Pakistan’s slow submission to the Taliban
From The Guardian comes the depressing news that the cancer of Sharia Law has infected the body of Pakistan.
Pakistan is to impose Islamic law in a vast region of the north-west called Malakand in an attempt to placate extremists, even as President Asif Zardari warns that they are “trying to take over the state”.
Pakistani Taliban militants who are in control of the Swat valley in the region announced a ceasefire tonight, reacting to the government’s agreement to bring in sharia courts.
Malakand is part of North West Frontier province, a regular part of Pakistan, not the wild tribal area, which runs along the Afghan border.
Critics warned that the new sharia regulations represented a capitulation to the extremists’ demands, and that it would be difficult to stop hardliners elsewhere in the country from demanding that their areas also come under Islamic law.
What will happen next? The Pakistani government may think of it as “an attempt to placate extremists” but is anyone under the illusion that this is reversible? Has placating fascists ever arrested their demands?
UPDATE:
Make no mistake, the people have been abandoned to a cabal of crazies. The cost to normal Pakistani society starts with this…
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Singer Sardar Yousafzai and his band were driving from a wedding gig when the gunmen burst onto the road, firing without warning.
Yousafzai survived, but a harmonium player died and four others were wounded. He is now in hiding — the latest of many entertainers whose lives and livelihoods face an escalating threat from Taliban-led militants in northwest Pakistan.
“I am so scared,” said Yousafzai, who met with The Associated Press in Peshawar, the region’s main city. “I can’t go home or to any performance.”
As Taliban militants gain a stronger hold in this region of Pakistan, they are imposing their view that music, singing and other such arts are un-Islamic. Several entertainers have been kidnapped or killed, while many others have fled, quit or watched their work opportunities dwindle. Criminal gangs seeking to extort money are also suspected of involvement as overall security deteriorates.
And goes on and on…
Militants seeking to impose the strict form of Islamic law have also destroyed more than 200 girls schools in the mountainous valley, once a popular tourist destination, just 130 km northwest of Islamabad.
(Reuters)
… and we know where it ends.
Comments
| 15 February 2009, 7:56 pm |
With the capture of the Swat Valley, the taliban are only 100 from Pakistan’s capitol
| 15 February 2009, 8:05 pm |
Depressing stuff. I’m struggling to think how the US can deal with this effectively
| 15 February 2009, 8:26 pm |
Mushy may have been a military dictator, but at least he kept a lid on the box of crazy snakes that is Pakistan.
Clerical eschatological fascists plus nuclear weapons equals forboding times. Hell, maybe Obama really will bomb the shit out of Pakistan. Of course it’ll make Iraq looks like a Sunday school picnic, so if nothing else, it’ll be interesting how the far left react to it.
| 15 February 2009, 8:46 pm |
Mushy may have been a military dictator, but at least he kept a lid on the box of crazy snakes that is Pakistan.
I think his on/off, advance/retreat approach demoralized the army. I mean, why fight today if you are going to leave tomorrow? Someone has got to bite the bullet and fight or Pakistan will surrender town by town, city by city. Civil war is ugly, but I don’t really see an alternative if the more civilized parts want to survive. Note to future refugees: with your shield or on it is the entrance requirement.
| 15 February 2009, 8:59 pm |
I think his on/off, advance/retreat approach demoralized the army.
The army has been demoralized for quite a while. One telling aspect of Pakistan as a failed state is that its civilian police force is utterly corrupt and useless. For years, the army has been used for tasks that would jobs for the police in a civilized society.
But soldiers cannot be policemen. The debacle in Swat was indeed a failure of morale, because those poor soldiers were told that the miscreants they were being asked to fight against were actually Hindu provocateurs from India!
(Sidelight: soldiers kill, policemen arrest. The Mumbai jihadi caught alive was captured by policemen, for whom killing is a last resort. The rest were killed by servicemen, who have somewhat different job skills.)
| 15 February 2009, 9:47 pm |
Where are the nukes kept? Hopefully nearer the Indian border and therefore further away from the Taliban nuts.
| 15 February 2009, 9:55 pm |
I also think it’s vital that the Western public is not allowed to think that the imposition of Sharia law and a Taliban-takeover is just a return to the ‘natural’ way of doing things over there; that any other form of government apart from rule by Islamic militants is simply the West trying to force its values upon barbaric people. As imperfect as Pakistan’s democracy and civil society are, it will be tragedy for ordinary Pakistanis if this breakdown continues.
| 15 February 2009, 10:03 pm |
As imperfect as Pakistan’s democracy and civil society are, it will be tragedy for ordinary Pakistanis if this breakdown continues.
And this time, a bunch of lawyers aren’t going to be able to protest to get their favored judges released.
