First of all, let me clearly explain the title of this article: the dictionary meaning of the word “sagacious” is “having practical wisdom, showing wisdom of a plan, acute-minded, shrewd.” The other word in the title is “virtuosity,” which has its origins in Italian, literally meaning “learned, skilful.” This expression is used specifically in reference to “a person highly skilled in the technique of a fine art, especially music – displaying the skills of a virtuoso.”
Hence, the title of this article is using these two words metaphorically and symbolically calling to the attention of Pakistani political decision-makers and managers the need to show practical wisdom and skilful political techniques, as well as insightfulness – to an extent of a practical level of an artist’s proficiency, competence and finesse (savoir-faire) – in dealing with the vestiges and fallouts of the ongoing so-called “war on terror” and its fundamental covert links to the US-Western-geo-political-economic-military agenda in this region, involving a destructive “war on its own people” in Pakistan.
It is about time that the Pakistani leadership, in and out of actual governance, undertake the ultimate acts of sagacious virtuosity to save this country and its kind, honest, gracious, hospitable, warm, poetic, gentle and God-fearing people from impending total destruction and their present abominable sufferings.
Has the entire Pakistani leadership (save for Imran Khan, a few political analysts and the electronic media) gone blind not to notice that the proxy war (the so-called “war on terror”) on behalf of the US is being unleashed on its own people, its own citizens, on its own soil, against its own kith and kin? Why has the word “kill” become part of the establishment’s daily vocabulary and a common usage in our ruling elite’s regular political discourse? Why are we bombing our own villages and human dwellings? Why are we not pursuing peace negotiations? Why are we engaging our military at such a level of war footing?
The present ruling elite in Pakistan cannot turn this country into a “Hira Mundi” – the “Brothel House” where the highest “bidder” gets the rights of the rules of engagement.
Nor will this nation now allow the political ruling pundits to bring this country to a political abyss where “begging” becomes the national modus-operandi for survival. Let it be understood, this nation is not for sale, nor will it compromise its dignity and self-respect. This warning is equally directed at the ruling class in Pakistan as well as at their patrons, the US and the Western Europe’s political establishments.
First, let us be absolutely clear on this one: the insurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan is a direct result of US-NATO occupation of Afghanistan.
Second, the fundamental question that needs to be asked and responded to with absolute clarity by the US-NATO is: why are they in Afghanistan? Why are drone attacks being carried out in Pakistani territory?
Third, we need to separate fiction from reality: not a single Afghani, Pakistani, Pathan, Punjabi, Sindhi, Balochi, or for that matter Muslim political outfit, was involved in the 9/11 attack on New York. Then why are Afghani and Pakistani people militarily and politically targeted by the US-NATO alliance?
Fourth, 9/11 was an inside job disguised as a pretext to attack Iraq and Afghanistan. George W. Bush had planned a military invasion of Iraq months ahead of 9/11.
Fifth, the US lied (along with Western collaboration) to the entire international community (Gen. Powell’s speech in the UN) about Iraq’s WMDs prior to its military invasion. We must also be mindful that it was not the first time that the US lied to invade a foreign country. US foreign policy history offers plenty of evidence elucidating disinformation campaigns, covert political-military actions, demonizing other nations, media manipulations and outright lying to invade other countries for its neo-imperialist agendas.
Sixth, the entire US-Western perspective that the so-called “terrorists” in Afghanistan and Pakistan can or will manage terrorist attacks against their countries is pure myth. It has been deliberately created, planned and planted to extend the US-NATO military occupation of other countries for the purpose of its neo-con imperialist plans for capitalistic expansion – that makes the US-NATO nations rich.
Seventh, Osama Bin Laden is also a myth, kept alive as a symbolic slogan to make the American people remain on war footing and hate the entire Muslim world. Every Muslim is a terrorist; this script is reinforced everyday and plays regularly in the ignorant minds of the American public.
Eighth, Barack Obama is a warmonger and will continue to be so. His “peace credentials” are also a myth – a contradiction to the fundamentals of American foreign policy goals of neo-con imperialism and dreams (that won’t come true) of an “American 21st Century.”
Ninth, the American-Western political establishments are full of hopeless contradictions, hypocrisy, self-justifications and self-aggrandizements in their inter-state political discourse with non-white nations in global politics.
Tenth, the US-Western leadership is hopelessly irrational, unfair, deceptive and decisively selfish and ego-centric in its geo-political relationships with the Third World in general and the Muslim world in particular. The superiority patronizing complex has a devious and decisive impact on their political behaviour and global conduct.
It is about time that the Pakistani leadership wakes up to the grim realities in which it, in itself, haspushed the nation. It is not possible (or even fair) to blame the external actors exclusively for the state of affairs for which our existence and survival are at stake. Indeed, our own leadership, for the last five decades, has been responsible for the conditions in which we find ourselves today.
Ironically, the present democratic dispensation in the country has failed the nation as much as the past dictatorships and by a fair estimation, even more so.
Now it is time that we recognize that we have arrived at a crucial crossroads: now is the time for us to undertake the ultimate acts of sagacious virtuosity to pull this nation out of its dismal past experience and its present “ha lat-e nazza” (to be in the throes of death.)
This will only be possible if Pakistani leadership understands that our enemies are vicious, uncompromising, determined, violent, powerful and above all, blindly selfish and self-serving.
We will have to confront them, oppose them, expose them, refuse their interference and interventions, yet act with dignity, offer them sound alternatives in global political conduct and show them humanitarian strategies in inter-state political engagements.
The Pakistani leadership will have to learn to deal with the political behaviour of its adversaries with long-range planning rather than to react to political events randomly.
Pakistan will have to undergo a revolutionary change in the nature of its alliance with the US-West, India, and Iran, the rest of the Islamic world and with the emerging progressive political movements all over the global spectrum. We will also have to further strengthen our global partnership in diplomacy, trade and politics with China and Russia. Pakistan will have to alter the totality of its rules of engagement in international diplomacy and its strategic priorities. We will have to redefine and re-invent our entire foreign policy and strategic dimensions of our domestic politics as well.
The Pakistani leadership needs to do the following urgently:
- An unequivocal demand to end the US-NATO-India occupation of Afghanistan. Once the occupation ends, the insurgency will end.
- An end to the present status-quo of Pakistan-US-Western political-economic-military alliance including the fundamentals of military engagement on the so-called “war on terrorism.”
- An urgent need to give “peace a chance” – peace dialogue with estranged groups in Swat and the rest of the country.
But foremost and above all, the ultimate acts of sagacious virtuosity to save the nation will come only by a serious, deep, concentrated, selfless and in-depth reflection of their own political behaviour by the Pakistani ruling elite and making necessary changes in their narcotic opiate mindsets!
They have no other choice: the Pakistani people are not going to take it anymore. Period. The Ultimate Acts of Sagacious Virtuosity! 01, Nov, 2009, Dr Haider Mehdi
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