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[zahidkramet]

The Great Game persists

Zahid U Kramet

Hanging on the lips of nearly every small developing country in the world is the question: does it have any future as a sovereign nation state?

Pakistan is a prime example.

Acceded to by the departing British on their finally reconciling to the demise of the British Empire, the British thought to present a buffer state to guard the forward march of Russia in the Great Game.

They did not succeed.

From the outset India drew closer to Russia on the ‘non-alignment’ platform’ and became, to all extents and purposes, Russia’s staunchest supporter in the East.

Enter the heir to the imperial crown.

Failing to make adequate ground on the Indian side of the divide, the US won over Pakistan as its most favoured non-NATO ally in the South Asian-Middle East theatre.

The move paid dividends.

As a first, once it had stabilized economically, Pakistan obliged by acting as a bridge to bring about a thaw in US- China relations in the Nixon-Mao era that stood the test of time.

This confirmed the strategic partnership between the US and Pakistan.

Come the USSR invasion of Afghanistan, Pakistan’s commitment to the capitalist cause was again put to the test. It came up trumps: the Soviet invasion was repelled courtesy the Pakistan propelled Mujahidin.

But Pakistan was left holding the bag.

With the retreat of the Soviet forces, Afghanistan descended into chaos with war-lords ruling the roost and an unending stream of Afghan refugees pouring into Pakistan.

The cost to Pakistan was astronomical -- the recompense minimal.

Still, Pakistan rose to the occasion and structured the Taliban from amongst the motivated Mujahedeen to bring some sense of order to its war-ravaged northern neighbour -- and it seemed to be working.

It was all for naught.

Came 9/11, Iraq, world-wide bombings, bin Laden, Afghanistan, with Mumbai to queer the pitch and now the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza. How is all of this not to be seen as a crusade against Islam?

It won’t.

Not anywhere in the Muslim world, where governments will face the resentment against the West’s military presence in Middle East and adjoining areas enticing more youth into the ranks of terrorism.

So where are we headed?

Not towards the US’s New World Order, and well away from World Trade Organization (WTO) and its free movement of capital paradigm with Russia continuing to be denied entry into that body.

India to the rescue?

A pipe dream. Its close ties with Russia will prevent this, notwithstanding it having become Israel’s largest weapons purchaser and its intelligence service RAW drawing ever closer to Israel’s Mossad.

An India-Pakistan war?

No chance. India has already evaluated the cost benefit ratio and its foreign office has clearly spelt out to the media that there is little likelihood of that, despite the alleged provocations on Pakistan’s part.

The probable outcome of the current standoff?

Pretty much defined, with Iran and China acting as the mediators and Russia urging restraint. The odds are an issuance of a formal memorandum of understanding to tackle the terrorist problem collectively.

Sovereignty and the nation state?

To all extents and purposes relegated to the dustbin of history with the portended US troop surge in Afghanistan and new regional alliances likely emerging to maintain the balance of power equation.

The Great Game persists.

[raven.gale]

But will then any one of these "new regional alliances" move earnestly to secure the world against the threat emanating from terrorism in its many forms and manifestations?
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Raven Gale

[zahidkramet]

It would have been infinitely easier to tackle terrorism collectively had not Israel embarked on the Gaza adventure.