The signing of Camp David Accords in 1978 by the governments of Egypt and Israel and the permanent peace which followed is a lesson in history for the Pakistani military establishment. Egypt, which was the Muslim world’s leading military power at the time had just cut a deal with the devil himself.The devil was none other than Zionist Israel,the country with it had waged 4 wars.The point being made is that if France and Germany, who were traditional foes can now be allies, if the United States and Japan can bury the past, then there is no reason to think that everlasting peace is not possible between India and Pakistan,but the Pakistan Army needs an enemy, the enemy is none other than the so-called “Graveyard of Empires” on its western border, the banana state of Afghanistan.
Afghanistan’s reputation as the graveyard of empires is nothing more than a myth of epic proportions as it has been successfully conquered several times. Alexander the Great, Mongols, Persians, the Soviets, and even the Americans succeeded in their invasions, the problem, however, is that invading armies tend to have a hard time sustaining their military victories there.The Taliban, backed and funded by the Pakistan Army and long understood to be its proxy in the region captured the capital in 1996 and took full control.It is said that the entire foot soldiers of the militant Taliban were not Afghans but were born in refugee camps inside Pakistan.It is for this very reason that Afghans refer to Taliban as “Punjabi” because of the fact that they are in the pocket of the Punjabi Pakistan Army.
Any stable government in Afghanistan after the Americans withdraw is not going to be in Pakistan’s interest.The military no longer trusts the Taliban and a Jihadi victory in Afghanistan would further the already volatile security situation inside Pakistan.Therefore the policy of the Pakistan Army must be to ensure that a decisive victory does not take place on any side in Afghanistan,arm ,equip and back both the Afghan government and the Taliban at the same time so that the war is prolonged and Kabul keeps on burning.This the least they can do to payback the Afghans for destroying Pakistan with their beloved heroin and Kalashinikovs.
It was Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab who was the first and upto this day the only military leader who turned the tide against the traditional invaders of the subcontinent,the Afghan Pashtuns.His Punjabi army swiftly conquered NWFP and even held a victory parade in Kabul.To this day,Ranjit Singh’s very name strikes terror into the hearts of the Pashtuns.The Pakistan Army is the true successor to Ranjit Singh since it is primarily a Punjabi force and it would surely be a glorious sight to watch them triumphantly march in the streets of Kabul after total military victory.
