A Strategic Blunder

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

Robert Gates: US regrets 'grave mistakes' in Pakistan

The US defence secretary Robert Gates apologised for America's "grave" mistakes in Pakistan and Afghanistan before the launch of the US 'war on terror' in 2001.

Mr Gates was visiting Pakistan where he was seeking to bolster ties with Washington's key ally in the fight against al-Qaeda.

In his first visit to the country in three years and first under US President Barack Obama, Mr Gates tried to reassure a public and leadership wary of Washington's plan to tackle militancy and turn around the war in Afghanistan.

"I was in government in the early 1990s, when Russia left the region and the United States largely abandoned Afghanistan and cut off defence ties with Pakistan - a grave strategic mistake driven by some well-intentioned but short-sighted US legislative and policy decisions," said Mr Gates.

Speaking at the National Defense University in Islamabad, he said a US ban on military contacts in the 1990s over Pakistan's nuclear programme undermined a bond between the armed forces and created a "trust deficit" that lingered.

He vowed the United States was "prepared to invest whatever time and energy it takes to forge and sustain a genuine, lasting partnership" with Pakistan.

Rebuilding relationships with a generation of Pakistani officers who have had little contact with the US military will take years, Mr Gates said.

US regrets over Strategic Mistake

 

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

Now all those who think Presller did a good job should take into account what Mr Gates said ...

 

[footmarks]

Robert Gates: US regrets 'grave mistakes' in Pakistan

The US defence secretary Robert Gates apologised for America's "grave" mistakes in Pakistan and Afghanistan before the launch of the US 'war on terror' in 2001.

Mr Gates was visiting Pakistan where he was seeking to bolster ties with Washington's key ally in the fight against al-Qaeda.

In his first visit to the country in three years and first under US President Barack Obama, Mr Gates tried to reassure a public and leadership wary of Washington's plan to tackle militancy and turn around the war in Afghanistan.

"I was in government in the early 1990s, when Russia left the region and the United States largely abandoned Afghanistan and cut off defence ties with Pakistan - a grave strategic mistake driven by some well-intentioned but short-sighted US legislative and policy decisions," said Mr Gates.

Speaking at the National Defense University in Islamabad, he said a US ban on military contacts in the 1990s over Pakistan's nuclear programme undermined a bond between the armed forces and created a "trust deficit" that lingered.

He vowed the United States was "prepared to invest whatever time and energy it takes to forge and sustain a genuine, lasting partnership" with Pakistan.

Rebuilding relationships with a generation of Pakistani officers who have had little contact with the US military will take years, Mr Gates said.

US regrets over Strategic Mistake

He is shamlessly lying brother. The fact remains that US backstabbed Pakistan, not once but multiple times. GOP is still trying their best to keep their relationship with US alive on ventilator. But its too late now I guess. Once your credibility is gone, all is gone. US-Pak relations can never return to the same level of cozyness that existed in the Cold war era, esp. when US is also trying to be cozy with us, the Indians. All said and done, US is not a dependable friend.

 

[karan.1970]

Now all those who think Presller did a good job should take into account what Mr Gates said ...

Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost.. These american Politicians are like a proverb in my country...Ganga gaye to ganga das, Jamuna gaye to Jamuna Das

 

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

He is shamlessly lying brother. The fact remains that US backstabbed Pakistan, not once but multiple times. GOP is still trying their best to keep their relationship with US alive on ventilator. But its too late now I guess. Once your credibility is gone, all is gone. US-Pak relations can never return to the same level of cozyness that existed in the Cold war era, esp. when US is also trying to be cozy with us, the Indians. All said and done, US is not a dependable friend.

Yes they did backstabed us but thant dosent rules out the possibility of having better relations again .
Both GOP and GOA are trying their best to keep the relations alive not just GOP alone . Only the interests are permanent not eternal friendshhip . US does have some great interests with Pakistan like for eg "How would they Exit Afghanistan..? That is where both Nations interests converge " .
It cannot backstab us the way it did in the 90s , the only way left is to have better ties with India (just to have a stick over Pakistan). I know they are just building the ground in India , Youl never know how uncomfortable youl get once the US asks for your services which you might be unwilling to Deliver...

Though the relations PAK-US are greatly hampered after all those back stabbings but ,that dosent means its the End .In this world no one shuts its doors and especially with a Muslim Country , armed with Nuke at the Heart of extreemly Strategik Location....!

 

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost.. These american Politicians are like a proverb in my country...Ganga gaye to ganga das, Jamuna gaye to Jamuna Das

Very True ...!

 

[footmarks]

Yes they did backstabed us but thant dosent rules out the possibility of having better relations again .
Both GOP and GOA are trying their best to keep the relations alive not just GOP alone . Only the interests are permanent not eternal friendshhip . US does have some great interests with Pakistan like for eg "How would they Exit Afghanistan..? That is where both Nations interests converge " .
It cannot backstab us the way it did in the 90s , the only way left is to have better ties with India (just to have a stick over Pakistan). I know they are just building the ground in India , Youl never know how uncomfortable youl get once the US asks for your services which you might be unwilling to Deliver...

Though the relations PAK-US are greatly hampered after all those back stabbings but ,that dosent means its the End .In this world no one shuts its doors and especially with a Muslim Country , armed with Nuke at the Heart of extreemly Strategik Location....!

