Skip to main content

Pick your meal



President Joe Biden succeeded in overthrowing Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in an American democratic manner and through a no-confidence vote against his government. Two determining votes sealed the deal. The opposition bloc led by Shahbaz Sharif, the older brother of Nawaz Sharif, who was convicted of corruption and money laundering, and was released due to his deteriorating health conditions, saw this as a golden opportunity.

The biggest sin committed by Imran Khan in the eyes of the United States, and President Biden is his support for Taliban's resistance against the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan, his close political and economic relations with China, and his refusal to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Pakistan's refusal to normalise relations with Israel added another layer of dismay. 

Similar to most countries in the region, Pakistan has re-considered its alliances. It has strengthened its relations with the "axis of resistance" led by Iran, and rejected a request to send forces to participate in the Yemen war under the banner of the Saudi-Emirati coalition. 

By leading the “Instance” movement and raising the slogan of change and the founding of the new Pakistan, Khan and his allies were able to win the majority in the 2018 elections and form a coalition government. The American war on President Imran Khan began in the last years of the administration of President Donald Trump, because he refused to “use” Pakistan’s military and security capabilities to fight the Taliban movement in Afghanistan, and to save the American “NATO” from defeat. The first punitive retaliatory step began by stopping aid. The second step came in inciting the Pakistani separatist movements and supporting their military activities: the Baluchi movement and the Pakistani Pashtun Taliban, and above all, the “Islamic State” organization “ISIS” in Pakistan.

Proxy wars have taken on a new dimension following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Former President George W. Bush has few quotes that merit citing; however, one rings ever so true: You are either with us, or against us. There is no room for partiality or Swiss chocolate neutrality: it is either Russian Vodka, or a barbequed cheese burger. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Just as Orwell Said

         George Orwell said in his famous book 1984 that “first they steal the words, then they steal the meaning”, accurately foreseeing the political actions of world leaders and their manipulation of public opinion. His words are ever so precise once one examines the vocabulary applied by a number of world leaders when describing the policies and regimes of troubling countries: axis of evil, war on terror, terrorist killers, harbourers of fundamentalism etc. Ironic it is to see how those who were once described to have been allies with Satan himself seem to show good will in a matter of very few years. Iran is one very good example of this. The Persian nation has come out as a winner in the Geneva talks that were held in October, where not only did it get applauded for the concessions it offered, but it also ensured the west’s acceptance of its regional weight. Everyone seems to be more relaxed after the negotiations and a new round of talks has been set for November.  
3 comments
Read more

Pan-Arabism vs. Middle Easternism?

             A rab Nationalism, a romantic concept that moved poets to write ballads, intellectuals to preach volumes, activists to passionately organize and the masses to cheer freedom. A concept introduced by students at the American University of Beirut in the last phases of the ageing Ottoman Empire and studied in secret societies. This concept developed and led, under western planning, to the Great Arab Revolt in 1916. The slogans of Arab revival and freedom from Ottoman tyranny swept the Arab nations, where hopes of independence and self-rule were promised by the restoration of Arab control over the area. Then problems arose. Who are Arabs? What is an Aran nation? How does it extend geographically? Is it an area that encompasses people who speak the same language and share the same history? If so, why did the Lebanese Maronites reject the concept of Arab nationalism and insist on a Lebanese identity? Why did the Egyptians hesitate before including themselves under th
Post a Comment
Read more

Wishing You a New MENA

Journalist and author of A nd Then All Hell Broke Loose: Two Decades in the Middle East   said that “Everything changed with the First World War. The Middle East was reorganized, redefined, and the seeds were planted for a century of bloodshed.” He was not entirely right. Bloodshed lasted more than a century actually. Here we are in 2019, and the Middle East and North Africa region – the infamous MENA – is still a boisterous, rowdy zone of political recrimination, military coups, conspiracy theories, historic reminiscence, oil squabbles, and religiously-infused rhetoric. Blood shed of course as well. Well, here we are.  Algeria is set to head to the polls in April. President Abdelaziz Bouteflika will likely secure a fifth mandate. If not, Algeria’s powerbrokers, mainly the military and powerful business elites will enter into an expensive bargain of security versus social and economic stability. Having vested the long-enjoyed tranquillity on a political figure, rather than a
Post a Comment
Read more