Blackwater and the Kerry-Lugar Bill appear to be recurrent themes in Urdu jihadi literature. Militant scribes are chipping in on the hot topics of mainstream Pakistani media, dangerously aligning their grievances with those of the public – specifically, the latter’s anti-US sentiments. While opinion may be torn on the use of military operations in Pakistan, Pakistanis from all walks of life appear united in perceiving the US as an enemy. A recent Gallup survey, for example, revealed that 59% of Pakistanis saw the US as the biggest threat to Pakistan. 11% thought the Taliban.
The latest issue of the monthly Nawai Afghan Jihad has two articles on the Blackwater in Pakistan. In “Why this hullabaloo surrounding Blackwater?” by Talha Abu Bakar, the author argues that Blackwater has been active in Pakistan for years, and there is a reason for “letting this genie out of the bottle” at this point in time. In particular, he cites the Kerry-Lugar Bill as the key bone of contention, leading a horde of apostates – Pakistani politicians, journalists, newspapers and TV channels, and retired army officials – to betray their “American masters” and expose Blackwater.
Apparently, these apostates had long been serving American interests in Pakistan; however, “despite their faithfulness they were distrusted by their masters.” The seemingly harsh conditions attached to the Kerry-Lugar Bill symbolize a shift in US approach towards its “Pakistani slaves,” thus jerking the latter’s chain.
The author warns that the US embassy in Islamabad is fast turning into a “mini Pentagon.” The recent attacks on the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad Pearl Continental in Peshawar are justified because they were being used as “regional headquarters” by America and Blackwater.
“Talibanization or Blackwaterization?” by Hamza Abdur Rehman bemoans the sad state of affairs in Pakistan and its capitulation to the US; the country has reached such depths of dishonor that, unlike Iraq and Afghanistan, where Blackwater asked for permission, they need not bother in the case of Pakistan. “Even to breathe we will need to first ask the US embassy and Blackwater.”
While Pakistan has been forced to fear Talibanization because it “challenges the writ of the government,” Blackwater operates freely for it “works within the sphere of that very writ.”
Jaish-e-Mohammad’s Al-Qalam magazine last week issued an article on the Kerry-Lugar Bill, where author Naveed Masood Hashmi complains that every word of the Bill insults Pakistanis and ridicules the independence of Pakistan as a nation.
The Jaish also appears to be irked by President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize triumph; Talha Saif offers a satirical imaginary account of the award ceremony in this week’s Al-Qalam:
“Order, Order, Order…”, he begins; “People throughout the world are known to have delivered many a kind of jokes and protests but there are 3 persons in particular who have come a knocking at our ‘court of justice’ claiming to be more deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize than Barack Obama. They are Ehud Barak, Narendera Modi and Pervez Musharraf.”
He goes on to outline the main “accomplishments” of Barack Obama which earn him the Nobel Peace Prize:
• Spreading Blackwater activities to Pakistan
• Continuing Bush’s war in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Over 30 drone attacks in Pakistan
• Killing of over 100 innocent women and children
• Establishing world peace by attacking a wedding in Afghanistan, killing more than 70 ‘terrorist’ children, women and the elderly.
• Pressuring the Pakistani government to carry out military operations in Swat, killing countless people.”
All the other candidates – Ehud Barack, Narendera Modi and Pervez Musharraf – are asked to state their reasons for deserving the Nobel Peace Prize. Ultimately, Pervez Musharraf, who unlike all the others killed his own people, is declared “most worthy”, forcing Obama to renounce his prize.
