US Policy towards Pakistan - Thesis Proposal Example

US Policy towards Pakistan 1. PROBLEM DESCRIPTION The borderlands of Afghanistan and Pakistan stretching from western Afghanistan to the Federally Administered areas of Pakistan (FATA) have been labeled as the most hazardous place on earth (Thomas & Mason 2008, 1). Rightly speaking, the area is considered as the biggest source of security concern in the region, as well as international security (Riaz 2011). It is conceived as stateless or ungoverned, with the region notorious for lack of law and order. It is a highly militarized society composed mainly of the Pashtun Ethnicity. The area is the poorest and least developed part of Pakistan with Low literacy levels. Hussain (2002, 7) states that it is the Taliban militants control this region. The problem has also become a regional concern. The violence and lawlessness in this region has spilled over to Afghanistan. Indeed, a report by Leonard Barry (2009) finds that the greatest challenge to long-term security within Afghanistan is the insurgents’ sanctuary within FATA of Pakistan. Eur (2203) argues that Pakistan has long meddled with internal affairs of Afghanistan, which has made the relationship between the 2 potentially explosive. The status of the region has drawn interest from various stakeholders, among them United states and NATO, following increased cross-border operations carried out by extremists groups against the United stated and NATO troops in Afghanistan ( Nelson 2010, 1-10). From an international point of view, the problem is also becoming a threat to international peace and order. 2. PROBLEM IMPORTANCE Consequently, it is essential to study the larger problem because of some factors. First, it is because of the unique problem it poses to the regional as well as international security. Secondly, since this region is lawless, ungoverned, and potential power vacuum has been created, it is necessary in order to evaluate whether Pakistan is a failed state. This is because the problem has been exploited by militia, Taliban commanders, drug traffickers and terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda to establish and exercise a lot of control and create a haven for their activities. Accordingly, according to a report to the congress, this region poses a direct security threat to national security of United States, stability of Pakistan as well as U.S effort to stabilize Afghanistan. Thirdly, the larger problem is elevated by the inaccessibility of this region because of a horde of factors among them; its physical terrain, geographical location and security factors. With regards to terrain, the area is located in mountainous terrain, broken by small basins and valleys (Federally Administered Tribal Area official website) and, therefore, heavily inaccessible (Johnson & Mason 2008). With regard to geographical factors, it is because of its location at the border with Afghanistan and; therefore, it cannot be effectively combated by one country alone and indeed, its location inside Pakistan. Moreover, the problem is notable because it has attracted interest from the international community led by United States. As a result, the government of Pakistan is caught between the pressures of the international community led by United States, and internal competing factors, such as Pakistan’s own interests, for example, reliance on the predominantly Pashtun to advance their strategic interests in the region given their poor relationship with India (Wirsing 2009, 2). The State Department’s Country Reports on Terrorism 2007 (April 2008), summarize that the instability in western Pakistan has far-reaching repercussions for international terrorism, for Pakistani stability and for U.S. labors to steady Afghanistan. 3. STATING YOUR RESEARCH PROBLEM Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify reasons why the borderlands of Pakistan and Afghanistan and Pakistan’s tribal area region pose national, regional and international security. This is because it is clear that several, and not one factor, contribute to the insecurity (United Nations 2001). Therefore, the research problem shall entail digging into both current and historical factors together with geographical factors that have conspired to undermine security of this region. It shall help to answer questions why the international community steered by the United Nations and United states want the government of Pakistan to establish some nature of control in this region, yet it has been unable despite the pressure it finds itself under (Bailey 2011). 4. ASKING THE QUESTION: This study shall, hence, shall try to answer questions like; why does the region present a threat to world? ; Why various do efforts to combat these phenomena fail? It shall be the assertion of this study that various overlapping factors, and not one, combine to make the region threat to national, regional and international security. This study shall focus on differentiating these factors. The question to consider in this study shall include the following. a) What factors make this region prone to militancy, terrorism, drug trafficking and insurgency? b) What factors contributes to the defeat of Pakistan and the international community effort to secure this area. c) How are all these factors related to the geography of this area? d) Which are the challenges that are posed to international peace and order? e) What steps are necessary to secure this area? Hence, the objective of this study shall be to answer the above questions, make the research problem clear and make the various factors conspicuous. 