His policy is nothing short of a disaster for Iran. Coupled with Iran’s role in Yemenite insurgency and attacks against Saudi Arabia, a mini war might happen soon in this region. And that would put an end to world peace. This would happen because of theocratic government of Iran and the dictatorship of Nejad.

Mr. McChrystal is apparently right in his approach. A surge in American forces is not a solution to the Afghan problem. They need to be trained and equipped with all the modern weaponry to combat Taliban. Additionally, spending on infrastructure building and schools might win some hearts.

There is another approach to this issue that is generally overlooked — or ignored due to diplomatic reasons. That solution is a hot pursuit in the Pakistani tribal areas. Everyone knows that Talibans and Al-Qaeda militants are hiding in that region. They also have some covert support from certain quarters of Pakistani military establishment. U.S has started conducting drone attacks but they are not enough to fight Taliban. A more dedicated approach with surgical strikes is necessary to root out these terrorists.

Unfortunately, there are hardly any chances that the Obama administration will follow that strategy. Intricate diplomatic rules and other factors hamper the execution of this approach. But, they can put some real pressure on Pakistani authorities to pursue Taliban, instead of making lame efforts and begging for more dollars.

It is true that Al-Qaeda has lost a strong base in the Kingdom. The terrorists, however, have moved to the border regions with Yemen where they operate a major terrorist center. The civil war and the resultant lawlessness in Yemen has encouraged them to establish strong bases in the country. There also have been some reports that Al-Qaeda operatives are moving from Pakistan/Afghanistan to Yemen and Somalia. If that is true, a major offensive in Yemen has become the need of the hour.

Even in Saudi Arabia, these Al-Qaeda men can strike terror. A concerted approach is this regard is necessary to tackle this issue. United States, of course, can help them in this regard.

In a recent episode of rising extremism, an Islamic court in Malaysia has ordered the caning of a Muslim woman, Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, who was found drinking beer. In a strange course of events, she accepted the “caning sentence” and is awaiting her punishment.

The furor created over this punishment and the international brouhaha has resulted in a delay in the punishment. Apparently, she will have to wait until the end of Ramadan. The current discussion is on the legalities of her detainment. Some quarters are in favor of that punishment while others are saying that a mere wait for punishment is more than enough for her.

Despite all these ‘deliberations’, one thing is clear; Malaysia, with all its modern policies, is losing its liberal approach towards governance. If things continue on the same path, we will soon be seeing a mass flogging of adulterers and wrongdoers.

First there are Pashtuns, the largest ethnic group that comprises a little more than half of the country’s population.  Despite being in majority, they are the least beneficiaries of the allied invasion of Afghanistan. As Talibans are also from this ethnic group, there have always been suspicion and fierce resistance by Pashtuns.

Although incumbent Hamid Karzai is an ethnic Pashtun and has bright chances of winning, the bureaucracy and military are all controlled by ethnic minorities with hardly any share given to Pashtun majority. This, along with illiteracy and extremism amongst Pashtuns, has created a resentment towards democracy. Taliban, of course, are fueling these emotions for their ulterior motives.

Afghan elections would hardly bring any change if Pashtuns are not engaged on a broader scale. United States and NATO countries can do a lot in this regard. Negotiations with relatively moderate portions of Taliban is also necessary to bring real peace into the region. Hard-line Taliban, on the other hand, should be crushed brutally. This might need an extensive operation in Pakistan as that country is serving as the real nucleus of terrorism.

Now is not that interesting? Iranian law has a provision to execute homosexuals but on the other hand, their police rape the inmates. Is not that shameful double standards?

Opposition leader and a presidential candidate, Mehdi Karroubi, has leveled these accusations against the government. These accusations are reliable as Iranian regime is notorious for executing the dissidents. Mehdi, being an insider, knows about all the tactics employed by revolutionaries to suppress activism. They have done it in the past and they can do it now. Similarly, the rape of inmates, both male and female, is quite common in Iran and other Muslim countries. They think of prisoners as easy targets and with no human rights. Torture, rape and execution are common in almost all the Muslim countries’ prisons.

