No answer to American queries

[VCheng]

No answer to American queries - thenews.com.pk


Mian Saifur Rehman
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
From Print Edition

Pakistan is a modern country where fashions galore. In this huge gallery of fashions, one popular fashion is US-bashing for the sake of it. Name any problem, any trouble and any disease of your life, United States of America is responsible for it.

Even the bold, audacious lot that is famous - or infamous - for its outspokenness and for saying nothing other than the truth, appears to be carried away by this fashion. This was unearthed during a series of policy dialogue sessions and interactive discussions on local bodies, women development and health following the promulgation of 18th constitutional amendment. Many parliamentarians from different parties, lawyers, columnists, TV analysts, human and civil rights activists and women rights’ organisations participated in these conferences that were organised by a commission that is known for its human development debates. There have been more than seven to eight such discussions under the aegis of USAID and on every occasion the conference room was decorated with banners highlighting cooperation between the people of Pakistan and United States.

But, strangely enough not a single participant in these largely attended Citizen Commission’s sessions ever uttered the name, even of US people, what to talk of mentioning or thanking the USAID that threw all these luncheon receptions and arranged the gatherings. Such is the state of America-phobia in our socio-political circles and literati.

Well, every nation and every society has its priorities, likes and dislikes. There is no harm in maintaining a specific posture towards outer communities and peoples but hypocrisy is not understandable. While a large number of our people aspire to visit the United States for tourism, more so for acquiring greater skills, higher education and for business gains and connectivity, almost the same number of these ‘beneficiaries’ of American society’s ‘beneficence’ are found hurling expletives and what not on anything American.

There was a time when almost all the stalwarts of a rightist political party of countrywide fame with pronounced religious leanings, would frequent the United States for ‘higher aims’. Now, however, these people seem to have changed ‘for the better’ after getting ‘better (off)’.

This hypocrisy factor is not at all accepted as a diplomatic finesse anywhere in the world capitals. It is rather taken for an uncouth way of dealing with a country on whose technology, education and diplomacy, we have been depending a lot as an active constituent of an inter-dependent world.

The American officials visiting Pakistan and meeting people from different walks over here have been expressly voicing their astonishment (some even expressed concern) over these double standards. The other day, Peter Lavoy, one of the prominent figures of American National Security system was on a visit to Pakistan. Once I had the opportunity to interact for quite some time with Lavoy when he was heading the US Naval Postgraduate School (US NPS). The occasion was Strategic Dialogue between the US NPS and National Defence University (NDU) of Pakistan. I too was invited to participate. Lot of informal and formal, on the record and off the record discussions took place. The crux of all these discussions throughout, was US-bashing by Pakistanis including those Pakistanis who had been benefitting directly from travel to US or by way of interaction with American institutions, businesses and people.

Even earlier, when an American philanthropist, Terry Wald, visited one of the renowned hospitals of Pakistan to take along with him to the US, children afflicted with serious burns, he asked me the same question: “Why the people of Pakistan hate the people of America who want to help Pakistanis out of their different crises including the one for which I’m here in Pakistan along with globally famous American doctor, Dr. Geoff Williams”.

I wish I were an uncivilized person. Had it been so, I could have concocted a number of sour replies and hurled on the tender-hearted philanthropist and free-treatment-rendering American doctor. But I was left speechless on these double standards of ours which are painting a wrong image of our society in this world of peaceful co-existence even worse than the image of being a terrorism-infested country.

Of course, there is no reason to create bad blood and rifts between the people of any two countries in general and between the people of the US and Pakistan in particular. People are usually at variance from the governments including the highly democratic governments. If the establishment or government of any country has jingoistic designs against any state including Pakistan, there are different mechanisms available to deal with such situations through our Foreign Office, emissaries, global forums and international media. But there is no sense in maintaining a hypocritical posture that is doing no harm to anyone other than to ourselves.

=====================================

As the last line indicates, this hypocritical stance described by the author only harms Pakistan, not anybody else. And yet we persist in doing so, constantly. Why?

 

[Ajit Kumar]

No answer to American queries - thenews.com.pk


Mian Saifur Rehman
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
From Print Edition

Pakistan is a modern country where fashions galore. In this huge gallery of fashions, one popular fashion is US-bashing for the sake of it. Name any problem, any trouble and any disease of your life, United States of America is responsible for it.

Even the bold, audacious lot that is famous - or infamous - for its outspokenness and for saying nothing other than the truth, appears to be carried away by this fashion. This was unearthed during a series of policy dialogue sessions and interactive discussions on local bodies, women development and health following the promulgation of 18th constitutional amendment. Many parliamentarians from different parties, lawyers, columnists, TV analysts, human and civil rights activists and women rights’ organisations participated in these conferences that were organised by a commission that is known for its human development debates. There have been more than seven to eight such discussions under the aegis of USAID and on every occasion the conference room was decorated with banners highlighting cooperation between the people of Pakistan and United States.

But, strangely enough not a single participant in these largely attended Citizen Commission’s sessions ever uttered the name, even of US people, what to talk of mentioning or thanking the USAID that threw all these luncheon receptions and arranged the gatherings. Such is the state of America-phobia in our socio-political circles and literati.