5. A. WHERE IS THE PROBLEM LOCATED? The problem is located in the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Southern Asia, which according to a report by the world Food Organization (Feb 2007), is around 27,220km2. According to CIA World Fact book, it is bordered by Afghanistan to the west. The between the two is marked by the Durand line, and the Pakistan provinces of Baluchistan to the south, North-West Frontier Province and the Punjab to the east (FATA official website). The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is 1,640 miles long. It is found in the coordinates, 34.00° N 71.32° E. Much of this terrain is so remote and mountainous that it is virtually inaccessible (Mason& Johnson 2008). The study area shall consist of the region that comprises FATA region. The boundaries of the area under study shall encompass the region defined under article 33 of Pakistan’s constitution. With relation to the temporal dimension, this study shall concentrate on history of this region since the efforts of Ahmad Shah Durrani (Singh 1977), to the present day, clearly exploring how various events have shaped the present status. This study shall be based on the temporal dimension of both time and space. The research problem dates back to 1893 with the drawing of the Durand line, which the British forced King Abdul Rahmani of Afghanistan to sign. In essence, this plan divided the Pashtun inhabited region into two parts, falling under the jurisdiction of unfriendly states. Since the enforcement of the Durand line Agreement, FATA had a unique administrative system and relationship with the capital. The Pashtuns, who always resisted control from outside were granted autonomy to run their internal affairs, at independence, and by the British Taj who controls the area prior to that (Nasreen 2009). Consequently this problem can largely be attributed to human activities. 5. B. WHY IS THE PROBLEM LOCATED THERE? The problem is located in this area due to various factors; historical, geographical, as well as, human factors. Historical factors arise from the time of the British presence in the area. With their desire to counter the Pashtuns constant attacks on the East India Company, Britain forced the Durand agreement, therefore, splitting the Pashtuns between two enemy countries. This problem was compounded by the Soviet occupation, because the local Mujahedeen was given a lot of financial support to counter the Russians. With relation to geography, the mountainous terrain has made the area inaccessible even to government troops. Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA), which sits on Afghanistan’s porous and ill-defined eastern border, has become an external “safe haven” for Taliban and al-Qaeda elements (Koprowski 2009). With relation to human factors, the Pashtuns have given the tribal leaders smore loyalty as compared to the one given to Government of Pakistan. 5 .C. HOW MUCH IS THERE? Data shall be derived from secondary sources. Of the essence, the research shall rely on studies conducted by various bodies like the world Food programme, United Nations, thesis by various scholars and security experts and government and congressional reports. Moreover, it shall be essential to interview at least two international experts in the field of geography and security. Data collected shall include; population of the area, to determine the contribution of human factors; literacy and the nature of school present in the area, to understand the spread of jihad ideology and radicalism as portrayed by Adrabi et al (2006). To add, livelihood of the people; economic status of the people for the past 20 years, to decipher the financial input of violent groups; number of roads and other communication channels and their nature. With regards to map, this study shall rely on online Maps available at www.worldatlas.com, Google Maps and CIA World Handbook of the year (2009). 5 D. WITH WHAT IS IT ASSOCIATED Results from analyzing data suggest that the problem is associated with lack of government control of the region under study due to the autonomy it enjoys. Taliban insurgent and terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda have exploited absence of governance in this area, to create free, operational zones, without check. The status has made the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan porous, and this has created routes for drug trafficking (United Nations 2008) and for insurgents and foreign fighters to infiltrate into Afghanistan. The problem is also associated with increased violence and insurgency in this region and instability in Pakistan (Khan 2008, 2-7). Moreover, it has to a large extent increased terrorism activities across the globe, through the establishment of terror cells. Moreover, the prevailing situation has contributed to increased Taliban activities against NATO troops in Afghanistan (Wall Street journal, 2008). In my opinion, the greatest factor is autonomy granted to this area under article 33 of the constitution of Pakistan. 