Sir — This refers to the article, “A new world order needs a new Islam” (August 26) by Sandhya Jain. The article highlights that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Islamic State chief, was created by the CIA. This is how the Americans have practised a bizarre and fallacious foreign policy. They supported the Taliban against the Russians in Afghanistan. And the same Taliban turned against them. They have fought a 10-year war against the Al Qaeda but lost. They tried to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but failed since he clung to his throne like a limpet.
Now, not with love but out of necessity, the Americans are forced to hobnob with Mr Assad, send intelligence inputs to defeat the IS which grabbed weaponry from the Syrian rebels, supplied by the Americans, and is fighting against them. Whether the world order needs a new Islam or not, the US needs a pragmatic long-term foreign policy which does not create terrorists and aids terror states like Pakistan.