The foremost lesson other countries could take from the Ethiopian counter-terrorism efforts is that it recognizes and reiterates the need for having political dialogues among different parties and the people at large.
Encompassing the philosophical analogy of Guerrilla Diplomacy as
introduced by Daryl Copeland, i.e. engaging the very people that you
claim to signify in your affairs, will lead you to success in counter-terrorism moves. Otherwise, the mere fact that you are an
authority with the capability to deploy countless military forces with
high tech weapons, well trained and equipped service men or the upsurge
of logistics and financial support will not disentangle the problem, but
it may bring temporary relief similar to what painkillers do.
In a book titled ‘Formulating Strategy’, it is propounded that “the future is seen as history extrapolated forward plus another ten percent”. What had been done commendably or what had been tried but proved unproductive, becomes the history of that specific establishment whether we liked it or not. By the same token, former US military and political interventions which were ultimately calculated in the sole interest of the US but covering multifaceted aspects of many countries is what the world was forced to face yesterday and, this is the exact situation the world is facing currently.
In a book titled ‘Formulating Strategy’, it is propounded that “the future is seen as history extrapolated forward plus another ten percent”. What had been done commendably or what had been tried but proved unproductive, becomes the history of that specific establishment whether we liked it or not. By the same token, former US military and political interventions which were ultimately calculated in the sole interest of the US but covering multifaceted aspects of many countries is what the world was forced to face yesterday and, this is the exact situation the world is facing currently.
Before delving into the cream of counter-terrorism tussles, it is
imperative to recall the historical blueprint the US laid to a group by
then so-called the Afghan Mujahideen. In fact, the United States was
fighting to liberate Central Europe, to end the Cold War and honk the
horn echoing the fall of the Soviet Union that gave rise to a Unipolar
Global Political Order (UGPO). However, it was a decisive moment in the
history of terrorism as many of the future cadets were given a firsthand
field experience as to how they must conduct military expeditions for
good or evil. While Zbigniew Brzezinski – former National Security
Adviser to the President of the United States – flew to Pakistan in late
1970’s in order to arm the Mujahedeen against the Soviets, urged Afghan
Jihad fighters to redouble their efforts by saying
It does not require to have faith in karma in order to synthesize facts and comprehend the way we were, the way the world is and what it will become. The mighty nation through its foreign policy played an indispensable role in determining the state of global affairs. It is not an overstatement that the United States is among the major culprits and is to blame for its share in bringing this chaos to our everyday lives. Even worse, they are diminishing the level of success the global community should have secured in the fight against terrorism for their sheer political supremacy; and of course through its extended arm in the United Nations Security Council.
The global community is left as a ‘scapegoat’. For instance, we may take a glance at the overall targets of the Islamic State in Syria and the Levant (ISIL) controlled areas in Syria which had been hit by the coalition forces in its lengthy strikes versus the short-lived but efficacious strikes coming from Russia. Accordingly, would it not be logical to question whether the commitments of the global superpower, the United States, and its allies in fighting against the international terrorist network is a phony one or not?!
The 9/11 incident shocked the world which in turn brought about the declaration of war on terrorism by the then US president George W. Bush. That pronouncement was a whirling point in history because it was made under a fiercely categorical semantics. Bush stated, “either you are with us or you are with the terrorists”. In fear of seclusion and/or even for the largesse pecuniary benefits it brings to their coffer from the global superpower, countless countries joined the anti-terrorism coalition cause (including Pakistan who finally attested to have given shelter for Osama Bin Laden). The practical failures of counter terrorism efforts by the United States and typically its allies in the west will be dealt hereunder.
First of all, let us witness the widespread commotion posed upon Iraq. Even if we cannot assert that the Iraqis were living in harmony with each other, at least they were not chaotic as they are today and fairly there was a serene situation in their homeland. As soon as US forces intruded to depose the Saddam regime (even if it was made under a politically stirred erroneous intelligence), the hostility between Shia and Sunni Muslims in Iraq became bitter and each stood against the very survival of the other. Sectarian politics became the order of the day not only in the plebeian's mind; but also in those folks on the high echelons of political power. Consequently, Iraq became a breeding ground for innumerable and Notorious terrorists like Abu Mosab Al Zarqawi and Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi. Hence, carrying out sectarian politics of divide and rule has no place in fighting counter-terrorism and could be deliberated as one failure for the existing counter-terrorism efforts.
Second, looking at the mess in Libya, the intervention of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) led by the US, destabilized another relatively stable country. African leaders came up with a road-map to solve the crisis but the West rejected the African Union Commission’s proposal (rather we could say begging) and persistently bombed Libya. The AU’s road-map was undermined by the West who still bark at Libya to no avail.
