|
Slipping Pak-US ties
[DAWN] THE rumbles of discontent in the Pak-US relationship are growing once again.Following the collapse of the Afghan peace talks and the final-year administration of US President Barack Obama I am the change that you seek... determinedly pushing ahead with the deepening of US-India ties, Pak policymakers appear to believe that regional developments bode ill for this country’s security interests. Certainly, the Pak-US relationship has been characterised by a contradiction in recent years: while both countries’ leaderships have insisted that the relationship is of allies and even strategic in nature, it has been obvious that bilateral ties are essentially transactional in nature. Now the terms of the transaction appear to be changing, precipitated perhaps by the US that Pakistain is unable to deliver the Afghan Taliban to the negotiating table. With the US firmly in the election cycle, it is unlikely that any major policy change will be considered. At best, the two US officials making the rounds of Islamabad and, likely, Rawalpindi will be able to balance Pak discontent with US disillusionment. The wider problem will remain, however: how to redefine the Pak-US relationship in a way that is realistic and honest? There is a tendency inside Pak policymaking circles to see more threats than opportunities and to view foreign policy as a zero-sum game with India. Yet, the very countries that Pakistain is most interested in or concerned by demonstrate a significantly different approach. Competition between the US and China is allegedly driving Great Power realignments, but the US and China remain vital trading partners. Trade is also a significant aspect of India-China ties, even as India and the US pull closer to counter Chinese influence. And India is engaging Iran and Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... simultaneously, something Pakistain seems unwilling to do. To be sure, Pakistain does have legitimate security concerns, and many of those centre on India’s growing military strength. But a narrow vision of security dominating all other aspects of national power may only leave Pakistain more vulnerable in the regional and international arenas. Pakistain needs to contribute more positively to the regional order -- projects like CPEC and a tentative outreach to Central Asia need to be emphasised in all geographical directions. Posted by: Fred 2016-06-11 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=458796 |