India, Pakistan, Politics, Uncategorized

The Taliban Threat

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by B. R. Gowani
Courtesy: Globeistan
… The Taliban Threat
Let us cross the Iranian border and see the neighboring countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The initial phase of the US war against Afghanistan was a fury of revenge. But when many of the Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters crossed over into the border areas of Pakistan, things changed. Now they were not only defending themselves from the US onslaught, but also started to attack the US; they too wanted to expand their territorial power. They have succeeded; the tribal areas and other territory of Pakistan have come under their control too. Their power is threatening Pakistan’s sovereignty, can they invade Iran? If Pakistan as a country disappears from the world map, it is difficult to predict who will inherit what parts of it. The US war on terror entered a new phase when it realized the growing power of Taliban in Pakistan. The US does not want the WMDs (weapons of mass destruction) to fall into the hands of the Taliban in case they acquire power in Pakistan. But Iran is very aware of the hatred and intolerance the Sunni Taliban have for them. There is a distinct and real possibility that their Shia door will be the next place the Taliban may attack.

Who should worry?

In the event the Taliban become rulers of Pakistan with the nuclear button underneath their finger, then if there is any country on this planet that has to fear its sovereignty the most, it is not the US, not even Israel or India. It is Iran. Taliban are cruel and inhumane; but they are not stupid. All these countries have WMDs and so attacking them would be an invitation to self-annihilation. The maximum range of Pakistan’s nuclear missiles is 4,000 kilometers or about 2,500 miles. (The distance between Pakistan’s capital Islamabad and the US capital Washington, DC is about 8,000 miles). Iran is within this range and in clear danger of being hit and should be really worried about the Taliban coming to power.

Another reason Iran must be worried is that its Shia Muslims are a minority in the Muslim world. (Shias make up about 15% and the Sunnis about 85% of the over 1 billion Muslims worldwide; both of them have many sub-sects.) Although, Hindus, Jews, Christians, Bahais, and other non-Muslims may be infidels for the militant Muslims, and many of them do suffer as minorities in countries with Muslim majority, it is the Muslim minorities within Islam that are targeted quite often by the Sunni Muslim militants because Taliban are Sunnis. (They do harass Sunni moderates but it is the Shias who they are really after.)

A word of advise for the US

It is painful but also very difficult to step down, or be pushed down, from the zenith of power. The reality, nevertheless, has to be confronted; the US is losing its traditional power with all its economic and other problems; and the emergence of China and India as the potential new powers with the growing role of Russia as a major player on the world scene. The US has to accept the fact that Iran is on the path to develop the nuclear weapons despite the denials by its leaders. It is going to change the balance of power: there will be two nuclear powers, Iran and Israel who already possesses hundreds of weapons. And more countries are going to go the nuclear way.

Another option for the US is to initiate a move to make this planet a nuclear weapons free zone while it still is known as the Super Power. (It does not mean that the US or any other country should be allowed to transfer or build nuclear weapons on other planets or our Moon.)

April 17th, 2009
Source- http://globeistan.com/

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