Analysis Of Deadly Embrace By Osama Bin Laden

This book was important when Osama bin Laden was alive and a seemingly never ending hunt was on for him. But, now, in the backdrop of his death due to an extraordinary Commando Operation in the heart of the Pakistani territory by the US navy seals and the United States having announced a withdrawal from

Afghanistan by 2014, it helps to understand, the dynamics of the US-Pakistan relationship which is metaphorically a “Deadly Embrace” as the title of the book suggests. It is a brief and compact narrative of the development and evolution of

US-Pak relationship which has been full of contradictions and paradoxes. According to Riedel, “Pakistan has the potential to be a game changer for the global jihad like no other country. As the forces of global

It also explores future policy options in the light of the increasing terror activities of Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan which have essential and provable connections with the politicians, bureaucracy, military and the ISI in Pakistan. “It also provides some thoughts on what may come next in the jihad, along with some policy recommendations on how to help Pakistan help itself” (p. x).

Being a former CIA officer and a senior advisor to four presidents on Middle and

South Asian issues Riedel is an authority on the subject. He has divided the book into seven chapters. In the first four chapters he discusses the various jihads undertaken by General Zia’s, Mullah Omar and Osama bin Laden which, though different in some aspects, have the same targets and objectives converging and magnifying into global jihad. He also discusses the Al Qaeda-Taliban nexus aided and abetted by the Pakistani establishment. The last three chapters consist of the arguments Bruce puts forwards for the policy makers. He elaborately

65). Agreeing to Pakistani condition that India would no way be a party to it the US released its military and economic aid.

Thinking the Unthinkable creates a horrific scenario of nuclear Pakistan overtaken by jihadis. The scenario is based on the strong linkages and reactions of jihadis with the nature of US-Pakistan cooperation against terrorism which is further radicalising, destabilising, fragmenting Pakistan as the extremists and the public opinion have turned against it.

Pakistan’s obsession with India and the Kashmir leaves limited options for any

US policy towards the country. To deal with Pakistan in a better way the author suggests that “Washington should quietly but forcefully encourage New Delhi to be more flexible on Kashmir” as it is in the “American interest to try to defuse a lingering conflict that has generated global terrorism and repeatedly threatened to create a full-scale military confrontation on the subcontinent.” He believes that it will make Pakistan more normal and less preoccupied with India, mitigate the nuclear threat and give the army no reason to ask for huge