Well, every nation and every society has its priorities, likes and dislikes. There is no harm in maintaining a specific posture towards outer communities and peoples but hypocrisy is not understandable. While a large number of our people aspire to visit the United States for tourism, more so for acquiring greater skills, higher education and for business gains and connectivity, almost the same number of these ‘beneficiaries’ of American society’s ‘beneficence’ are found hurling expletives and what not on anything American.

There was a time when almost all the stalwarts of a rightist political party of countrywide fame with pronounced religious leanings, would frequent the United States for ‘higher aims’. Now, however, these people seem to have changed ‘for the better’ after getting ‘better (off)’.

This hypocrisy factor is not at all accepted as a diplomatic finesse anywhere in the world capitals. It is rather taken for an uncouth way of dealing with a country on whose technology, education and diplomacy, we have been depending a lot as an active constituent of an inter-dependent world.

The American officials visiting Pakistan and meeting people from different walks over here have been expressly voicing their astonishment (some even expressed concern) over these double standards. The other day, Peter Lavoy, one of the prominent figures of American National Security system was on a visit to Pakistan. Once I had the opportunity to interact for quite some time with Lavoy when he was heading the US Naval Postgraduate School (US NPS). The occasion was Strategic Dialogue between the US NPS and National Defence University (NDU) of Pakistan. I too was invited to participate. Lot of informal and formal, on the record and off the record discussions took place. The crux of all these discussions throughout, was US-bashing by Pakistanis including those Pakistanis who had been benefitting directly from travel to US or by way of interaction with American institutions, businesses and people.

Even earlier, when an American philanthropist, Terry Wald, visited one of the renowned hospitals of Pakistan to take along with him to the US, children afflicted with serious burns, he asked me the same question: “Why the people of Pakistan hate the people of America who want to help Pakistanis out of their different crises including the one for which I’m here in Pakistan along with globally famous American doctor, Dr. Geoff Williams”.

I wish I were an uncivilized person. Had it been so, I could have concocted a number of sour replies and hurled on the tender-hearted philanthropist and free-treatment-rendering American doctor. But I was left speechless on these double standards of ours which are painting a wrong image of our society in this world of peaceful co-existence even worse than the image of being a terrorism-infested country.

Of course, there is no reason to create bad blood and rifts between the people of any two countries in general and between the people of the US and Pakistan in particular. People are usually at variance from the governments including the highly democratic governments. If the establishment or government of any country has jingoistic designs against any state including Pakistan, there are different mechanisms available to deal with such situations through our Foreign Office, emissaries, global forums and international media. But there is no sense in maintaining a hypocritical posture that is doing no harm to anyone other than to ourselves.

=====================================

As the last line indicates, this hypocritical stance described by the author only harms Pakistan, not anybody else. And yet we persist is doing so, constantly. Why?

It is not only Pakistanis but citizens of almost all Islamic countries.

 

[VCheng]

It is not only Pakistanis but citizens of almost all Islamic countries.

Again, the loss is theirs and theirs alone, not anybody else's.

 

[Ajit Kumar]

Again, the loss is theirs and theirs alone, not anybody else's.

No. you can not say that. If a person think that nothing is lost but in reality everything is lost, you can do nothing. If a person say that he loves death more than life, you can not help him in staying alive.

 

[VCheng]

No. you can not say that. If a person think that nothing is lost but in reality everything is lost, you can do nothing. If a person say that he loves death more than life, you can not help him in staying alive.

If somebody wants to meet God in this context, let a meeting be arranged, quickly!

 

[Ajit Kumar]

If somebody wants to meet God in this context, let a meeting be arranged, quickly!

Ha ha ha ha. There is a problem in it. That source is unlimited. Does not matter how much meetings you arrange, they keep on coming.

 

[VCheng]

Ha ha ha ha. There is a problem in it. That source is unlimited. Does not matter how much meetings you arrange, they keep on coming.

As long as they kill more of each other, the numbers will not a be such a problem for the rest of the world. Isn't that what is happening?

 

[Ajit Kumar]

As long as they kill more of each other, the numbers will not a be such a problem for the rest of the world. Isn't that what is happening?

Childre are getting killed too in that process. also lots of innocents die in their fighting. So this need to be stopped. Some of them are here to who wear saffron dress. But they are trying hard to convince us to become like them. But somehow they are failing.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

No answer to American queries - thenews.com.pk
... But, strangely enough not a single participant in these largely attended Citizen Commission’s sessions ever uttered the name, even of US people, what to talk of mentioning or thanking the USAID that threw all these luncheon receptions and arranged the gatherings. Such is the state of America-phobia in our socio-political circles and literati.

The piece mentions US support for initiatives in 'local bodies, womens development and health' - part of the problem may be that these initiatives are dependent upon cooperation from the various political parties in power at the Center and the provinces, and often result in US aid being routed through federal and provincial governments. US efforts then basically get tied to how well the politicians and bureaucrats implement these various initiatives, and I don't need to go into details about the failures on that count. So at the end of the day, the US pumps resources into these initiatives and there is little observable progress and impact on the lives of most Pakistanis.

