US-Pakistan: It’s a cloying relationship
Yes, a country to which the United States is giving full support and
billions of dollars in aid is doing little or nothing against those responsible
for the September 11 attacks and for the killing of about 3,000 Americans. But
the Obama Administration doesn’t believe in getting tough or putting pressure on
those countries actually giving America trouble. Ah, maybe it does understand.
After all, if it really regarded Pakistan as an ally, instead of a hostile
state, it wouldn’t be treating it so well! -- Barry Rubin
By Barry Rubin
Every week or so, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reminds us
that the wrong Democrat was elected President in 2008. In these cases, she goes
off-script, showing her scepticism about engagement with Iran before it became
obvious even in the White House, or expressing the novel idea that US policy
should view Israel as a valuable ally.
Now she has addressed legitimate frustration with Pakistan, a country
which has received billions in US aid yet barely lifts a finger to help US
policy. The Pakistani Government pretends to fight terrorism but only the
terrorists who directly challenge the regime. There is ample reason to believe
that Pakistani intelligence helps the Taliban in Afghanistan, sponsors
terrorists who attack India, and does little to help against Al Qaeda forces
operating within Pakistan and along the Pakistan-Afghanistan
border.
Remember the bloody attack by Pakistan-based and sponsored terrorists
in Mumbai, India? What has the Pakistani regime done about that? People with
access to intelligence information say that Chinese flights carrying military
equipment — including things that can be used for weapons of mass destruction —
to Iran pass through Pakistan, too.
So here is what Ms Clinton just explained: “I’m not saying that
they’re at the highest levels but I believe that somewhere in this (Pakistani)
Government are people who know where Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda is, where
Mullah Omar and the leadership of the Afghan Taliban is and we expect more
cooperation to help us bring to justice, capture or kill, those who attacked us
on 9/11.”
Yes, a country to which the United States is giving full support and
billions of dollars in aid is doing little or nothing against those responsible
for the September 11 attacks and for the killing of about 3,000 Americans. But
the Obama Administration doesn’t believe in getting tough or putting pressure on
those countries actually giving America trouble. Ah, maybe it does understand.
After all, if it really regarded Pakistan as an ally, instead of a hostile
state, it wouldn’t be treating it so well!
Source: The Pioneer, New Delhi
9:55 PM
Sultan Shahin
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