<< We sit across a great piece of geography. But this strategic location, if it is strategic – and I am aware that in the hands of no Clausewitzian scholars has the word strategy been put to more absurd uses – what have we done with it except get into needless adventures and become the bag-carriers of outside powers, on wages that any self-respecting coolie, put to such hard usage, would think twice before accepting. >>
Subject: Pakistan - A Country Making less and less Sense
From: omarhuda@aol.com
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2013 02:55:34 -0400
Ayaz was my Army buddy in the Military Academy of Pakistan 1967-69, and until we parted after the 1971 war that ended Pakistan created in 1947, when the "Two Nation Theory" gave rise to the "Three Nations" with the bloody birth of Bangladesh. Ayaz mentions this in this piece.
Ayaz got caught up in the post-1971 Pakistan of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and has since become a top-notch journalist with Dawn and other papers. He is a sharp critique of the Army that "owns" half of Pakistan, and of the ruling class that owns the other half. The people own nothing - read him and you will understand.
I must highlight two of his sentences that describes the history I was personally part of:
"We remember Pakistan as it used to be, no ideal kingdom to be sure but for all its faults a good place to be in."
"The Pakistan created in 1947 collapsed amidst the tumult of the 1971 war, the two-nation theory plunging into the waters of the Bay of Bengal."
And a third that I grew up with when I was a part of it - before Bangladesh. "India will eat us up", and "islam is in danger" - was the mantra the Army and Pakistan leaders to keep a whole populace spellbound, while turning the country in to what is has become. While India marched on, she sank deeper and deeper - and the sinking is far from over!
"Let's stop worrying about India. In its wildest dreams India could not do to us what we have managed to inflict on ourselves."
Subject: Pakistan - A Country Making less and less Sense
From: omarhuda@aol.com
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2013 02:55:34 -0400
Ayaz was my Army buddy in the Military Academy of Pakistan 1967-69, and until we parted after the 1971 war that ended Pakistan created in 1947, when the "Two Nation Theory" gave rise to the "Three Nations" with the bloody birth of Bangladesh. Ayaz mentions this in this piece.
Ayaz got caught up in the post-1971 Pakistan of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and has since become a top-notch journalist with Dawn and other papers. He is a sharp critique of the Army that "owns" half of Pakistan, and of the ruling class that owns the other half. The people own nothing - read him and you will understand.
I must highlight two of his sentences that describes the history I was personally part of:
"We remember Pakistan as it used to be, no ideal kingdom to be sure but for all its faults a good place to be in."
"The Pakistan created in 1947 collapsed amidst the tumult of the 1971 war, the two-nation theory plunging into the waters of the Bay of Bengal."
And a third that I grew up with when I was a part of it - before Bangladesh. "India will eat us up", and "islam is in danger" - was the mantra the Army and Pakistan leaders to keep a whole populace spellbound, while turning the country in to what is has become. While India marched on, she sank deeper and deeper - and the sinking is far from over!
"Let's stop worrying about India. In its wildest dreams India could not do to us what we have managed to inflict on ourselves."
Omar Huda
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