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I’ve had a few questions now from some forum members asking me to delineate what I stand for. Specifically, two of the questions ask what I envision for a Pashtoon state and how Americanism plays into this, in light of being raised here in the states. I’ll try to address this in a logical format. My hope is that this post sheds a little light on my prior posts and addresses some concerns.
1) Where do I see myself in all of this and what role shall I play?
The short of the long is: nowhere and none. No seriously, I am first and foremost a physician and secondarily, an American citizen. I am a vociferous non interventionalist, but by no means a pacifist. I think that one of the most dangerous games that American citizens play, whether they be Israelis, Arabs, Ukranians, Afghans, etc. is involving their adopted country into the affairs of their native lands. This in turn wreaks havoc in world affairs and guarantees that America verges on an empire as opposed to a republic and nation state that its founders intended. The acts of history and the centuries of interventionalism, whether it be Iranian (1700s), Indian (1600s-1700s), Arab, Turkish, Mongolian, British (1800s and onwards), Russian, American, and even Greek interventionalism has created a situation where a brave and noble people, the Pashtoons, have had to pour their heart and soul into fighting aggression and occupation. Similar to an abusive household, where kids are more caught up in surviving than advancing, the centuries of war and foreign interventionalism have taken their toll on our people.
Ideally, establishing a clinical system in FATA/rural Afghanistan that serves all comers afflicted with ailments, whether they be ISI operatives, Mullahs, Talibs, common folk, maliks, Pak Soldiers, Afghan Soldiers etc. is a goal of mine. Everyone deserves to be treated irrespective of their beliefs. I think the Mayo Clinic/Cleveland Clinic system with its central base and multiple satellite hospitals is the way to go. The Rehman Medical Institute (RMI) in Peshawar proves its possible to build a modern and nearly cutting edge medical facility (though they serve the elite of the population). So similar to how there is Cleveland Clinic Florida etc., I can envision Rehman Institute Wana/Kandahar/etc.
These are pipe dreams until a power grid is erected though. You cannot do much without constant and consistent electricity and an industrial base. I prefer not to build on subpar kacha house medical clinic approach that plagues FATA.
However, I really enjoy helping out aspiring medical students/residency applicants from our background whether they be here or from abroad, whether I agree with their political views or not. At this point, since I am still at the advanced edge of my training phase, I mainly offer guidance and advice, but I have relatives that entered the system from abroad and usually try to connect folks with these people for tangible benefits/places to stay while applying. I want to do more when I am established. My hope is that these folks do not simply attempt to reap the American lifestyle, and enter private practice, and live it up in their Islamabad/Kabul Bungalows during the summer. I would encourage them to enter academic medicine/clinical practice and do what Israelis and Indians appear to be good at, which is advancing their native medical school/education systems and removing corruption.
2) Are you for an independent Pashtunistan/Pashtunkhwa?
If the locals yearn to and subsequently become capable of accomplishing this, why not? I am for what serves the population in the best way. By now, I have seen that there are a spectrum of views here from M16 on the reactionary side to the views of various other religious minded posters to completely secular/socialist minded folks. I can appreciate a little of all of these views on this subject. I used to think like M16 and be pretty aggressive about my stance regarding Panjabi/Urduban/Farsiban influence. If someone used to address me in urdo or farsi I would be certain to make it clear to them I preferred to not speak their language. I used to go so far as to say that had the only thing the Arabs had going for them was Muhammad (S). I actually still sympathize with what M16 is about regarding the Pashtoons being used and abused on all sides. I still have a gag reflex that kicks in when I see Pashtoons co-opting the cultural standards of the surrounding ethnic groups and act subservient to these groups.
However, I also read enough history to understand that all of the attempts of outside forces to establish an ideology or enforce a thought process on this region failed save one attempt. It appears that for whatever reason, the Pashtoon adopted Islam, made it a pillar of his society, and became a soldier for it. Whether it is watered down with secularism, whether its subverted by the elements of Pashtoonwali, the Pashtoon is a vigorous defender of his brand of Islam. I’ve now regurgitated Churchill’s quote a thousand times and reproduce it here again:
“Their superstition exposes them to the rapacity and tyranny of a numerous priesthood – “Mullahs,” “Sahibzadas,” “Akhundzadas,” Fakirs,” – and a host of wandering Talib-ul-ilms, who correspond with the theological students in Turkey, and live free at the expense of the people.” Winston Churchill, The Story of the Malakand Field Force: An Episode of Frontier War, 1897
So whatever Pashtoonkhwa is built on ought to reflect the nature of the people and not simply be facsimile of the American, German, British, Pakistani, Russian, Socialist, Communist, Arab Sultanate style leadership/governance.
