On March 8, 2011, anti-U.S. protesters in Pakistan mark International Women's Day by expressing support for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist jailed in the U.S. for trying to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan (Image courtesy: Roznama Ummat, Pakistan, March 9, 2011)
In Pakistan, where anti-U.S. mass protests have seen an unprecedented surge, several Pakistani columnists wrote articles in Urdu-language newspapers examining the U.S.'s role in Pakistan and internationally. In an article titled "America the Most Dangerous Nation on the Earth," columnist Muhammad Amjad Chaudhary criticized American officials for making concerted efforts to describe Pakistan as the world's most dangerous country.
Chaudhary's article was written before CIA contractor Raymond Davis was arrested in Lahore on January 27 for killing two Pakistani nationals, an incident that has led to countrywide protests against the U.S. in Pakistan. Chaudhary noted that U.S. officials are engaged in an anti-Pakistan campaign in order to pressure the Pakistan Army and the government to order a military operation in North Waziristan, a safe haven for Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants in the Pakistani tribal region.
In another article, titled "Revolution – Open Eyes, Look at Sky, Feel the Wind," Pakistani academic Professor Khubab Ahmed Khan examined the possibilities of an international Islamic revolution beginning with the defeat of the U.S. in Afghanistan, with inspiration generated from the recent uprisings in the Middle East.
He noted: "The expected defeat of the U.S. in Afghanistan would soon mark the downfall of the Western system. The world being unipolar, the Muslim people won't have an option other than Islam, thereby paving the way for the renaissance of Islam in the near future."
Both articles were published in the pro-Taliban, Urdu-language Pakistani newspaper Roznama Islam.
"The Past and Present of the United States is Witness to the Fact That It has No Match in the Game of Damage and Destruction of the World"
Following are excerpts from Muhammad Amjad Chaudhary's article:[1]
"Former CIA official Bruce Riedel has termed Pakistan as the most dangerous country on the face of the earth. In a television interview, he said that Pakistan is a nation developing fast in nuclear weapons and there are terrorists at a distance of every mile there. Mike Mullen, the head of the U.S. armed forces, has also declared – in a latest statement – the safe havens of terrorists in Pakistan as the center of international terrorism. In interviews... U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also alleged that the Al-Qaeda affiliated network continues to be present in the northern regions of Pakistan, posing serious threats to the U.S. security.
"Such allegations against Pakistan from U.S. officials are not new. Such pressure tactics on the Pakistani government to have their demands fulfilled have proved effective. Following just one American threat after 9/11, the then-Musharraf government pushed Pakistan into the 'war on terror.' The nation is bearing the consequences of that act in the form of terrorism, suicide blasts, and drone attacks.
"The objective of the recent U.S. pressure on Pakistan is to convince the Pakistani government and the army to agree to a military operation in North Waziristan [the sanctuary of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants]. However, [Pakistan Army chief] General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani has already clarified his stand that the Pakistan Army would launch a military operation in those areas at an appropriate time if it became inevitable. It was predictable that the U.S. would launch propaganda by terming Pakistan a dangerous country like Iraq and Afghanistan, as it failed to get a nod from Pakistan Army to this effect. It is not clear how long Pakistan would resist the U.S. pressure, but the nation applauds and supports General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani's brave stance on this issue.
"In the lines below, let us now discuss, in the light of the realities of the past and present, about which country is in reality the most dangerous country of the earth.
'The past and present of the United States is witness to the fact that it has no match in the game of damage and destruction of the world. This is the only country which obliterated hundreds of thousands of people from the earth by dropping atom bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. No living being is safe from the radiation effects in these cities despite half a century gone by. Many countries became victims of civil wars due to U.S. interference. It provided money and weapons to rebel groups in many countries in order to topple elected governments. Democracies were turned into dictatorships. And when puppet dictators were no longer of use, they were declared traitors and deposed in the name of freedom of people there; their freedoms were snatched away. The latest case is that of Iraq and Afghanistan."
"Pakistan was Compelled to Play the Role of a Frontline State in the War on Terror and Then the War was Pushed into the Pakistani Tribal Areas"
"The U.S. provided dangerous chemical weapons to Saddam Hussein to wage a war against Iran. Thousands of people of the two countries were killed in that war. Later, the same Saddam Hussein was dubbed a dictator and hanged; every inch of Iraq was overrun on the excuse of the alleged weapons of mass destruction. Similarly, the soil of Afghanistan was used as a battleground in order to raze the USSR, and after achieving its objective this region was left on its own [by the U.S.].
"The U.S. bombed every inch of Afghanistan after declaring Sheikh Osama bin Laden as responsible for the destruction of the World Trade Center on 9/11. Thousands of innocent Iraqis and Afghans were subjected to atrocities in Abu Ghreib jail in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay. Pakistan was compelled to play the role of a frontline state in the war on terror, and then the war was pushed into the Pakistani tribal areas. The U.S. then encouraged the terrorists and got them engaged against Pakistan's security forces and people. No city of Pakistan today is safe from this fire. The U.S. brutalities did not stop here; rather an unending series of drone attacks was begun in the tribal areas in which so far hundreds of innocent civilians have been killed.
