As our soldiers penetrate the heart of Taliban territory in South Waziristan, they displace both innocent civilians and their targets themselves. If reports are to be believed, a cocktail of Uzbek, Arab, and Pashtuns have been holding down the fort there. The army, with its relatively more sophisticated weaponry, aerodynamically designed chappals, and larger numbers, remains a favourite to overwhelm the enemy, even in the face of mounting casualties. But can militancy be eliminated through brute force?
The recent spate of suicide attacks, especially those in Peshawar, leads one to believe the task isn’t as simple as conquering a piece of land and driving away its inhabitants. The backlash across Pakistan could be a sign of desperation on the part of the Taliban, or just the nature of the beast, guerilla warfare.
I decided to analyze the current situation using the experiences of one of the most famous figures in history, a man who is more Pakistani than most of us are aware. After all, his conquests led him to all four provinces of modern-day Pakistan and gave him an insight into the perplexing nature of the natives. This man, contrary to Afghan, Baloch, and Pashtun claims to the contrary, subdued and conquered all these peoples. He commands legend that lives on in folklore from Central Asia to Egypt, from Macedonia to Persia. This man is none other than Alexander the Great.
Throughout his expeditions, Alexander faced a plethora of challenges. He swept across Persia, exhibiting a nerve that few throughout the annals of history have managed along with a reverence for the gods that endeared him to Greek and Egyptian alike. By defeating Darius, the Lord of the World, at Issus and then decisively at Gaugamela, Alexander devoured the greatest army in the world. At the age of 25, he walked unopposed into the great palace of Persepolis and assumed Darius’s throne. Despite the animosity between Persian and Greek, he did not experience guerilla warfare until he reached the modern-day equivalent of northern Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. These skilled Sogdians and Bactrians used the ‘hit and run’ method in heavily forested terrain to wipe out a whole Macedonian regiment.
Having adopted the Persian title of Shahenshah (King of Kings) by now, Alexander used both military and diplomatic genius to overcome what seemed like an impossible task. Much like our army has split up its men to attack strategic areas from multiple angles while retaining an element of surprise, Alexander split up his army into five mobile units and managed to corner the remaining Sogdian rebels on the top of a mountain ridge.
This is where the Sogdians taunted him, ‘Find yourself soldiers with wings if you want to defeat us.’ By the next morning, the Sogdians found 300 men above their position in a powerful symbolic gesture. The Sogdians could still have routed those men, but Alexander had won their respect. He followed this up with his famed marriage to Roxan, creating an alliance to complement the respect he had earned. Perhaps it was the wisdom of the greatest military mind of all time that instigated him to stay on good terms with these people through diplomacy and kinship, despite the obvious dismay of his Greek generals.
Once he entered present-day Pakistan, Alexander surpassed even Hercules by conquering PirSar (Aornos to the Greeks) in Swat, where the Aspasioi of Swat and Buner valleys took refuge. PirSar was thought to be impregnable by the locals as well as the Greeks, as according to legend, Hercules had failed to take it during one of his labours. Looking out at the roof of the world, surely Alexander must have realised that the world was a far bigger place than he had ever imagined. According to his tutor, Aristotle, India was at the end of the world, and in the great philosopher’s estimation, India wasn’t much larger than modern-day Pakistan.
While Alexander had only allowed smaller rulers to keep their positions in the past, he changed his strategy in the Punjab. He defeated the Hindu Raja Porus and his war elephants after crossing the Jhelum River stealthily by night. However, instead of assuming leadership himself, Alexander created an alliance with Porus and appointed him satrap of his own kingdom.
This is where the story gets even more interesting. Alexander’s great conquest finally came to a halt after he received bad omens about the prospective invasion of India beyond the river Biyas and also faced army dissent. Now, his army traveled down the Indus on specially made boats. Everywhere they went, they met with fierce resistance, something Alexander had not encountered anywhere else. Perplexed and tired, Alexander dealt out many atrocities on his journey through the Indus delta, as the historians Arrian and Curtius recount.
One city to experience the unbridled wrath of the Macedonians was Multan. Here, Alexander bravely entered the fort along with only three companions against a sea of locals. An arrow famously pierced his lung there and, in their outrage, his soldiers massacred everyone in the city.