As goes Pakistan, goes Britain as well. Or at least East London.
| 15 February 2009, 10:07 pm |
Jako I disagree. We in the west needn’t care either way. I for one don’t care whether they embrace democracy or the Bronze Age. It’s not a simple matter of faux Marxists whining that Big Bad Bwana is imposing his values on the pure and indigenous brown-ish peoples of the world. It’s more pragmatic than that. It’s that it’s not possible to push them forward a few hundred years. The Shah of Iran tried, it all collapsed. The Pakistanis have and will try and will implode on them as well. As far as nuclear Pakistan is concerned – that’s more of a worry to the Pakistanis than anyone else. They like the Iranians are desperately wanting of modern spare parts, maintenance and expertise. I say the best thing is to let them all slide all the way back to the Dark Ages. Eventually it’s a self-correcting problem.
| 15 February 2009, 10:12 pm |
comes the depressing news that the cancer of Sharia Law has infected the body of Pakistan.
With reference to several other discussions about criticising Islam and people being told off for making hard comments, do we assume that the phrase “cancer of Sharia Law” has the implicit blessing of HP?
The article is indeed worrying and I did not wish to detract from it.
| 15 February 2009, 10:15 pm |
do we assume that the phrase “cancer of Sharia Law” has the implicit blessing of HP?
One thing we can assume is that it ain’t no tonic.
| 15 February 2009, 10:18 pm |
As goes Pakistan, goes Britain as well. Or at least East London.
And one solution to the problem in Pakistan is to fight it. In a roundabout way isn’t this what Wilders is worried about in Holland? And look what happens to him for saying so.
If we say that the Taleban must be fought/attacked/defeated then isn’t this the sames saying that some time in the future that Islamist Radicals may have to be fought/attacked/defeated?
And aren’t we, by making an analogy, defining that we don’t mean ALL Muslims?
I am merely putting a devil’s advocate point.
| 15 February 2009, 10:21 pm |
“that the phrase “cancer of Sharia Law” has the implicit blessing of HP?”
There is no party line at HP. This is my view. Any system of law that cannot be changed and developed by the democratic control of the people and that inevitably leads to the sort of treatment of women, gays, apostates, free thinkers and people of other faiths that we see in countries where it is the law of the land speaks for itself. And its an obscenity.
| 15 February 2009, 10:23 pm |
And with the title “Pakistan’s slow submission to the Taliban” aren’t we also emulating many internet blog comments that “Britain/Holland/Sweden/France/Denmark is finished” in the mode of Melanie Phillips warnings about Islamist creep?
(I wish I’d thought of all these in one post!)
| 15 February 2009, 10:27 pm |
There is no party line at HP. This is my view. Any system of law that cannot be changed and developed by the democratic control of the people and that inevitably leads to the sort of treatment of women, gays, apostates, free thinkers and people of other faiths that we see in countries where it is the law of the land speaks for itself. And its an obscenity.
Brett I happen to totally share your concern and your absolute freedom of expression on this. Especially worrying is the closing down of schools, hence depriving kids of a wider education and the eventual subjugation of women.
I wonder where Obama sits with this given the USA taking the strong line that Afghanistan was a liberation from The Taleban and his views on parts of Pakistan being a terrorist factory.
| 15 February 2009, 10:29 pm |
Where are the nukes kept? Hopefully nearer the Indian border and therefore further away from the Taliban nuts.
Taliban sympathizers are everywhere in Pakistan. Nowhere is “safe”. By way of idle speculation: the strategically logical place is south-west Baluchistan (Makran), but the Baloch insurgency makes that iffy; while the fact that Pakistan is basically run by a Punjabi army suggests a location such as south-west Bahawalpur (maximally distant from non-Punjabi crazies while tactically difficult to access from India.) But none of this matters. The best hope is that the arsenal consists of duds.
| 15 February 2009, 10:52 pm |
Presumably, there’d be a premptive strike if it ever came to it.
| 15 February 2009, 11:18 pm |
This is bad news. A few years back it looked like Pakistan’s problems in this respect were on their way to being solved and Pakistan could end up becoming a true developed country. Unfortunately the Afghan war has ended up being a disaster for Pakistan and Musharraf’s rule has not been as positive as it looked like it might have been. The typical dictators problem of hanging on those few years too long.
Presumably the new tactic is to stop the violence against the state as a first step by giving the Islamists some power. Hopefully it will work.
| 15 February 2009, 11:49 pm |
If this isn’t a ‘clash of civilizations’, I’d like to know what is.
| 15 February 2009, 11:52 pm |
Presumably the new tactic is to stop the violence against the state as a first step by giving the Islamists some power. Hopefully it will work.