It has to be a meritocracy to succeed. The problem with a jirga/malik based system is that it erects a plutocracy as opposed to a meritocracy. That is why leadership fell to Timur Shah Durrani, who persianized the kingdom the moved the capital to Kabul. His son, in turn, turned out to be unfit for leadership. It was not a meritocracy and therefore, it failed.
God chose Malik Thalooth to lead because he was meritorious and Dauood led after him for the same reasons. The Maliks and others frowned, but there was wisdom in this.
3) How does Pashtunkhwa figure into the designs of surrounding players/ethnic groups/language groups?
I think that M16’s view distills down to the simple request for respect. It is quiet true that the greatest sacrifices were rendered by the Pashtoons, only to be rewarded with the greatest oppression by the powers that be. He appears to have arrives at the conclusion that in this dog eat dog world, everyone looks out for their own and we ought to do that to. It is not so far off from a practical stance on things. He appears to say: The house is burning down, Zardari is stealing for his own, Dostum is pillaging for his own… perhaps we ought to think about our own benefit in this environment. He ascribes to Khushal Khan Khattak’s mindset that the Pashtoons suffer the Siffin effect. The Siffin effect is a reference I came up with based on the famous Battle of Siffin. In the Battle of Siffin, Ali’s, the fourth caliph’s troops were poised for victory, but the opposing army attached pages of the Quran to their lances/spears. This was an effective psychological warfare tactic because Ali’s army refused to “attack the Quran.” The result was that he lost politically and militarily though no injunction exists regarding attacking an opposing army simply because they store Quran’s in their home or put pages of it on their lances. Quiet often, the surrounding ethnic groups appear to the commonality of religion and harness the Pashtoon’s war prowess to their own ends. Khushal Khan Baba was referring to Aurangzaib’s utilization of the religion to subdue the Pashtoon for his own devices.
I do not think M16 is so far off when he tells his brethren that they need to wise up or continue to suffer under the boot of others. It appears that many surveys of recent day show Southern Afghans are beginning to back an independent Pashtunistan for precisely these reasons.
My primary qualm with M16 and Toramana’s views rest on who they want to turn leadership over to. They simply want to trade one set of masters for another equally inept set, all backed by the same groups of outside powers. I cannot fathom how Karzai, an inept leader with no leadership qualifications ought to replace an inept Zardari for the Khybar Pashtunkhwa Pashtoons. I cannot fathom how Achakzai, a failed engineer, and the son of a tribal Malik ought to lead on the other side.
Currently, the Pashtoons of Khybar Pashtoonkhwa enjoy a small measure of stability, with rising education rates at the professional level. To ask them to trade that stability for a haphazardly built state solely so we can drink green tea, eat sugared almonds, and dance the ataan in a thousand different according to clan ways is not only foolish and arrogant, but its dangerous.
Ultimately, do you want to ethnically cleanse your brethren to build this state? I prefer to meet my maker with clean hands not bloody ones.
4) How does such a state figure into the surrounding realm?
Once again, I think folks are trading the practical for the ideal. It appears that preferring one’s ethnic group and family is engrained in our DNA. That is why it is impractical to assume that in an environment where literacy rates are abysmal, and where strength ensures survival, that anyone will automatically cede your rights to you. If the people of Panjab or the people of North of Afghanistan can bring in the big bucks and electricity for their provinces, they are going to do it without a second thought or care for their Pashtoon Muslim brethren. The region is not enlightened enough to understand that binding itself together with a common purpose and associating trade and commerce is far better than this.
Toramana appears to be equate what I am about to say with Pan Islamism, I simply refer to it as being plain smart: Look at the Bengalis and the Baloch. Two people that chafe for independence. The former won it and the latter yearn for it. What are they accomplishing? The former acquired it and built a failed stated that is nearly as corrupt as its predecessor East/West Pakistan. Human rights suffer in Bengladesh and their economy is in tatters. The latter still relegate themselves to being subservient to the corrupt Malik system and plutocratic approaches to life. Their leadership, the Bugti make no qualms when the majority revenue comes their way and lines their pockets, but make a huge show of patriotic independence when that flow is diverted to the Panjab. Do they allow that money to trickle down to the common Bugti tribesmen when it does come their way? No.
