"It's Time the U.S. Had Friends, Not Lackeys," Says Pakistan's Imran Khan

[Kompromat]

"It's Time the U.S. Had Friends, Not Lackeys," Says Pakistan's Imran Khan​

Posted: 12/03/2012 11:40 am

Long after his cricket heyday, 60-year-old Imran Khan is once again inspiring young
Pakistanis on an unprecedented scale.

With just a few months left until the upcoming general elections, many in Pakistan are now
hoping Khan leads their country into stability and prosperity, just like the former cricket
captain led the national team into winning the World Cup in 1992.

Khan is the founder and chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) -- also known as
the "Movement for Justice" -- which now boasts 7 million members.According to various opinion polls, including that of the U.S.-based Pew Global, he is
the "most popular politician in Pakistan today."

In an interview I conducted with him for Al Arabiya News Channel, Khan described the PTI as the "only party that could bring change" to his country."People are sick of the old political leadership, who have all been in power in the last five years and have led Pakistan to destruction," he added.However, if Imran Khan does win the elections, he intends to have a different type of relation with the United States.

America is "losing the war"

As far as his plans go following an election win, Khan said the first thing he would do is
disengage Pakistan from the American war on terrorism; adding that such disengagement
would make the "Jihad syndrome" go away.

Khan is known to be an outspoken critic of American drone attacks in Pakistan; describing
them as a "violation of all humanitarian laws," particularly as they don't distinguish between
criminal and suspect as they are operated from thousands of miles away. He also believes
they are a violation to Pakistan's sovereignty.

When I previously interviewed Imran Khan in 2008, he was very optimistic at the prospect
of the then-U.S.-presidential-hopeful Barack Obama winning the elections alongside Vice
President Joe Biden.

"If anyone understands this area from American politicians, it's Joe Biden," he said back then.

I ask him if he still stands by his views.

Khan believes that while Obama and Biden had their heart in the right place, they are
surrounded by generals and military advisors, who he believes didn't give them correct
guidance.

"They are losing the war, because they are losing the hearts and minds of the people," he
said, adding that today there is more anti-Americanism and more hatred due to the Obama
administration's handling of the situation.After tens of thousands of people were killed, with no end to the war as of yet, Khan stresses
that it is time the U.S. had friends, not lackeys.

"We will be friend of the U.S., but we're not going to be slaves of the U.S," he said.

Faisal J. Abbas

Editor-in-Chief, Al Arabiya English; author of upcoming book on Arab media

Faisal J. Abbas: "It's Time the U.S. Had Friends, Not Lackeys," Says Pakistan's Imran Khan

 

[DroneAcharya]

"We will be friend of the U.S., but we're not going to be slaves of the U.S," he said.
​

I remember about 45 years ago, a Pakistani Field Marshal proclaimed from the rooftops the exact very words, Friends Not Masters. What happened 4 years later was the divisive seeds sown by him that led to a split in his motherland. 45 years later, we see the very same words being proclaimed. Wonder where this will end.

I say to Im the Dim, Read what the Founding father and First President of the US said 12 score years ago in his Farewell Address and repeatedly said by Charles De Gaulle post World War II. Georgie's words

As avenues to foreign influence in innumerable ways, such attachments are particularly alarming to the truly enlightened and independent patriot. How many opportunities do they afford to tamper with domestic factions to practice the arts of seduction, to mislead public opinion, to influence or awe the public councils! Such an attachment of a small or weak toward a great and powerful nation dooms the former to be the satellite of the latter.

Harmony, liberal intercourse with all nations, are recommended by policy, humanity, and interest. But even our commercial policy should hold an equal an impartial hand, neither seeking nor granting exclusive favors or preference; . . . constantly keeping in view that it is folly in one nation to look for disinterested favors from another; that it must pay with a portion of its independence for whatever it may accept under that character; that by such acceptance it may place itself in the condition of having given equivalents for nominal favors, and yet of being reproached with ingratitude for not giving more. There can be no greater error than to expect or calculate upon real favors from nation to nation. It is an illusion which experience must cure, which a just pride ought to discard.

Gaulle's brevity bet him to it though.

Nations have no permanent friends and no permanent enemies. Only permanent interests.

.​

 

[airmarshal]

America is no one's friend. Better learn this quickly Imran.