I have not followed this discussion due to one reason or another, but out of the few posts that I have read, I find the posts from Akber Choudhry Sahib (post 28) and Najeeb Kazmi Sahib (his friend’s views, post 29) interesting, and agreeable to me. I find the article posted by Masud Sheikh Sahib (post 21) useful and thought provoking. I have however, some concerns about post 41, by Zafer Rahmani Sahib. This is my response to this post. Zafar sahib has stated: 

“[ Its sad but true at the same time. Its only when a person is stupid or weak that others are in the position to take advantage of him. The same is true in case of a Nation. "Survival of the fittest" is the universal law. Instead of blaming the West, India and Israel we should get smarter and stronger. Its the nature of power. "Power" always needs an expression. I am sure Muslims would have done the same to the other countries if they were in power. ]” 

The notion of ‘the survival of the fittest’ is observed all around us, from basic living cells to the most intelligent man and from a small fruit bug to an elephant roaming around in African forests. But the notion is more pronounced for the living things that predominantly survive on instinctive behavior rather than relying on the intellect. It is hard to accurately quantify the ratio of Intelligence to instinct but it can be safely said that the humans by far rely on intelligence rather that instincts.  

The humans have lived together socially for thousands of years. There was a time in the past when the stronger man would snatch the food out of the weaker person’s hand or a stronger tribe would attack a weaker tribe to assert its power and influence over the weaker tribe. That was the way to go – man was still living on animal like instincts rather than intelligence. The overall behavior could easily be attributed to the generic rule of ‘the survival of the fittest’.  

With the passage of time and the development of human experience and intelligence, the humans have developed the concepts of ethics, morality and sense of responsibility. Various rules and regulations were devised to recognize humans as individuals with personal rights along with physical and emotional space within the social groups or communities. Along with the rights the notion of obligations to each other was also identified.  

The improved thought process soon separated man from the animal. With time, the notion of survival for the fittest became limited to the animal world and other living things with none or limited intelligence. Religious thought further enhanced love, cooperation and a sense of altruistic ideologies between individuals, tribes and communities.  

The man has now come to a stage where based upon intelligence and experience gathered over thousands of years, the law and order has become an essential contrivance for every day living within most communities and countries. The man however, still has not achieved enough intelligence to recognize the international laws and obligations.  At international level, the “expression of power” as claimed by Zafer Sahib (post 41), is hardly any different from the old behavior of the Neanderthals steeling the kill of another living in the next cave. Today, at the international level however, it is not the food, it is the natural resources, and a desire to keep as many nations poor as possible, so that those who are at the top of the totem pole could maintain their commanding status and sustain a better living standards at the cost of others.  

If an old man walks into a police station with the complaint that a couple of young thugs have snatched his wallet, what is the policeman expected to say to the complainant? According to the simplified assertion that Zafer Sahib has put forward, the policeman should turn around and say, “you are either weak or stupid, you are providing others an opportunity to take advantage of you”.  How well would this response go in any decent and respectable society? But it goes quite well at the international level.  

During late 1930s, the Nazi Germany was very powerful, the Jews on the other hand were week. So, what is all this hullabaloo about holocaust and 6 million dead? Obviously, being strong is not an excuse to massacre the weak. Is there such a thing as the rule of international law, a way to safeguard nations and countries in an equitable way? It does exist for some but not for all. The UN (a subsidiary of the US), wasted no time in driving Saddam out of Kuwait in 1991. But the same UN has passed dozens of resolutions against Israel to stop Jewish settlement in the territory captured in the 1967 war. But none of the resolutions have been implemented so far in 42 years.  

Pakistan is not necessarily suffering because it is weak, but its rulers have sold its interests for personal benefits. The American imperialism has special interest in the region. It can achieve its objectives, if it could install its own puppets. That is what it did. Pakistan is not a victim of weakness or stupidity but a victim of treason by its incompetent and selfish leaders.  

The recent legal development in terms of an independent judiciary may be a giant step in the right direction. The Supreme court verdict rejecting NRO may be an important landmark decision to put the country solidly on democratic footings. Once the compradors are out of the way, Pakistan as a country can hopefully deal with external threats. So far, all the major decisions are made in Washington which are passed down to the compradors in Islamabad.  The puppets do what is good for the US and their own pockets, not necessarily good for Pakistan. Pakistan always had poor governance, but the present government really beats them all. 

The invocation of “conspiracy theory” has become very common during the last few years. Those who have not bothered to know the full story from all angles,  often brush off every opposing claim by invoking the term“conspiracy theory”. They are not ready to recall that there was no terrorism in Pakistan, Afghanistan or Iraq until the US forces rolled in. Many have not taken the trouble to know any thing about CIA and its multi-dimensional capacity to destabilize the target country. The presence of CIA/Blackwater in Pakistan is often dismissed by many as a conspiracy theory. It is essential for all to read CIA history and their misdeeds all around the globe during the last 50 years. 

Javed I. Chaudry

Dec 19, 2009