Ad Hoc Commentary – drone-happy America should beware Pakistan

Pax Romana was followed by the Age of Chaos, which culminated in the sacking of Rome by the Vandals in 455. That is where we got the word vandalism. Whenever an empire declines, there will always be the proverbial barbarians at the gate that will deal the final blow to the empire. For Pax Romana it was the Vandals. For Pax Americana it will likely be the Pakistanis.

What happens to Pax Americana when Uncle Sam goes broke? It will likely herald in a new Age of Chaos. Economic implosions always lead to chaos. Look no further than Greece.

In the new Age of Chaos post Pax Americana, Uncle Sam should beware Pakistan. How Musharraf is being treated is probably the canary in the coalmine. Musharraf aligned Pakistan with America in the unachievable War on Terror. The War on Terror was a complete failure as it waged war against human nature. Greed and fear is the human condition. Would you wage a war against greed? Vanities of vanities indeed.

But the War on Terror is the past. Today, the continued American drone attacks on Pakistani soil despite the death of Osama bin Laden is increasing calls for justice within Pakistan. But justice is in the eye of the beholder. Any American sending drones into Pakistan should read Islamic law.

The case of Raymond Davis in 2011 should have ringed alarm bells in the upper echelons of American politicians on drone attacks into Pakistan. Mr Davis was allowed to leave Pakistan after paying blood money, but the victim’s widow wanted vendetta instead:
“…A month after the incident Mr Faheem’s widow, Shumaila, poisoned herself. In hospital before she died, she said “I do not expect any justice from this government.” What she wanted was “blood for blood…The way my husband was shot, his killer should be shot in the same fashion”…”
http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2012/05/raymond-davis-case

Though it might sound foreign to us, Pakistan lives by the Qisas and Diyat law. In other words, the principle of ‘an eye for an eye’ (Qisas) and ‘blood money’ (Diyat):
“…Under Islamic law, the punishment for murder, homicide or infliction of injury can either be in the form of qisas – equal punishment for the crime committed – or diyat – compensation payable to the victims or their legal heirs. Under the Qisas and Diyat law in Pakistan, the victim or his heir have the right to determine whether to exact retribution (qisas) or compensation (diyat) or to pardon the accused…”
http://tribune.com.pk/story/464491/reforming-the-law-in-pakistan-punishment-is-islamic-but-not-the-procedure/

The only person to ring the bell on this is Ron Paul:
“…the United States has been using its military to attack the sovereign territory of Pakistan without the consent of the government of Pakistan. Over continued objections of the government of Pakistan, including regularly delivered strong notes of protest, the US government continues to use its drones to attack Pakistani citizens on Pakistani soil…”
http://www.ronpaul.com/2013-03-16/ron-paul-are-we-at-war-with-pakistan/

Before it is too late, America should stop the drone attacks on Pakistan. Drone attacks will not do America any good because it leaves the enemy in a weakened state. In the Art of War, you loot a burning house (i.e. destroy an enemy completely) to avoid any problems in the future. Leaving the enemy in a weakened state will allow him to seek vendetta in the future.

America is now the citadel of the earth, the terror of kings. However, if Uncle Sam fails to reform before the sovereign debt crisis hits its shore, one could almost hear them sing: “The spectacle of the world, how is it fallen! how changed! how defaced.”

When the American treasury is full, one need not fear as the Islamic provision in the law allows for ‘blood money’ to be paid. But wait till the treasury is empty. Then blood money cannot be paid and the other alternative is an eye for an eye. Uncle Sam would eventually learn that lex talionis is not just an archaic law from the biblical time of Moses.

Good luck in the markets.