Last night in the Rockefeller Center, John Cooley '49 discussed the history and consequences of the holy wars in Afghanistan known as Jihad, predicting that evolving regional disputes surrounding the issue could affect international relations.
Cooley drew from over 35 years of experiences as a journalist and foreign corespondent as well as his recent book -- "Unholy Wars: Afghanistan, America and International Terrorism" -- as he described the significance of historical landmarks starting in 1979.
He explained that in 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, and occupied the country for 10 years.
Today the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist movement, controls over 90 percent of Afghanistan.
He described the oppressive nature of the Taliban regime, noting the fact that women are barred from education, men are forced to grow beards and music and television are prohibited. He also said punishments are severe -- people are buried alive and public flogging still exists.
On top of this, he reported that Afghanistan is one of the poorest nations in the world, relying on its opium trade for economic sustenance. Cooley noted that Afghanistan is the biggest producer of opium in the world.
However, he noted that "clearly changes on the horizon."
Bill Clinton will be the first U.S. President to visit Afghanistan's region in over 20 years. Cooley said Clinton will address drug trafficking and terrorism during his visit.
Cooley also noted that Afghanistan could play an important role in the tense relations between India and Pakistan -- a situation very high on the list of U.S. international concerns.
The United States wants Pakistan and India to sign the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, suggesting that with major reforms India will soon be on its way to catching up economically with Asia.
India opposed the expansionist regime of Pakistan, still feeling that Pakistan belonged to its mother country. If India gave up the disputed Kashmir to Pakistan, it would provide a strong link for Pakistan to its military ally China as well as Muslim Bangladesh.
India is said to have made efforts with Israel to keep peace between the two nations. Cooley noted that the military cooperation between the two has grown very close.
This has led to a speculation of Israeli bomb testing in the Middle Eastern region with the aid of other countries -- perhaps India. In 1979, the U.S. Navy reported the testing of a South African bomb in the region that was suspected to be connected with Israel.
Turkey, on the other hand, according to Cooley, has chosen to stay removed from the Jihad, launching itself as the nation of greater freedom. Turkey has an existing alliance with Israel and is a staunch member of NATO, looking to support from Greece as well.
Cooley noted that it is impossible for Pakistan to ignore the Afghanistan Jihad now. Moreover, Pakistan's strategic alliance with China lasted over two decades, which could play a large factor in the future.
Anthropology Professor Dale Eickelman commented that Cooley's presentation "tackled a grand strategy with field management, revealing the major problem of translation and a complexity of issues that has become the Achilles heel of American foreign policy."
In current events, the recent Afghan hijacking can be closely linked to the Jihad. The hijackers are reported to demand the release of Ismail Khan, a Taliban opposition leader who was a war hero against the invading Soviet Union over a decade ago.