Finally, instructing a portion of his army to leave by sea for Persia, Alexander led his army across the Pakistani coast, through Balochistan’s inhospitable Makran region, and back to Persepolis, a journey that cost him three-quarters of his army. It is here that a soldier brought Alexander a helmet filled with water when there was none for miles. Instead of replenishing his thirst, he spilled the water on the burning sands to assure his soldiers that he would not drink if they could not.
Over 2,300 years have passed since then. Arabs, Mongols, and Turks have all come through modern-day Pakistan. We have come a long way from Alexander’s time, yet we still encounter similar battles today: the same pride among local strongholds, the same ‘hit and run’ mentality, even within the tactics of suicide bombing. The similarities are obvious. For the most part, the Taliban are even the ethnic descendants of those same Bactrians and Sogdrians that Alexander had to fight.
But our army faces a more difficult task than Alexander’s did. We can’t face the enemy head on; it is a monster without a face. It is also a monster that is swayed by nationalistic, ethnic, and religious considerations. Yet, we remain intent on a military solution. The time has come to learn from one of the greatest military rulers this world has known. At times, he had to opt for diplomacy, at time he had to strike partnerships with those he conquered, and at still other times, he had to deal a mighty military blow against those who resisted him. Perhaps those still teaching Alexander’s outflanking maneuvers and resilience in our military academies will take notice before we are forced to find soldiers with wings, for we have none.
Toronto-based Talha Zaheer blogs about diaspora-related issues for Dawn.com. He is also the Toronto FC correspondent for Goal.com.
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it.
This article is just another remainder that Pakistan and Afghanistan were once peaceful Hindu, Buddhist lands. Now, it has been torn down because of strife due to Islam.
And Pakistani text books will never talk about the pre-Islamic history of Pakistan.
Well
There is no heroism in our Army, there is no heroism in killing a section of people to save other section of people in the same country. Even with the huge resource advantage the army is taking too long to consolidate the gains. The tactical retrieval of Taliban is claimed as big victory by army. We all are kept in dark about the civilian causalities in this war. A killing can inspire 100 revenge killing. One must take a note here that ours is one of the few armies in the world who lost all battle it fought. I am afraid that it will be repeated here too. The victory cannot be claimed because you killed a few Taliban, the victory is about winning the heart and guiding the misguided. We are repeating the mistake the Americans committing in Afghan and Iraq. Anyway we are fighting their war. So keep going
Alexander is history. Still, a refreshing piece of musing. Thought provoking.
The worry is: What will the terrorists do if they win and get hold of the nuclear weapons? or worse, if they lose but get hold of nuclear weapons? Will they be the post-modern era “Alexander the Great in Multan”? Now, Multan being the entire world in relation to present time.
Taliban are not Pakistani. They are not our people. They need to be eliminated or pushed out of Pakistan may be in Afghanistan or Kashmir.
And I think, political way of dealing with Taliban might work. We need to work with the local communities to identify the monster.
These local communities will work for us, our eyes and ears, and sometime act as our extended arms.
I think the People of Waziristan and Baijour will defeat the surge by Pak army because they are fighting a war of survival.
Needless to say Pakistan government is busy in ethnic cleansing behind a vail of fight against Taliban. People of Pakistan have a right to know the identity of the enemy in Baijour and Waziristan. It must be stressed here that these areas were and has been ruled by tribal chiefs for years. They had and have their own rules and laws. Pakistani government never had their writ in these areas then why all of a sudden they became a threat to the Pakistan’s sovereignty?
The truth of the matter is that they were never a threat to Pakistan, it is other way around. Pakistan finds it time to eliminate tribal war lords and bring their rules to an end by brut force.
It is never going to succeed as this has infuriated the peaceful people of those areas to stand and fight Pak forces. Now it has reached a point of no return and I am afraid Pakistan have lost Waziristan. Pakistan lost east Pakistan with its anti Bengali polices and they could blame India for all its failures but the events of breaking up of unholy union by force which is called Pakistan is not going to stop here.
The only way this bloodshed can be stopped is by Pakistan putting human values before the wills of Mullah. Give respect and liberty to the people for their loyalty. Army will never win peoples mind and hearts but on the contrary bring more bitterness in the minds of Balouchs, Pashtoons and Pathans and if all of them start a revolt against Pakistan then who is left to defend it??
