US striving to regain Pakistan’s trust: Mullen .

[Kompromat]

US striving to regain Pakistan’s trust: Mullen

Wednesday, 30 Jun, 2010

WASHINGTON: The United States is working hard to regain Pakistan's trust following years of estrangement in the pre-9/11 period, but the effort is going to take time, America's top military officer said.

“It's not going to happen overnight,” Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman Joint Chief Staff, said of regaining the Pakistanis' trust.


“I've seen significant commitments in the whole of (US) government,” Mullen said in an interview at Aspen Security Forum, Colorado.

The military leader also said Pakistan was making extraordinary efforts to ensure the safety of its nuclear assets.

Strong relations with Pakistan are important to stamping out terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan that threatens the United States, Mullen added.

The admiral noted that he recently returned from his 18th trip to Pakistan since becoming chairman.

“I believe the leadership in Pakistan recognises the importance of how it all turns out in Afghanistan,” he stated.

“We are in agreement that Afghanistan needs to be stable and peaceful. How we get there and the long-term commitment is critical. That's a huge part of the engagement strategy with Pakistan.”

The US and Nato strategy in Afghanistan is to dismantle the leadership of al-Qaeda to make the terrorist group ineffective, he said, adding that “the al-Qaeda leadership resides in Pakistan,” Mullen claimed.

Improving US-Pakistan relations that ebbed sharply in the 1990s — in the wake of the Soviet Union’s pullout from Afghanistan as a result of US-assisted fight by the Mujahideen — is important also in light of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, Mullen noted.

He said he has discussed the issue with the Pakistan army.

“These are the most important weapons in the Pakistani arsenal. That is understood by the leadership, and they are making extraordinary efforts to protect and secure them. These are their crown jewels. As much as we are focused on this (terrorism) threat (on the western border) and the Pakistanis are more focused than they used to be, they see a threat in India (on the eastern border) and (having nuclear weapons) is their deterrent. They see this as a huge part of their national security,” he remarked.

As for efforts by Iran and North Korea to obtain nuclear weapons, Mullen described a different situation.

“There isn't any reason to trust (Iran),” he said. “There is an uncertainty associated with Iran that is very consistent with Iran for a long time.”

North Korea's desire for nuclear weapons and its increasing aggressiveness are causes for concern, the chairman said.

Mullen said he had put North Korea at the top of the list of nuclear proliferation concerns.

It is important to continue sanctions against Iran, North Korea, and other countries that ignore international law on nuclear weapons, Mullen said.

DAWN.COM | World | US striving to regain Pakistan?s trust: Admiral Mullen

 

[Machoman]

Only 100 more f-16 block 52+
90 F-15
super cobras
A-10
80 F-18

will gain the trust I think.

 

[zagahaga]

lol including spares

 

[H2O3C4Nitrogen]

Well it would be good for both counteries if the Trust deficit vanishes , However the US must need to respect the Pakistan's Regional and Geo-Strategic implications.
Its a tough bargain, US has to let go the persuit of India at the expense of Pakistani interests. Or atleast bring some kind of Parity in its engagement with the two arch rivals..!

 

[Irfan Baloch]

Only 100 more f-16 block 52+
90 F-15
super cobras
A-10
80 F-18

will gain the trust I think.

This is wrong thinking
Getting military hardware is not the best way to go by

I would rather prefer that US opens up its market for Pakistani businesses
There are more joint trade shows
There are exchange programs of craftsmen & women engineer’s teachers doctors & scientists in since, technology medicine, agriculture
Americans bring investments here in power projects, improved agriculture, transportation & heavy industry will be a better option
This way our nation will free itself from the political culture of begging for “aid” & having to pay back high interest loans to IMF and World bank

I think both countries will benefit more if Pakistan’s own defence & civil industries are producing low cost & quality good
It is a far better option than getting few million dollar aid & some planes and tanks

Why not ask for partnership with their defence industry instead? Why not offer them our hardworking, skilled but cheap technicians in the field that can benefit both?

Honestly we will be a far better & respected friend if we have our own house in order & well managed. American help in civil sector will start a process that will eventually make our self reliance defence a reality and mute the criticism of the politicians who cry a river when they see money escaping from their clutches into the Pakistan
Defence

 

[RescueRanger]

Only 100 more f-16 block 52+
90 F-15
super cobras
A-10
80 F-18

will gain the trust I think.

Can we eat them? Will they make our country economically stable? Can they produce electriticy? The US has more to offer than just weapons and we should expand our relationship with them in other areas of human development.

