Asif Haroon Raja: Conflicting Perceptions of Stakeholders in Afghanistan!

Few thousands fighters under Taliban leader Mullah Omar and Hizb e Islami leader Gulbadin Hikmatyar have been fighting the occupation forces and ANSF for twelve years. The resistance forces consider ANSF and the ruling regime led by Karzai as collaborators, while the latter view the Taliban as extremists and anti democratic. The US punished them for collaborating with Al Qaeda. Failing to defeat the Taliban, the US installed Karzai regime now wants to patch up and enter into peace negotiations to end the war, and arrive at a political settlement. Karzai offered them a share in power, but the Taliban, having gained an edge over ISAF ANA combine after a prolonged struggle, are not prepared to agree to the US dictated peace plan, which includes the laying down of arms, with a detachment from Al Qaeda, and adherence to the US drafted constitution and democracy. They are resilient fighters, as well as tough negotiators. When the US and its allies failed to impose a military solution, and its sinister plan to pitch the Taliban against Al Qaeda, or to divide the Taliban by categorizing them as good and bad Taliban, and making them to fight against each other also failed, and the morale of the ISAF troops began to sink because their prolonged stay in the battle area, home sickness, rising battle casualties, suicide cases and psychiatric problems, while the US economy and its prestige deteriorated, Obama was left with no other option but to take the decision to exit. The US decided to negotiate with the same Afghans which had been declared as irreconcilable, since America wanted a peaceful nation and a smooth transition. Until recently, Pakistan had been pressed by the USA to do more to eliminate terrorism, but is now pressured to restore the peace. Under the circumstances, the US blamed Pakistan that it was not doing enough. So far, it has not uttered a word of appreciation for Pakistan's preferable political negotiations rather than the rule of force. Pakistan has never resorted to a game of letting down its allies. The US so far has not admitted that it had been wrongly ridiculed for maligning Pakistan. Unfortunately, the US had warned Pakistan that it will cut off its economic and military assistance in that case.