Terrorism & CPEC

Military and political strategists throughout history, such as Chanakya and Machiavelli, have philosophized how tactics of terrorism and cruelty may be considered a virtue when viewed from the lens of national self-preservation. The word ‘Terrorism’ as such, has not been used in further explaining the methodologies in clear terms by these strategists; however, the concept of using cruelty against enemy state can further be translated into use of covert low key operations and overt terrorism, which are clearly indicated in Machiavellian thought. Machiavelli’s most inclusive approval of cruelty is visible in his statement on the absolute security and defense of a state, in which he quotes, ‘When it is absolutely a question of the safety of one’s country, there must be no consideration of just or unjust, of merciful or cruel, or praiseworthy or disgraceful; instead, setting aside every respect, one must follow to the utmost any plan that will save her life and maintain her liberty.’

Terrorism has been used in the past as a remarkable and ruthless tool for shaping policies and public opinion, as well as achieving an extensive list of coverts aims by state and non-state actors alike. Ruthless in terms of strategy and remarkable with respect to the effects achieved.

In the previous century, the philosophy of using terrorism as strategy has manifested in numerous operations carried out by military and intelligence contemporaries as well as revolutionaries and rebels alike. These can be exemplified in numerous covert and overt operations starting from 1940s, such as bombing of five ships carrying Jews fleeing to Palestine from the Holocaust in 1946 by British agencies using a fake group called “Defenders of Arab Palestine”. Another example is the use of an Israeli terrorist cell in Egypt to plant explosives in numerous facilities including a US diplomatic building in 1954, implicating the Arabs.  Identification of the bombers by Egyptian security agencies later proved the conspiracy. In the 50s, the CIA hired malcontent Iranians posing to be communists to stage bombings in Iran and turn public against the democratically elected prime minister. The CIA later admitted to these allegations as published by NY times in year 2000. Another instance was that of planting a radio transmitter by Mossad in Gadhafi’s compound in Tripoli, Libya in 1984. The fake terrorist transmissions broadcasted were sufficient to frame Gadhafi as a terrorist supporter resulting in the US bombing of Libya immediately thereafter.

The list of such intel operations including assassination attempts, massacres and terrorist attacks for achieving strategic aims is non-exhaustive; however, incidents such as those highlighted here may indicate the veracity of using this strategy vis-à-vis the achieved effects; the murder of the Turkish Prime Minister (1960); bombings in Portugal (1966); the Piazza Fontana massacre in Italy (1969); terror attacks in turkey (1971); the Peteano bombing in Italy (1972); Shootings In Brescia, Italy and bombing on an Italian Train (1974);  Shootings In Istanbul, Turkey (1977); the Atocha massacre in Madrid, Spain (1977); the abduction and murder of the Italian Prime Minister (1978); and bombing of the Bologna railway station in Italy (1980). CIA has more recently been allegedly using terrorism as a tool for shaping global opinion for war in the Middle East as well as in Afghanistan using outsourced media, intel and military experts.

In the asymmetric matrix of modern warfare, such tools as Terrorism have so far proved not only as an unfailing battle tactic, but also as a strong pivot for unveiling a wholesome strategy against the enemy state. On the strategic plane, such machinations result in diversion of perceived threat, thereby re-aligning military aims and further controlling and redirecting national policies.

Unlike Machiavelli, more recent strategists, such as Dr. Subramaniam, apart from his nuclear doctrine, also considered a more overt doctrine of Terrorism against enemy states highlighted in early 80s. A doctrine was seldom re-visited by our counter-strategists and hence remained buried in the sands of time for over two and half decades. Suggesting a strategy of evolving a mechanism for using malcontent and religious elements from within the enemy state, Subramaniam supported the idea of using tribesmen in areas of Pakistan-Afghan borders for destabilizing Pakistan internally, resultantly redirecting military effort away from Indian borders and Kashmir. The key element of his philosophy was clearly the use of “Terrorism”.

In more recent times, various external covert agencies have been unfolding a well-coordinated and wholesome strategy against Pakistan including conduct of terrorist operations in the ambit of 5GW especially after 9/11. However, its impetus was thwarted by successfully handling separatists’ movement in Baluchistan and neutralizing the terrorist elements in FATA for a short while. Nonetheless, the pressure has once more been heightened after Pakistan’s policy shift from the west to alliance with Russo-China block. Since initiation of CPEC numerous reported and unreported acts of violence and terrorism have been unleashed throughout Pakistan.

As what can now be easily recognized in hindsight, recent events have linkages spilling over from perhaps the lack of foresight by our leadership in the past. These may be enumerated on a timeline as; inflexible strategic alliances in the cold war era of global bi-polarity, ineffective post war management of Afghanistan after USSR’s withdrawal, and non-support or/and non-neutrality during US/ISAF invasion of Afghanistan. The web of causality can be evidently deciphered by what is visible on ground today. However, some may include more variables while others may out rightly disagree. However, these major events clearly resulted in creation of space for Subramanian’s strategy to unfold.

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