Between ‘ghairat’ and strategy

[OrionHunter]

It is clear that the PA’s strategy of using terror as an instrument of state policy has backfired spectacularly. In fact I would hazard an opinion that had it not been for support to terror groups in Kashmir since the early 90s, the Kashmir dispute would probably have been resolved by now. As India has been constantly reminding Pakistan, it cannot do so with a ‘gun pointed at its head’.

However, the spawning of myriad terrorist groups in Pakistan has the Army in a bind as many have refused to follow the diktats of the ISI and have become Frankenstein monsters impossible to control.

The Pakistan Army must seriously reconsider its geopolitical strategy and cease supporting groups inimical to peace in the region, press the restart button in foreign policy that uses terrorist groups as strategic assets (as Gen Kayani himself had said) and change the dynamics in its relations with India that poses no threat at the present juncture.

But will the Army allow this change to come about? It’s a long shot, but worth a try! The alternative is a further slide into chaos and isolation in the international sphere.

 

[rockstarIN]

There are no allies/friends in the international arena, only mutual interests (or lack of them). Even Afghanistan might not side with India in case there is a war between Pakistan-India, because Pakistan can nuke each & every inch of Afghanistan back to the Stone Age, as well as block all its everyday basic necessity supplies (food etc). And with the shift in the regional dynamics, we can expect to see greater cooperation between Russia Pakistan at the expense of the US. Nations live for the moment, not for the past, & that applies to Russia & Pakistan as well.

Bilal, your this argument does not go with the 'all weather friendship song'

 

[rockstarIN]

Yes! Exactly ....The CIA was behind all this terrorism/bombing within our country, everybody knows that.....Offcoarse we are gonna benefit from US breaking relationship with us..Cuz this relationship is master-slave relationship....At least we gonna get free from their evil shackles to abuse/control us....Insha-Allah........

The problem is a common Pakistani does not get to know the benefits of US aid/support. Only the higher stake holders (army/govt) knows how important it is. Even there was an attempt thru PR to acknowledge it from US side but no use.

 

[anoop]

well if present regime is corrupt was then previous general musharraf regime too corrupt ? if pak has strategic corridor to connect central asia-russia then why it has been still not used upto to its projected potential

 

[Gin ka Pakistan]

I think after seen the new presidential Candidate of USA, third world war can be started by them for trade and global resources and also they will defeat all Israeli enemies (they will give free hand to Israel to grab land), so no love for US in middle east for long ( Even Obama seems as a nice guy in front of them).

I don't see Pakistan being in good books of Republicans if they come in power and this is the right time for Pakistan to show unity ( come on Zardari to save democracy go in low profile presidency and cut corruption). Even Zardari has learn that what ever you do for US they can't save you in bad times and they have a history of not able to save their friends in Cuban and Iranian revolutions.

 

[OrionHunter]

what ever you do for US they can't save you in bad times and they have a history of not able to save their friends in Cuba and Iranian revolutions.

So the realization that you can't trust America has finally dawned on you guys after more than 60 long years? Pakistan has been the recipient of American largesse in the form of massive monetary aid and weapons since 1947. And you realize the stark truth only now? When the going was good, Pakistan bent over backwards to accommodate the US of A and worked for THEIR national interests as long as the moolah and weapon systems kept coming. But now since that relationship has soured due to reasons well known, you paint them as the devil that needs to be put to the sword!

You can't have the cake and eat it too, what?

 

[true_indian]

Little prodding from Russia, these Pakistanis are already courting its support for them against the world. This is genuinely hilarious. I am just worried Russia might hang you in the open for what you did to them in Afghanistan.

 

[Meengla]

Amazing to see a senior journalist like C. Almeida not factoring in something bigger than the 'terrorism' threat as one possible major motive for the extended American presence in and around Pakistan.
What IF there really is a new 'Great Game' going on? If there is one then the cardboard box which surrounds heads like Almeida's need to be cut open. Some fresh air given to it. It is imperative that Cyril--and all of us in this forum or outside--need to understand what really is going on in the region surrounding Pakistan.

As to Pakistan's 'isolation', yes, a perception can be easily created. America's media alone has the power to, within a few weeks, make that perception 'global'. But in reality I don't think Pakistan is yet quite as isolated as the OP says. Time will tell more about it.

