Attempts of Pressuring on Islamabad Stand behind Pentagon’s Statement: Experts

Azerbaijan, Baku, 28 May / corr Trend E.Tariverdiyeva, R.Hafizoglu, G.Ahmadova / The United States will hardly invade Pakistan after Pentagon's statement on existence of Al-Qaeda base in its territory, but Washington will not put aside the attempts of pressuring on Islamabad. "Pentagon's statement was not sounded for the first time. By such statements Washington attempts to pressure on Islamabad," Abdulhay Anis, a Pakistani political exert, said.

Pentagon stated on the existence of a base of the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda in the territory of Pakistan, namely in the mountainous regions and border zones with Afghanistan, Qatar's Al-Jazeera television reported on 26 May.

"After the death of Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the United States is seeking every reason to invade Pakistan," Anis, an independent political expert, told Trend via e-mail from Islamabad on 28 May. The problem of Pakistan and Afghanistan is that local armed tribes, without any political orientation, reside in the mountainous regions. Neither the Pakistani army, nor the Government is in condition to control these tribes, Anis explained.

"Even during the Russian-Afghan war the United States supported these tribes. Financing these tribes it is easy to use them at own purpose," the political expert said. Al-Qaeda well understands it and uses the local Pakistani and Afghan tribes for own purposes, Anis stressed.

"The United States does not have any reason to invade Pakistan. Pentagon's statement on existence of Al-Qaeda in the territory of Pakistan can be an excuse of Washington's occupation of other's territory," Kamal Helbawi, the Head of the London Center for Terrorism Studies told Trend over the telephone on 28 May.

The expert does not see any reason for use of military force in this respect, like the Bush Administration did in Afghanistan.

In counter-terrorism there is no one single approach to address the threats of terrorism. Each government develops its own strategy based on socio-economic conditions, cultural norms, and military capabilities, among others, Gawdat Bahqat, a US expert said. "In Pakistan, it is apparent that the military strategy adopted by the close alliance between the United States and President Musharaff has not succeeded, or achieved limited success. Despite all efforts, Taliban and Al-Qaeda are gaining grounds in both Afghanistan and Pakistan," the Director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, told Trend on 28 May.

According to Bahqat, as a result, the newly-elected Pakistani government has chosen different approach. This new approach is based on engaging in a dialogue with Pakistani tribal leaders. It is still too early to make any assessment whether this new approach is working or not.

"The United States, and other Western powers should take a "wait-and-see approach". This Pakistani experiment in counter-terrorism should be given a chance to work. At the end, the Pakistani government is a sovereign one and has the right, responsibility, and obligation to pursue what it believes is in the best interest of the Pakistani people," he said.

Al-Qaeda is an international terrorist organization, established in Afghanistan in mid 1980s with the US assistance to fight against the Soviet army. After the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, Al-Qaeda directed its struggle against the United States, the countries of the so-called 'western world' and their supporters in the Islamic countries. The key objective of the organization is to overthrow the secular regimes in the Islamic countries and establish the "Great Islamic Caliphate".

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