I'd say that Zia should have controlled the flow of arms to Pakistan, but I know that's really hard, if not impossible. So then, if this Kalashnikov culture is is the price we paid for defeating the Russians, then I'm sorry to inform you that in the long run we've lost, Miserably. Being a so called "Master Strategist", didn't Zia see the effects that his strategies would have on Pakistan? But oh, I remember, he was too busy thinking of ways to remain in power to pay much attention to anything else!

Today, the Americans have overrun Afghanistan. Religious extremism is sweeping the nation. The Taliban are at our doorstep and there is a massive insurgency in Baluchistan. Tell me Very Clearly, how things would have Been Worse if we Hadn't Fought the war?


Brother the war HAS come to our land. Zia created a situation which made peace in Afghanistan impossible. We may have made a mistake, getting into the war this time, but Right Now, the war is Very Much our Own. And correction: in 1980s, we used American finance to fight America's WAR and destroyed our own country in the process.


My dear sir, the collateral damage WAS SO GREAT that it rendered all gains negligible. And a hypocrite like Zia couldn't have fixed things had he lived a hundred more years. Shukar hai Allah ka ke he died and Pakistan was spared from his so called strategies.