The third failure is mere logistics supply and training offered to a faction one is not even sure of what their real intents are. Currently, the prevailing case in Syria is this as follows. The US decided to arm and train militias from the Free Syrian Army and many other groups who were believed to be moderates. The moment these trainees return to their homeland, they either handover their weapons in lieu for a safe passage in the Islamic State or Nusra Front controlled areas or even worse, they join the caliphate with their full military gear. Lately, General Lloyd Austin, who heads the United State’s Central Command (CENTCOM), admitted to Congress that only four or five of the US-backed rebels were still fighting in Syria, prompting Republican senators to call the training programme a “joke” and “total failure”, as the BBC recounted.
Fourth, once upon a time, the job description of a soldier was “shoot and kill”; but not in our day. The felons live amongst the people and if you do not give the public a part to play, they will give shield for the terrorists. It is as simple as that. The public knows the ins and outs and the dens of the terrorists. However, without lending them your ear, how can one expect to win such a war while the stakeholder is being left behind? This kind of policy only works in Hollywood movies. In fact, it proved to be futile in the battlegrounds such as Afghanistan.
Thus, real participation from the public at hand is a necessity. Otherwise history has taught us that the most sophisticated army in the world – the US Army – was embarrassed by group of ‘hooligans from the streets of Mogadishu’ with their AK-47s.
Fifth, roughly nations believe that their reconnaissance planes, unmanned drones and their highly-trained navy seals could bring a radical change to the facts on the ground. Exhausting these technologies may minimize the casualties that could befall soldiers and lessen the budgetary cost the military incurs. However, the intelligence you gather through the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) which one acclaims is precise, still cost the lives of innocent civilians as a collateral damage. Would it be logical to think that it is OK to bomb schools, wedding ceremonies and funeral gatherings and then expect the society you are fighting for gives you shelter and due recognition? The answer is an outright “NO”. Exaggerated reliance on technologically advanced military devices will not bear fruit unless they are backed by the requisite human element. This could even get shoddier when looking at the recent grave and debauched actions of the United States Air Force at Kunduz Hospital, Afghanistan.
As per our maiden knowledge of the International Humanitarian Law, institutions such as hospitals are protected by law and attack against those facilities will amount to be a clear violation of the International Humanitarian Law and practice. But what had we observed?! Only one response from the US military spokesperson who stated that the air assault was demanded by the Afghan forces. It is imperative not to shy away the fact that United States shall stand to be corrected in its shortsighted counter-terrorism strategies and engagements.
In his recent piece on Aljazeera, Mehari Tadelle (PhD) puts it this way:
Why is that so?! Is it because members of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) are well trained and properly outfitted when compared to their US counterparts?
“…we know with a deep belief in God and your confidence; the struggle will succeed. That land over there is yours, you will go back to it one day because your fight will prevail and you will have your homes, your Mosques back again. Because your cause is right and God is on your side…”
It does not require to have faith in karma in order to synthesize facts and comprehend the way we were, the way the world is and what it will become. The mighty nation through its foreign policy played an indispensable role in determining the state of global affairs. It is not an overstatement that the United States is among the major culprits and is to blame for its share in bringing this chaos to our everyday lives. Even worse, they are diminishing the level of success the global community should have secured in the fight against terrorism for their sheer political supremacy; and of course through its extended arm in the United Nations Security Council.
The global community is left as a ‘scapegoat’. For instance, we may take a glance at the overall targets of the Islamic State in Syria and the Levant (ISIL) controlled areas in Syria which had been hit by the coalition forces in its lengthy strikes versus the short-lived but efficacious strikes coming from Russia. Accordingly, would it not be logical to question whether the commitments of the global superpower, the United States, and its allies in fighting against the international terrorist network is a phony one or not?!
The 9/11 incident shocked the world which in turn brought about the declaration of war on terrorism by the then US president George W. Bush. That pronouncement was a whirling point in history because it was made under a fiercely categorical semantics. Bush stated, “either you are with us or you are with the terrorists”. In fear of seclusion and/or even for the largesse pecuniary benefits it brings to their coffer from the global superpower, countless countries joined the anti-terrorism coalition cause (including Pakistan who finally attested to have given shelter for Osama Bin Laden). The practical failures of counter terrorism efforts by the United States and typically its allies in the west will be dealt hereunder.
First of all, let us witness the widespread commotion posed upon Iraq. Even if we cannot assert that the Iraqis were living in harmony with each other, at least they were not chaotic as they are today and fairly there was a serene situation in their homeland. As soon as US forces intruded to depose the Saddam regime (even if it was made under a politically stirred erroneous intelligence), the hostility between Shia and Sunni Muslims in Iraq became bitter and each stood against the very survival of the other. Sectarian politics became the order of the day not only in the plebeian's mind; but also in those folks on the high echelons of political power. Consequently, Iraq became a breeding ground for innumerable and Notorious terrorists like Abu Mosab Al Zarqawi and Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi. Hence, carrying out sectarian politics of divide and rule has no place in fighting counter-terrorism and could be deliberated as one failure for the existing counter-terrorism efforts.