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"The U.S., which never misses a chance to label Muslims as terrorists, has at the same time adopted silence on Israeli atrocities being committed against the Palestinian people. Similarly, the U.S. silence over Israel's cowardly attack on the Freedom Flotilla carrying aid for Palestinians was a clear proof that Israel has its total support for its [Israeli] terrorism. This pattern of action sheds light on the reality that the U.S. foreign policy revolves around using conspiracies, terrorism, and the use of power."
"There Can Not be Any Country More Dangerous on the Earth than the U.S."
"The Americans call themselves the most liberal people in the world, but the reality is quite opposite. The terminology of 'Bad Boys' is used for those Americans who are xenophobic towards the people of other religions, countries and nationalities. Ethnic riots between the whites and blacks are the order of the day there. The U.S. is full of extremists who in one way or the other hurt the sentiments of people of other faiths, especially Muslims.
"A U.S. court decreed 86-year imprisonment to Pakistan's daughter Dr. Aafia Siddiqui for the crime she has not committed, and this proved how biased this nation is. Damned American pastor Terri Jones first hurt the sentiments of the entire Muslim ummah by announcing his plan to burn the Koran, and has now announced a move to sue the Holy Book. He says that though he abandoned his plan to burn the Koran, this time he will act on his decision to lodge legal proceedings [against the Koran].
"The indiscriminate shootings by U.S. soldier [Major Nidal Hasan] on a parade of American military officers at Fort Hood military academy in the U.S. state of Texas... [in November 2009] and the random shootings by a fanatical American on a political meeting in the American state of Arizona in which six people, including a 9-year-old girl and a judge, were killed while several people were wounded, including American Senator [Gabrielle Giffords], illustrate that the U.S. government, policy, or culture is indeed incapable of liberal traits.
"Extremism, prejudice, and bigotry are inherent among people there, and even now there is no end to such sentiments. In this backdrop, there cannot be any country more dangerous on the earth than the U.S..."
"Only One Revolution had Lasting Impact On the World - the Revolution Introduced by Prophet Muhammad"
Following are excerpts from Professor Khubab Ahmed Khan's article:[2]
"Revolution is the name of transformation, renovation, and growth, fundamental change, establishment of a new system, replacing an old political and social system. Today the talk of revolution is everywhere; in the last one and a half month such events took place [in Tunisia and Egypt] that predict a wave of revolutions. The world has witnessed many revolutions, but no big change came in the lives of humans after each of them. Temporary changes yes, but humanity continued to long for real transformation.
"Only one revolution had lasting impact on the world - the revolution introduced by Prophet Muhammad, the last of the prophets. It changed all the old socio-political and economic structures of the world, but only 1,000 people, including Muslims and infidels, played a role in bringing this revolution. This revolution destroyed the two superpowers of the time: Iran and Rome. The eras of the Righteous Caliphs and of [Umayyad caliph] Umar Bin Abdul Aziz are still seen as exemplary.
"As Muslims passed further away from the first centuries [after Prophet Muhammad], their living styles began changing; rulers fell victims to greed and lust due to economic fortunes. When Islam's social and economic system came under attack, the political system too was badly affected and Muslim rulers became less interested in solving the problems of their masses. Amid the overflowing riches from tax, all social evils which were eliminated by Islam emerged. Gradually, the situation began moving towards revolution. Calamity struck the Muslim world in the form of Genghis Khan and Hulagu Khan [the Mongol rulers who ransacked Islamic capitals]. After this, the series of fall and rise of [Muslim nations] began and speeded up after the end of the Ottoman Empire [in early-1920s].
"The imperialists, through their agents, clutched the Muslim world in their fist, and by using their resources set into motion the wheel of their industrial revolution. The British imperialists shared their experience with the Soviets, and the motive of both was to destroy the Muslim identity. Imperialism and communism, despite being contradicting systems, were united against Muslims and Islam. The British imperialists introduced their own system and called it democracy; a system of education was introduced by Lord Macaulay [in India] so that Muslims could think of their slavery as independence."
[After the Breakup of the USSR] American Imperialism... Considered the Entire Muslim World as Fodder for Subjugation..."
"After the downfall of the Ottoman Empire, the Khilafat Movement [for re-establishing Islamic caliphate] introduced such an awakening among Indian Muslims that that the idea of democracy devastated Britain; all the nefarious designs of the British imperialists were crashed to dust; the subcontinent was divided; and the English imperialists in whose empire the sun would not set was found searching for the sun.
