US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets PM Imran in Islamabad

[insight-out]

In this meeting, the most significant departure in Pakistan-US relations was that Pakistan did not talk about money. Most people do not realize how important this is.

The most important tools in the US negotiation toolkit are military/militant threats, money/bribery, blackmail, and lies/manipulation through their media.

In this meeting, the Pakistan government seems to have dismissed and discarded money as a negotiating tool.

 

[FuturePAF]

That is a good list, but to get all or most of it, what is Pakistan able to offer in return that USA will find useful to its national interests?

Fair Point

In exchange Pakistan will root out any threats that are detected, alongside the unity government forces of Afghanistan, and if necessary technical capabilities of the US. Like a police force. Pakistan has intricate knowledge of the tribes and people. It knows the tribes of Afghanistan and the culture. Also with fighters crossing back and forth in the lawless border regions, an end to fighting would allow Pakistan to better hunt down and neutralize trans-national militants. Its win win for Pakistan and the US.

If its a monetary reward, then security to allow the extraction of Afghan Minerals like lithium to the world market. Gold, Copper, Etc. The unity Afghan government can sign deals with US companies preferentially to sweeten the deal in mineral extraction, and Afghanistan could sign big infrastructure deals with the mineral money.

Pakistan would provide protection, its new Highways and ports would open up opportunities for American Companies.

With Time the Afghans would be like the Vietnamese, enemies in the 60s and 70s and now allies only a few decades later. The Vietnamese maintain their forms of government but support US interests.

 

[Ali Tariq]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1037316202958409739

https://twitter.com/x/status/1037316506638589952

https://twitter.com/x/status/1037317638366683137

https://twitter.com/x/status/1037317921041731585

https://twitter.com/x/status/1037326767122460673

 

[Indus Pakistan]

I know you are a hardcore IK supporter

I am indeed. No hiding that. From 1980s cricket. Not really interested in cricket but his exposure in UK was enormous and positive. I remember going to UK passport office in early 1980s with my dad. The clerk on finding out our origins began railing on about IK. He was big on cricket and fan of Imran. Then into 1990s I gave donation to the hospital project. And to see him in power is a dream come true.

IK's charisma and personality will only get him so far when you take into account Pakistan's precarious position and that US still has cards to play and will play it.

Of course I understand that. I am fully aware of the Machavillian nature of international relations. Very few on this thread will understand that USA does not hate or love Pakistan. It has no 'emotional' institutional memory. What USA is driven by is something I call the "China Factor". And that is what drives US engagement with Pakistan and the wider region. The "China Factor" is the motive force that will decide how things pan out between Pak and USA. However within that Pakistan can extract the best it can or the worst it can. I sincerely believe the previous Pakistani leadership going back to Musharaf extracted a terrible deal.

In fact I should not use the word. More like surrendered to the worse deal. The last Pakistani leader we had and I am not keen on him but fact is fact was Gen. Zia. Credit to him he had the guile and steel. IK has the charm and steel. So where Zia guiled his way to extracting the best I expect IK to charm the best deal for Pakistan within the larger play of the "China Factor" which is bigger then Pompeo, IK or Trump. That factor is the geo-strategic forces at play in the emerging new order. And Pakistan and USA are on the two opposite teams.

The angst you see between both is the divorce settlement taking place after six decades of alliance. Naturally there is bitterness and anger but it has to be managed in the most effective way possible. Prime Minister Imran Khan is the man for it.

 

[BHarwana]

Would you have been pleased if IK chose to carry his cricket bat to the meeting or not?

Nope why would I have been pleased with that?

This was a diplomatic meeting and it happened in a diplomatic way. USA tried to achieve upper hand with cutting CSF and coming into talks and we used our ways to entertaining them diplomatically. Don't play with me you and I both know what happened here. I think we both are old enough to understand.

 

[VCheng]

Fair Point

In exchange Pakistan will root out any threats that are detected, alongside the unity government forces of Afghanistan, and if necessary technical capabilities of the US. Like a police force. Pakistan has intricate knowledge of the tribes and people. It knows the tribes of Afghanistan and the culture. Also with fighters crossing back and forth in the lawless border regions, an end to fighting would allow Pakistan to better hunt down and neutralize trans-national militants. Its win win for Pakistan and the US.

If its a monetary reward, then security to allow the extraction of Afghan Minerals like lithium to the world market. Gold, Copper, Etc. The unity Afghan government can sign deals with US companies preferentially to sweeten the deal in mineral extraction, and Afghanistan could sign big infrastructure deals with the mineral money.

Pakistan would provide protection, its new Highways and ports would open up opportunities for American Companies.

With Time the Afghans would be like the Vietnamese, enemies in the 60s and 70s and now allies only a few decades later. The Vietnamese maintain their forms of government but support US interests.

So, in other words, Pakistan takes over Afghanistan to make it available for American companies to exploit with security? Is that a fair strategy?

To take your previous list, what if the price to achieve "a power sharing agreement will have to assure Pakistan all Afghan parties respect the territorial integrity of Pakistan; Durand Line as the Border, and no further claims will be made over territory on Eastern side of it. No elements operating in Afghanistan can be used to attack or undermine any foreign nation," is for Pakistan to be ready to offer the same to its East that it wants from its West?

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

Oh how I would like to have been the fly on the wall! And I bet IK dominated the space with his tough steely look, baritone voice in clipped Oxford English. No messing around with this guy. Pompeo would have within minutes known why IK has been a icon for decades ....

