiliated to the Haqqani faction of the Taliban on the Indian Embassy in Kabul, not only in July 2008 but also last year, when the attempt had failed. It also promoted attacks against the Indian labourers engaged in development activities in Kabul. If Pakistan could play a dangerous double game against its own benefactor, the US, would it not be futile to expect it to fulfil any of its commitments to India?

The most important factor that emerges from the WikiLeaks is that Pakistan cannot be expected to ensure that terrorist attacks against India are stopped, much less stringent action taken against those who launched those strikes against India in November 2008. There is also no guarantee that the attacks like those unleashed in Mumbai in November 2008 would not happen again in India. The WikiLeaks disclosures have administered a big dose of realism to India.

The writer is a former Governor of UP and West Bengal.