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| India-Pakistan |
| Pakistan Army: A Failing Force |
| 2007-11-13 |
| by S. Prasad Pakistan has always been on a razor’s edge, torn between its identity as a moderate Islamic democracy that Jinnah had envisioned, and an unstable state that has seen repeated Military rule. But politicians and soldiers have always stood together on one issue- the unquestioning policy of state-sponsored terrorism. This support hasn’t abated even when Pakistan’s very existence has been threatened. But now, that policy is boomeranging on its creators, proved by the events of the last one year. Pakistani officers joke about how the million- strong Indian Army couldn’t even stop terrorists. As they get more hopelessly bogged down in the mess called Waziristan, it probably doesn’t sound so funny any more. Today, the Pakistani Army stands battered by the very terrorists it created. Over a hundred soldiers have been captured and many more have died fighting a menace that they created. Fifteen Brigades have been moved to these areas from the Indian border, including Skardu and Mangla, an action that speaks volumes about the seriousness of the situation and the ineffectiveness of Pakistani actions in the NWFP. Morale is low, desertions are rampant, and suicide attacks on Army installations have been devastatingly successful. In every major engagement that they’ve been involved in, the Pakistan Army has lost ground. As professional as it purports itself to be, there is not a single war that the Pakistani Army has won in its history of existence. Failure and defeat seem to come naturally. And yet, it seems almost dyslexic in its inability to learn from its mistakes. The wars with India never went their way. They were able to temporarily pacify the Baluch problem, but the brutality with which they accomplished it has ensured that the problem remains. It has faced defeat after defeat against the fiery Pashtun tribesmen in Waziristan, and it’s only a matter of time before the issue threatens the very existence of Pakistan. The first war was soon after the formation of Pakistan. Breaking the standstill agreement, the Army launched an attack on the Independent State of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947. Even with the element of surprise and a head start, they were beaten back and Pakistan lost the prime real estate of Jammu and Kashmir Valleys to India. Pakistan’s second attempt at ‘liberation’, the 1965 war, fared no better. Not only did they receive no support from the local populace, but lost vital territory to the Indian Armed Forces, a force they had dismissed as weak and beaten after the 1962 loss. If not for the goodwill of Lal Bahadur Shastri, and the compulsions of International politics, India would have captured Lahore and destroyed much of the Pakistani Army. The third war was an unmitigated disaster that even the most enthusiastic Pakistanis cannot deny. The beleaguered forces in the East had no chance against an army advancing from three sides upon it, but their collapse and the speed of the Indian advance surprised all. Boxed in, the Pakistani Army launched attacks on the western front, hoping to gain territory that they could barter later. But even that effort met its doom, beaten and destroyed by Indian forces far smaller than the Pakistani’s. Yet again, they were saved by American intervention and Indian magnanimity. 93,000 troops surrendered, shattering the morale of the Force and the nation, a disgrace that they’ve tried hard to whitewash. By then, the cracks within were starting to show. Simmering Baloch discontentment at their neglect boiled over in mid 1970’s, resulting in the large-scale insurgency. Never familiar with the velvet touch, the Pakistani Army fought and brutally suppressed the struggle, but suffered massive causalities itself. Simmering for the last two decades, the struggle has never been put down. Government brutality has strengthened the ranks of the nationalists and increased their clout. With the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Pak Army found some hope for success. Teamed up with US, they got weapons, money and training. Even its nuclear activities were overlooked, and with no questions asked, the Pakistani Army traded in illegal drugs, money laundering, prostitution, weapons- anything legal or illegal. Even then, its newfound confidence didn’t stop them losing Siachen to the Indian Army, another disgrace that has haunted them since. As the Mujahedeen turned the tide of battle, policy makers in Islamabad saw a new opportunity to spread its influence and destabilize Kashmir. Terrorists were trained and exported around the region. Kashmir, (and later, the CIS states) was the first to feel the sting. To the west, the Pakistan supported-Taliban rolled into Kabul soon after. But all this came at the cost of an increasingly radicalized Pakistani society, a policy that has matured now, with disastrous consequences for its creator. In 1999, as revenge for Siachen, and perhaps lulled by an all-too familiar sense of hubris, Pakistan launched yet another disastrous attempt to capture Indian Territory in Kargil. The results are there for all to see. And yet again, it was the American assistance and Indian forgiveness that allowed their Army to run and survive. Maligned and beaten, the Army had to rebuild itself. The sanctions would have torn Pakistan apart, had it not been for nineteen Al-Qaeda hijackers. 9/11 forced a decision on Pakistan- choose between the terrorists it had spawned, and its own survival and ambition. They chose survival. Obviously, the terrorists and their mentors in the ISI weren’t happy. As former allies of the enemy, the Army went soft on terrorists, hoping to play the double game that it had so effectively played in the past. But even its lip-service support to the GWOT didn’t help it with either side. American impatience with their inaction only led to more attacks like the Bajaur Airstrike. Anger at their betrayal and Pakistani silence at the Predator attacks turned the local populace against the Army. The short lived deal only helped strengthen the Taliban, and prepare them for the bloodbath they’re inflicting on the Army now. Both ways, the Army has lost control of its own territories. As the engagements in the FATA bleed it, the Pakistani Army today is in desperate condition. The Talibanized Pakistani Army personnel refuse to fire at terrorists and Baloch freedom fighters, considering them their brothers. The terrorists, angered by Musharraf’s actions in Waziristan and Lal Masjid, feel no such affection, and have already brutally executed dozens of soldiers. There is little that the General can do now. Musharraf stands marginalized, weakened, with international pressure on him to quit his uniform and hold polls. It will be interesting to see if Pakistan is going to lose more real estate in the occupied North West Frontier Province before it realizes the hopelessness of the situation, or will the conflict spill out into the streets of the cities, tearing the country apart. S. Prasad is a freelance defence journalist. He is currently based in Singapore. |
| Posted by:john frum |
| #8 Use bug spray on the tribal areas. VX. |
| Posted by: Phaigum Untervehr4039 2007-11-13 21:51 |
| #7 Nuke them all. I don't think India would appreciate the fallout. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2007-11-13 21:05 |
| #6 If a Swastica is "Backwards" (Arms go the other way) it's a "Fylfot" an ancient religious symbol (That Hitler forever corrupted, By association) |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-11-13 14:36 |
| #5 Yes. (scroll down) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-11-13 12:30 |
| #4 Interesting swastika at the link. Does it mean something different in India? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-11-13 10:26 |
| #3 There are only so many places the Pak army could be storing its atomic weapons. Nuke them all. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-11-13 10:02 |
| #2 Hey JFM, how about just killing the people who know how to operate them---I understand it's pretty complex? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2007-11-13 05:47 |
| #1 Revenge is a dish best served cold. Anyway, the sooner Papkistaqn implodes the better (provide we defang it of its nukes). It is teh fact that Pakistan helds a number of people who have little in common and little love for one another who forces its leaders to play the islamist card, the more islamist as possible in order to make them forget their national identities, the more hateful and paranoid as possible as this incites to stand united againt the infidels. Split Pakistan and this dynamic goes away. I only fear it is too late. |
| Posted by: JFM 2007-11-13 02:27 |