Adil Najam
Late during the night between May 1 and May 2 in Pakistan there was news floating of a low-flying helicopter having blown up in the city of Abbottabad. There was much speculation, some wild rumors, but no confirmation of what had happened. Then, late night May 1 US East Coast Time (some six hours after the news about from Abbottabad had first started circulating in Pakistan), television screens in the US started flashing a notice that President Barack Obama would soon speak to the nation on a security issue. Rumors and speculation started flashing again.
(Unconfirmed – and, now, reportedly fake – photo of Osama Bin Laden’s dead body being shown on a private TV channel in Pakistan)
Soon it was confirmed that the news was that Osama Bin Laden had been killed: President Obama then confirmed that ke was killed in Pakistan, in Abbottabad, in an operation led by the US but conducted with support of Pakistani authorities (still not clear how much support, and whose). Reportedly, the US now has possession of Osama Bin Laden’s body.
This is a huge development in the War on Terror, even if Osama Bin Laden’s actual role had now become symbolic rather than operational. It is a development that also has huge implications for Pakistan, and for Pakistan-US relations.
More details are trickling by the minute. And partly for that reason it is not yet clear just what happened and which details are confirmed and which are speculation. What is now confirmed is: (a) Osama Bin Laden has been killed, (b) Osama Bin Laden was killed by US forces, (c) Osama Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, (d) Osama Bin Laden was killed in an operation that was eventually supported by Pakistani authorities, and (e) CNN has no idea about anything that has to do with Pakistan (according to them Abbottabad is an outskirt just outside Islamabad!
As details come in and as a narrative and reactions develop both in Washington and in Islamabad, the one big – the one biggest – question that every Pakistani is thinking about is: What will this mean for Pakistan-US relations? What will this mean for Pakistan and Pakistanis? What will this mean for terrorism within Pakistan as a backlash of this incident?
What do you think?
No matter whatever you people call me; there was always a strong ideology behind Al Qaeda, something in Osama that led a colossus of crowds around the world to support him!!!!
The man had charisma, strength, courage and the leadership qualities that made him such a huge threat for Uncle Sam that it had to spend billions of bucks each year in efforts to eradicate him and that Saudi Arabia in the fear of a threat against their monarchy had to banish him. His belief was so powerful that he who was a blue blood left all the wealth, luxuries and status of the world (which a common man can just yearn for) while gave his mission more importance! And indeed a rational mind would definitely think about all such things…..
My feelings aside, where Osama bit the dust, sadly and quite unfortunately was in Pakistan. We all have to fear for the repercussions and the entire Pakistani Nation in on the horns of a dilemma that how should we safeguard our homeland and protect our self esteem from the western exaggerated and inflammatory remarks against our soil?? It’s indeed a very crucial time, where only a speck of a mistake would guarantee our future like that of Afghanistan and Iraq (god-forbid). Hereon its time that our leadership both military and civil show some mettle especially on diplomatic grounds that we are capable of tackling against such difficulties; by filling the gulf that has developed between the rulers and the ruled with confidence and truth about the present status quo. Because its only with peoples’ support that a nation thrives!!
1) Firstly, ‘good riddance’ on OBL death. I am not going to dance and sing as that would be too vulgar but this guy–even if he had half a valid point about America’s dubious role in various world events–if this guy had his vision fulfilled we would have a giant Islamic Caliphate from the western shores of Africa to Indonesia but a Caliphate set in the 7th century ideas. OBL was morally and intellectually bankrupt. And he is now irrelevant since the Arab Spring.
2) I don’t think Pakistani military as an institution was complicit in ‘sheltering’ OBL at all. *****Please go through the news items since 9/11. You will find all levels of Pakistani security establishment–including the top-most Generals and ISI establishments being targeted by the Talibans and the Al-Qaida types. Various times Al Qaida has asked its affiliates to target both military and civilian leadership of Pakistan. Those are facts and must be highlighted and propagated. **** At the most, there are–indeed–some jihadi left-overs who could not be trusted. Those who worked to kill Pres. Musharraf at least twice. Those who may have killed Benazir Bhutto. Governor Salman Taseer’s murder by his own body guard shows that these jihadi elements are present in pretty high-profile positions, even if in a minority.
3) But the accusation of incompetence against Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies is well applied, especially in this case. While it is quite possible that in a country of 180 million urban landscape is a better hiding place, especially if all eyes are toward the mountains of FATA, I still think the intelligence agencies should have checked out the unusual building so close to high profile military establishments. Did they not know that finding OBL in the ‘heartland’ of Pakistan would at least make the military look like utter fools by all, including their fellow countrymen? What idiots!
@SAMI
Yes, the Americans spent years and millions of dollars to find him and they finally got him, killed him and then threw his dead body into the ocean, get over it.
Pakistani army needs lot of explaining to do, to its own citizens. Americans can babble on and on and we don’t need to even listen to the worthless Indians.
Pakistani army lacks proper strategy. They failed to provide substantial support to Khalistan and it enabled India to conduct a genocide. They failed to drive India out of Kashmir. They failed to use Taliban in the best manner. And they have absolutely failed in recent years. Pakistani generals need to do more action. We have already heard enough words from them. Nothing is lost yet. Americans can be controlled effectively and nefarious Indian ambitions can be put to rest. Only if the generals actually show some guts.
Truth Seeker:
What you say makes sense. But the lack of response does not square up either. If there were explosions and gunshots going on within a mile of any army’s major establishment, it does not make sense that there would be no response for a full 40 mins. Only time will bring out the full story.