HOW to effectively counter violent extremism is a dilemma that bedevils leaders and policymakers the world over. In this country, as elsewhere, we have seen that military force alone is insufficient to uproot militancy; the battle to counter terrorism must be a multifaceted one. Participants from over 60 countries, as well as the UN, EU and OIC, reached a similar conclusion at a summit to counter violent extremism, organised by the White House, which ended on Friday in Washington.

The point was driven home by none other than Barack Obama. It is indeed welcome that world leaders are adopting a nuanced view of global militancy and taking pains not to link terrorism with “any religion, nationality [or] civilisation”. Yet, perhaps there needs to be a greater realisation and acknowledgement in Western capitals, especially Washington, that force, particularly interventions directed at ‘unfriendly’ regimes, as well as the use of extremist proxies, has played a major role in fuelling modern global militancy. For example, removing strongmen in Iraq and Libya through force has resulted in the meltdown of the state, paving the way for extremists to create space for themselves.

The use of militant proxies has also not been abandoned; while the mujahideen were supported by the West together with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to block the Soviets’ onward march during the Afghan jihad, the use of fundamentalist fighters in Syria to topple Bashar al-Assad’s regime remains an instrument of policy. Hence when critics say the rise of the self-styled Islamic State owes much to the Westernrab plan to remove Assad through Syrian ‘rebels’, there is indeed an element of truth in this. Where the use of extremist proxies is concerned, Pakistan itself has experienced the painful blowback of such policies.

Muslim governments share equal responsibility for creating the conditions that breed extremism. Many Muslim states are either absolute monarchies or sham democracies, which disallow their people political and social rights. Hence when forces — including violent Islamists — challenge autocratic rulers, they find support within the populace. Also, when Western states support Muslim dictators who crush internal dissent, Muslim populations’ mistrust of the West grows. For efforts against militancy to succeed, some principles must be acknowledged: that democracy cannot be imposed through regime change; that extremist proxies must not be used against geopolitical rivals; and that autocrats in Muslim states must not be aided in their efforts to counter popular calls for democracy.

Published in Dawn February 22nd , 2015

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