Trump cannot afford to walk away from Pakistan: NY Times

[Lone Ranger]

Trump cannot afford to walk away from Pakistan: NY Times

NEW YORK: The influential New York Times has advised President Donald Trump to adopt ‘diplomatic tools’ while dealing with Islamabad as America ‘cannot afford to walk away from Pakistan’.

In its editorial titled ‘Pakistan, the Endlessly Troublesome Ally’, the NYT suggested the administration to ‘harness his new friendships with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to shut down Haqqani and other Taliban fund-raising efforts in the Persian Gulf’.

Pak-US ties hit rock bottom after a New Year tweet by Trump that accused Pakistan of ‘lies and deceit’ and later cutting off security assistance worth $1.3 billion annually.

He tweeted: “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years,” he wrote, “and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”

The editorial affirmed that Pakistan has provided ‘vital intelligence’ in global war against terrorism and the pressure on the ally will push it more ‘closely towards China, which is already investing in major new infrastructure projects and expanding its international leadership at America’s expense, and be more hard-line in its rivalry with India’.

Referring to crucial supply lines for US military in Afghanistan, the NYT warned that Pakistan could shut Ground Lines of Communication as it did in 2011 after attack on a post at Afghan border.

‘Almost every military flight into Afghanistan goes through Pakistani airspace. Most supplies travel along Pakistani roads and rails. Pakistan could shut down American access at any moment, and some Pakistani officials are threatening to do just that.’

‘Trump’s bombast and the precipitous way the decision seems to have been made have led to doubts that Mr. Trump has a serious plan for managing the ramifications of this move’, the editorial noted.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/265663-trump-cannot-afford-to-walk-away-from-pakistan-ny-times

 

[Lone Ranger]

Pakistan, the Endlessly Troublesome Ally


By THE EDITORIAL BOARDJAN. 5, 2018

CreditJennifer Heuer
Pakistan has long posed a dilemma for the United States — should America provide it with aid and treat it as an ally because of its potential to help fight regional extremists, or should ties and funding be restricted, or even severed, because of its connections to those groups?

The Trump administration’s announcement on Thursday that it would freeze nearly all military aid to Pakistan, roughly $1.3 billion annually, is the latest of several times in the last 16 years that funding has been withheld or modified out of American frustration with Pakistan’s support for certain terrorist groups. But President Trump’s bombast and the precipitous way the decision seems to have been made have led to doubts that Mr. Trump has a serious plan for managing the ramifications of this move.

Almost every military flight into Afghanistan goes through Pakistani airspace. Most supplies travel along Pakistani roads and rails. Pakistan could shut down American access at any moment, and some Pakistani officials are threatening to do just that. Pakistan could also ally more closely with China, which is already investing in major new infrastructure projects and expanding its international leadership at America’s expense, and be more hard-line in its rivalry with India. Indeed, China could once again be the beneficiary of a Trump decision estranging the United States from longtime partners.

The president is good at venting grievances, as he demonstrated in his New Year’s Day tweet on the situation: “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years,” he wrote, “and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”

But while, to some extent, Mr. Trump has a real point, he has given no assurance that he would not make matters worse.

Americans last cut off assistance to Pakistan in the 1990s after Pakistan tested a nuclear weapon and underwent a military coup, creating distrust between the two countries that has never dissipated. But after Sept. 11, 2001, the relationship was transformed overnight. The United States demanded that Pakistan choose sides in the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, as well as their extremist allies who sought safe haven along Pakistan’s lawless border. Pakistan acceded, and it was given major new aid in return.

Since then, Pakistan has played a double game, accepting American funding while backing militants who protect Pakistani interests in Afghanistan and Kashmir. In 2014, Pakistan’s army finally mounted a serious military campaign against the Pakistani Taliban, which threatens the Pakistani state, and suffered many casualties. But its security services continue to support the Haqqani network, a Taliban faction that has killed American forces in Afghanistan and is behind many of the large-scale attacks on Afghan cities.

