Comment
A Pakistani Islamist wears a cap bearing the slogan Go Taliban Go during an anti-Taliban and anti-US protest rally in Islamabad. OVER the past decades there have been no shortage of meddlers in Afghanistan’s numerous wars. Almost invariably, though, the default position taken by those of a politically progressive disposition in the West, has been to point the finger at the US and UK, or in some instances Russia. “Imperialist intervention” is the often-favoured phrase and in itself is not necessarily inaccurate. Few among such critics though single out Pakistan, which by far has had a disproportionately large and malign influence on the violence that has gripped Afghanistan.