We’re constantly told that the U.S. airstrikes against Taliban and al Qaeda operatives and leaders taking refuge in the tribal areas angers the Paksitani people and is creating more terrorists. The sentiment below repeatedly creeps up in press reporting:
“The people know that there is a tacit understanding between the government and the U.S. regarding the drone attacks,” argued author and political commentator Zahid Hussain. “This is not only fuelling outrage among the people, but is isolating the Pakistani army from the tribes people in those areas. And that affects Pakistan’s own authority to contain militancy,” explained Hussain. The anger now threatens to undermine the authority of the fledgling civilian government in Islamabad, which after one year in office, is still struggling to take control of rising militancy in the country.
But, according to Farhat Taj, not all Pakistanis agree. In fact, may Pashtuns living under the boot of the Taliban and al Qaeda privately cheer the strikes, hoping they weaken the terror groups’ grip on power.
The Pakhtun who experience the full range of Talibanisation, day and and day out, know that Taliban atrocities are not going to end with a dialogue. The Taliban have an agenda of a savage social order to be imposed on the people. The Pakhtun are not ready for that and this is the reason why they are bearing the brunt of the Taliban savagery. Hatred against the Taliban in the Pakhtun areas is at an all-time high and so is disappointment, even resentment, about the Pakistani army for its failure to stop the Taliban. All over the NWFP and FATA one can find people who even discuss possibilities of Israel and India to be asked for help. Their argument goes like this: “We are not killed by Israel and India. We are killed by the Taliban and the Pakistani army. So, who is our enemy, then?” Many people in the Taliban-occupied territories of the NWFP and FATA told me they constantly pray for the US drones to bomb the Taliban headquarters in their areas since the Pakistani army is unwilling to do so. Many people of Waziristan told me they are satisfied with the US drone attacks on militants in Waziristan and they want the Americans to keep it up till all the militants, local Pakhtun, the Punjabis and the foreigners, are eliminated. [emphasis added]