 

[Meengla]

So the realization that you can't trust America has finally dawned on you guys after more than 60 long years? Pakistan has been the recipient of American largesse in the form of massive monetary aid and weapons since 1947. And you realize the stark truth only now? When the going was good, Pakistan bent over backwards to accommodate the US of A and worked for THEIR national interests as long as the moolah and weapon systems kept coming. But now since that relationship has soured due to reasons well known, you paint them as the devil that needs to be put to the sword!
You can't have the cake and eat it too, what?

We are getting off-topic, I guess, but..
I agree with you as far as American contribution to Pakistan's defense and economic growth but that also implies that Pakistan did benefit greatly from the American 'largesse' in return. So it was not some sacrifice given by Pakistan. Indeed, if you start a comparison of Pakistan with, say, Afghanistan, from 1947 onward a countries then you will see that Pakistan greatly prospered--and that prosperity had huge American-backed Western contribution in that. Even compared with India Pakistan's indicators were not bad until relatively recently.
BUT... you are wrong to say that Pakistan stayed in American orbit blindly for the 'more than 60 long years'. There have been ups and downs. There have been periods where Pakistan and America stayed away from each other. And the antipathy during those alienated years was mutual. Heck, I think more than forty years ago Ayub Khan was compelled to write 'Friends, Not Masters'. I think he was referring to the US-Pak relationship.
So...if you still didn't get my point: There has never been the kind of 'slavery' and 'blind' trust shown by Pakistan toward the US. The relationship has been 'transactional'. It has been on-and-off. And it has been largely mutually beneficial for most of the 'more than 60 years' of mutual history.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

'Isolation' and 'Ghairat' threads merged since they deal with similar issues.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

I believe that all these years of Pakistan bashing have taken a pretty hard toll on most of us Pakistanis, and many of us simply do not see any reason to 'give any quarter' when it comes to critiquing US/NATO policies/positions, especially when we can point out glaring loopholes in them. We do not see any reason to continue foreign policies of 'appeasement' when all they have earned Pakistan is ridicule, insult and distrust.

The way we see it, it is really too late to be worried about Pakistan being seen as an 'irrational actor' by the international community - the international community has been denigrating Pakistan and setting it up to be some sort of irrational and evil 'monster' for years now. 'Rational behavior' and a lack of 'ghairatmand foreign policy' has only allowed the 'International Community' to walk all over us, while also demolishing the reputation of our more 'honored' military institutions.

I believe the revelation of the 'nine agreements with the US', and the cooperation and adherence of the Pakistani government and military to those agreements, despite tremendous domestic pressure to not do so, and in the process of keeping our adherence with these agreements 'covert', incurring the disapproval of most Pakistanis, speaks volumes about the pragmatic and rational behavior of our military and political leadership.

In exchange Pakistan has been rewarded with vitriol, insults, illegal military and intelligence operations and breaches of Pakistani sovereignty.

Pakistan has been forced to release murderers (Raymond Davis), had gatherings of elders and political representatives bombed (CIA drone attack authorized by Panetta after the release of Davis on a tribal political gathering), backstabbing through unilateral military operations to capture/kill OBL (despite significant Pakistani intelligence support towards that end), and the massacres of our soldiers on a repeated basis.

Pakistan and Pakistanis have been more than 'patient, strategic, and non-isolationist' enough with the West till now ... there is simply no substance to these arguments of choosing 'strategy over ghairat' or that 'ghairat implies isolation'.

Foreign policies based on 'ghairat', domestic stability, prosperity and improving relations with the international comity of nations are in no way 'mutually exclusive'.

 

[VCheng]

....................
The way we see it, it is really too late to be worried about Pakistan being seen as an 'irrational actor' by the international community - the international community has been denigrating Pakistan and setting it up to be some sort of irrational and evil 'monster' for years now. ...................................

I agree with your post, except the part above.

It is NOT too late to start changing perceptions about Pakistan. To give up now would simply allow the wrong portrayal to continue, and indeed further damage the future.

The answer to being unfairly portrayed is never to accept it, and to keep fighting back, slowly, methodically, calmly, and persistently, no matter how sick and tired and fruitless it may feel for the time being.

That applies here on PDF too.