Apr
26
Alive and Well in the US of A
Filed Under Pakistan, Security, US Policy, United States | 7 Comments
Imran H. Khan
I was recently invited to a dinner by a doctor friend where I had the opportunity to meet Ethan Casey and Todd Shea. Ethan has written a book called “Alive and Well in Pakistan” which captures his interactions with Pakistanis in his stay there. Most of the people there were doctors of Pakistani descent living around the Boston area. They had organized a fund raiser a day earlier and the dinner was to get to meet these two gentlemen up close. I had met Todd Shea earlier a couple of years ago and was familiar with his work and admired how he had been able to connect with the people of Kashmir and had decided to settle amongst them. As we got talking it struck me that we in the US of Pakistani descent shared a lot in common the two guests. Todd mentioned that he deliberately travels in T shirt and western clothes without carrying any weapons and the people in Pakistan greatly appreciate it. A lady guest at the dinner,who works in a large retail store, commented that ever since 9/11 she makes it a point to let people know that she is a Pakistani Muslim and that vast majority of people that she interacts with appreciate it. Ethan and Todd in their efforts are trying to convey to the Americans that Pakistanis are like regular people that have been wrongfully demonized in the US press to suit the narrative concocted by the US policy makers to further their goals of hegemony and power projection. Read more
Oct
8
Doing the Right Thing in Afghanistan
Filed Under Afghanistan, Pakistan, US Policy, United States | 6 Comments
by Imran H. Khan
Today is the ninth anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan by US troops. It is time to reflect on the manner in which US got involved. It is also a good time to look at responsible ways to get out of the Afghan quagmire while ensuring peace for all the nations involved. To re-phrase the line from the movie “Gladiator”, “Countries should know when the war has been lost”. This comment is not a reflection on the proud soldiers serving there, and has more to do with the policy. I had stated in a publicly broadcast show that the war in Afghanistan had been lost early last year. Everything since then has gone downhill, as was easily predictable to those who have the slightest sense of the region. It is already the longest war that US has ever fought. Churchill once said that “America will always do the right thing, but only after exhausting all other options.” It is now time to do the right thing as all the options have been exhausted.
Oct
5
America’s Longest War
Filed Under Afghanistan, US Policy, United States | Leave a Comment
by M. Salahuddin Khan
We’ve just passed the 9th anniversary of 9/11 and in lockstep with each passing year’s remembrance of that awful, tragic day, we’re reminded less than a month later of another anniversary, that of the start of America’s longest war—the war in Afghanistan. Read more
Views: 1110ShareAug
9
Salman Ahmad’s Jihad
Filed Under India, Pakistan, Peace, US Policy, United States, World, education, religion | 1 Comment
by Imran H. Khan
Salman Ahmed is a well known musician out of Pakistan and South Asia. He is the founder of one of the most famous rock bands out of that region by the name of Junoon. He has recently written a book by the name of “Rock and Roll Jihad“. When I first heard about the book and the title it struck me as something odd. Rock and Roll and Jihad had until now not been said in the same sentence. Jihad in Arabic language means to strive. In the Islamic religious sense it means “striving in the cause of God”. Jihad has been classified either as al-jihād al-akbar (the greater jihad), the struggle against one’s soul (nafs), or al-jihād al-asghar (the lesser jihad), the external, physical effort, often implying fighting. Having had seen Salman grow from a cute little child to what he is now, it does not take much to understand how he has used his musical skills to achieve social activism in fighting injustices, bigotry, national animosities, disease, religious misunderstandings, religious radicalism and the list goes on.
May
6
Responsible Response to the Time Square Bomber
Filed Under Afghanistan, Pakistan, US Policy, United States | 4 Comments
by Imran H. Khan
We in the Pakistani American community have been deeply troubled by the attempt by one of its new member to bomb the Time Square. Pakistani American community is a well to do community; as was this perpetrator. Faisal does not fit the typical profile of these kinds of criminals. Before we start talking about putting out the correct responses within our society to stop this in future; we need to learn more about what made Faisal undertake such a mission. Read more
Mar
12
The Origins of Pakistan-China Military Friendship
Filed Under China, PAF, Pakistan, Technology, US Policy, United States | 1 Comment
An informal off-the-record expose by Air Marshal (R) Inam H. Khan
Pakistan was the first Muslim country to recognize China in 1950 and the third non communist state. Pakistan then voted for a bill concerning the restoration of China’s legitimate rights in the UN. PIA became the first non-communist airline to fly into China in 1964.
