For details on the following
points need to know about,
(1) The U.S. - Pakistan relations?
(2) Is U.S. Trying To Make Up To Pakistan?
(3) USA’s loss and Russia and China’s gain?
(4) A little too late?
(5) U.S trying to retain an ally?
After what should be considered a long time since it has actually helped
Pakistan improve its military capabilities, it appears that USA has chosen to
once again return to its old ways and provide support to an ally, with whom it
has enjoyed a rather inconvenient relationship with both sides having a fair
share of trust issues.
The U.S. - Pakistan relationsbe wrong to say that whenever Washington required
help in terms of furthering in agenda, Pakistan-US relations have always
been a roller coaster ride throughout the history and it would not Islamabad has
always offered its full support. As we have witnessed during the course of a
long history between these two, US has always seemed to abandon Pakistan when
the country needed its assistance the most.
As soon as Pakistan came into being, it had the choice to tilt either towards
the Soviet Union or go for an Alliance with the United States. An alliance with
the latter was chosen as the best case scenario by the Pakistani leaders at that
time and in the next few decades, both states succeeded in reaping the rewards
of this relationship even though there were a few instances where both felt
wronged by one another.
However, the manner in which US has always deserted Pakistan on several
instances, has forced Islamabad into branching out because the leaders and the
policymakers do not want to cast their lot to a country which they believe will
tuck tail and leave the moment things go south. Indeed, US policy towards
Pakistan has always seemed to be more of a case of ‘take and rarely’ give so
Pakistan should be forgiven for deciding to start taking measures in order to
edge away from an influence that has caused it more harm than good.
Following the events of 9/11, US had no option but to make Pakistan a frontline
ally in the war against terrorism. Pakistan faced the most serious consequences
of American war on terror and indeed the country’s citizens have lost their
lives by the thousands ever since US first attacked Afghanistan.
Now, it appears that Pakistan does not want its citizens to pay a cost for an
alliance that seems to be nothing but a relation in which the other side has
always flattered to deceive. The fact that US presidents in the last 15 years
have never toured Pakistan and have always visited neighboring India clearly
shows that for Washington, Pakistan has always been nothing more than an
expendable resource. Now, Islamabad has started realizing that.
US might still be the only superpower at the moment but recent shifts suggest
that this might not remain the case for long with other hopefuls starting to
show up and challenging US hegemony. The likes of China and Russia have been
making bold moves in recent years and have already shown a keen willingness in
their part to help Pakistan both economically and militarily which means that
Islamabad has better and maybe even much more profitable alliances to look
forward to.
In August this year, the two countries signed a landmark defense deal that saw
Russia sell four Mi-35 ‘Hind E’ helicopters to the country’s military. The deal
was being discussed for over a year but now that it has been signed, signals an
end to the bitter relations between the two during the cold-war era.
Pakistan Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif’s visit to Russia in June
where he spent around 15 hours at an arms expo that featured Russia’s latest
weapons and military equipment was a clear sign of Russia’s willingness to help
Pakistan. Indeed, Vladimir Putin is aware of the importance of Pakistan as an
ally in his grand scheme of things.
Moreover, Russia is also reportedly going to enhance cooperation further
following exchange visits of military commanders of both states in recent years.
And if that was not proof enough of the shift in Pakistan’s foreign policy,
recent moves made by China are a further proof that Islamabad is already
breaking away from an uncomfortable relationship with a state which it believes,
has let it down on countless occasions.
For years, Pakistan had been asking US to provide it with drones in order to
help eradicate elements responsible for countless suicide attacks and bombings
throughout the country. The US however, rejected those requests but chose to use
killer drones in a bid to cleanse the country’s volatile border.
Now, Pakistan can manufacture drones indigenously and where its drone program
comes up short, China is willing to provide it with expertise.
All this has put US in a very awkward position and it has realized that its
traditional policy toward Pakistan is coming back to haunt it. US policymakers
it seems, are now trying to minimize the damage their recent decisions have
caused and want to be more active in order to make up to a country which is a
vital clog for their foreign policy goals.
Several new defense and civil projects have been launched, especially with the
help of China, while Islamabad and Moscow are really warming up to each other.
In short, Pakistan isn’t really missing US at all.
Although US has agreed to provide Pakistan precision strike capabilities in the
near future, one has to question if it’s a really desperate move from Washington
to patch things up with a country that is slowly slipping away from its
influence?
American policymakers do realize that they have to change their mindset toward
Pakistan but on the same hand, they need to realize that the Pakistani
authorities would definitely have a trick up their sleeves and will use USA’s
efforts as a great chance to fill the gaps it has in its defensive and offensive
capabilities while also making sure that a major chunk of assistance is taken
from Moscow and Beijing.
Since its early days, Pakistan has been always an important ally for Pentagon,
thanks to its geographical location. And in the coming years, Pakistan’s
importance to US cannot be ignored. However, broken promises and duality has
really started costing US and it is high time for Washington to wake up before
the damage it has done is irrevocable.
Currently US shuffling across the board and doing all it can in a bid to stop
the Chinese armada that has already become so influential in Pakistani policy
and they are unsuccessful in doing it. With the growing economic corporation
with Beijing and rapidly growing bilateral ties with Moscow, has forced
Washington to offer Pakistan gifts that China and Russia cannot. And although
this is going to help Pakistan from a defensive point of view, it is basically
US making attempts to keep a bird in its cage like it has for years.
The growing power of eastern block is alarming for Washington, as not only
economically but also militarily, they are getting strong and forming alliances
that will help challenge America’s global presence and influence. This alliance
can shift the economic hub and can tilt the balance of power towards the east.
Though it is not simple as it sounds but the reality is that it is happening,
albeit at a slow pace.
Now, it is up to US policymakers how they want to change all that. Changing the
tone towards Pakistan might be a good start indeed!
(Special thanks to 'Taimoor' for the collaboration on this Article).