On the other hand, look at India and the Panjab at the educational level. They send thousands of medical students abroad to the US and Britain. They were ruled by the British and have harnessed that English speaking skill to dominate American Hospitals. Aga Khan Medical, a private medical school, is sending people into Americans most competitive specialities.
Take a look at Israel. Despite our antithesis to the state, its intelligence agencies and people have managed a huge fiat accompli. Centuries of waiting and patience culminated into the creation of a viable nation state that uses its tentacles to control the world’s super power. It was done through subterfuge, some level of compromising their own morals, and avarice, but it is still viable and modern.
I prefer not to build a failed state on top of a state already on life support.
5) Where does Islam play into all of this?
Wherever God decides that it does. My ultimate issue with those that malign Mullah Muhammad Omar and Abdul Salam Zaeef is that the leaders that they offer in their stead were do nothing arm chair warriors while these men led from the field. Had Karzai actually led from the field, he might have earned a modicum of respect. Instead, there are pictures of his premature balding head dressed up in 80s leisure suits attempting to squeeze into the useless Peshawar power house meetings composed of tribal maliks and other say everything but do nothing players. One thing I do admire about the Americans is that it is historical fact that when Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin were offered the back door out by France if the going got bad, they refused it. They led the war effort from the field and they then earned the right to lead.
Meritocracy demands that leadership fall on those that earn it. A Malik or King that runs to the mud baths of France/Italy while his people suffer and fight for their independence is no leader at all. This fact plaques the leadership of Iraq just as much as it does the leadership of Afghanistan.
The usual charge stacked against these folks is that they are ISI/Panjab proxies. I say, so what? All this amounts to is that a group of folks had hardline views and their ultimate objectives fell into eclipsing line with the local Pakistani intelligence agencies/governments.
For instance, Farhat Taj Andersen writes articles that support M16’s view point. Therefore, he touts her as a reliable source. He has clearly stated its because she supports his cause. The minute she reneges and starts supporting an opposing viewpoint, he might dispose of her support.
In the same way, if a cadre of fighters, known as the Taliban, saw it fit to utilize Pakistani aid to achieve their objectives, and created an anti India centric/ anti Russia centric government in response to this aid, it hardly surprises me.
In the end, the ideal set up would be a region where Pashtoons can set up a functioning government that is a meritocracy and benefits the people. If this is similar to the Scottish realm of independence within the current UK, then so be it. A larger benefit for the Muslim people would be strong localized states with mutual respect that trade and do commerce similar to the 50 United States. Each state asserts states rights, but the greater good binds them all.
6) Lindsey Graham and his pesky bases
All of the above discussion is irrelevant and negated by the ground level reality. There are layers of occupation going on currently. At the center of the occupation is local domination by adjacent groups. Backing these groups are the outside powers (Iran, Russia, America, Britian, and China).
The group referenced in 5 appears to be the only one opposing the permanent bases that these super powers seek to build.
I eagerly await the alternative approach to removing this very real and now open threat to Pashtoon sovereignty that the occupation forces have promulgated and Karzai’s openness to this:
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/arti...nent-U-S-bases
The dream of an independent state is far far away my friends and the opposition here (Toramana, M16, etc) offer no plan or methodology for dealing with Mr. Graham’s proposal at the ground level.
7) The evolution of thought and statehood.
The reason why I prefer noninterventionalism is that it produces results. American secularism and democracy, for that those that yearn for it, was not uploaded on a CD ROM or enforced by the gun. It began in the field called Runny Meade where the English Nobles forced King John to cede some of his powers. That was centuries before a single European set foot on this land.
Subsequently, the British settlers established a fundamentalist Christian colony that was a theocracy. Local Indians were killed and massacred in the droves with two options (either convert or die—at least the Muslim invaders offered the third option of the Jizyah tax). Those that converted were sent to towns for Indian converts and denied basic human decency.
Women were hung by the droves for the accusation of being witches and dead women’s bones were dug up and burned in oil.