The issue of Taliban is very complex. It is not as simple as SQ khan says” bring them to negotiation table”. There is Al-Qaida, there is pro US Taliban, there are pro Pakistan Taliban, there are pro India Taliban, there are pro Iran Taliban, there are innocent Taliban and there are criminal Taliban, there are even communist Taliban as in Swat who captured lands of khans. Taliban has become under world organizations and even if you wish to talk to them you won’t find them to do so. Only might can take them out from their hides and only might can get rid of them. Don’t call them your own people. They are not your own people; they are your most dangerous enemies inside you.
Zia sown Taliban and we are reaping them now. But if the reaping is kept up they will be eliminated one day as Tamil Tigers have been perished in Sri Lanka.
SQ says:
“How can a nation be ever in peace if we kill our own people? We must do whatever is possible to bring the Taliban to the negotiation table and resolve the matter immediately.”
Indeed — every Peshawari should ask the Taliban the same question: “How can a nation be ever in peace if we kill our own people?”
Bring Taliban to negotiation table?
Well — Taliban’s don’t like the Western table — more like bring them to mat for negotiations?
And this is exactly what the heroic Pakistan army is doing.
One would like to believe two great historians on this blog — Hammad and SQ.
But unfortunately for Poro and Ayubi as Faiz would say — “youN nu thaa main ne faqat chaha thaa youN ho jaye”.
We wish they had.
Dear Zaheer
I appreciate your views. We are fighting a US war here. For all practical reasons the US is occupying our country like what they are doing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Only difference is they don’t have direct Military presence here, however they attack our territory by using drones everyday. If you look at the larger picture they control a big chunk of Mid East including our country. We are fighting the war on our people on behalf of the US. The Objective is to accomplish the US goals not ours. How can a nation be ever in peace if we kill our own people? We must do whatever is possible to bring the Taliban to the negotiation table and resolve the matter immedialty.
Indian government is the modern day Alexander, with its size, economic might, respect for others and humility towards needy nations.
Hammad,
Alexander was operating in BC. Islam started in the seventh century AD. So how could Alexander fight a Muslim King. Winning or losing is very secondary.
Whoever has fed you this type of facts is also feeding you other facts such as all terrorism in Pakistan is due to India and Israel etc.
Please check your sources and try to see what their motivations are before blindly believing them.
This article is just another remainder that Pakistan and Afghanistan were once peaceful Hindu, Buddhist lands. Now, it has been torn down because of strife due to Islam.
And Pakistani text books will never talk about the pre-Islamic history of Pakistan.
In the days of Alexander, there was not much difference in the weaponry used for war fare.
These days with modern technology it is extremely one sided.
If with such overwhelming superiority the Pak army is unable to overcome these tribes (how ever brave) what does it say for the army?
Only time will tell.
Dear Zaheer
I really appreciate your historical insight into present Pakistan situation. What I personally feel is that our goals, determinations, civilizations and values change from time to time. The world that we have today could not be expected in the times of Alexander.
As far as Taliban occupation in Pakistan is concerned, the perspective gets broader. There is something happening behind curtains we do not want to see. The Taliban are a big power and there are some invisible funding sources of Taliban. The army of Pakistan is doing only what it is seeing. There is lack of diplomatic and strategic vision with the leadership of Pakistan. Pakistan tries to see the problems from US point of view and does what US wants Pakistan to do. Pakistan should think independently and act independently otherwise I am afraid Pakistan is going to be another Afghanistan on earth.
Alexander did not confront any monotheism. He knew and confronted only polytheism. Now the world is confronting monotheism. Post-Alexander polytheism was very different from Pre-Alexander polytheism.
I don’t think that Talibans are the fault of Alexander the Great.
Stories are stories and must be taken as such. But, history often leaves signs for vindication. “Denser Plains”, along Indus River in Baltistan had the greatest Gold deposits of ancient times, as mentioned extensively by Herodotus of Helicarnassis, the great Greek explorer and historian of 500 BC in his writings. Herodotus (well known for one of the most intriguing get-rich-quick stories of all times) had recorded that, Greek and Persian rulers used to get their Gold from the natives of an area along the slopes of Himalayan range. Tales remained in circulation for about 2,500 years that the ‘giant ants’ of the remote Indus Plain used to dig deep burrows, making mounds of gold rich sand that used to get washed into the Indus River which people of Sindh used to sieve to extract gold since ages.