Protests have died down and Iranian youth is feeling defeated because of the double standards of these candidates. All of them were rather moderate faces of revolution but not the real proponents of democracy. The movement failed because these people were representing the failed system of revolution. Iran needs a modern democratic revolution that is devoid of any hard-line Islamic teachings. A semi-secular movement is what they need. Unfortunately, no one is yet ready to launch a true democratic movement in Iran and that is their tragedy.

Pakistan, especially Punjab, has a long history of violence against Christians. They are free to do that under the Islamic laws of Pakistan that allow violence against minorities if they are found to be blasphemous to Islamic teachings. One can even be sentenced to death if he or she is found to be desecrating any Islamic principles or figures.

Mullahs take full advantage of this clause and accuse non-Muslims with blasphemy. They gather large crowds that attack non-Muslims and burn their properties, sometimes also killing them. Interestingly, the later judicial inquireis have never been able to confirm the charges of blasphemy.

Things will continue the same unless and until the draconian blasphemy laws are not repealed by the Pakistani government. Western governments, especially the United States, should put some pressure on Pakistanis to mend their ways. US is giving billions of dollars in aid and it reserves the right to withhold its aid package if human rights condition in Pakistan remains pathetic.

The answer lies in the ignorance of a common Muslim that can be easily brainwashed by the mullahs. Interestingly, these mullahs remain at the sideline (as usual) and a common Muslim dies during violent protests. During the 2006 caricature controversy, dozens of Muslims died in Pakistan, Egypt, Bangladesh and other Muslim countries. There was a massive loot and arson where banks, offices and shopping centers were set on fire.

There are also minor controversies fueled by religious zealots in the Muslim world. Pakistan is the worst affected country as most Pakistanis think themselves to be the guardians of Islam. This ‘assumed’ guardianship means that they are free to carry out violent protests and chant anti-western slogans. The situation is almost the same in Egypt, Bangladesh and in India. The concept of freedom of speech is virtually non-existent in the Muslim world.

On an end note, there is an old anecdote running under varying scenarios in different Muslim countries. A group of angry Muslim protesters were chanting slogans against a western country (Outside its embassy) in a Muslim world. Police was standing on the sidelines and the protest was turning violent. Suddenly someone started shouting in the crowd that the visa window has been opened and that country is offering free tickets and accommodation. The crowd soon dispersed and one could see a long line of the applicants at the said window.

The crux of the matter lies in the ignorance, poverty and religious extremism. Even those who are educated are not ready to accept the controversial and hypocritical attitudes of Muslim theocracy and that is a real shame.

Apart from this ‘copying’ game, Pakistan also share a huge animosity towards Indians, which of course it also receives from its eastern borders. Both countries have fought three major and many minor wars. Every five years or so, the world averts a disaster brewing in the South Asian region. The most recent example of this was observed immediately after the Mumbai attacks.

Now Pakistanis are an aggressive nation. They caused all these war and skirmishes by infiltrating into the Indian region and supporting the insurgency movements (there were many apart from Kashmir including Khalistan and Assamese insurgents). Although India can’t be considered a peaceful nation either, they were at least not provocateurs of violence until recently. Now as they are turning the tables on Pakistan by backing the o insurgency and also some groups of Talibans (as per Pakistan’s ISI reports), Pakistanis are feeling betrayed.

Pakistan is also facing serious resentment because of its suppression of minority ethnic groups. The dominant Punjabi establishment will never allow the empowerment of other ethnic groups nor will the feudal system that controls these people like their slaves. India, on the other hand, is free from any feudal society but is facing another crisis: brutal caste system and religious tensions. The long established democratic system has no place for the poverty ridden masses and religious minorities.

The situation is really complex in both countries. While a storm is brewing in Pakistan that can sweep away the very existence of Pakistan, the minimal democracy in India is at least able to act as the lifeguard of the system.

In the next part of this article, I will discuss the complications and contradictions that are destroying the very fabric of South Asia, especially India and Pakistan.