Grand Chinese gesture

[ChinaToday]

As the Americans are largely boxing Pakistan into a corner haughtily and their western allies are working to the same end subtly, has come a heartening voice from China in its true pattern to rescue this country from a distressful predicament whenever it is in. In a straightforward talk, Chinese prime minister Wen Jibao has lauded Pakistan’s contributions to anti-terrorism war, urged America to acknowledge these and also respect this country’s sovereignty. Of course, this has not gone down well with the movers and shakers in Washington, drawing sniggers from their mouthpieces in media, commentariat and think tanks. But, then, these drummers want, as do their bandmasters, everyone else in the world to love whom they love, hate whom they hate, condemn whom they condemn and eulogize whom they eulogize. And since they have castigated Pakistan as an untrustworthy and no real partner in anti-terrorism war, they expect all others to revile and abuse Pakistan. The Chinese have made it clear they would have none of it and would speak out their mind honestly and loudly, which their premier has done so thankfully.Little wonder, this country’s people hold warmly China in the highest esteem for its steadfastness to stand by them through thick and thin. And no wonder, they hold such a poor view of America for its habitual exploitation of this nation for furtherance of its geopolitical objectives and then throwing it away like disposal garbage when its ends are achieved and it finds no use of Pakistan. The history is a witness, and its testimony damning. No wonder, then, that this country’s people are so livid with their leaders across the spectrum for putting all their eggs in the unreliable and untrustworthy US basket, neglecting a time-tested and all-weather friend.They indeed are acidly incensed at this leadership’s serf-like slavishness to the American masters. If the Americans have questions for Pakistan to answer, this country too has questions for them to answer. And the people are deeply worked up as to why has this weakling leadership ventured not to ask. The Americans are making much how comes Osama stayed ensconced in his Abbottabad hideout uncaught for so long. This certainly is quite intriguing, indeed as intriguing as the 9/11 terrorist strike plane-hijackers getting training in the American aviation academies without being caught by any of about two dozens of American intelligence agencies and their coconspirators plotting the strike in Europe undetected despite close rapport of the western spy services with America’s CIA.More crucially, how comes Osama made good his escape when the US-led coalition had invaded Afghanistan primarily to dismantle his murderous al-Qaeda network and nab him dead or alive? If their troop surge is working wonders now as they claim so triumphantly, why didn’t they made this surge right at the outset; and why did they let their puny force stay put immobile and barracked in their Kabul and Bagram garrisons, instead of going after the fleeing rumps of al-Qaeda and Taliban to mop them up? Our people are flummoxed that as the Americans and their western allies are painting us a sinner foxily, why are our leaders not holding up the original sinner for pillory and punishment? And they are miffed that while a lot of vituperative tirade is flowing out from the US chambers against us over some mythical aid having flowed to us in ********, why nobody in Islamabad is clarifying the actual reality about it. Yes, finance minister Hafeez Sheikh did venture. He said this talk of billions of dollars of aid was all a myth. Then, after realising he might have treaded on some powerful toes, he pissed and bleated he had not said myth. In any case, if despite spending roughly $12 billion a month, $120 billion a year and some $1trillion over the past ten years, Americans have failed spectacularly in pacifying Afghanistan, 70 percent of which is still under the sway of Taliban and other insurgent groups, what feats could they expect from Pakistan even if they had given it $20 billion in aid over the past decade or so? And why have they failed to nab or kill any of the 100 or so al-Qaeda fighters they themselves say are still in Afghanistan? Or do they think those only say prayers while those they had let for their own cowardice to sneak into Pakistan are evil-doers? There is too much of skullduggery to their pronouncements, stances and pretences, which should at least impel this leadership of ours to rethink its America policy and understand who are this country’s real friends and who are just wolves in a sheep’s clothing to it.

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