"After the British imperialism, the communist imperialism spread its tentacles; those fighting against the communists were only Muslims. After destroying the Muslim identity of the Central Asian states, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan... and poured all the colors of atheism in Afghanistan. A hat and necktie became order of the day in place of beard and veil; and the entire system was made a symbol of communism. However, the Russian imperialism also could not sustain the fight of the hapless Muslims of Afghanistan. As in the case of the British imperialism, when the Red imperialism also withdrew, the Soviet Union had broken up into pieces.
"After the breakup of the superpower Russia, the United States of America became the ruler of the world with its agenda of a New World Order. It started planning against the Muslim world on political, ethical, intellectual, and military fronts. Its top priority was to support puppet governments in the Muslim world. Through the Muslim rulers and by occupying the resources of the Muslim world such as oil, it exploited their people and crushed every voice that rose in favor of reform.
"Those who resisted the U.S. influence in the Muslim world were dubbed as terrorists and ended up in torture cells, clearing obstacles for the United States. Muslim societies were edged on the path of consumerism and hedonism; its supremacy was impressed upon [Muslims] through innovations in material goods. This feeling of being impressed gave temporary edge on the intellectual, moral, political, and military fronts to the American imperialism, which considered the entire Muslim world as fodder for subjugation.
"It hijacked all revolutions in the Muslim world and every new face worked for promoting its interests. When a military ruler turned his back, the U.S. supported democratic forces; and when democracy was of no use for the U.S., it backed military coups in the Muslim world. It supported democracy in Algeria and Palestine. However, when the result was not up to expectation, it imposed a minority to rule over the majority there in order to achieving its objectives."
"The Capitalist System [is] Prospering on the Basis of Material Progress, Resources of the Muslim World, and the Wealth Deposited in the Western Banks by Muslim Rulers"
"The capitalist system – prospering on the basis of material progress, resources of the Muslim world and the wealth deposited in the Western banks by Muslim rulers – usurped the remaining resources of the developing and backward countries through multinational companies. These companies threw food into the ocean [to keep prices high] but were never willing to give even one morsel to the deprived people.
The Western imperialism got an opportunity to flower and prosper after the world became unipolar [with the demise of USSR]. It impressed the Muslim world with its military prowess; therefore, every wind of change remained fruitless despite the worst living conditions [in Muslim societies]; every momentary upheaval in favor of change turned cold with a new face emerging to rule. It appeared that the Muslim world has accepted the Western thought and system as its fate.
"After the end of the Russian imperialism, the unipolar world's exploitation crossed all limits and the Muslim world was cursed for helping in the defeat of a superpower [Russia in Afghanistan]. Now the system cannot be changed; this thinking led to the atheists and proponents of capitalism to unite under the banner of the U.S.; Muslims intellectuals also surrendered before the West, and Muslim leaders considered this system as their strength. Liberals and progressive fascists hijacked the media and got engaged in proving imperialism to be the abode of humanity. Those who used to raise the slogans of revolution changed themselves for their personal interests...
"The unjust invasion of the U.S. and its allies in Afghanistan and Iraq on the pretext of 9/11 and the presence of weapons of mass destruction was exposed by the atrocities committed at Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghreib, Qila-i-Jangi [Mazar-i-Sharif], and Bagram, and shook the Western allies' intellectual and ethical standing in the world. Along with it, the agents of the imperialist powers in the Muslim world were criticized, and Muslims also began realizing that the Western domination is the real cause of all the ills. The Western 'justice' for Aafia and outrage for Asia proved their double standard [referring to Pakistani scientist Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, who is jailed in New York for trying to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, and demands by Western nations to free Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman sentenced to death by a Pakistani court over blasphemy charges]."
"The Expected Defeat of the U.S. in Afghanistan will Soon Mark the Downfall of the Western System... Thereby Paving the Way for the Renaissance of Islam"
"The actions committing blasphemy of Prophet [Muhammad] in the name of freedom of speech, banning of veils and hijab on the pretext of ending discrimination [against women], and hue and cry for the rights of minorities in the Muslim world while holding of referendums in their own countries against Islamic symbols and minarets [such as in Switzerland] proved the hollowness of the West's claim to be a civilization.
"Supporting corrupt rulers and arranging for their safe exit when they are in danger, usurping the resources through the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and multi-national companies, threats to push [Pakistan and other nations] to the Stone Age and then imposing rulers who indeed pushed Muslim countries to the Stone Age, unemployment and poverty becoming the fate of the masses, are the reasons for the change and ultimately revolution in Egypt, Tunisia, and other countries.
"The expected defeat of the U.S. in Afghanistan will soon mark the downfall of the Western system. The world being unipolar, the Muslim people won't have an option other than Islam, thereby paving the way for the renaissance of Islam in the near future. This revolution would uproot the old system. It is now the responsibility of Islamic movements to create awareness among Muslims and educate them to incorporate the Islamic way of life for breaking the ground for an international Islamic revolution... The wave of changes [in Tunisia and Egypt] has a message for our rulers [in Pakistan] that their exploitative regime would not resist the power of the masses..."