Yes, we should weaken the crocodile by feeding it.
| 16 February 2009, 12:11 am |
“We”? Are you Pakistani, because I’m not. I’m guessing that they’re hoping that giving the Islamists some power will either cause them to moderate their position or screw up so badly the people come running back to the central government, and also that this will give the army, which has come under sustained attack over the last few years, some breathing space. I don’t know if it will work, I don’t know enough about the situation. Maybe I’ll email a couple of my Pakistani mates and ask.
| 16 February 2009, 12:19 am |
Civil war and Talebanisation in a nuclear power…. this scares the shit out of me. Nuclear-powered Al-Quaeda anyone?
I wonder what those fucking morons in the SWP will be thinking when it’s their turn to chew Strontium 90?
Oh yeah that’s right: BUSH BLIAR ZIONISTS OMG ZOMG BELM1!1!
| 16 February 2009, 1:09 am |
“Mushy may have been a military dictator, but at least he kept a lid on the box of crazy snakes that is Pakistan.”
That is the remeniscent of the “our SOB” approach, which rarely worked out very well. In fact, “Mushy” allowed Islamists to run his “Intelligence” service – which they used to fund/assist the Taleban.
| 16 February 2009, 1:18 am |
The Pakistanis may have one stuck down the khazi, from the last test. Look on the bright side, the young Bhutto maybe going out with George Clooney!
| 16 February 2009, 2:53 am |
Let us hope that Pakistan has that Inshalla attitude to maintaining delicate and degradable weapons components.
This surrender of Swat to a more high energy Islam reminds me of some other recent surrender of freedom.
| 16 February 2009, 2:57 am |
Look it’s bound to happen. Demographers project that Pakistan will have more than 250 million people in 30 years. They’re clearly not going to be able to find or create that many new jobs so anarchy and devolution is inevitable. You don’t have to embrace, you merely have to accept that it will happen.
| 16 February 2009, 5:54 am |
Jako – Where are the nukes kept? Hopefully nearer the Indian border and therefore further away from the Taliban nuts.
Yes.
That is my basic worry.
Pakistan is a basket case.
Pakistan is a failed state and must have its nuclear weapons destroyed. When this is done, I will let them stew in their own soup. They will have to solve it by themselves BUT, without nuclear weapons to threaten anyone.
It’s only hope is to discard Islam and adopt ………..
| 16 February 2009, 6:10 am |
Pakistan is not really falling to the Taleban – the Islamists have white anted the regime from whithin via the ISI since at least Zia al Huq. It may well be true that a majority of Pakistani’s would not welcome the imposition of Taleban rule, but the toxic cocktail of denial, Third worldism, paranoia and delusion presided over one of the more feckless ruling classes in the world means that there is little with which to resist such an outcome.
Pakistan is an object lesson in the dangers of believing that “Moderate” Islamism can be used to combat the wilder kind.
| 16 February 2009, 10:54 am |
Pakistan is still bedevilled by feudalism, which results in ample and willing cannon fodder for al-Qaeda. I think it is where the phrase “guided democracy” originated, to explain how a civilian government would be answerable to the military.
| 16 February 2009, 12:36 pm |
Johan W. You have been missed.
Any chance of more frequent comments from you?
| 16 February 2009, 3:56 pm |
The Archbishop of Canterbury was reported in the paper today saying that he felt we were closer to introducing some elements of sharia law into the UK, since he has spoken to a number of “senior” people recently who agree with him.
Let us be charitable and assume they said yes to get rid of the woolly old twit droning on about it. Quite how he feels sharia law on marriage and divorce can be reconciled with UK law remains to be seen. I think it is called squaring the circle.
But what is sharia law? Is it just the Taliban’s version or are there milder options?
| 16 February 2009, 6:46 pm |
Why exactly have the Taliban been successful in Swat Valley? Could Pakistan become Obama’s Vietnam? Check out this week’s Global Pulse episode at http://www.globalpulsetv.org for a compelling media analysis.
| 16 February 2009, 7:18 pm |
It’s that it’s not possible to push them forward a few hundred years. The Shah of Iran tried, it all collapsed. The Pakistanis have and will try and will implode on them as well.
I always feel like reminding nerds that Star Trek was fiction, that there’s no reason to assume that societies necessarily progress. And certainly no reason to assume that physical analogies of position and rate apply.
| 16 February 2009, 10:04 pm |
Well one couldn’t really think of a worse policy decision.
It will hasten the demise of Pakistan.
On the bright side, given the stakes are so high, should civil war erupt we might see a joint special forces operation by India and the US to take Pakistan out of the nuclear club. If that could be accomplished, it would be a marvellous step forward.
| 17 February 2009, 1:57 am |
Well one couldn’t really think of a worse policy decision.
It will hasten the demise of Pakistan.
Not before the US responds in the usual way. Watch for a brand new “stimulus package” of yet more “aid” to Pakistan.
Islamabad is broke, and Uncle Obama will be glad to oblige.
Nothing about Jews here (and, yes, Buster, I do mean you).