Alexander the Great came to know about the tale of Gold and actually his attempt to conquer India was to capture its source of Gold, the largest of his time. His adventure to India failed due to various reasons and he had to hurry back home after being defeated possibly, by Malaria or Typhoid. He had left some of his people behind with an idea to return back soon but, the ultimate Creator had different designs for him. Today we still observe large number of Greek patterns in various shapes in our Northern Areas, which are further proof of the tales.
To Hammad:
Dear Hammad — Is there any surprise that the Kurdish Muslim leader Sultan Salahuddin Ayubi defeated Alexander the Great hands down?
It must have been a piece of cake for a 32 year old Salahuddin Ayubi to ‘defeat’ a 1527 years doddering old man, Alexander the Great – in 1138 AD.
Mr Hammad has made an interesting point which all historian overlooked,
none was aware that there were Muslim in Asia when Alexander came, the below is his enlightened vies please read below.
I am sure Hammad is a follower of Noim Mansari of paisanews.com
Mr. Zaheer,
You have written a wonderful historical back ground of Alexander the great. I would say in my opinion that Alexander the great defeated by Salauddin Auybi by great margin. During the battle Alexander the Great fall down from his horse and he was nearly too killed by Saladin Auybi, but Auybi gave him chance to stand up and climb onto the horse. Since then Alexander the great started respect the Muslim leader and their followers. We are proud to be a Muslim if we are a true Muslim. Although our Pakistan’s Army is defending well against militant in Pakistan, they are not root-out the militant across the Pakistan why? Pakistan army is the seventh strongest army in the world. Anyhow, we could say that the Alexander the great could have not done on his time that our army has been doing in North Waziristan.
Alexander invasion has been discussed very interestingly vis-à-vis the present situation in Pakistan. It will not be out of context to mention Maharaja Ranjit Singh who fought three wars against Pushtoons/Afghans and was victorious in all against heavy odds and fierce opposition. The Maharaja first captured Lahore from Afghan king Zaman Shah in 1799 and later occupied Kashmir and Kasur. He extended his boundaries as far as Afghanistan proper reversing centuries old pattern of military conquests in which Afghans remained undefeated.
Ranjit Singh’s military success was primarily based on excellently equipped, superbly lead and amazingly mobile standing army. He perused secular policy giving equal participation to Muslims who were in majority along with Hindus and Sikhs.
The present Pakistani army is well equipped with enormous fire power should un-doubtedly be victorious ultimately.
Dear Cherry
The Historians are always biased .We cannot help but develop the western historical point of view if you learn it from the university .because most of the books we learn is authored by the westerners .so like an author did here you can give a very vivid description of events as though someone was recording the event when Alexander was fighting the Porus. Well Hitler is not hailed as hero because he killed Jews, not Arabs and Asians and Muslims .its that simple and you know Jews rules the intellect and academic spheres of the west. There are people who did more cruel things than Hitler, anybody bothered? US nuke the world and it is still hailed as a heroic act which prevented Japan from conquering the world .nobody care about the lives lost. People hailed Bush and elected twice as the president though he was killing innocents in the name of “Osama hunt”. Saddam is painted as a cruel autocrat and the whole world orchestrate that. But do we know the actual Saddam? No. History will teach Saddam as a brute leader without giving someone a chance to know him .There is always a big propaganda going on in the world to ascertain the western values and eliminate other civilizations and way of life .The stolen generation of the Australian and the plight of Native American civilization are the glaring example in the history. Those who brutalized the Native American culture are hailed as the first pilgrims in the west. US are busy in “installing democracy” all over the world. Its better leaves our way of life to ourselves and avoids the collation of civilization. Its better to understand that we value honor than material wealth in the east .so any attempt to buy us out with your money power will work backward. this understanding is lacking from the west in all your dealing in this region .world will be a far better place where we understand and accommodate the diversities .We want to be ourselves with our religion, values and culture .lets understand this and co exist
Alexander is known as Sikander. He was a Persian who defeated Indians and Greeks. Persians and Afghans are same people. He then conquered Greece. Alexander died from drinking too much.