As I have previously said i this forum ( and I strongly believe this), Pakistan is a very very Important country for rest of the world. I dont know what went wrong with you guys, I dont know who did what mistakes, but Pakistan as a country deserve a far better role than what it is having now. For example, India is still struggling for a permanent seat in UNSC. Had it been pakistan in place of India, you would have easily got that ( India being the first one to support your candidature). I think it is because the wrong and suicidal policy of providing shelter to rouge religious fanatics and terrorists that Pakistan has lost so much of what it deserve to be. I genuinely wish (so as the whole world) pakistan to become a moderate, progressive and open muslim republic, which would be a role model for the entire muslim community of the world.

 

[TaimiKhan]

It was no strategic blunder or mistake. It was deliberate.

 

[Hammy007]

He is shamlessly lying brother. The fact remains that US backstabbed Pakistan, not once but multiple times. GOP is still trying their best to keep their relationship with US alive on ventilator. But its too late now I guess. Once your credibility is gone, all is gone. US-Pak relations can never return to the same level of cozyness that existed in the Cold war era, esp. when US is also trying to be cozy with us, the Indians. All said and done, US is not a dependable friend.

be cozy with dying elephant

 

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

It was no strategic blunder or mistake. It was deliberate.

But now they do recognize that deliberate action as a mistake, for which they had no idea at that time, that how it would cost them in future ...So now they are saying it for themselves that it was a mistake .

 

[TaimiKhan]

But now they do recognize that deliberate action as a mistake, for which they had no idea at that time, that how it would cost them in future ...So now they are saying it for themselves that it was a mistake .

To get what they want, they will say anything.

If they had really believed it be a mistake then their attitude would be not like the one we are seeing. More humiliating even before when they back stabbed us. It it wasn't the first time after Soviet Afghan War, 65, 71 are perfect examples of that.

If this Afghan Occupation did end (which i doubt), the US will again back stab us after achieving their objectives, that is Pakistan's destruction.

 

[asq]

Pakistan should in all its smarts continue to do what is right and do it to show those who oppose us that this is how it is done, after all we have moral high ground.

In the case of our war in north we needed to act cilivly by offering those rogue element a chance and that we did. And than we went after them, simple as that.

Many antagonists are trying to put thir spins on it, but we will go firm as we did in the past Like siding with Americans on vietnam, on Afghanistan and took all refugees as they are our brothers in religion, deal with all friend and Americans and do the right thing, my Pakistani bros.

So stand TALL Pakistan and be confidant that evil will loose. stay the coarse and Allah will help us as he is all knowing all seeing and knows the intent, the only Judge we believe in.

I solute to Pakistan Armed forces and pakistani for thier steadfastness and courage.

 

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

To get what they want, they will say anything.

If they had really believed it be a mistake then their attitude would be not like the one we are seeing. More humiliating even before when they back stabbed us. It it wasn't the first time after Soviet Afghan War, 65, 71 are perfect examples of that.

If this Afghan Occupation did end (which i doubt), the US will again back stab us after achieving their objectives, that is Pakistan's destruction.

Fully agreed sir...!
But i still see room for the improvement of Relations btw Pakistan and US . Its not the End or i am just too optimistic

 

[BATMAN]

Robert Gates: US regrets 'grave mistakes' in Pakistan

The US defence secretary Robert Gates apologised for America's "grave" mistakes in Pakistan and Afghanistan before the launch of the US 'war on terror' in 2001.

Mr Gates was visiting Pakistan where he was seeking to bolster ties with Washington's key ally in the fight against al-Qaeda.

In his first visit to the country in three years and first under US President Barack Obama, Mr Gates tried to reassure a public and leadership wary of Washington's plan to tackle militancy and turn around the war in Afghanistan.

"I was in government in the early 1990s, when Russia left the region and the United States largely abandoned Afghanistan and cut off defence ties with Pakistan - a grave strategic mistake driven by some well-intentioned but short-sighted US legislative and policy decisions," said Mr Gates.

Speaking at the National Defense University in Islamabad, he said a US ban on military contacts in the 1990s over Pakistan's nuclear programme undermined a bond between the armed forces and created a "trust deficit" that lingered.

He vowed the United States was "prepared to invest whatever time and energy it takes to forge and sustain a genuine, lasting partnership" with Pakistan.

Rebuilding relationships with a generation of Pakistani officers who have had little contact with the US military will take years, Mr Gates said.

US regrets over Strategic Mistake

Shall we trust you, Sir? any way if the news is true than....i must say good approach.
US would have been a much better economy and more respected state if they would have asked Pakistan's opinion before imposing.....we'll bomb you to stone age.
We can also bomb any country back to stone age, and that too with out nukes but we don't believe in such appraoch.
I wish all the best to Mr. Gates in his positive appraoch and i sincierly wish him success, provided intentions are not deception.

 

[TaimiKhan]

Fully agreed sir...!
But i still see room for the improvement of Relations btw Pakistan and US . Its not the End or i am just too optimistic

Don't mind, but i would say you are being too optimistic.

American was never our friend, it is not our friend and it will never be our friend.

They do things deliberately & if they say later on it was a mistake, its not that they have realized their past mistake, rather its now time to fcuk the country more, so say apology and fcuk the country from start again, till objectives achieved.