The Thistle and the Drone: How America's War on Terror Became a Global War on Tribal Islam

4. Musharraf's Dilemma: Balancing Center and Periphery

134 4 Musharraf’s Dilemma: Balancing Center and Periphery A century after perhaps the most erudite viceroy of the British Raj, Lord Curzon, had expressed reservations about sending the “steamroller” across Waziristan to crush and pacify its fierce tribes, Pervez Musharraf ordered the Pakistan army into Waziristan. He then launched military operations in the rest of the Tribal Areas as well as in Baluchistan. These were the actions not of a foreign imperialist but the president of Pakistan. Musharraf, in a dramatic display of hubris, was reversing the policy toward the Tribal Areas and Baluchistan established by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of the state of Pakistan, who had reached out specially to the tribes in these areas. Musharraf was faced with the dilemma of balancing the writ of the state with the demands of the periphery, a dilemma familiar to the modern state. Musharraf was in fact battling the two most formidable Pukhtun tribes, the Wazir and the Mahsud, as well as the toughest Baluch tribes, the Marri and the Bugti. Musharraf had already dismantled the administrative structure of the districts in Pakistan and disrupted the civil service that Jinnah had called the “steel frame” holding the country together. The collapse of law and order inevitably followed. When Musharraf attacked the people of the Tribal Areas and Baluchistan , they reacted by striking civilian targets throughout the country, turning all of Pakistan into a battle zone. The resulting instability directly challenged U.S. policy both in Pakistan and in Afghanistan. Musharraf had not learned from the mistakes of his role model Napoleon Bonaparte: the folly of fighting on multiple fronts simultaneously.1 Born in Delhi, raised in Karachi, and educated in Lahore—all big cities— Musharraf had little instinctive sympathy for tribesmen, viewing them as primitive and backward folk. The image he cultivated for himself was that of a toughtalking , muscular, aggressive, and even reckless soldier, in keeping with the dominant Punjabi culture of bravado and machismo that permeated the Pakistan army. He joined the commando units to emphasize this image. He projected a vigorous and confident Pakistani nationalism. When Musharraf took over, I, Ahmed.indb 134 2/12/13 8:34 PM Musharraf’s Dilemma 135 like many Pakistanis, hoped that he would improve the condition of Pakistan and provide it good governance. The previous governments had brought the country to the brink of disaster with their incompetence and corruption. Alas, it was not to be. Musharraf’s government proved equally inept, and as he was head of a powerful army, it was not easy to challenge or dislodge him. Very early after 9/11, Musharraf saw an opportunity to strengthen his domestic position and gain international legitimacy by establishing ties with the United States and joined its war on terror as a full-fledged ally. He had cleverly convinced Washington that if he were removed, the dreaded Muslim fanatics with long beards, wearing shalwar-kameez and brandishing Kalashnikovs, would take over Pakistan’s nuclear assets; in effect, al Qaeda would have access to nuclear bombs. In the United States, the ideal “good guy” among Muslims was like Musharraf—beardless, wearing expensive suits and ties, and speaking English. The “bad guy” had a beard, wore a turban and traditional ethnic clothes, and was proud to speak his tribal language. As a consequence, large sums of money, the latest weapons, and advanced training for his officers were lavished on Musharraf and his government. Americans set aside their reservations about military President George W. Bush, who described his relationship with President Musharraf as “tight,” receiving him at the White House in September 2006 (photo by Eric Draper, courtesy of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum). Ahmed.indb 135 2/12/13 8:34 PM 136 Musharraf’s Dilemma dictators and embraced him. He was invited by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show and handled himself adroitly. The love affair with America reached a peak when President George W. Bush, the most powerful man in the world, described their relationship as “tight.” The two appeared at Camp David—Bush’s way of showing special honor to his guest. Musharraf now felt himself unassailable. With his newfound confidence, Musharraf set his sights on the Bugti tribe and Nawab Akbar Bugti, its chief. The center had always been at odds with the Bugti over the government’s exploitation of the Sui gas fields located in the Bugti Agency, whose inhabitants...