However, the Massachussets Bay Colony was left alone and eventually its ideologies evolved. Eventually you had Nathaniel Hawthorne writing books and books apologizing for the wrongs of his ancestors (his great great grand father was the head magistrate during the Salem Witch Trials).
The same goes for Iran. The Iranian Nation was left alone and evolved from Khomenie to Khatami. However, as outside intervionalism and neighbor states infringe on Iran’s sovereignty the rural populace (the masses) elect folks that represent their appropriate response to the world (Ahmedinijad).
Therefore, my belief is that the Theocratic Afghan state will eventually involute and evolve, but this will take patient and time. Each time we intervene in their affairs, we set back this progression decades, if not centuries.
8) What does my American experience do to craft my views?
Well, it allows me to view the current history being made through the American prism of that history that already was made. I grew up in what was once Shawnee tribal territory (the Wazirs/Mehseds of their day). It was the land of Tecumseh, the last Shawnee Indian brave to make a stand and unite the native tribes against American/European eradication/occupation. Tecumseh had read up on King Philips Wars in the north east and saw the savage results of what American treaties and occupation meant. They eventually killed him.
The usual tempo of American movement westward, with manifest destiny as its fueling factor, was bloody and only tempered by treaties that were made just to be broken.
With that in mind, I prefer to intellectually sympathize with those young men who fight American/European occupation with all their heart and vigor. They know what lies ahead is brutality, broken treaties, and enslavement. After all, this is the same group of people that eradicated a whole people here in the states. If one were to say, well that was particular to their own environment and to secure their own continent, I’d say look at South Africa and Australia. The latter were blatant attempts to destroy local tribes, ethnic groups and cultures. The latter attempts succeeded and were British instigated.
So M16, where I am currently, there is a local casino run by a band of basically white folks who claim 1/16 or 1/10 Wompanog Indian blood. What a darned shame and what a tragedy. They took everything and anything from the peoples that inhabited here; and now, they even took their name and use it for profit.
Perhaps you might be singing a different tune one day when the first Mehsud Casino is set up and a group of blue eyed and blond haired foreigners named Danny and Tabitha claim they were 1/16 Mehsud.
I refer you to Mark Twain’s the War Prayer for the full effect of what growing up Afghan in America meant when you were studied in the history of the country:
http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/making/warprayer.html
1) Where do I see myself in all of this and what role shall I play?
The short of the long is: nowhere and none. No seriously, I am first and foremost a physician and secondarily, an American citizen. I am a vociferous non interventionalist, but by no means a pacifist. I think that one of the most dangerous games that American citizens play, whether they be Israelis, Arabs, Ukranians, Afghans, etc. is involving their adopted country into the affairs of their native lands. This in turn wreaks havoc in world affairs and guarantees that America verges on an empire as opposed to a republic and nation state that its founders intended. The acts of history and the centuries of interventionalism, whether it be Iranian (1700s), Indian (1600s-1700s), Arab, Turkish, Mongolian, British (1800s and onwards), Russian, American, and even Greek interventionalism has created a situation where a brave and noble people, the Pashtoons, have had to pour their heart and soul into fighting aggression and occupation. Similar to an abusive household, where kids are more caught up in surviving than advancing, the centuries of war and foreign interventionalism have taken their toll on our people.
Ideally, establishing a clinical system in FATA/rural Afghanistan that serves all comers afflicted with ailments, whether they be ISI operatives, Mullahs, Talibs, common folk, maliks, Pak Soldiers, Afghan Soldiers etc. is a goal of mine. Everyone deserves to be treated irrespective of their beliefs. I think the Mayo Clinic/Cleveland Clinic system with its central base and multiple satellite hospitals is the way to go. The Rehman Medical Institute (RMI) in Peshawar proves its possible to build a modern and nearly cutting edge medical facility (though they serve the elite of the population). So similar to how there is Cleveland Clinic Florida etc., I can envision Rehman Institute Wana/Kandahar/etc.
These are pipe dreams until a power grid is erected though. You cannot do much without constant and consistent electricity and an industrial base. I prefer not to build on subpar kacha house medical clinic approach that plagues FATA.
