Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Denying the Durand Line 

by Joe Hueglin
The Durand Line exists in international law. It exists on paper. The c.40 million people, 15 million on the Pakistan side, 25 on the Afghan, do not recognize this arbitrary line drawn by a foreigner in 1893 that makes them citizens of one country or another.  They are all Pashtuns speaking a common language and living by their ancient honour code: Pashtunwali.

This weekend President Karzai threatened to send his troops into Pakistan. Not surprisingly US backs Afghan hot pursuit into Pak. The U.S. has been attacking across the Line, last week killing eleven Pakistani soldiers. On Sunday there was a confirmed report that 2 US helicopters violate Pakistani airspace and that a US missile strike kills one in S Waziristan, not yet confirmed.

 

Whether it be the President's  Get Osama Bin Laden before I leave office,...  or the Pentagon’s insistence that "We just need to occupy Pakistan's tribal territory" to stop its Pashtun tribes from supporting and sheltering Taliban," which Eric Margolis, the author of A line not to be crossed considers a driving force behind Karzai's threat, it increases the potential of an attack. "Widening the Afghan War into Pakistan is military stupidity on a grand scale, and political madness. But Washington and its obedient allies seem hell-bent on charging into a wider regional war that no number of heavy bombers will win" are the author's closing words.

Pakistan not keeping Taliban out, MacKay says, and he is correct.  It cannot, for the Pashtuns are no more controlled by the Pakistani than they were by the British in the past or the Soviets in recent years.  Rather than saying: "We have to call for calm at this time and that means speaking with President Karzai as well as officials inside Pakistan," Canada's Defence Minister would be better advised to argue against what Pakistanis (whatever their government’s response is) will consider an invasion.  

Will this occur? Probably not for in such matters Canada to-day is, in this as in other matters, one of Washington's "obedient allies."



Post Script: An  Editorial: Real meaning of Afghan threat Tuesday, June 17, 2008 from the Pakistan Daily Times

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