Radical Islamism and Jihad
In the political circus of Pakistan the Taliban Insurgency is being ignored
By Ayesha Saeed
We cannot succeed in direct negotiations with the militant because of the first truth. But that should not stop us from engaging other actors. Over the past week there were reports that some local elders have sought to ban militants from their areas - the government needs to capitalize on that. At the same time, they need to reach out to all actors that can be co-opted against the militants and work to reduce the operating space for the militants. Surgical and targeted military strikes should be employed. Negotiations with the militants will succeed only if they are conducted from a position of advantage. The resource base of the militants – both materially and in terms of manpower must be sucked dry. Materially, the flow of money and arsenal has to be curbed. Last month there were reports in the media that the Taliban were using funds from sale of marble to finance the insurgency. In any protracted conflict, it is a given that a war economy sustaining the conflict will emerge. So dry up that well. Similarly clamp down on the source of arsenal supply and disrupt their means of communication. Have the international community support these efforts. It will be tougher to dry up the supply of recruits – but it can be done. First off, the state can begin by shouldering those affected by military offensive – give them refuge and means of sustenance and make a 100% certain that the militants don’t get to them first. Second, and this is just as tough, strongly impress upon the NATO and ISAF troops the damage done by an errant missile strike. Thirdly, make a conscious effort to negate the propaganda of the militants. And lastly, begin to address the structural causes of the conflict.
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6:10 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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