Khorasan to al-Quds and the Ghazwa-e-Hind

April 2nd, 2013 by Charles Cameron

And so far as recruitment is concerned I am totally agreeing with you, that failure in Afghanistan is going to be a big boon for both. The TTP — the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan — and the Pakistani groups are going to start saying, Right, now is the time to start recruiting, and fighting in that famous Ghazwa-e-Hind –let’s get ready for that. And the Arab groups are going to say, Ah, salvation is coming by joining up with the folks who are fighting in Khorasan.

And both those fronts are going to be a source of a lot of problems.

Increased jihadist recruitment, and India as a second major front for the jihad — that’s quite a left lead and right cross combo…

**

Do you recall the opening of Aldous Huxley‘s final novel, Island?

“Attention,” a voice began to call, and it was as though an oboe had suddenly become articulate. “Attention,” it repeated in the same high, nasal monotone. “Attention.”

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Posted in Charles Cameron, ghazwa, India, islamist, lwj, Mahdist, pakistan, prediction, prophecy, Uncategorized, youtube | 6 comments

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  1. Ambarish:

    April 2nd, 2013 at 4:03 am

    I agree that Afghanistan is definitely going to be a great recruiting tool for AQ and other Islamist groups but IMO, the situation is ameliorated by a few factors: (1) Afghanistan was not primarily an AQ battleground but a Taliban led campaign which although undoubtedly Islamist in nature, also has significant ethnic, economic and geo-political influences and infact the Taliban may not want it to become a recruitment poster for the (even) more fanatical groups because that could  undermine their own position in relation to negotiations with the Afghan national govt. and its allies as well as their future aspiration for being a significant player in Afghan power circles, (2) India, even with its disorganized and sometimes weak strategy towards terrorism emanating from its neighborhood has more or less managed to keep foreign fighters away (due to a very active border management policy in Kashmir, aggressive CI ops in sensitive areas of Kashmir and last but not the least, because of various political solutions that it offers to its large Muslim population etc.). The real danger here could be smaller cells/lone wolves that having been inspired from events in Afghanistan attempt highly visible, albeit isolated, strikes in the “infidel” nations. Other possible negative outcomes could result in homegrown Islamic terror groups in India (like the Indian Mujaheedin) trying to use this to intensify their terror campaign against the Indian state or the same old story of the Pakistani state falling prey to the lure of using some these groups for their objectives in Afghanistan and India. I have no doubts that atleast if not the US, the neighborhood around Afghanistan is very keenly observing this situation unfold. 

  2. Bilal:

    April 2nd, 2013 at 9:14 am

    “A lot of people make fun of the Pakistani analyst and Youtube personality, Zaid Hamid, who seems to be the main public proponent of the Ghazwa”
    .
    Yes, Zaid Hamid has been the front line whistle blower of the “Ghazwa e Hind” but he also proposes that TTP are ‘Kharjies” and they are carrying rebellious agenda against Islam. Kharjies are the people who rebelled against Muslims and Islam in the times of Islamic Caliphates. Caliphate Ali (RA) was martyred by the Kharjies. Kharjies are considered as a ‘Fitna’ (upheaval) in Islam.  A number of Islamic scholars believe the same about TTP. I don’t agree with Hussain Haqqani that TTP could ever threaten India. They are infact doing vice versa, they are threat for Pakistan itself and are widely believed to have links with Indian Intelligence agency “RAW”.

  3. Ambarish:

    April 2nd, 2013 at 4:10 pm

    Bilal-Widely believed in Pakistan only. You give RAW too much credit 🙂

  4. Steve Engel:

    April 2nd, 2013 at 4:55 pm

    In the U.S., the Major League Baseball season has just begun again. Every year, one team struggles through to win the final contests. Then Autumn and Winter pass, and it all begins again. Much speculation and many claims attend each season of competition. A small number of fans and players seem to feel deeply involved. Certain team payrolls are deemed to be obscenely high. And each new season a different team is likely to ascend to the throne and to hold it briefly–although in historical terms, that team will always be on record as having held that honorable place on that specific occasion.
    Most people really don’t care about the sport at all and pay no attention to its outcomes. But the fans are avid and full of analysis to support their as yet unproven claims. Personally I find the sport to be beautiful–but only in its most continuously crisis-filled final games when every second, every gesture, has meaning. The rest of the year it is as unappealing to watch as a competition in professional laundry hanging. True fans, however, remain passionate even in the off-season.

  5. Charles Cameron:

    April 2nd, 2013 at 6:02 pm

    I see some parallels, StevE, but I’d also caution you as to the perils of comparisons between strategic issues and pop cultural references, as explored recently on Blog Tarkin by Adam Elkus, a friend of this blog.
    .
    I’d also note that the fanaticism of sports fans can in fact erupt into real warfare, as illustrated by the 
    Salvador-Honduras War of 1969, also known as the Soccer War: 

    The war fought between Honduras and El Salvador in 1969 may be called the “Soccer War”, but this conflict stemmed from much more than soccer matches.  Named after the three hard fought World Cup qualifying matches in 1969 that were the spark that facilitated the violence, this war was a bloody reminder that the implications of a sporting event can reach far beyond the field.  The real conflict started years earlier with deeply-rooted problems between the two nations.  A combination of border issues and class issues built up between the two countries for years long before the 1969 qualifying matches took place.  The three matches that were played in June 1969 served as, “the catalyst which helped to ignite an already inflammable situation.” Author Eduardo Galeano sums up the tension that spilled over from the matches into the conflicted areas by saying, “Soccer, metaphor for war, at times turns into real war.”

    As for me, I “remain passionate even in the off-season.”

  6. Steve Engel:

    April 2nd, 2013 at 7:28 pm

    Charles, I agree that my comparison has its faults. To quote Tom Hanks’ character in “A League of Their Own”, “There’s no crying in baseball.” There is much weeping and gnashing of teeth in armed conflict. Ever so often I just get cranky about the attention demanded by the very small number of thugs and fanatics who insist on ruling history. The vast majority of people in war-torn regions (in my experience) just want to live peacefully and take care of their families. Instead, they have to vote for one war-monger or another (and so do I, even in the ultra-insulated U.S.), and they have to take up arms against the thugs and fanatics who have gathered their own frightened and angry minions on the other side.
    .
    It is extremely difficult to see beauty in these so-called “real life” situations. The symbolic warfare of sports allows form and excellence to complete themselves and to achieve a philosophical, aesthetic resolution. The same can often be true of commerce. Apparently I need persuading to envision hope in the question of altering the patterns of inhumanity. Although–I’m not yet quite resigned to tending some neatly laid-out garden of green grass on a sporting field.