There are other perfidies. Pakistan’s security services support the Lashkar-e-Taiba, an extremist group that targets India and Kashmir. They failed to uncover or apprehend Osama bin Laden, who was killed by American special forces in a stunning raid on a compound near Pakistan’s major military barracks in Abbottabad.

In November, a Pakistani court ordered the release of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, founder of the Islamist militant group behind the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks in India, 10 months after the government placed him under house arrest. And after Pakistani forces this fall freed a Canadian-American family captured by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network, the government refused the Americans access to one of the abductors.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s willingness to give refuge to the Haqqanis and their allies is a major reason the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, where Mr. Trump recently agreed to increase American troop levels, still drags on after 17 years. The Islamic State’s expansion in Afghanistan has complicated the battlefield even more.

Mr. Trump is not the first to call a spade a spade. In 2011, Adm. Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff, told a Senate committee that the Haqqani network was a “veritable arm” of the Pakistani security service. “Extremist organizations serving as proxies of the government of Pakistan are attacking Afghan troops and civilians as well as U.S. soldiers,” he said.

But President Trump cannot afford to walk away from Pakistan, which has often provided vital intelligence and has the world’s fastest-growing nuclear arsenal. Whether Pakistan will cooperate after the aid freeze remains to be seen. Initially, some Pakistani officials reacted harshly to the announcement, which came as a surprise, but on Friday, a Foreign Ministry statement talked about the need for mutual respect and patience as the two countries address common threats.

Mr. Trump could marshal other diplomatic tools, to see if more constructive cooperation with Pakistan is possible. One idea would be to harness his new friendships with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to shut down Haqqani and other Taliban fund-raising efforts in the Persian Gulf.

This would, of course, require quiet negotiations, not shouting.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/05/opinion/pakistan-the-endlessly-troublesome-ally.html

 

[Dalit]

NYT is fighting a lost battle here. The damage has been inflicted. Now pat your Indian ally on its back and leave Pakistan in peace.

Also start preparations for the accommodation of 1+ millions Afghan refugees. If you continue to bully Pakistan, our supply routes are next. We could continue to notch it up as you wish.

Your "quiet negotiation" strategy won't work anymore. Your Gulf friends can't save you from humiliation. The genie is out of the bottle. You seek confrontation. You want to hurt Pakistan's interests at the expense of India. You are not an ally. You are a backstabbing hypocrite.

 

[Musafir117]

NYT is fighting a lost battle here. The damage has been inflicted. Now pat your Indian ally on its back and leave Pakistan in peace.

Also start preparations for the accommodation of 1+ millions Afghan refugees. If you continue to bully Pakistan, our supply routes are next. We could continue to notch it up as you wish.

One Two idiots Trumpi and Modi make Alliance things Goes stupid and give us lauguh.
I am realy thankful to American and Indian

 

[Dalit]

One Two idiots Trumpi and Modi make Alliance things Goes stupid and give us lauguh.
I am realy thankful to American and Indian

The Pakistani people can't thank Trump enough for finally taking this to another level. We are sick and tired of fake American friendship. It is over now. These Americans have only given grievances to the people of Pakistan. Pakistan is going to fully side with China and other regional players. These stupid Yanks are in for a nasty surprise.

 

[IceCold]

NYT is fighting a lost battle here. The damage has been inflicted. Now pat your Indian ally on its back and leave Pakistan in peace.

Actually they are not considering how our civilian leadership plays into their hands. In fact they get US nod to govern in Pakistan, have all their wealth accumulated outside Pakistan. Dont expect much from these people. They can back track on any instance. Just an example look at what NS had to say on the subject few days ago. You will realize how far people like him are willing to go at the expense of Pakistan.

 

[Gurjot.S]

i dont think Haqqani or some terror group is an problem for pak-U.S ties. Terror from Haqqani group is just used an excuse for something else.