Mar
7
Pakistanis are STILL Dying: For What? For Whom? Why?
Filed Under Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Peace, US Policy, United States | 8 Comments
by Imran H. Khan
Little did I know when I first posted this that there would be a number of drone strikes and suicide explosions immediately after wards. I know of no nation in the world that willfully allows another nation to attack and kill its citizens, specially when it has the resources to stop it. The current civil and military leadership of Pakistan needs to be held accountable for allowing Pakistani citizens to be killed, on a nearly daily basis, by its people. I had recorded a talk show on US policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan in April 2009. It discussed the anticipated change in the US policy brought about by the new Obama administration. Read more
Mar
1
F-6s at War
Filed Under China, PAF, Pakistan, Technology, US Policy | 5 Comments
by Air Cdre M Kaiser Tufail (Retd) 
The US embargo on military sales to Pakistan at the outbreak of 1965 Indo-Pak War was received with dismay and disbelief by the PAF, whose combat and training aircraft were totally of US origin. Already starting to get outclassed by more modern aircraft, the F-86Fs, F-104s and B-57s were now plagued by spares support problems that rendered them virtually worthless in the PAF. The C-in-C of the PAF, Air Marshal Nur Khan who had cannily led the force during the war, sensed the criticality of the situation and started an immediate search for suitable aircraft from new sources. Read more
Views: 4631ShareFeb
21
Musings on Current Topics
Filed Under China, India, Pakistan, US Policy, United States | 2 Comments
by Izaz Haque
With so much to talk about these days, a lot of good opinions get left out there unheard. So lets get them out…right here on Imran’s blog.
I can start with a few leaders…
Views: 1541ShareOct
13
Kerry-Lugar Bill: The New US-Pakistan Order?
Filed Under Afghanistan, Pakistan, US Policy, United States | 4 Comments
by Imran H. Khan
As a Pakistani American I am most interested in good and strengthening relationship between the two countries. As an inhabitant of the planet I am interested that the two countries can work out their issues without resorting to the use of force, as both the countries are nuclear powers. The sad fact of the matter is that right now US is waging a hot war on Pakistan. It is Pakistan’s weakness and inability to defend itself both from inside and out, that it is letting itself to be bombarded with missiles on a nearly daily basis. Over 300 Hellfire missiles have been fired into the homes of Pakistanis since 2007. Each $58K missile attack kills about fifteen people on the average. Many of these people are children and women. By one estimate, one AlQaida type is killed for every 49 civilians. It is estimated that there maybe upto 10,000 hard core Taliban and AlQaida types in Pakistan. Using this strategy would result in the loss of 500,000 innocents to get rid of them. This is the same failed US strategy in Afghanistan that has alianated the average Afghan. The irony of the matter is that the Government of Pakistan actually provides two bases for the drones to fly out of Pakistan so as to give them longer loitering time over Pakistani villages. The Obama administration has appointed a Special Forces general to chart out the new Af-Pak strategy for the region. Being from special forces, he tends to see solution to most problems as needing the application of even more special forces. So he has asked for more Predator strikes into Pakistan and inserting special forces to go into cities of Pakistan, like Quetta. Agianst this backdrop comes “The Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009″, or more popularly known as the Kerry-Lugar Bill. I managed to stay awake while reading all the legalize. I took the time to read it and would urge you to read it too at pakistaniat. It is the single most important piece of US-Pakistan document to study as it lays down the foundation of relationship between US and Pakistan for the duration of Obama administration. We as a planet, are standing a tipping point in history. If we are not extremely careful in how we tiptoe through the next couple of years, there is a real risk of nuclear war between Pakistan and US. Should such a tragic event happen, the inhabitants of the Northern hemisphere of the planet could be inhaling radiating dust for a very long time to come. Read more
Views: 598Share