Imran Bey has harnessed his "etiquettes" and "attitudes" practicing vis-à-vis the Royals!!! He surely can handle the "cow boys".....

By the by, being a "COW (or BULL) boy" must be one of the top most staffs in India....

 

[war&peace]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1037316202958409739

https://twitter.com/x/status/1037316506638589952

https://twitter.com/x/status/1037317638366683137

https://twitter.com/x/status/1037317921041731585

https://twitter.com/x/status/1037326767122460673

I disagree with Jeremy..with $300 million dollar, you will get, at max, SMQ to greet you at the airport. PM may bother to think about possibly receiving POTUS only if he is coming after some pre-meeting positive gestures have been exchanged. It is Pakistan...not KSA where the king goes to airport to receive, throws the biggest parties, and still offers $300 billions.

Guys, can patwari (the khota khor stunted growth) see the difference... do they remember how their corrupt haramzada was standing in queue to shake hands with DT and didn't get a chance... and here IK didn't even both to send a senior officer to receive Pompeo.. And Pompeo was as happy as a kid in the candy shop

https://twitter.com/x/status/1037376628505161728

 

[Indus Pakistan]

Imran Bey has harnessed his "etiquettes" and "attitudes" practicing vis-à-vis the Royals!!! He surely can handle the "cow boys".....

lol. Nice one, Hakikat. Nice one!

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

I am indeed. No hiding that. From 1980s cricket. Not really interested in cricket but his exposure in UK was enormous and positive. I remember going to UK passport office in early 1980s with my dad. The clerk on finding out our origins began railing on about IK. He was big on cricket and fan of Imran. Then into 1990s I gave donation to the hospital project. And to see him in power is a dream come true.

Of course I understand that. I am fully aware of the Machavillian nature of international relations. Very few on this thread will understand that USA does not hate or love Pakistan. It has no 'emotional' institutional memory. What USA is driven by is something I call the "China Factor". And that is what drives US engagement with Pakistan and the wider region. The "China Factor" is the motive force that will decide how things pan out between Pak and USA. However within that Pakistan can extract the best it can or the worst it can. I sincerely believe the previous Pakistani leadership going back to Musharaf extracted a terrible deal.

In fact I should not use the word. More like surrendered to the worse deal. The last Pakistani leader we had and I am not keen on him but fact is fact was Gen. Zia. Credit to him he had the guile and steel. IK has the charm and steel. So where Zia guiled his way to extracting the best I expect IK to charm the best deal for Pakistan within the larger play of the "China Factor" which is bigger then Pompeo, IK or Trump. That factor is the geo-strategic forces at play in the emerging new order. And Pakistan and USA are on the two opposite teams.

The angst you see between both is the divorce settlement taking place after six decades of alliance. Naturally there is bitterness and anger but it has to be managed in the most effective way possible. Prime Minister Imran Khan is the man for it.

The USA is now almost in Matrem mode - Hay China, Huy China.....

 

[Indrajit]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1037366024880959488

Looks very similar to the read out after the earlier phone call, same reference to decisive action against terrorists. Pretty clear why there was no joint press conference.

 

[FuturePAF]

So, in other words, Pakistan takes over Afghanistan to make it available for American companies to exploit with security? Is that a fair strategy?

To take your previous list, what if the price to achieve "a power sharing agreement will have to assure Pakistan all Afghan parties respect the territorial integrity of Pakistan; Durand Line as the Border, and no further claims will be made over territory on Eastern side of it. No elements operating in Afghanistan can be used to attack or undermine any foreign nation," is for Pakistan to be ready to offer the same to its East that it wants from its West?

Isn't that what the current US admin wants, to be compensated to leave. wouldn't that be in the national security interest of the US. It may not be fair, but real politik would dictate that is what would satisfy the US enough to leave, along with the security against trans-national threats. If the Afghan Government is a unity government, it would approve its own deals with US companies and ship out its exports. Not all deals would be with the US, just enough to satisfy them. Pakistan would protect the exports transiting its territory. Signing Deals with the US would also counterbalance China, another key objective and US interest, by diversifying Afghanistan economic relations (that is where the need for some big deals comes from).

And the Eastern Border would not be resolved in the same way as the people of Kashmir would have to decide their status, and sign what ever deals they want. Stability there would depend on the world and especially the US backing up Kashmiris internationally, all the way to a peace deal.

 

[Mrc]

What terrorists which terrorists?

Why don't they ever name or quantify these khalai makhlooq

I think he meant terrorists in our east... meaning he was saying that u keep building stuff when are u going to take decisive and sustained action the terrorists in your east??

 

[Ghareeb_Da_Baal]

isolation much?

 

[VCheng]

Isn't that what the current US admin wants, to be compensated to leave. wouldn't that be in the national security interest of the US. It may not be fair, but real politik would dictate that is what would satisfy the US enough to leave, along with the security. If the Afghan Government is a unity government, it would approve its own deals with US companies and ship out its exports. Not all deals would be with the US, just enough to satisfy them. Pakistan would protect the exports transiting its territory.

And the Eastern Border would not be resolved in the same way as the people of Kashmir would have to decide their status, and sign what ever deals they want. Stability there would depend on the world and especially the US backing up Kashmiris internationally, all the way to a peace deal.

The crux of the matter is whether Pakistan will consider offering to its East what it wants from its West, as I said before. It is up to Pakistan to decide this, of course. Whatever it chooses will have consequences, either way.