Mr. Zaheer,
You have written a wonderful historical back ground of Alexander the great. I would say in my opinion that Alexander the great defeated by Salauddin Auybi by great margin. During the battle Alexander the Great fall down from his horse and he was nearly too killed by Saladin Auybi, but Auybi gave him chance to stand up and climb onto the horse. Since then Alexander the great started respect the Muslim leader and their followers. We are proud to be a Muslim if we are a true Muslim. Although our Pakistan’s Army is defending well against militant in Pakistan, they are not root-out the militant across the Pakistan why? Pakistan army is the seventh strongest army in the world. Anyhow, we could say that the Alexander the great could have not done on his time that our army has been doing in North Waziristan.
It is not denying the fact that in situations like that of Waziristan, dialogues, negotiations, and diplomacy must be tried to restore peace and writ of the Government. Efforts to calm down the situation have been tried many times in the past but could not succeed. The insurgents had used the truce during cease fires for resilience and to reorganize themselves. If all efforts for peaceful settlement fail and the insurgent remain adamant and continue killing of innocent people, what should be our response in such situation? Should Pakistan government surrender as the author implicitly seems to suggest. Alexander and many others may have failed to subjugate these people, to draw comparison of these foreign intruders with present days situations is outright unjust and deceptive.
The majority of the area wants peace and establishment of government’s writ. Pakistan Army; to avoid collateral damage is using minimum possible force. Alexander might have not been able to consolidate and control the area but Pakistan Army will succeed to bring peace and eliminate the insurgency. We do not have any doubt about it.
SQ Khan, just a few things. I live in the West. I have never been taught Columbus was the first ever to discover America-just that he was the most recent discoverer.
In fact, I learnt more about the civilization already settled, and about the Vikings than I did about Columbus period. I don’t know what you were taught on the subject, though. True, that was taught years ago, but not today.
No one knows just why Alexander the Great died. Could have been malaria and tuberculosis. Could have been wounds and alcoholism. He very well could have been poisoned or it could have been typhoid-and it very well could have been West Nile Virus, or is poison, it had to have been a poison. It wasn’t likely alcoholism, though, he was a drunk, but he never once vomited in his last days, the primary symptom.
So, just pointing out: no one knows what Alexander the great died. We could debate it for eternity and never reach a conclusion.
Yes, the Greeks did think they had the upper hand. So did every civilization on the planet.
And believe me, we’re taught first out what bad things Alexander the Great did, like the burning of Thebes, possible hand in the assassination of his father, the drunken rage murder of Cletus-we do in no way sit stricken to silence in awe of him.
And historians saying Bush and Osama were saviors? No chance. Not one. Why? Let’s look at it this way-Hitler is not a savior. He’s a crazy guy. The amount of people against Bush today?
And since when does killing innocent people get you glory? Believe me. The most feared and hated names of today will be so in the future.
Sometimes in history we can see things we couldn’t see at the time, so perceptions chance. But perceptions will never change that dramatically.
There will only be peace in the whole world when Pakistan is no longer a follower of Islam. Unlike Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism, Islam only teaches hatred of others.
The difference here is that Pakistan fomented Islamic fundamentalism, they are fighting there own people. Also Alexander never crossed the Pakistani coast, because Pakistan has only been around for 60 years. He crossed the Indian coastline, at a time when all of Balochistan, Afganistan and Pashtun lands were Hindu and Buddhist. Don’t re-write history as if Pakistan was some ancient civilization. Alexander was around in the time of Ancient Hindustan/India before your people were converted.
I agree with SQ, history is always distorted depending who write it.
Alexander may have been great, he conquered many kingdoms, but could not conquer India of the Ganga or Bramma putra, or even the south, and so what was great.
Dear Zarghun,
I am not boasting just stating facts,
There are no people who cannot be conquered, it may be easy or it maybe difficult.
Ranjit Singh was not defeated by Afghans; the Sikhs were defeated by British,
Regarding America conquering Afghanistan, it proves what I am trying to tell; they are losing the war because of issue like human right and morality, assuming if laws were like they were 2000 years ago where the Alexander’s army did not have to bother about small matter like human right and who they killed to achieve their aims. Then America would bomb Afghanistan to dust and their would be no afghan left to fight, they are losing the war because of human rights issue.
