Memogate - Fact, Fiction and Political Lies Essay

Memogate - Fact, Fiction and Political Lies - Essay Example Analogous to Vietnam, the American troops and their allies dug into the urban areas using fortified structures that were seen as impenetrable for organized Taliban and Al-Qaeda troops. This had one major impact – conventional warfare was not possible in Afghanistan anymore as the Taliban and Al-Qaeda could not mount infantry or artillery attacks. Given the limited choices to act, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda turned over to guerilla tactics with special emphasis being placed on suicide bombing runs inside US bases in Afghanistan. Rising causalities inside the US bases as well as on roads throughout Afghanistan forced the US to act once more. In order to deal with the challenges at hand, the military’s top brass and the hawks in Washington decided to escalate troop levels in order to pursue a policy of â€Å"boots on the ground†. The rising troop levels and the enhanced military activity on ground meant that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda needed new places to hide. This was an obvious response from the Taliban and Al-Qaeda as they needed bases to train troops, plan and execute operations, plan for longer term strategies and the like. However, space in Afghanistan was running out for both the Taliban and Al-Qaeda who were on the run given escalated military activity. As a response to this, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda moved over into neighboring Pakistan’s tribal belt. ... The closely knitted extended family structure in the region which sponsored tribalism was also able to help the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in finding shelter. Even though it was obvious where the enemy was stationed, the US troops and their allies could not operate inside Pakistan as they had in Afghanistan. The sanctity of an international border was far too great to be desecrated along with the sensitivities of the Pakistani side. The US was quick to bring in drones to attack targets inside Pakistani territory but this had only limited effect as the results of surgical strikes are incomparable to the results of entire infantry and artillery movements. Consequently the Pakistani military and intelligence agencies were brought in to deal with the situation in the border tribal regions. The US and its allies expected compliance with their goals but the Pakistani intelligence structure had its own objectives lurking under the guise of cooperation. Continuous failure on the part of the Pakist ani military brass led the US and its allies to limit information sharing. As relations became more and more strained, the cooperation between the US and Pakistan came to an all-time low (Kronstadt). The military regime of Musharraf was replaced in time by a democratic government in 2007 that was looking for protection from the US from the very start. As the democratic government leaned towards the US and its objectives, results began to arrive. The Osama bin Laden raid in Abbottabad helped to effectively end the threat for once and for all. However such cooperation by the democratic government put it in direct opposition of the Pakistani military and intelligence agencies. Soon a new controversy in the form of the Memogate

The Causes and Effects of Islamic Resurgence in Late 20th and Early Essay

The Causes and Effects of Islamic Resurgence in Late 20th and Early 21st century in the Middle East - Essay Example The growing interest in the Islamic resurgence can be traced by several factors. Ali E.Hillal Dessouki enumerated three factors: one is the increasing economic influence of oil-producing countries which are mostly Islamic; another is the concern with the security and the stability of the Persian/Arab Gulf countries; and the new wave of Islamic resurgence in almost all countries where Muslims live (page 3). These interests have been the fruit of the Muslim's search in revitalizing Islam and the Muslim community. According to John L. Esposito et al., Muslims seek to restore Islam with the experience of Muslim decline and western domination in the late 20th century (page 37). Baath Party is a political party and movement influential among Arab communities in the Middle East, especially in Syria and Iraq. From the beginning, the Baath Party was a secular Arab nationalist party. Socialism was originally the economic system of belief of the Party. Thematically, the name baath means resurrection or renaissance. This is the apparent initial movement that aims at rebuilding and encouraging the rebirth of Arab national spirit. Most of the major proponents of early Baathist contemplation had been partially influenced by education in the West. At first, the three major proponents of Baathist thought - Arsuzi, Salah, and Aflaq developed their vision of Arab nationalism to just diminutive audiences in Syria. Eventually, Salah and Aflaq joined in support the Ali al-Gailani's government in Iraq against the British presence during the 1940s. From then on, the movement evolved into a party with an approved constitution and executive committee. However, the intention and purpose of the regional Baath Party was wholly surpassed and eclipsed by the regional commands of he Baath parties of Syria and Iraq. Baath parties in Syria and Iraq each created its own national command. These two countries were the guiding force to the rest of regional commands of the Baath Party that existed in other Arab countries like Jordan, Lebanon and Yemen. They served as a subordinate of the dominant Baath Party in Syria and Iraq. A significant rebirth of Islam occurred when the Syrian Baath merged with the Arab Socialist Party of Akram al-Hurani in 1952. They jointly formed the Arab Baath Socialist Party that successfully won at the 1954 election. It was from then on that Baath members played an important role in the politics of Syria. More importantly, the Baath party were instrumental in procuring the union with Egypt that led to the official and momentary termination of the party and let down of the Baathists. B. Secularism Secularism has been the factor of the Islamic resurgence. Since the year 1979 revolution, the Shiite clergy dominated the political life in contemporary Iran. Furthermore, religious fundamentalists in Arab communities campaign for the fusion of religious authority with temporal political power. C. Nationalism In the rebirth of Islam religion, the term nationalism is greatly regarded as Arab Nationalism. It refers to both doctrines and movements emphasizing the cultural identity and the political independence, solidarity, association, or unity of Arab people and sovereign states. The Arab nationalism developed rapidly and hit its