However, I really enjoy helping out aspiring medical students/residency applicants from our background whether they be here or from abroad, whether I agree with their political views or not. At this point, since I am still at the advanced edge of my training phase, I mainly offer guidance and advice, but I have relatives that entered the system from abroad and usually try to connect folks with these people for tangible benefits/places to stay while applying. I want to do more when I am established. My hope is that these folks do not simply attempt to reap the American lifestyle, and enter private practice, and live it up in their Islamabad/Kabul Bungalows during the summer. I would encourage them to enter academic medicine/clinical practice and do what Israelis and Indians appear to be good at, which is advancing their native medical school/education systems and removing corruption.
2) Are you for an independent Pashtunistan/Pashtunkhwa?
If the locals yearn to and subsequently become capable of accomplishing this, why not? I am for what serves the population in the best way. By now, I have seen that there are a spectrum of views here from M16 on the reactionary side to the views of various other religious minded posters to completely secular/socialist minded folks. I can appreciate a little of all of these views on this subject. I used to think like M16 and be pretty aggressive about my stance regarding Panjabi/Urduban/Farsiban influence. If someone used to address me in urdo or farsi I would be certain to make it clear to them I preferred to not speak their language. I used to go so far as to say that had the only thing the Arabs had going for them was Muhammad (S). I actually still sympathize with what M16 is about regarding the Pashtoons being used and abused on all sides. I still have a gag reflex that kicks in when I see Pashtoons co-opting the cultural standards of the surrounding ethnic groups and act subservient to these groups.
However, I also read enough history to understand that all of the attempts of outside forces to establish an ideology or enforce a thought process on this region failed save one attempt. It appears that for whatever reason, the Pashtoon adopted Islam, made it a pillar of his society, and became a soldier for it. Whether it is watered down with secularism, whether its subverted by the elements of Pashtoonwali, the Pashtoon is a vigorous defender of his brand of Islam. I’ve now regurgitated Churchill’s quote a thousand times and reproduce it here again:
“Their superstition exposes them to the rapacity and tyranny of a numerous priesthood – “Mullahs,” “Sahibzadas,” “Akhundzadas,” Fakirs,” – and a host of wandering Talib-ul-ilms, who correspond with the theological students in Turkey, and live free at the expense of the people.” Winston Churchill, The Story of the Malakand Field Force: An Episode of Frontier War, 1897
So whatever Pashtoonkhwa is built on ought to reflect the nature of the people and not simply be facsimile of the American, German, British, Pakistani, Russian, Socialist, Communist, Arab Sultanate style leadership/governance.
It has to be a meritocracy to succeed. The problem with a jirga/malik based system is that it erects a plutocracy as opposed to a meritocracy. That is why leadership fell to Timur Shah Durrani, who persianized the kingdom the moved the capital to Kabul. His son, in turn, turned out to be unfit for leadership. It was not a meritocracy and therefore, it failed.
God chose Malik Thalooth to lead because he was meritorious and Dauood led after him for the same reasons. The Maliks and others frowned, but there was wisdom in this.
3) How does Pashtunkhwa figure into the designs of surrounding players/ethnic groups/language groups?
I think that M16’s view distills down to the simple request for respect. It is quiet true that the greatest sacrifices were rendered by the Pashtoons, only to be rewarded with the greatest oppression by the powers that be. He appears to have arrives at the conclusion that in this dog eat dog world, everyone looks out for their own and we ought to do that to. It is not so far off from a practical stance on things. He appears to say: The house is burning down, Zardari is stealing for his own, Dostum is pillaging for his own… perhaps we ought to think about our own benefit in this environment. He ascribes to Khushal Khan Khattak’s mindset that the Pashtoons suffer the Siffin effect. The Siffin effect is a reference I came up with based on the famous Battle of Siffin. In the Battle of Siffin, Ali’s, the fourth caliph’s troops were poised for victory, but the opposing army attached pages of the Quran to their lances/spears. This was an effective psychological warfare tactic because Ali’s army refused to “attack the Quran.” The result was that he lost politically and militarily though no injunction exists regarding attacking an opposing army simply because they store Quran’s in their home or put pages of it on their lances. Quiet often, the surrounding ethnic groups appear to the commonality of religion and harness the Pashtoon’s war prowess to their own ends. Khushal Khan Baba was referring to Aurangzaib’s utilization of the religion to subdue the Pashtoon for his own devices.