They lost the war in Vietnam without losing a single battle there, because of antiwar protest.
Same with the Russian if was 2000 year ago they would nuke Afghanistan, so you see they did not use their full military might.
Everybody know Pushtoons are good fighter none denies it, not me
but I do not agree they cannot be conquered and held if you use brutal force, Pakistan did use the Taliban, they conquered 90% of Afghanistan, but USA threw them out with in weeks.
Regards
Richie
Our Nation has to learn logic and for a view should not start insulting remarks. Discussion is always healthy and people have every right to promote their opinion in the spirit of getting more and clear knowledge. Good discussion is going on with few emotional exceptions. We should understand (as some authors have blamed the western historians) that history is written and promoted by the powerful forces. In Pakistani Text no body will write the First Charter of Sir Syed’s Organization for promoting British Culture. In the same way we do not know who the ruler was after Aurangzeb Alamgir and list of Rulers Till Bahadur Shah zafar. Though we know the names of all till Aurangzeb. Contributions of all are admirable as long as they are with positive spirit. I still admire the efforts and talents of Mr. Zaheer.
Dear mystique: Though by birth I am a Muslim, first of all I don’t believe in any prophets. There was none and there will be none. This again the attributes people give to a person. With due respect to your beliefs I should say that by all probabilities Prophet Muhammad should have been a clan leader in the nomadic Arabia .He need not to be a prophet to be a person worth of respect. People cannot explain something scientifically they used to give that to the god to explain. So if you are going to interpret history on theological lines, yes I am ignorant. If Alexander had been a big conqueror then he should be a good leader as well .Why Alexander died so young? Well it’s obliviously because he must have been devastated by Porus. If Alexander stopped by Biyas then someone strong had stopped him. Age’s people bend facts and mix it with myths and fictions to meet their end. I personally don’t take anything which pushed though my throat without chewing. So let it be.
SQ,
You clearly have no idea how scholarly work is done. No one just accepts what the western historians say. Heck, by your reasoning, since Muslims wrote about Islamic history and everyone else was either killed or expelled, why should anyone believe anything Islamic historians have written? So, basically by inference of your own little theory, Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) could just be a glorified King. In fact, many in the west have pushed such theories without any factual basis because they don’t buy the history written by the victor.
Truth of the matter is, Alexander was a Great conqueror, not a leader. He never got the chance to lead. The details of his last days are available in vivid detail and no one is sure as to how/why he died so young and so suddenly. There are many theories that have done the rounds.
Alexander was also a great believer in omens and his quest in India was curtailed due to his armies hesitance coupled with the revelation of bad omens with regards to conquering India at the time. A tablet next to the Biyas River still holds inscriptions declaring ‘Alexander stopped here’. Like Porus let him leave that and gave him 6 months to build enough ships to sail down the Indus.
As for Gurdaspur, it’s doubtful. The Malian people were known to occupy present day Multan. Most historians agree upon the location.
NASAH Says:
I have a weak History to prove if you take the western history point of view. All this pictorial explanation you have given about the defeat of Alexander is the result of vivid imagination of the western historians who could never accept the fact that Alexander was defeated at the hand of an Indian King. Same historians hoaxed the story of Aryan Invasion theory when they could not digest the fact that there was a superior civilization beyond the Hindukush Mountains, now all of us know that the Aryan invasion theory was the greatest hoax in the history. Porus even captured many of Alexander’s generals and deported them to southern India. Their decedents still live there in a much closed community by a place called coorge near the city of Mangalore. Alexander did not die of tuberculosis; he died of wounds and excessive alcoholism. Alexander was not a great leader as west wanted us to believe. When he faced the real resistance he cowed down. The entire world history as we know is written by the racists who always wanted to project the white supremacy over others. We all have been thought that the “Columbus discovered America” where in there was a well developed civilization existed there much before the Columbus arrived there. As I said in my previous post our great grand children will learn about Bush and Osama as the saviors of the world who liberated the world from the hands of the brutal assassins and will be hailed has the super heroes, and people like the author of this blog will ask them to learn lessons from them. The problem with us is that we are so fascinated by the glitz of superficial western culture and we believer all what they tell as absolute truth.
