by Muneeb Ali
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The recent girl flogging video, public beheadings in Swat, regular suicide attacks, and scary NY Times articles have one thing in common. They all scream out one clear message; the Taliban movement is alive again. This time in Pakistan. The war against the Taliban will not, and cannot, be won on the battlefield alone. If the Taliban gain strength and mobilize millions instead of thousands of followers, this clash can turn into a genocide. The Taliban will use any such genocide to further shake the status quo. The 1971 Bangladesh atrocities teach us that you cannot use bullets and bombs to stop the will of a people. It only fuels their anger and strengthens their cause. |
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What surprises me is the lack of non-military initiatives launched against the Taliban. Is dropping bombs and sending aid the best we can do? Considering we are at the loosing end right now, how do we adapt and try to control the Taliban cancer?
I think that we forgot the basics. The Taliban movement started and will end at Madrassas (religious schools). Whoever controls the Madrassas controls the next generation of Taliban fighters and followers. There is no such thing as a peaceful Madrassa and a violent Madrassa. With no worldly knowledge, Madrassa students grow up to be naturally receptive to the message of the Taliban. Every young soul is important. He will either grow up to be a Taliban supporter or not. What are we doing to bring him to the other side?
It is shameful that people as illiterate and poor as the Taliban are better at spreading their message than us. Their grassroots movements are stronger and more effective. They reach more eye balls and ears than any anti-Taliban message. At least in the areas which matter. Because the Taliban is fighting in the name of religion, people find it hard to openly criticize them. As if they will anger God. This should not be a fight between religion and moderation, but a fight between (good) religion and (bad) religion. You need religious scholars to come out and label the Taliban as "Kafir" (infidels). You need them to send a strong, clear message that a suicide bomber will go straight to hell. No virgins for you son.
This is an advertising war. Make Taliban a synonym for "Kafir" and their support in the Muslim world will break. Even though Muslims don't have a Pope, there is still considerable hierarchy in the religious circles e.g., the Shia Mujtahids or the Imam of Kaba. The message of the Taliban being anti-Islamic needs to trickle down from top religious authorities and then spread to every corner of every village.
Controlling the spread of the Taliban is much more complex than militarily defeating them. It requires a coherent policy from multiple parties, most of which have conflicting incentives. Our only hope is that they all come together against this common enemy. The American policy think tanks do bring up issues like investigating their monetary supply and stopping the flow of drug money, foreign donations, and weapons. However, there is little evidence of any practical steps.
ISI on the other hand needs to refresh its strategy. They need to let go of the Jihadi networks for the benefit of everyone. This is too crucial a time to play double games. The worst players by far are the Pakistani politicians. You cannot make peace deals with the Taliban. This only legitimizes their authority. You cannot deal with the Taliban at the diplomatic level. You don't negotiate with lunatics and thugs. Period.
Driving the Taliban out of areas is not important, keeping them out forever is. This war is more about winning hearts and minds than winning territories. The sooner we realize this the better. Corner them on all the other fronts and then unleash the military might. Use tanks, bombs, drones - whatever it takes. Let history remember them as the fools who thought they could suck the world back in to the dark ages.
I think that we forgot the basics. The Taliban movement started and will end at Madrassas (religious schools). Whoever controls the Madrassas controls the next generation of Taliban fighters and followers. There is no such thing as a peaceful Madrassa and a violent Madrassa. With no worldly knowledge, Madrassa students grow up to be naturally receptive to the message of the Taliban. Every young soul is important. He will either grow up to be a Taliban supporter or not. What are we doing to bring him to the other side?
It is shameful that people as illiterate and poor as the Taliban are better at spreading their message than us. Their grassroots movements are stronger and more effective. They reach more eye balls and ears than any anti-Taliban message. At least in the areas which matter. Because the Taliban is fighting in the name of religion, people find it hard to openly criticize them. As if they will anger God. This should not be a fight between religion and moderation, but a fight between (good) religion and (bad) religion. You need religious scholars to come out and label the Taliban as "Kafir" (infidels). You need them to send a strong, clear message that a suicide bomber will go straight to hell. No virgins for you son.
This is an advertising war. Make Taliban a synonym for "Kafir" and their support in the Muslim world will break. Even though Muslims don't have a Pope, there is still considerable hierarchy in the religious circles e.g., the Shia Mujtahids or the Imam of Kaba. The message of the Taliban being anti-Islamic needs to trickle down from top religious authorities and then spread to every corner of every village.
Controlling the spread of the Taliban is much more complex than militarily defeating them. It requires a coherent policy from multiple parties, most of which have conflicting incentives. Our only hope is that they all come together against this common enemy. The American policy think tanks do bring up issues like investigating their monetary supply and stopping the flow of drug money, foreign donations, and weapons. However, there is little evidence of any practical steps.
ISI on the other hand needs to refresh its strategy. They need to let go of the Jihadi networks for the benefit of everyone. This is too crucial a time to play double games. The worst players by far are the Pakistani politicians. You cannot make peace deals with the Taliban. This only legitimizes their authority. You cannot deal with the Taliban at the diplomatic level. You don't negotiate with lunatics and thugs. Period.
Driving the Taliban out of areas is not important, keeping them out forever is. This war is more about winning hearts and minds than winning territories. The sooner we realize this the better. Corner them on all the other fronts and then unleash the military might. Use tanks, bombs, drones - whatever it takes. Let history remember them as the fools who thought they could suck the world back in to the dark ages.