The Pakistani people can't thank Trump enough for finally taking this to another level. We are sick and tired of fake American friendship. It is over now. These Americans have only given grievances to the people of Pakistan. Pakistan is going to fully side with China and other regional players. These stupid Yanks are in for a nasty surprise.

Many of your politicians and children of jernails have U.S citizenships.
So called many patriotic pakistanis here or even journalist have U.S citizenship and property in U.S .

 

[Dalit]

Actually they are not considering how our civilian leadership plays into their hands. In fact they get US nod to govern in Pakistan, have all their wealth accumulated outside Pakistan. Dont expect much from these people. They can back track on any instance. Just an example look at what NS had to say on the subject few days ago. You will realize how far people like him are willing to go at the expense of Pakistan.

You have a point. In fact, I have extensively written a post on this. We don't have faith in the civilian government. We support the good apples in the armed forces.

The beauty is that Trump single-handedly destroyed US credibility all over the world. Pakistan was inevitable. I am surprised it came so late. The liberals are in a state of caution now. Look at them scramble and handout lectures about how to deal with Pakistan LOL

 

[Gurjot.S]

https://twitter.com/x/status/949577058618920960

 

[Dalit]

i dont think Haqqani or some terror group is an problem for pak-U.S ties. Terror from Haqqani group is just used an excuse for something else.



Many of your politicians and children of jernails have U.S citizenships.
So called many patriotic pakistanis here or even journalist have U.S citizenship and property in U.S .

LOL You think I don't know that. I don't need no lectures from an Indian.

Stop wishing this whole thing just disappears. You got your wish now. It is showtime. Trump has pissed and ridiculed Pakistan's sacrifices. There is a price to be paid here. Whether Nawaz Sharif or any other corrupt politician has property and wealth stacked in the US won't make an iota of difference. The Pak armed forces will make sure that Trumpland gets the message.

First, get ready for the million+ Afghan refugees heading your way.

It is so funny how these Americans get so cautious after pissing over their "allies". They just don't know how to deal with foreign policy. Always busy repairing damage.

 

[Thanatos]

This was expected, the more US is divided on how to deal with Pakistan, the better it is for Pakistan. On the other hand Pakistan knows whats going on and how to make US pay.

 

[Dalit]

Even you seem to have given up pakistani citizenship

LOL I hate to disappoint you. I am a dual national. Not only that, I have investment and property in Pakistan like most overseas Pakistanis.

It is better for you to stop wasting time. Get ready to receive the Afghans. They are coming in huge numbers. Pakistan is your least concern now. Stop begging for reversal. You wanted confrontation. You are going to get in full.

 

[RescueRanger]

Less personal attacks and more discussions of the subject please!

Pakistan, the Endlessly Troublesome Ally


By THE EDITORIAL BOARDJAN. 5, 2018

CreditJennifer Heuer
Pakistan has long posed a dilemma for the United States — should America provide it with aid and treat it as an ally because of its potential to help fight regional extremists, or should ties and funding be restricted, or even severed, because of its connections to those groups?

The Trump administration’s announcement on Thursday that it would freeze nearly all military aid to Pakistan, roughly $1.3 billion annually, is the latest of several times in the last 16 years that funding has been withheld or modified out of American frustration with Pakistan’s support for certain terrorist groups. But President Trump’s bombast and the precipitous way the decision seems to have been made have led to doubts that Mr. Trump has a serious plan for managing the ramifications of this move.

Almost every military flight into Afghanistan goes through Pakistani airspace. Most supplies travel along Pakistani roads and rails. Pakistan could shut down American access at any moment, and some Pakistani officials are threatening to do just that. Pakistan could also ally more closely with China, which is already investing in major new infrastructure projects and expanding its international leadership at America’s expense, and be more hard-line in its rivalry with India. Indeed, China could once again be the beneficiary of a Trump decision estranging the United States from longtime partners.