Alexander died in Babylon (present day IRAQ)
Due to excessive drinking of unmixed wine.
It is also incorrect that Alexander’s army did not see elephants before the battle with Porus. Alexander after entering Taxila was equipped with elephants by the king of taxila in return for aid against his rival Porus. Alexander captured Porus and like the other kings he had defeated, allowed him to reign in his country. Porus became his friend and ally.
This refers to Richie’s boasting but he is forgetting the difference between conquering and retaining the occupation. Afghans or Pakhtuns struggle for freedom of their land is always tireless and never ending. British conquered them but they gave them sleepless nights through out. American also came by dint of their aerial superiority but their dream of occupying 100% of the land will never come true. They are now seeking ways and means to get out safely. As regards Pakistani Army Richie is in great blunder to think that NWFP is occupied by it. Once Pakhtuns are made believed so they will push them out as had pushed out Ranjit, British, and Russians.
Pakhtuns consider Pak army as their own army and Richie should not create alienation which can make undo what he is boasting of.
SQ Khan says:
“Alexander was vanquished in Pakistan and was severely injured in the war with Porus. He could not go beyond Punjab because he was defeated and was packed off.”
Dear SQ — your history is weak — Alexander was not defeated by Porus — Porus was defeated by Alexander — though with great difficulty — because of the 200 elephants of Porus army. The Macedonians had never seen the elephants and they were terrified of the gigantic animals and initially Alexander’s army panicked but Alexander was one of the smartest General — he immediately sensed that giant animal’s trunk was its most vulnerable part — so he ordered his soldiers to attack the trunk of the animal with swords, spears and arrows — the elephants panicked turned back and fled trampling their own army under their feet and that was the end of the battle.
Alexander actually invaded India to conquer the mightiest and the richest kingdom of Magdha of Rajgir and Patna, Bihar.
After making Porus the governor of the Punjab — Alexander wanted to proceed and cross Ganges to invade Magdha — but what unnerved Alexander victorious army — was the news that the Magdha King had an elephant corp. of 5000 battle trained elephants — and the army refused to obey Alexander’s orders to move forward — despite days of Alexander’s cajoling it just wouldn’t budge — the army wanted to go home — and finally Alexander had to agree to the demand of his army.
Alexander died not of wounds but of Malaria and tuberculosis that he contracted in the subcontinent — still the den of the two abominations.
This is not to demean Porus. Porus was on his own a valiant king and headed a brave battle hardened army of his own. Porus earlier had single handedly liberated Punjab from the satrapy of the Persian Empire of which Punjab was one of the provinces.
I don’t believe Alexander massacred the whole population of Multan. It was a location between Ravi and Beas rivers, most likely present day Gurdaspur.
Please! We in the east should stop calling Alexander, “the great”. It’s a title given to him by his people. He is someone who came and massacred us and occupied our land and we call him “the great”, have some self respect.
We should remember him for what he was for us and not what he means to the west. A savage and brutal conqueror that killed whole villages including women and children.
People, who become too comfortable with their lifestyles, lose the ability to fight and to resist the aggressors. People in FATA, PATA and other similar areas in Pakistan (and the rest of the world) know no comforts, they have nothing to lose. Such people (anywhere in the world) value honor more than anything else, they have great self esteems than the Shehri Babu’s. Fighting ability comes not from physical prowess but from mental toughness and these kinds of people are the toughest mentally. And that’s why they are known as such.
The solution has to be “I agree” political and military & philosophically motivated. The solution has to come from a visionary who is very well versed in history of the world. Let’s not disrespect history but disregarding it.
Pakistan Zindabad…
From the article, it seems History is all around us. It was not around us openly when the poet Iqbal and the lawyer Jinnah were dreaming big dreams. One of the dreams was to bypass the cultural attributes of various ethnicities such as Bengal or Pushtoons or Sindhi and wrap it all up with Islamic package. In the year 1971, with the advent of Bangladesh, the flawed idea was cracked open. Now comes the Pushtoons assertion. Pakistan is reaping what has been sowed during the freedom struggle.
