Ed Morrissey in his blog takes note of the US officials’ current rhetoric about covert intelligence and military operations in the tribal areas of Pakistan, and the strong reaction this evoked from President Pervez Musharraf who said that he would consider such a step by US troops as “invasion of his country.”
Well said, General (oops Mr) Musharraf!
Mr Musharraf by now should know the dangers of riding a wild tiger. However, in this verbal duel between Washington and Islamabad the first round definitely goes to the latter. Let’s see who ultimately wins…for the US troops were not exactly invited by the leaders in Iraq and Afghanistan, or given a red carpet welcome either.
But then the world seems totally reconciled to the non-stop adventurism of the current US administration; and the leaders of other powerful nations appear almost helpless/impotent in the face of this challenge.
An agency report states: “President Pervez Musharraf warned that U.S. troops would be regarded as invaders if they crossed into Pakistan’s border region with Afghanistan in the hunt for al-Qaeda or Taliban militants, according to an interview published Friday.
“The New York Times reported last week that Washington was considering expanding the authority of the Central Intelligence Agency and the military to peruse aggressive covert operations within the tribal regions.
” ‘If they come without our permission, that’s against the sovereignty of Pakistan. I challenge anybody coming into our mountains,’ he (Musharraf) said in the interview in the garrison city of Rawalpindi. ‘They would regret that day.’
Even Mr Musharraf’s detractors would grudgingly admire his guts. The President of Pakistan knows that he is riding a wild tiger whose abode is…(The White House…or did I hear you say the tribal areas???). In the history of Pakistan there have been strong leaders (both military and civilians). However, there is no instance of a leader who could survive much longer after dismounting the tiger!
The US threat is a matter of serious concern not only for Pakistan but for the entire international community. President Musharraf should realise now that it is better to make amends with one’s own rivals/enemies within the country than regret friendship with someone far away in a different country who sooner than later could turn into a bully…or worse.
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.