The WikiLeaks revelations about the American “War against Terror” in Afghanistan are a damning indictment which may make their planned exit more disgraceful than Vietnam. A summary of the description of some of these revelations from the Guardian is stunning. “The documents reveal a greater amount of violence in Afghanistan than had previously been reported by the military or the media. The data revealed shows not only the severe incidents but the general squalor of war, from the death of individual children to major operations that kill hundreds. One of the more intriguing references in the data relates to Task Force 373, which appears to have been instructed to kill its targets without arrest or trial. The secret CIA paramilitaries have had a notorious role in killing of civilians. Behind the military jargon, the war logs are littered with accounts of civilian tragedies. The 144 entries in the logs recording some of these so-called "blue on white" events cover a wide spectrum of day-by-day assaults on Afghans, with hundreds of casualties. These range from the shootings of individual innocents to the often massive loss of life from air strikes, which eventually led President Hamid Karzai to protest publicly that the US was treating Afghan lives as "cheap". The bulk of the "blue-white" file consists of a relentless catalogue of civilian shootings on nearly 100 occasions by jumpy troops at checkpoints, near bases or on convoys. Drivers and motorcyclists not co-operating with the forces have been the frequent targets. General McChrystal was replaced last month, however, by General David Petraeus, amid reports that restraints aimed at cutting civilian deaths would be loosened once again.”

These stark exposures are going to increase the clamour for early withdrawal of American soldiers from Afghanistan. However, their departure in haste may create more problems not only for Afghanistan but for the entire region. The signals emanating from various overt and covert American sources regarding the proposed “Exit” plan do not bode well for entire South Asia especially the sub-continent. There is no doubt that the Americans have failed to sub-due the Taliban. In fact, the sacking of General Mchrystal had resulted from his straight talk about the American failure to win the war. The strangest thing is the British attitude. Their predecessors during the heydays of the Empire had realised long time back the futility of subduing these rebellious tribes and had entered into some treaties to let these warring tribes alone. One would have thought that the present generation of the Britons and their American allies would have taken a lesson from the history. This was more so in view of the recent debacle faced by the Russians in which the Americans played a major role. The Americans were fully aware of the capabilities of Afghan guerrillas. These tribals have no real possession except the clothes they wear and their weapons of all types. Earlier they used to carry ordinary guns. Now they carry rocket launchers, machine guns, and a variety of other lethal weapons. The humiliating defeat suffered by the Russians resulted in the total disintegration of the erstwhile Soviet Union. The earlier ignominious exit from Vietnam indicates that the Americans have not learnt any lessons and are condemned to repeat the history. The Russians must be deriving sadistic pleasure from the American discomfort in Afghanistan. In reality, even though the Americans succeeded in inflicting a humiliating defeat on the Russians by proxy, they brought something worse on themselves. They landed themselves in the worst ever quagmire. It is in the true sense of the word, the poetic justice! Osama Bin Laden whom they are desperately searching and the Taliban, they are fighting, were their own creation. The WikiLeaks documents also speak of ISI collaboration with Taliban in fighting NATO troops. However, according to Guardian analysis most of these reports about Pak involvement do not have concrete evidence but are based on rumours collected by various sources. In 91,000 documents the mention of ISI is only in 38 places. In fact, in 8 reports the role of the former ISI Chief Hamid Gul is also mentioned. He has strongly denied these reports in an interview to Aljazeera TV. He claims that these leaks are for putting pressure on Pakistan. Whatever may be the truth about continued involvement of ISI with Taliban, one cannot deny the fact that it was basically ISI including Hamid Gul who in reality created, trained, and despatched Taliban into Afghanistan. It is but natural for the creators of such groups to have a soft corner for them in spite of the changed situation. Moreover, the undependable and flickering attitude of India in relation to the Indo-Pak engagement for peace makes the hawks in Pakistan security establishment to keep, what they call the “strategic assets” intact! These days there is a competition between India and Pakistan for somehow retaining influence on the evolving dispensation in Afghanistan. India has influence in the northern area of Uzbek origin and is prepared to send its army there. In contrast, Pakistan prefers the Pashto speaking areas adjoining its border. These areas virtually merge with Pakistan’s own tribal belt. At present the NATO and Pakistani troops are fighting on both sides of the border but it is impossible for them to clear the area.

If both the countries of the sub-continent were truly interested in containing the fall out of the American exit, they should have been collaborating in Afghanistan. It was the best opportunity for them to remove each other’s mistrust! On the contrary, they are pulling each others’ legs! The most worrisome scenario for India would be the attitude of Taliban and Al Qaeda after the American exit. Once the Taliban have completed their Jihad against the white infidels, they would be looking for newer opportunities to continue their fight. There can be no better opportunity than Kashmir. Even Pakistan may welcome it to safeguard its internal peace! This is especially so after the recent mass upheavals. The continued suppression of the unarmed people in Kashmir by the use of excessive force is creating a ready made atmosphere for outside intervention. In our school days the history books spoke of the Afghan forays into India. Ahmad Shah Abdali, Mehmud of Ghazni, Nadir Shah, Babar, and so on. No one would welcome repetition of history in any form whatsoever. Keeping in view the present capability of Al Qaeda and Taliban, the 26/11 events of Mumbai may seem a child’s play. This makes the solution of the volatile Kashmir problem as the top most priority not only for the peace in the sub-continent but in the entire South Asian Region. The statement of the US Army Chief Admiral Mike Mullen that India and Pakistan should look for a quick solution of Kashmir is quite meaningful! Both the countries need to heed the warning seriously and initiate measures for a speedy solution of this tragic problem which has caused untold misery and suffering to the people of the sub-continent in general for last 63 years and to the Kashmiri people in particular for almost a century now!