To npt,
Alexander, like all Macedonians past and present, was Greek, (not Slavic) as you ludicrously infer.
Just two interesting points to mention.
First, unlike the Greeks or the British, Russians and The Americans, Pakistan is not a foreign element invading Pushtoons territory. Islam, like it or not, is still an important element and a source of identity which cuts across the region. Pakistani forces itself is composed of a significant number of Pushtoons who are well versed with the area and have ethnic ties there.
Second, although the Turks were efficient at guerrilla tactics, the early afghan mujaheddin during the Soviet war were trained by the ISI and with CIA assistance (they never gave direct training) in guerrilla warfare. Brig. Muhammad Yusuf who was practically in charge of such operations against the Red army provides an amusing and detailed account in his book on how the Mujahids were coaxed into hit and run attacks (which they found quite dishonorable).
Rule of guerrilla warfare: death by a thousand cuts.
Requirements: a base to regroup and support of local population. The US is failing in both and hence losing the war.
Pakistan is making progress in the second requirement which is why Swat is still under strong Pakistani control.
Alexander was not a Pakistani, rather a foreigner, and invader. Remember, late Wali Khan once said, ” I am Pukhtoon for centuries, a Muslim for fourteenth centuries, and a Pakistani for fifty two years.
Similarity between Alexander and Pakistani Generals:
Both used national and international resources to meet their ambition.
Difference between Alexander and Pakistani Generals:
Alexander won a number of wars.
SQ,
Nothing else can explain his withdrawal? Have you even read what the historians have to say? As usual, its pointless arguing with someone who has no knowledge apart from his own myopic viewpoint that is based solely on fantasy. Good luck to you my friend.
SQ Khan,
You can stay in denial all you want. You have not a single source for your supposed victory, other than a Hollywood flick all geared towards one carefully choreographed fight scene. Its futile arguing with someone in such denial. Porus never expected Alexander’s army to cross the Jhelum so stealthily in the middle of the night- they did. The Macedonian long shields stuck their spears into the eyes of elephants that decimated friend a foe alike. Porus was defeated fair and square. Details of the battle exist, but of course the conspiracy theory lover that you are, how could you possibly admit to the facts. There’s no lack of delusional Pakistanis.
You are right when you say that only brute force cannot work, it is a historically proven fact. But it is not the job of the military to negotiate or to use diplomacy. Political leadership of the country should decide to use the force and at the same time also use diplomatic channels. Our academies have to teach outflanking maneuvers no diplomacy.
mystique sir,
Who writes the history? you may be a student of history but you also must know who wrote those texts for you. All historians Greeks and non Greek western always have hailed their civilizations upper hand over others, that keep doing even now. We should not be surprised to learn in future from these historians that Mr Bush and Mr Obama was great Humanitarians who defeated the “brutal Islamists ” and saved the world. There will not be a word of mention of the poor civilians getting killed in this battle. Central Asians were no doubt were warriors, they were nomadic unorganized warriors, a pack of people in small groups that invaded the villages around, but when it come to war what it matters is organized strategies and attacking capabilities, which was not there with them. Alexander was certainly defeated by Porus, nothing else can explain his withdrawal from Punjab all of a sudden. Its very difficult for the European Historians to digest the fact that their great king was defeated at the hands of a local king that’s the all matter.
dear Haq,
Are you telling me the Pakistani army is not able to take on the taliban and defeat it? It can, if its aim was straight as Alexanders was, and they did not have to worry about politic and human rights that was my point, regarding conquering the Afgan or tribal, the British did, the American did, the Pakistani army did, that’s why NWFP is under Pakistani control, Ranjit singh did, infact he took Kashmir from the afgan, there is no such thing as a people who cannot be conquered, sometimes it easy sometimes it hard, now jihad is and old term in modern world it does not mean much, other then jihad against wrong, corruption, for truth etc. In olden time there was jihad and there was crusade, now it is no longer viable, now its nationalities, and economics, do you really think Pakistan want Kashmir because of the Muslims there? you are wrong they want the source of the rivers, and strategic locations, regarding hegemony I don’t think we need it, we need peace for India and we want other nation to be at peace, so we can develop our country which is very poor, and we hope Pakistan is at peace so bother can live without going for each others throat.
Rgds
Richie