I think this is where the US model of aid (if the goal is to do a PR blitz and win hearts and minds) is highly flawed, not because the US initiatives are not well thought out or unnecessary, but because their success is dependent upon a corrupt political and bureaucratic class. Where the Chinese have succeeded, leaving aside the impression of 'historical ties and loyal ally', is with highly visible mega projects. Of course there is massive corruption in the execution of these mega projects, but at the end of the day (at least with the PMLN, the PPP can't even do that much) that people can 'visualize and touch' these projects and associate them with the country doing the 'investing'.

The crux of all these discussions throughout, was US-bashing by Pakistanis including those Pakistanis who had been benefitting directly from travel to US or by way of interaction with American institutions, businesses and people.

What exactly does the author mean by 'US bashing'? Criticism of US foreign policy towards Pakistan or just general vitriol?

 

[VCheng]

The piece mentions US support for initiatives in 'local bodies, womens development and health' - part of the problem may be that these initiatives are dependent upon cooperation from the various political parties in power at the Center and the provinces, and often result in US aid being routed through federal and provincial governments. US efforts then basically get tied to how well the politicians and bureaucrats implement these various initiatives, and I don't need to go into details about the failures on that count. So at the end of the day, the US pumps resources into these initiatives and there is little observable progress and impact on the lives of most Pakistanis.

I think this is where the US model of aid (if the goal is to do a PR blitz and win hearts and minds) is highly flawed, not because the US initiatives are not well thought out or unnecessary, but because their success is dependent upon a corrupt political and bureaucratic class. Where the Chinese have succeeded, leaving aside the impression of 'historical ties and loyal ally', is with highly visible mega projects. Of course there is massive corruption in the execution of these mega projects, but at the end of the day (at least with the PMLN, the PPP can't even do that much) that people can 'visualize and touch' these projects and associate them with the country doing the 'investing'.

What exactly does the author mean by 'US bashing'? Criticism of US foreign policy towards Pakistan or just general vitriol?

It is not just those programs, even when visible ones like upgrading the generation capacity at Mangla and Tarbela to reduce loadshedding are done, the vitriol at all levels is endless. What you say is only partly correct in that it is not just US policy, but conscious decisions made by the power centers in Pakistan to up or down the anti-US rhetoric to suit their own needs for aid flow and similar considerations that are put before longer term national interests. The result is that getting anything useful passed through Congress for helping Pakistan is made more and more difficult.

 

[Tameem]

It is not just those programs, even when visible ones like upgrading the generation capacity at Mangla and Tarbela to reduce loadshedding are done, the vitriol at all levels is endless. What you say is only partly correct in that it is not just US policy, but conscious decisions made by the power centers in Pakistan to up or down the anti-US rhetoric to suit their own needs for aid flow and similar considerations that are put before longer term national interests. The result is that getting anything useful passed through Congress for helping Pakistan is made more and more difficult.

Its simple......Just abolish the kerry lugar bill and US will be there where it ends.

 

[VCheng]

Its simple......Just abolish the kerry lugar bill and US will be there where it ends.

There is nothing preventing Pakistan or its friends from lobbying Congress to do just that.

 

[Tameem]

There is nothing preventing Pakistan or its friends from lobbying Congress to do just that.

Or move towards other options.

 

[VCheng]

Or move towards other options.

Sure. Pakistan should do whatever serves its national interests, like a sovereign nation.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

It is not just those programs, even when visible ones like upgrading the generation capacity at Mangla and Tarbela to reduce loadshedding are done, the vitriol at all levels is endless.

Even that is not really 'glamorous' - I.e. the US is not building a large dam, but upgrading generation capacity at existing facilities. I'm not saying it isn't important and necessary work, but that the 'optics' aren't really there. Contrast the example you gave with, for example, the US leading construction of the Basha dam, or funding the construction of a motorway between Kabul and Peshawar or funding and constructing state of the art hospitals, perhaps in conjunction with Pakistani American physicians or Pakistani philanthropists on the management boards.

What you say is only partly correct in that it is not just US policy, but conscious decisions made by the power centers in Pakistan to up or down the anti-US rhetoric to suit their own needs for aid flow and similar considerations that are put before longer term national interests. The result is that getting anything useful passed through Congress for helping Pakistan is made more and more difficult.

I disagree here. It isn't the anti-US rhetoric in Pakistan that makes passage of initiatives useful to Pakistan difficult in Congress, rather it is the anti-Pakistan rhetoric spewed by the US media (in collaboration with carefully leaked anti-Pakistan propaganda from the US Establishment) that has made passage of initiatives in Congress difficult.

It won't matter if a majority of Pakistanis start belting out non-stop sycophantic praise for the US starting today, so long as the anti-Pakistan vitriol in the US media, creating and strengthening prejudice against both the country and people, sourced from the US Establishment, continues non-stop.

There is a lot of discussion about the anti-US sentiment and propaganda in the Pakistani media, but almost none about the similarly poisonous anti-Pakistan propaganda in the US and Western media.