The president is good at venting grievances, as he demonstrated in his New Year’s Day tweet on the situation: “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years,” he wrote, “and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”

But while, to some extent, Mr. Trump has a real point, he has given no assurance that he would not make matters worse.

Americans last cut off assistance to Pakistan in the 1990s after Pakistan tested a nuclear weapon and underwent a military coup, creating distrust between the two countries that has never dissipated. But after Sept. 11, 2001, the relationship was transformed overnight. The United States demanded that Pakistan choose sides in the fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, as well as their extremist allies who sought safe haven along Pakistan’s lawless border. Pakistan acceded, and it was given major new aid in return.

Since then, Pakistan has played a double game, accepting American funding while backing militants who protect Pakistani interests in Afghanistan and Kashmir. In 2014, Pakistan’s army finally mounted a serious military campaign against the Pakistani Taliban, which threatens the Pakistani state, and suffered many casualties. But its security services continue to support the Haqqani network, a Taliban faction that has killed American forces in Afghanistan and is behind many of the large-scale attacks on Afghan cities.

There are other perfidies. Pakistan’s security services support the Lashkar-e-Taiba, an extremist group that targets India and Kashmir. They failed to uncover or apprehend Osama bin Laden, who was killed by American special forces in a stunning raid on a compound near Pakistan’s major military barracks in Abbottabad.

In November, a Pakistani court ordered the release of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, founder of the Islamist militant group behind the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks in India, 10 months after the government placed him under house arrest. And after Pakistani forces this fall freed a Canadian-American family captured by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network, the government refused the Americans access to one of the abductors.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s willingness to give refuge to the Haqqanis and their allies is a major reason the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, where Mr. Trump recently agreed to increase American troop levels, still drags on after 17 years. The Islamic State’s expansion in Afghanistan has complicated the battlefield even more.

Mr. Trump is not the first to call a spade a spade. In 2011, Adm. Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff, told a Senate committee that the Haqqani network was a “veritable arm” of the Pakistani security service. “Extremist organizations serving as proxies of the government of Pakistan are attacking Afghan troops and civilians as well as U.S. soldiers,” he said.

But President Trump cannot afford to walk away from Pakistan, which has often provided vital intelligence and has the world’s fastest-growing nuclear arsenal. Whether Pakistan will cooperate after the aid freeze remains to be seen. Initially, some Pakistani officials reacted harshly to the announcement, which came as a surprise, but on Friday, a Foreign Ministry statement talked about the need for mutual respect and patience as the two countries address common threats.

Mr. Trump could marshal other diplomatic tools, to see if more constructive cooperation with Pakistan is possible. One idea would be to harness his new friendships with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to shut down Haqqani and other Taliban fund-raising efforts in the Persian Gulf.

This would, of course, require quiet negotiations, not shouting.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/05/opinion/pakistan-the-endlessly-troublesome-ally.html

I liked reading the article, but I loved the clever use of the shriners emblem by the author in the feature image:

 

[Gurjot.S]

Te Teri Sikhni Trump de tatte choopdi De ve
her parents were from Mars？

She was born in U.S not in india. Kyu Tawadey jernail nahi choopde umreekan de tatte ?
f-16's tatte choop choop ke hi te miley ne ..

LOL I hate to disappoint you. I am a dual national. Not only that, I have investment and property in Pakistan like most overseas Pakistanis.

It is better for you to stop wasting time. Get ready to receive the Afghans. They are coming in huge numbers. Pakistan is your least concern now. Stop begging for reversal now. You wanted confrontation. You are going to get in full.

Afghans are your concerns as they have concern of Durand line with you..
Its none of our business.

 

[Musafir117]

She was born in U.S not in india. Kyu Tawadey jernail nahi choopde umreekan de tatte ?
f-16's tatte choop choop ke hi te miley ne ..



Afghans are your concerns as they have concern of Durand line with you..
Its none of our business.

Te tussan F16 bund mara ke lai so?