Lt. General Asad Durrani (Retired), Author at CommandEleven

Nov

By Lt. General Asad Durrani (Retired) Geopolitics, Governance No Comments

Entrapped

Indeed, even this benevolent soul who with the passage of time fell for his abductor, did not voluntarily stroll into the net. The hunters, like the commanders on the battlefield, go great lengths to persuade their game walk into the killing zone. It’s quite a feat, and some of us obviously like to claim credit – even if the prey got into trouble without our help.

Sep

By Lt. General Asad Durrani (Retired) Defense Security No Comments

Selecting an Army Chief

Ours is not the only country in which the military has guns, but is certainly amongst those where the political power continues to flow through their barrel. If that’s what led some of our selectors go down the ladder to find an army chief who would spare their throne, it always backfired: not necessarily because of a bad choice

Oct

By Lt. General Asad Durrani (Retired) Governance No Comments

Einstein and Bruce

Einstein on the other hand, having experimented all his life, surmised that “doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results was insane”. The US and Pakistan may often have pursued different goals but their armies have one in common: to prove Einstein’s theory of insanity wrong.

Jul

By Lt. General Asad Durrani (Retired) Afghanistan No Comments

Right of Surprise

In the last two decades the number of Af-Pak hands has sky rocketed. Most of them seem to have slept on the wheel and now suddenly woken up in a state of dumbfoundedness. They’re shocked that the US was leaving Afghanistan – precipitously; and dismayed that the Taliban were gaining ground – exponentially. That reminds me of Rip Van Winkle who also slept for twenty years.

Jul

By Lt. General Asad Durrani (Retired) Pakistan No Comments

Shooting From The Lip

Our elected leaders on the other hand can fire verbal salvos with impunity.

Jun

By Lt. General Asad Durrani (Retired) Governance No Comments

The Incredible State

Some of them cannot afford to tell the truth; others do not know the truth; and still others fatuously believe that economizing on truth was good politics. Speaking with forked tongues was once the exclusive domain of the diplomats.

Aug

By Lt. General Asad Durrani (Retired) Geopolitics No Comments

The Bedouin Bluff

Imran Khan’s wilting under Saudi pressure to absent himself from an important conference in Malaysia, was unwise. But if he was now having second thoughts and actually pulled-off an about-turn, he would not only get back to the right side of geography, the mother of history, but would also be calling the Bedouin Bluff.

Aug

By Lt. General Asad Durrani (Retired) Governance No Comments

Programmed to Fail

Some important institutions of the state were bound to come under stress. Courts will be inundated by petitions to prevent these upstarts from rocking the boat – and may have to be persuaded to give the new dispensation a sporting chance.