Significance of the Marriott bombing, War on Terror, NewAgeIslam.com

War on Terror

Significance of the Marriott bombing

By Khalid Aziz

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

After the Mahsud operation the insurgency situation in parts of FATA and the NWFP has aggravated considerably. The operation in Bajaur has developed into a small war and the level of violence there is greater than in past confrontations. There are a considerable number of internally displaced persons generated by this new violence. More than 300,000 people have fled from the battle zones to other parts of Pakistan. Due to the increase in collateral deaths the number of motivated tribesmen seeking revenge by joining the ranks of suicide bombers has also increased. This is probably the cause of the Marriott bombing.

On the other hand Pakistan and its ally, the US, have differences over strategy. Pakistanis are upset by the violation of its sovereignty by the US. However, it is for consideration whether we should criticize others when the militants have already usurped Pakistani sovereignty over large tracts of territory south of Kohat; it barely exists in Waziristan. Obviously the loss of control over territory means that the militants have not only obtained control over people and resources but also have the space to plan and prepare operations in Pakistan.

http://newageislam.com/-significance-of-the-marriott-bombing/war-on-terror/d/802

Pakistan's agony, Islam and Politics, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam and Politics

Pakistan's agony

By Khalid Aziz

Sunday, August 03, 2008

In 1995, Stratfor, a private intelligence forecasting company, predicted that the next decade would be a period of increasing fragmentation and tension in the world despite unprecedented prosperity. The world in many ways would resemble the period from 1900-1914. The explanation lay in the co-relationship between prosperity and turbulence in the international system. When prosperity increases in the global system, it leads to integration of trade, thus creating dependency of developing countries upon the richer ones. Each state tries to influence and control the behaviour of other countries. This leads to increased political disturbance in countries which have happened to become the points of interest of the richer powers. On the other hand, developing states which lack both resources and skills need support of the richer nations for progress. Secondly the demography of the developing countries usually show a majority of the population within the youth range. This produces a demand to raise families and make people dependent on jobs. This could only be dealt with through economic growth.

http://newageislam.com/pakistan-s-agony-/islam-and-politics/d/420