Professor Samuel Huntington’s thesis on “Clash of Civilizations” argues that the root of global conflict is cultural; this is too simplistic, if not totally flawed. How else can one explain the Taliban, a creation of the unholy alliance between the US and Pakistan , or Osama bin Laden , America ’s own Frankenstein, and the reported collusion between the LTTE and Al Qaeda? Terror is no civilized act and its perpetrators, collaborators and sponsors are no crusaders or holy men. The clash is truly between the civilized and the uncivilized.

Terrorism poses a host of grim challenges to democracies, secular regimes and countries in conflict with religious and racial minorities, Eastern or Western states alike. This is a defining moment for the Americans. Let them understand that neither is Islam their enemy nor opportunist states who change sides their friends.

The first problem that America faces is intelligence-sharing and cooperation among the intelligence agencies. That CIA and ISI had close links during the Cold War days is well known. That Taliban and ISI had and continue to have close links too is well known. That Taliban and Al Qaeda had and continue to have close relations is also well known. Therefore the Americans cannot claim ignorance of the ISI’s role in spreading the terrorist network. Pakistan was and continues to be an intelligence window for the Taliban. Abdullah Abdullah, the Foreign Minister of Afghanistan ( Northern Alliance ), has a word of caution about America trusting ISI again. Our reservations about this organization are, of course, well known.

The second problem is absence of an institutionalized and centralized system to penetrate terrorist outfits and foil their nefarious activities before they can inflict catastrophes like Mumbai and New York-Washington. This makes international cooperation in intelligence operations between civilized regimes and countries that are imminent victims of terror, both critical and pressing. The purpose of such cooperation should be to create a database and monitor the movements of terrorists throughout the world. This includes the development of intelligence potential, bilateral and multilateral agreements, planning and execution of joint intelligence missions, training, information and propaganda and seeking media support.

It is with the Taliban regime that Pakistan had gloated over finding “Strategic Depth”. Further, Musharaf revealed in the Kargil Tapes that he was keeping the so-called Mujahdeen from Afghanistan in grip of their peak by the scruff (he called it tooti). The latest news that Osama bin Laden has vanished and that Pakistan is opposed to ousting the Taliban offers ample proof of their close linkages.

The third problem is the effectiveness of political and economic sanctions. These cannot be applied by an individual country or the international community against countries helping terrorists. Pakistan has unequivocally refused to sever its ties with the Taliban but it has been the greater beneficiary of the sanctions being lifted. Pakistan undertook the Kargil adventure unmindful of its adverse effect on its economy. Obviously, the money came from sources, which the Americans are hard put to find out. The very purpose of introduction of military sanctions to destroy support to Talibans has been defeated. Pakistan has been and continues to be the recipient of Islamic charities, the jihad fund, besides being involved with the drug cartel.

Given the intricate nature of the problem, only broad-based and vigorous international cooperation can achieve any significant results in the war against terror. It is for the international comity of the civilized to understand the psyche of terror, before they formulate a strategy to contain it. Terrorism is a pastime of the wealthy and has nothing to do with deprivations and discontent born of social, economic and political inequalities, particularly in a democratic polity.