The Big Challenge

As things stand, Obama and Mrs. Hillary Clinton are facing challenges even excruciatingly more difficult than the Palestinian cause in respect to America’s foreign policies, especially its military presence in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Both are pivotal playing fields in the War on Terror.

Afghanistan, in its eighth year under the American occupation, is experiencing a serious turning point that can lead America to be stuck in what resembles the Vietnam quagmire, one that is even deeper than the Iraq one. Only then will Obama make sacrifices greater than those put forward by Bush. Now Obama, with the American economy facing a national catastrophe which will likely affect the defense budget, he intends to send 30,000 more of his troops to make a total of 60,000 stationed in Afghanistan, with the aim of targeting Taliban and al-Qaeda. Economic development, reconstruction and the security training will be tasks for the European allies. This goes beyond adopting a stricter attitude towards the government of Hamid Karzai [the Afghani head of state] and regarding the local command a substitute to the ineffective central government. All such measures can in fact cause the American troops to gain the enmity of Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters, contribute in disintegrating this already poor country and stepping up the pace of chaos, violence and corruption.

On the other hand, we shall find Obama immediately after taking office antagonizing the Pakistani government. He was not even given the thumbs up to shell the tribes’ belt on the Pakistani-Afghani border, something that angered the Pakistani government and the people as well. However, the problem is not only associated with uprooting the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Rather, investigatory reports issued warnings against a greater danger menacing Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, the one that America has spent billions of dollars to keep away from terrorists.

At the same time, many have misgivings about ambushing terrorists while waiting for the start of Pakistan’s end. The country is suffering from chaos and alleged secret contacts between its army, investigative corps and some civil leadership on one side and the Taliban and al- Qaeda on the other. Its security structure, responsible for the protection of the nuclear stockpile is under suspicion. That is why Pakistan was described more than once as “the most dangerous country on earth” and “the 21st century’s nightmare.” So, Obama is keen on preventing its collapse, whatever it takes, even if he is to be vainly entangled into various adventures in the region as if he did not come to turn a new leaf of peaceful relationships with the world. Why? Because it is a matter of American national security!

With all the more reason, Obama should have adopted the so-called the “tough love” policy. That is to say, America can help Afghanistan politically, economically and bat down corruption, which might be a main reason behind the abject poverty, the unemployment and the ignorance: three sides of a fanaticism triangle. And I really do wonder if Obama though his military plans through before getting caught up in the Afghani nets!