5 E. WHICH GEOGRAPHIC SCALES ARE APPROPRIATE? In this study, a geographic a regional geographical shall be relied on, to cover the entire region under study. Cartographic scales shall be employed as the maps under the scales are smaller than part of the surface they depict. Moreover, the study shall also apply graphic scale bar that uses a line of given length drawn on the map and annotated to show how much earth distance it shall represent. 5 F. WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROBLEM'S LOCATION AND ASSOCIATIONS? The consequences of problem location in this area are several. One, it has affected the image of Pakistan, making it be regarded as a failed and insecure state (Morgan 2010, 55), occasioning several violations of its territorial integrity especially by United States, for example, through aerial drone attacks (Kronstadt and Katzaman 2008). Secondly, it has made the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan to be extremely porous, thus susceptible to trans-boundary crimes (United nations 2009, 248). Thirdly, due to inaccessibility, it has compromised intervention by the international community, as well as Pakistan domestic effort to exercise authority (Nawaz 2009, 12-22). Lastly, due to the human factors, especially the of Pashtun ethnicity, their religious factor, the region is not loyal to Islamabad like it is to tribal figures. 5 G.WHAT IS THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROBLEM'S LOCATION AND ASSOCIATIONS? The significance of this research shall lie in a finding that most of the world security threat lies exactly in the area inhabited by the Pashtuns (Embree 1977, 45). It shall also highlight that the situation in the study region is more complex, with various contributing factors to the insecurity and, therefore, any strategy to counter the problem must be all inclusive. The study shall also highlight how various geographical factors influence the problem. This research shall, therefore, be relevant to all stakeholders involved in looking for a lasting solution to the problem in this region. It shall conspicuously bring out sweeping contributing factors to the problem. To add, this research shall open the eyes of the researcher to the realities on the ground. 6. Map list: What maps will you make? The researcher shall make physical maps to highlight the physical features of the study area, one that shall capture the terrain, for example, that shows the mountains, and valleys. Moreover, the researcher shall make topographical maps to include the contour lines, shape and elevation of the area. Finally, administrative maps of the region shall be included so as to make it conspicuous. 7. Professional Rewards The researcher hopes to benefit from this research by acquiring geographical skill through practical application and learning. The researcher has a goal to acquire knowledge and become an authority with respect to this area, given its international focus. Further, the researcher hopes to conduct a similar research, based on primary data. References cited list Andrabi, Tahir, Das Jishnu, Khwaja, Asim and Tristan Zajonc.2006. Religious school enrollment in Pakistan: A look at the data. Comparative education review.50 (3):446- 447. Ghufran, Nasreen. 2009 .Pashtun Ethno nationalism and Taliban insurgency in North West Frontier province of Pakistan. Asian survey. 49(6): 3-11. Embree, Ainslie. 1977. Pakistan’s Western Borderlands: The transformation of a political order. The Journal of Asian Studies. 38,411-413. Eur. 2003. Far East and Australasia. Routledge publishers. Hagel, Chuck and Kerry, John. 2009. Needed: A Comprehensive US Policy towards Pakistan, the Atlantic Council Special Report. Hauna, Milan. 1982. Afghanistan between the Great Powers, 1938 – 1945. International Journal of Middle East Studies. 14(4): 481-499. Johnson, Thomas and Mason, Chris. 2008. No sign Until the Bust of fire: Understanding the Pakistan-Afghanistan Frontier. International security. 32, 41-77 Johnson, Thomas and Mason, Chris. 2008. No Sign until the Burst of Fire: understanding the Pakistan- Afghanistan frontier. International Security. 32(4): 41-77. Khan, Adeel. 2008. Pakistan in 2007: More violent, More Unstable. Asian Survey. 48 (1): 2-28 Koprowski, Mike. 2009. Defeating the FATA Insurgency. Yale Journal of International Affairs. 73: (1-15) Kronstadt, Alan & Katzaman Kenneth. 2008. Islamist Militancy in the Pakistan-Afghanistan. Border Region and U.S. Policy. CRS Report for Congress. Leonard, Barry. 2009. Report on Progress toward security and stability in Afghanistan. Diane Publishing. Pg. 7. Morgan, Forrest. 2010. Pakistan: Can the United States Secure an Insecure State. Rand Publishing. P.g 55 Peoples, James and Bailey Gallick. 2011. Humanity: An introduction to cultural anthropology. Cengage Learning. Nelson, Matthew. 2010. Pakistan in 2009: Tackling Taliban? Asian Survey. 50(1): 10-57 Shah, Mehtab.1995. The Foreign policy of Pakistan: ethics impacts on diplomacy. Shuja, Nawaz. 2009. FATA- A most dangerous place: Meeting the challenge of militancy and terror in the federally administered tribal areas of Pakistan. International Security.23, 12- 22. Singh, Ganda. 1977. Ahmad Shah Durrani: father of modern Afghanistan. Asian pub.House. Bombay. Taliban is Seizing, Destroying More NATO supplies,” Wall Street Journal, August 12, 2008; United Nations. 2009. Addiction, Crime and Insurgency: the transnational threat of Afghan Opium. United Nations. 2010. Regions under stress. Globalization of crime: A transnational organized crime threat assessment. United Nations. Read More