I do not think M16 is so far off when he tells his brethren that they need to wise up or continue to suffer under the boot of others. It appears that many surveys of recent day show Southern Afghans are beginning to back an independent Pashtunistan for precisely these reasons.
My primary qualm with M16 and Toramana’s views rest on who they want to turn leadership over to. They simply want to trade one set of masters for another equally inept set, all backed by the same groups of outside powers. I cannot fathom how Karzai, an inept leader with no leadership qualifications ought to replace an inept Zardari for the Khybar Pashtunkhwa Pashtoons. I cannot fathom how Achakzai, a failed engineer, and the son of a tribal Malik ought to lead on the other side.
Currently, the Pashtoons of Khybar Pashtoonkhwa enjoy a small measure of stability, with rising education rates at the professional level. To ask them to trade that stability for a haphazardly built state solely so we can drink green tea, eat sugared almonds, and dance the ataan in a thousand different according to clan ways is not only foolish and arrogant, but its dangerous.
Ultimately, do you want to ethnically cleanse your brethren to build this state? I prefer to meet my maker with clean hands not bloody ones.
4) How does such a state figure into the surrounding realm?
Once again, I think folks are trading the practical for the ideal. It appears that preferring one’s ethnic group and family is engrained in our DNA. That is why it is impractical to assume that in an environment where literacy rates are abysmal, and where strength ensures survival, that anyone will automatically cede your rights to you. If the people of Panjab or the people of North of Afghanistan can bring in the big bucks and electricity for their provinces, they are going to do it without a second thought or care for their Pashtoon Muslim brethren. The region is not enlightened enough to understand that binding itself together with a common purpose and associating trade and commerce is far better than this.
Toramana appears to be equate what I am about to say with Pan Islamism, I simply refer to it as being plain smart: Look at the Bengalis and the Baloch. Two people that chafe for independence. The former won it and the latter yearn for it. What are they accomplishing? The former acquired it and built a failed stated that is nearly as corrupt as its predecessor East/West Pakistan. Human rights suffer in Bengladesh and their economy is in tatters. The latter still relegate themselves to being subservient to the corrupt Malik system and plutocratic approaches to life. Their leadership, the Bugti make no qualms when the majority revenue comes their way and lines their pockets, but make a huge show of patriotic independence when that flow is diverted to the Panjab. Do they allow that money to trickle down to the common Bugti tribesmen when it does come their way? No.
On the other hand, look at India and the Panjab at the educational level. They send thousands of medical students abroad to the US and Britain. They were ruled by the British and have harnessed that English speaking skill to dominate American Hospitals. Aga Khan Medical, a private medical school, is sending people into Americans most competitive specialities.
Take a look at Israel. Despite our antithesis to the state, its intelligence agencies and people have managed a huge fiat accompli. Centuries of waiting and patience culminated into the creation of a viable nation state that uses its tentacles to control the world’s super power. It was done through subterfuge, some level of compromising their own morals, and avarice, but it is still viable and modern.
I prefer not to build a failed state on top of a state already on life support.
5) Where does Islam play into all of this?
Wherever God decides that it does. My ultimate issue with those that malign Mullah Muhammad Omar and Abdul Salam Zaeef is that the leaders that they offer in their stead were do nothing arm chair warriors while these men led from the field. Had Karzai actually led from the field, he might have earned a modicum of respect. Instead, there are pictures of his premature balding head dressed up in 80s leisure suits attempting to squeeze into the useless Peshawar power house meetings composed of tribal maliks and other say everything but do nothing players. One thing I do admire about the Americans is that it is historical fact that when Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin were offered the back door out by France if the going got bad, they refused it. They led the war effort from the field and they then earned the right to lead.
Meritocracy demands that leadership fall on those that earn it. A Malik or King that runs to the mud baths of France/Italy while his people suffer and fight for their independence is no leader at all. This fact plaques the leadership of Iraq just as much as it does the leadership of Afghanistan.
The usual charge stacked against these folks is that they are ISI/Panjab proxies. I say, so what? All this amounts to is that a group of folks had hardline views and their ultimate objectives fell into eclipsing line with the local Pakistani intelligence agencies/governments.
For instance, Farhat Taj Andersen writes articles that support M16’s view point. Therefore, he touts her as a reliable source. He has clearly stated its because she supports his cause. The minute she reneges and starts supporting an opposing viewpoint, he might dispose of her support.
