War on terror can no more be selective

Brig Anil Gupta
The recent mayhem in Paris resulting in 128 deaths and more than 300 seriously injured has once again brought to the focus the menace of global terror.  Terror recognises no boundaries and terrorists can strike at will has been once again proved right. Some have gone on to term the Paris attacks as “attack on humanity” while some have termed it as an “All-out war against West”. The British Prime Minister warned the nation that ‘Those attacks in Paris could have happened in Denmark that could have happened in Belgium, it could have happened in Sweden, it could happen here’. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks. ISIS also claimed responsibility of downing a Russian jet airliner over Egypt.  French President Francois Hollande has called for an international coalition to destroy ISIS. Pope Francis talked about “Third World War” while the Russian President Putin has expressed willingness to join the international coalition. In America, which is preparing for the presidential election, the hopeful candidates have talked of not only containing the ISIS but destroying it. Is the international community thinking of re-launching the global war against terrorism which was launched in 2001 by President Bush  and abandoned  in 2013 by President Obama. There is no doubt that the threat from global terror jihadist outfits needs to be eliminated but what needs to be reviewed is the approach to fight the war on terror. Was the “Global War on Terrorism” (GWOT) launched as an aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks in the United States able to contain terrorism or there has been proliferation in the number of terrorist organisations leading to larger acts of terror world over and making the entire world live on an edge fearing a terror attack? There was no ISIS, Boko Haram, Al Nusra or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in 2001 when the GWOT was launched. What have been the achievements of GWOT? Should it be replicated as a response to Paris attacks?
The purported aim of GWOT was contained in the widely televised speech delivered by President George W Bush on 20 September 2001, “We will starve terrorists of funding, turn them one against another, and drive them from place to place, until there is no refuge or no rest. And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism. Every Nation in every region now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.” Was this the real aim or a smokescreen to spread American Hegemony? It was faulted from the beginning. The war was launched to target Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden. Interestingly, while Afghanistan was being bombarded Osama was undergoing dialysis in a Military Hospital in Rawalpindi under the patronage of ISI, a close ally of CIA. Though fuelled by the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the GWOT actually was launched at the behest of strong corporate interests to include oil, arms, banking, media and aviation industry. It was in fact a “Global War of Economic Conquest”. The major sponsors of global terrorism like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Israel and Pakistan were the American allies in the so-called Global War on Terrorism where as they should have on the hit list of America as announced by Bush in his speech, “State sponsors of terrorism will be treated as terrorists. We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbour them.” Al Qaeda is financed by the Royal House of Saud and Pakistan harbours them. US rather than acting against these nations provided them huge funds terming them as strategic allies.
Majority of the international jihadist terror outfits owe their formation to US and European intelligence agencies. The entire world knows the role of CIA in creating and funding of various guerrilla organisations after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. CIA was responsible for spread of “Fundamentalism”. Taliban and subsequently the Al Qaeda are the products of CIA sponsored Madrasas that mushroomed all over the areas bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan. Subsequent proliferation of Jihadist terrorist outfits are also a product of the machinations of CIA, Britain’s MI 6, Israel’s Mossad, Pakistan’s ISI and Saudi Arabia’s General Intelligence Presidency (GIP). These were created as part of the strategy of “pitting one against the other.”
While twentieth century is characterised by two world wars, subsequent cold war, end of colonisation, emergence of nation-states and collapse of Soviet Union leading to end of cold war, the twenty first century is characterised by spread of American Hegemony with the urge to remain the only super power in the world. The concept of colonisation is being replaced by an era of “Proxy Regimes”; another hidden agenda of the GWOT unleashed by Bush. A major role is played by the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), student-activists and CIA liked and funded foundations like the Ford Foundation in helping CIA and State Department in mass-mobilisations against the established regimes and hoisting the “Proxy Regime”.  It is ably supported by the strategy of “Manufacturing Dissent” through liberal financing. The phenomenon began with so-called “Colour Revolutions” orchestrated in East Europe during first decade of 21st century followed by the Arab Spring and Arab Winter during the second decade in the Arab World. Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya have also witnessed the hoisting of “Puppet Regimes.’  Attempts of regime change have also been made in North Africa with the assistance of European Intelligence agencies.  Such proxy – regimes suffer from inherent weaknesses since they lack popular support. The authority of the regime is limited resulting into a vacuum. This vacuum is filled by the groups with extremist ideologies leading to spread of terror. Thus the Global War on Terrorism has contributed to spread of terrorism rather than eliminating it.
GWOT also failed because of the concept of “Good Terrorists” and “Bad Terrorists” followed by almost all the nations to suit their own interests. This selective approach has also been responsible for the proliferation of terror. The world knows that ISIS is funded and trained by the US and its allies. It is being used to counter Shias in Iraq and in Syria to overthrow Assad. ISIS brigades operate from Golan Heights, territory under Israel and its causalities are treated by the Israelis. The cheap oil sold by ISIS is purchased by many European countries.  Same ISIS now has become eyesore for many. The air campaign launched by US and now intensified by France has failed to have a major impact on ISIS.
It is thus obvious that GWOT was a smokescreen to spread American Hegemony and did not intend to eliminate terrorism. So, obviously it is not the right response to Paris attacks. There is a serious clash of interests among the international community in dealing with ISIS and other terrorist outfits. Will they be able to evolve a common strategy by side – lining their individual interests?  They may have common intent but not common interests. “Bomb for bomb”, therefore, is not the sole option. Many policy shifts are also needed to bring peace and stability in the Middle-East, Afghanistan and Africa because it is a pre-requisite for terrorism to end. Establishment of strong sovereign governments must replace the strategy of Proxy Regimes. Only the sovereign governments would be best able to stem extremist ideologies. All terrorist outfits must be dealt with same severity without any distinction.
A shake hand with Assad of Syria is a must to destroy ISIS. Only strengthened Syrian troops can dislodge ISIS from the occupied territories, since the air campaign has not been successful. International sanctions against all countries sponsoring terrorism need to be announced and implemented immediately. All sort of covert support to the jihadist organisations by intelligence agencies must cease. The war on terror can no more be selective.
(The author is a Jammu based security and strategic analyst. He can be contacted at anil5457@gmail.com)
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