Balochistan: American eye candy

[Uzair arif]

I am currently enrolled in a civil engineering program from NUST,isb,i have started writing articles lately on global politics and issues,I want senior members of this forum to find few minutes to go through this article and give me their very valuable feed back

regards



Three US law makers introduced a resolution aiming for the self determination of Balochistan. This news sent shivers down the spine of those residing in the Islamabad. Ironically, this move of those three lawmakers sparkedan existing realization of how neglected Balochistan was; Balochistan: which turned out to be the loyal child of indifferent parents. Alarms rang in Islamabad and were soon followed by a parliamentary session whose main agenda was to discuss the contemporary issues pertaining Balochistan.While I don’t really appreciate this initiative of American legislators, I have to admit that it highlighted the need to address the Baloch miseries; which have been largely unaccounted and have led to 5 insurgencies
Some of the analyst may term this whole episode as a personal move, which has nothing to do with the American state, government or policies. Having said that we still cannot reject the amount of interest America seems to have in Baluchistan. Global politics has evolved over the course of time and it has largely revolved around the resources, coal,gas, oil and gold; they have been the major source of contention in the international arena. Fortunately or unfortunately Balochistan offers all these and therefore, it serves the purpose of a giant super power which has already attained a status of omnipotent state.
This argument of “resources” may seem over simplistic and not be very convincing/appealing to most of the people, because there are 1001 other ways through which America can generate and attain its resources, but then the question arises why Balochistan?
Global politics is in a transition phase, where balance of power has lopsidedly shifted towards the east from the west, China being the major shareholder amongst them.China’s growing influence in the global matters have definitely worried the USA, and their think tanks must have chalked out a strategy to undermine the growing china’s hegemony on the world affairs and for that matter concerning Balochistan serves an ideal geographic and strategic location to keep China under the camera. The economic benefits China can potentially enjoy from thestrategic route of Karakorumto Gwadar must have been under the consideration of USA coupled with the fact that their presence in Balochistan can undermine or at least slow down the China’s launch as the major super power.
This may seem a farfetched approach of analysis, but there is no way any one can deny the threat that USA and Israel in particular face from Iran, which has been alleged of developing a nuclear arsenal. While the west and Iran are still at loggerheads over the nuclear issue, USA keeps its all options open. Iran has repeatedly threatened USA of closing down the strait of Hormuz,thus virtually ceasing all the commercial activity and thus, is potent enough to jeopardise American economy.
USA and Israel will never materialize their aggressive stance toward the Iran because the consequences could prove detrimental for their existence however in due course of time USA might seek to intimidate Iran by establishing a strong network as close as possible to Iran,and so here the answer lies: Balochisan.It serves best medium through which they could monitor and intimidate Iran over the longer period of time.
America is due to leave Afghanistan in 2014, till then Pakistan’s assistance to their cause is very essential and until then America will not pursue with any program that could prove to be the last nail in the coffin of the US-PAK relations, however, as the history suggests that Pakistan’s value could change overnight in the period of post American withdrawal from the Afghanistan. Thus who knows a greater challenge might await Pakistan where it would have to save Balochistan from falling into the hands of the west. Given the hardline policy of Baloch leaders,the insurgency and several groups operating in Balochistan, working for their vested interests and the situation which the post 2014 envisages would be quiet conducive for Americans to pursue with their shenanigans.