US 'biggest' threat say Pakistanis

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A survey commissioned by Al Jazeera in Pakistan has revealed a widespread disenchantment with the United States for interfering with what most people consider internal Pakistani affairs.

The polling was conducted by Gallup Pakistan - a separate organisation affiliated with the US-based Gallup Inc - and more than 2,600 people took part.

Interviews were conducted across the political spectrum in all four of the country's provinces, and represented men and women of every economic and ethnic background.

When respondents were asked what they consider to be the biggest threat to the nation of Pakistan, 11 per cent of the population identified the Taliban fighters, who have been blamed for scores of deadly bomb attacks across the country in recent years.

Another 18 per cent said that they believe that the greatest threat came from neighbouring India, which has fought three wars with Pakistan since partition in 1947.

But an overwhelming number, 59 per cent of respondents, said the greatest threat to Pakistan right now is, in fact, the US, a donor of considerable amounts of military and development aid.

The resentment was made clearer when residents were asked about the Pakistan's military efforts to tackle the Taliban.

Keeping with recent trends a growing number of people, now 41 per cent, supported the campaign.

About 24 per cent of people remained opposed, while another 22 per cent of Pakistanis remained neutral on the question.

A recent offensive against Taliban fighters in the Swat, Lower Dir and Buner districts of North West Frontier Province killed at least 1,400 fighters, according to the military, but also devastated the area and forced two million to leave their homes.

The military has declared the operation a success, however, some analysts have suggested that many Taliban fighters simply slipped away to other areas, surviving to fight another day.

When people were asked if they would support government-sanctioned dialogue with Taliban fighters if it were a viable option the numbers change significantly.

Although the same 41 per cent said they would still support the military offensive, the number of those supporting dialogue leaps up to 43 per cent.

So clearly, Pakistanis are, right now, fairly evenly split on how to deal with the Taliban threat.

However, when asked if they support or oppose the US military's drone attacks against what Washington claims are Taliban and al-Qaeda targets, only nine per cent of respondents reacted favourably.

A massive 67 per cent say they oppose US military operations on Pakistani soil.

via Al Jazeera English - CENTRAL/S. ASIA - US 'biggest' threat say Pakistanis.

War has no winners. There is such a thing as a just war. A war of annihilation must be fought, for not defending one's survival is unthinkable. Then, it is also necessary to contain the bullies of the world. But war should always be a last resort.

Stateless entities who foment war across a international boundaries seem to challenge conventional values about war. The piece that people seem to miss is that insurgencies require local support to survive. While the Taliban are seen as the aggressors, the ruthless terrorists they are, then the Pakistanis have wholeheartedly supported their suppression. But when civilians are killed, made homeless and their lives are disrupted, then entity seen as the aggressor lose the hearts and minds of the local people.

In Pakistan, their armies conventional approach to suppressing the 4000 Taliban led to creating 2 million refugees. The Pakistani government successfully deflected the blame onto the US. Thus, the US again has placed itself in a lose-lose situation. To win the war in Afghanistan, they need to deny the Taliban refuge in Pakistan. But to do that, they force the Pakistanis into a civil war, a war that will last generations if continued.

The US cannot possibly win the war in Afghanistan. The only solution is a fundamental change in US policy. John Kerry's 2004 campaign white paper for foreign policy appears to be the best hope for success.

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