By GENERAL MIRZA ASLAM BEG
The first Afghan war of Liberation was won in 1989. The Afghans paid a very heavy price of over a million and a half martyrs. The second war of liberation now has reached a decisive moment and the day of freedom appears to be drawing closer. The invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviets in 1979 was challenged by the Americans, joined by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and others. After eight long years of war, the Soviets were forced to retreat. The CIA intelligence report of 2004, mentioned that, after the Soviets retreat from Afghanistan, there were over 60,000 diehard trained Muslim fighters from seventy countries of the world. Additionally there were 40,000 such fighters from Pakistan alone who took part in the jihad against the occupation forces. So, by its very nature, the resistance had a global reach. It was not confined to Afghanistan alone.
The mujahideen acted on the guidance of Allah, as ordained in Quran: "Let there be no restraint on you to fight in the way of Allah, and in support of the helpless men, women and children who are being brutalised and who pray, O Lord! protect us from the oppressors and appoint your protectors and helpers." This is the message for the believers, but every believer may not get it. May be, one in thousands gets it and leaves his hearth and home and make a bee line for the battlefield, where he gets on job training. Face to face with the enemy, he proves too superior on account of his spiritual strength. He has no other mundane interest except to defeat the oppressor. When the job is done, he returns to his home. |