Second, looking at the mess in Libya, the intervention of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) led by the US, destabilized another relatively stable country. African leaders came up with a road-map to solve the crisis but the West rejected the African Union Commission’s proposal (rather we could say begging) and persistently bombed Libya. The AU’s road-map was undermined by the West who still bark at Libya to no avail.
The third failure is mere logistics supply and training offered to a faction one is not even sure of what their real intents are. Currently, the prevailing case in Syria is this as follows. The US decided to arm and train militias from the Free Syrian Army and many other groups who were believed to be moderates. The moment these trainees return to their homeland, they either handover their weapons in lieu for a safe passage in the Islamic State or Nusra Front controlled areas or even worse, they join the caliphate with their full military gear. Lately, General Lloyd Austin, who heads the United State’s Central Command (CENTCOM), admitted to Congress that only four or five of the US-backed rebels were still fighting in Syria, prompting Republican senators to call the training programme a “joke” and “total failure”, as the BBC recounted.
Fourth, once upon a time, the job description of a soldier was “shoot and kill”; but not in our day. The felons live amongst the people and if you do not give the public a part to play, they will give shield for the terrorists. It is as simple as that. The public knows the ins and outs and the dens of the terrorists. However, without lending them your ear, how can one expect to win such a war while the stakeholder is being left behind? This kind of policy only works in Hollywood movies. In fact, it proved to be futile in the battlegrounds such as Afghanistan.
Thus, real participation from the public at hand is a necessity. Otherwise history has taught us that the most sophisticated army in the world – the US Army – was embarrassed by group of ‘hooligans from the streets of Mogadishu’ with their AK-47s.
Fifth, roughly nations believe that their reconnaissance planes, unmanned drones and their highly-trained navy seals could bring a radical change to the facts on the ground. Exhausting these technologies may minimize the casualties that could befall soldiers and lessen the budgetary cost the military incurs. However, the intelligence you gather through the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) which one acclaims is precise, still cost the lives of innocent civilians as a collateral damage. Would it be logical to think that it is OK to bomb schools, wedding ceremonies and funeral gatherings and then expect the society you are fighting for gives you shelter and due recognition? The answer is an outright “NO”. Exaggerated reliance on technologically advanced military devices will not bear fruit unless they are backed by the requisite human element. This could even get shoddier when looking at the recent grave and debauched actions of the United States Air Force at Kunduz Hospital, Afghanistan.
As per our maiden knowledge of the International Humanitarian Law, institutions such as hospitals are protected by law and attack against those facilities will amount to be a clear violation of the International Humanitarian Law and practice. But what had we observed?! Only one response from the US military spokesperson who stated that the air assault was demanded by the Afghan forces. It is imperative not to shy away the fact that United States shall stand to be corrected in its shortsighted counter-terrorism strategies and engagements.
In his recent piece on Aljazeera, Mehari Tadelle (PhD) puts it this way:
“For many experts closely following events in the Horn of Africa and the fight against terrorism, Ethiopia stands out as having been exceptionally successful.”
Why is that so?! Is it because members of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) are well trained and properly outfitted when compared to their US counterparts?
In his press statement held at the Ethiopian National Palace, while reckoning the victory that the Ethiopian National Defense Forces notched on Al-Shabaab, President Barack Obama said that Ethiopian soldiers are tough soldiers there is no need to have US Marines on the ground. But still, he missed the key theme. It can be recalled that a while back Al-Shabaab and the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) controlled large parts of Somalia and declared Sharia Law contrary to the interests of many. Subsequently, Ethiopia and its regional allies managed to liberate large swathes of Al-Shabaab occupied territories.
“While traditional anti-insurgency strategies focus on controlling territories and populations, the Ethiopian Doctrine focuses on public deliberations, training, arming, and establishing administrative units in liberated areas to ensure their own peace and security,” Mehari wrote.
The foremost lesson other countries could take from the Ethiopian counter-terrorism efforts is that it recognizes and reiterates the need for having political dialogues among different parties and the people at large. Unless you create an enabling environment for mutual understanding, the military could provide support but could not decipher the problem and bring lasting solution.
As a last remark, the motto for an effective counter-terrorism strategy shall be, ‘Give the local community you are operating in an opportunity and space so that your strategies could effectively be implemented’. Agonizing and aggrandizing the problem without the readiness to organize a solution is a futile undertaking.
Originally posted on The Reporter English Edition
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