Osama Bin Laden, the brain behind Al-Qaida was killed on May 1, 2011 in the resort town of Abbottabad near Islamabad, the Pakistani capital. Al-Qaida has lost a leader who was fighting against the western politico-cultural influence through terrorist means in the name of religious ethos and history.
The reaction of international community on the killing of one person shows how Osama-Bin Laden influenced global politics. His killing has ended the decade- long manhunt for the 9/11 mastermind which involved billions of dollars. It was a long struggle of ten years which finally culminated in the killing of Osama.
Analysts all over the world are busy analyzing the impact it will have at global level. Broadly it may have implications at four levels. For the US it may have long term implications at the domestic as well as international level. At the domestic level it will strengthen the position of US President Barack Obama whose popularity graph has been going down since last few months due to the Health Bill. At the international level Osama’s killing will increase the burden of over-burdened US, as Al-Qaeda operatives will certainly try to regroup under new leadership. There are possibilities of Al-Qaida launching fresh terror attacks on soft targets like countries in South Asia, South East-Asia or African countries.
Since the US has initiated this whole affair, its implications will certainly affect its own global image. The possibilities of US involvement in the War on terror on these ‘soft targets’ cannot be denied. In order to protect its self-created image of only global power the US may continue with its vigorous campaign and provide and share intelligence inputs to the countries affected by terrorist activities. Further, the US may also tighten its grip on Pakistan to control the terrorist elements emanating from its land.
Secondly, at the international level the killing of Osama has a great significance for the global War on Terror. In the last one decade, Al-Qaeda has consolidated itself as an ideological camp. This was the result of strong leadership abilities of Osama Bin Laden. His death may be a symbolic victory for Obama but crushing Al-Qaida as an ideology is a daunting task ahead. As the CIA Chief Leon Panetta has pointed out “though we have killed Osama however Al-Qaeda is still alive.”
Thirdly, at the regional level, Osama Bin Laden’s killing in the backyard of Pakistani army has exposed it before the international community that now the Pakistani state and army has become a safe heaven for terrorists. The harsh reaction of this was clearly visible in the US when the senators, academicians, policy makers have clamored for a review of the nearly $3 billion annual US aid to Pakistan. John Brennan, Counter- terrorism advisor to US President Barack Obama has said that it is “inconceivable that bin laden was without a support system inside Pakistan”.
On the other hand the Pakistani government has issued statements which contradicted its own position. In some statements, the Pakistani establishment tried to take credit for the operation. But when it was denied by the US they retracted from their stand and different statements came from Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. He said that “This is an intelligence failure of the whole world, not Pakistan alone”. These statements seem to be lame excuses and it is further weakening their position.
Pakistan stands exposed as it is difficult to digest that they had no information regarding the presence of most wanted criminal of 21st century in their own backyard. Even if it is true then it shows their complete intelligence failure. Further, it has also exposed the dual character of Pakistan. On the one hand it pretends to extend support to US on War on Terror and on the other hand it is fast becoming a sanctuary for terrorists. This may have serious repercussions at the interstate relations in the South Asian region.
Finally, it will give a positive mark to India who has been consistently providing evidence to international community including US that terrorist activities directed against India has its roots in Pakistan. So far hardly any western power paid any heed to the attention being drawn by the Indians. Now, it is high time that they should realize that terrorist activities directed against a particular country should not be seen in isolation as it may affect them as well in future. Had America used its influence, Pakistan could have been checked much earlier. The US has never made any serious effort to extend support to Pakistan for developing democratic institution or effective civil society groups. Rather it only used Pakistan as a tool in War against Communism earlier and now War on Terror.
Pakistan, also because of its geo- political compulsion, tried itself to be used by Americans as they have a cold war going on with Indians for a very long time. As Americans were guided by their self- interest, they allowed Pakistan to be the nursery of terrorist activities. US hardly paid any attention drawn by Indian establishment that money being given to Pakistan is being diverted towards destabilizing India as long as it served their interest. This is the right time that countries like US and India should make best use of this opportunity to mobilize international community in their favour to build pressure on Pakistan to hand over militants wanted for criminal activities in India. Pakistan has been consistently in denial mode that any of the terrorist wanted by India is in their country as they had been denying the presence of Osama Bin Laden. International opinion should be mobilized that perpetrators of 26/11 be handed over to India.
Recent developments have proved that not only Al-Qaida but also Pakistan has become a big challenge for US as well as international community. Taliban is still getting moral support from military. Americans should make use of their influence to check the hold of military in Pakistan along with containment of terrorism. Unless democracy is allowed to take roots in Pakistan, it will continue to pose a big threat to the world peace.
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The writer is Assistant Professor in Department of Political Science in BB Ambedkar (Central ) University, Lucknow. Prior to this he was in Govt. College, Arunachal Pradesh & K.R. Post Graduate College, Mathura. He is a gold medalist in Political Science in graduation and post graduation from BHU.
—Source: Facenfacts.com