In the same way, if a cadre of fighters, known as the Taliban, saw it fit to utilize Pakistani aid to achieve their objectives, and created an anti India centric/ anti Russia centric government in response to this aid, it hardly surprises me.
In the end, the ideal set up would be a region where Pashtoons can set up a functioning government that is a meritocracy and benefits the people. If this is similar to the Scottish realm of independence within the current UK, then so be it. A larger benefit for the Muslim people would be strong localized states with mutual respect that trade and do commerce similar to the 50 United States. Each state asserts states rights, but the greater good binds them all.
6) Lindsey Graham and his pesky bases
All of the above discussion is irrelevant and negated by the ground level reality. There are layers of occupation going on currently. At the center of the occupation is local domination by adjacent groups. Backing these groups are the outside powers (Iran, Russia, America, Britian, and China).
The group referenced in 5 appears to be the only one opposing the permanent bases that these super powers seek to build.
I eagerly await the alternative approach to removing this very real and now open threat to Pashtoon sovereignty that the occupation forces have promulgated and Karzai’s openness to this:
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/arti...nent-U-S-bases
The dream of an independent state is far far away my friends and the opposition here (Toramana, M16, etc) offer no plan or methodology for dealing with Mr. Graham’s proposal at the ground level.
7) The evolution of thought and statehood.
The reason why I prefer noninterventionalism is that it produces results. American secularism and democracy, for that those that yearn for it, was not uploaded on a CD ROM or enforced by the gun. It began in the field called Runny Meade where the English Nobles forced King John to cede some of his powers. That was centuries before a single European set foot on this land.
Subsequently, the British settlers established a fundamentalist Christian colony that was a theocracy. Local Indians were killed and massacred in the droves with two options (either convert or die—at least the Muslim invaders offered the third option of the Jizyah tax). Those that converted were sent to towns for Indian converts and denied basic human decency.
Women were hung by the droves for the accusation of being witches and dead women’s bones were dug up and burned in oil.
However, the Massachussets Bay Colony was left alone and eventually its ideologies evolved. Eventually you had Nathaniel Hawthorne writing books and books apologizing for the wrongs of his ancestors (his great great grand father was the head magistrate during the Salem Witch Trials).
The same goes for Iran. The Iranian Nation was left alone and evolved from Khomenie to Khatami. However, as outside intervionalism and neighbor states infringe on Iran’s sovereignty the rural populace (the masses) elect folks that represent their appropriate response to the world (Ahmedinijad).
Therefore, my belief is that the Theocratic Afghan state will eventually involute and evolve, but this will take patient and time. Each time we intervene in their affairs, we set back this progression decades, if not centuries.
8) What does my American experience do to craft my views?
Well, it allows me to view the current history being made through the American prism of that history that already was made. I grew up in what was once Shawnee tribal territory (the Wazirs/Mehseds of their day). It was the land of Tecumseh, the last Shawnee Indian brave to make a stand and unite the native tribes against American/European eradication/occupation. Tecumseh had read up on King Philips Wars in the north east and saw the savage results of what American treaties and occupation meant. They eventually killed him.
The usual tempo of American movement westward, with manifest destiny as its fueling factor, was bloody and only tempered by treaties that were made just to be broken.
With that in mind, I prefer to intellectually sympathize with those young men who fight American/European occupation with all their heart and vigor. They know what lies ahead is brutality, broken treaties, and enslavement. After all, this is the same group of people that eradicated a whole people here in the states. If one were to say, well that was particular to their own environment and to secure their own continent, I’d say look at South Africa and Australia. The latter were blatant attempts to destroy local tribes, ethnic groups and cultures. The latter attempts succeeded and were British instigated.
So M16, where I am currently, there is a local casino run by a band of basically white folks who claim 1/16 or 1/10 Wompanog Indian blood. What a darned shame and what a tragedy. They took everything and anything from the peoples that inhabited here; and now, they even took their name and use it for profit.
Perhaps you might be singing a different tune one day when the first Mehsud Casino is set up and a group of blue eyed and blond haired foreigners named Danny and Tabitha claim they were 1/16 Mehsud.
I refer you to Mark Twain’s the War Prayer for the full effect of what growing up Afghan in America meant when you were studied in the history of the country:
http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/making/warprayer.html
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