Aditya Sinha, former Editor-in-Chief of Indian Express sometime back in his weekly column Reductio Ad Absurdum wrote about the possibility of a quid pro quo arrange between Pakistan and US on the issue of Osama Bin Laden. That Pakistan was very well aware of Osama’s whereabouts and that it would be willing to point to his whereabouts so as to enable the US capture Osama in the place of Mulla Omar who is on good terms with Pakistan. Sinha’s observation that Pakistan was eyeing Afghanistan and if Osama’s handing over to US could satisfy the US it would be more than willing to go to the extend of committing the ultimate.
Now that Aditya Sinha’s prediction came true, Osama’s hide-out pointed out to the US by the military and ISI, its intelligence wing. The contention of Pakistan that it was not at all aware of the capture and consequent killing of Osama cannot be taken at its face-value since the whole operation - ‘Operation Geronimo’ - was conducted at Abbottabad two hours from Islamabad near the Military Academy. Osama along with his four wives and 23 children were staying at a posh luxury mansion under the very nose of the Pakistan army men. US had never in its dreams thought about the most wanted terrorist heading a life in a luxury mansion deep inside Pakistan. It was bombarding difficult terrains of North-West Frontier of Pakistan thinking that Osama was on the run and must have been moving from one safe haven to another haven. Ten years went by but US remained in the dark about the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden.
Since 9/11 plane-crash of twin towers of World Trade Centre by terrorists, US pumped US $20 billion into Pakistan for rooting out terror elements. Pakistan instead utilized the amount for nurturing terror activities. India’s contention that Pakistan was the epicentre of terrorism had no takers in US and it considered Pakistan its all weather friend.
Now that America has come to grip with realities and has decided to stop all kind of financial assistance a way of choking the all weather friend until it is convinced of Pakistan’s innocence on the question of Osama Bin Laden. How come such a conviction to be achieved as it is crystal clear that Pak was the provider of sanctuary to Osama.
With intermittent drone attacks turning out to be a nightmare ISI head Shuja Pasha and one more prominent authority air-dashed to US and they must have informed the US authorities about Osama’s hide-out. Since then US forces were after him and were watching all movements in the vicinity of the mansion where Osama was safely entrenched and US waited in the wings for the most opportune time to pounce on him.
On May 1, within forty five minutes, to be exact 38 minutes American commandos swooped down to the mansion and within a matter of seconds the whole operation was over. Osama shot dead, along with two others, his body airlifted and later reportedly arranged a water burial in the sea according to Islamic customs. It is incredible that the Pak military didn’t come to know of the whole operation.
The hullaballo over US intervention by Pak authorities their protests and all are an eye-wash going by the way the whole episode unraveled.
Why this nation even while the terrorists are making a mince meat of innocent civilians continue to harbor hard-core terrorists by providing them sanctuaries. It is a haven of seven internationally dreaded terrorist organisations and dreaded terrorists like Dawood Ibrahim and Jamat Ud Dawa Chief Hafeez roaming free through the streets is mind-boggling.
Now that Osama has been done away with US continuing in Afghanistan for a long period is a distant possibility and next Presidential elections in America is fast approaching Obama will have to be pre-occupied with campaign for second term hence Mulla Omar appearing from somewhere is a possibility. Most probably Pakistan will enter into an alliance with him to have a grip on Afghainstan.
Pak’s antipathy towards India is well-known and in case things go on expected lines. Indians in Afghanistan will have tough times ahead and what Pakistan mostly aim at is ouster of Indians from Afghanistan.
What must be the guid pro quo arrangement other than this?
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