No point in having a powerful military when there are to citizens left alive to defend.

 

[M8R]

Nice post Irfan Baloch.We should do more and more trade with US.Idiots here don't realize that US has huge market and our country can earn billions of dollars just as China earns trillion of dollars from exports to US.

 

[Bill Longley]

history is economics in action.

 

[NWO]

What about India? I mean, India is a emerging superpower. And our neighbor. With India as our ally, a very large part of Asia would united. Turkey, Iran and China are already our allies.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Shift for the better​

Dawn Editorial
Friday, 02 Jul, 2010


Going by Adm Mike Mullen’s latest statement, America seems to be coming round to the idea of adopting a more pragmatic attitude towards Pakistan’s nuclear-power status. His speech is significant, because it covers two thorny issues which have been nagging US-Pakistan ties, i.e. the safety of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and the need for Islamabad to have them in the first place.

Speaking at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on Wednesday, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Pakistan was making “extraordinary efforts” to protect its nuclear weapons, which, he said, Pakistanis considered their “crown jewels”. At the same time the admiral showed an understanding of South Asia’s geopolitical environment when he noted that Islamabad had reasons to have those “important weapons in Pakistan’s arsenal”, because it saw a threat from India. Pakistanis, he said, “see a threat in India” and [having nuclear weapons] is their deterrent”.

Mullen may be the first American general to have spoken this way. But similar statements on Pakistan’s ability to guard its nuclear assets have come from the political leadership, including President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In an interview with the New York Times in April, President Obama said he felt “confident that Pakistan has secured its nuclear weapons”. Similarly, in October last, while on a European tour, Secretary Clinton expressed confidence in Islamabad’s ability to guard its nuclear weapons and dispelled the impression that some non-state actors could take them over. Her statement came in the wake of the daring attack on the GHQ in Rawalpindi by the Taliban, raising doubts in Washington and elsewhere about the vulnerability of Pakistan’s N-weapons to terrorist designs. She said, “We see no evidence they are going to take over.”

It is significant that during last week’s meeting of the nuclear suppliers’ group America did not raise any objection to the Pakistan-China civilian nuclear deal. Having signed a similar deal with India, it is in no position ethically to object to Islamabad’s decision to have two nuclear power reactors from Beijing. However, more than an ethical question, Washington’s decision should be seen in the light of the gradual but definite shift that seems to be evident in the Obama administration’s attitude towards Pakistan’s nuclear status. By making it clear that Pakistan’s nuclear pursuits are not in the same category as those of Iran and North Korea, Adm Mullen has made a significant policy statement that should serve to reduce the area of mistrust that characterises Pakistan’s ties with America on a number of issues, including the nuclear one.

DAWN.COM | Editorial | Shift for the better

 

[r3alist]

pakistans nuclear status should not even be an issue, thats in the past, we have these weapons and without question we will keep them, thats that and its been the case for over a decade


after years of putting pakistan under diplomatic pressure and giving pakistan a bad name they now admit the obvious as an attempted quid pro quo offering, i call fraud again, this is meaningless.

as others have said, give pakistan something meaningful, better trade agreements for starters, less IMF reliance, we need to be a strong credible country, not an american ***** that is happy to be given a pat on the back now and again.

 

[r3alist]

btw look at the comparison with india

india is getting the favorable trade, the favorable press, the favorable strategic partnerships and so on - we get the exact opposite, wake up people

we kill our own at the behest of the us and are told we are not doing enough and are duplicitous cons by the anglo imperialists

basically we are like serfs with little self respect

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

I think the best way for US and Pakistan to move forward is a joint efforts at army level and airforce level

We invest 100,000 soliders , US invests 80,000 soliders

We move in Afghanistan , it becomes our province, and once US leaves we get all the US hardware that is stationed in Afghanistan province

3 billion / year for 5 years.

The whole region is disarmed form weapons - and Pak army establishes around borders and hires local Afghan Youth , and they become part of Pak forces to safe guard the province

US should provide us with

a) Nuclear technology
(This will help our energy crisis and also to help recover economic losss)
b) 100 F16C/D
c) 20 F35 (As trustful US ally)
d) 80 Super cobras

I mean the loss finncial we have suffered and human cost is tremendous

 

[Cynic Waheed]

hmmm lets analyse how hard US is trying to win our trust back. Even though US acknowledges our our energy crisis and shares our concern with us, yet it (Mr Holbrook) still 'warns' us to not commit to the IP gas pipeline. We go ahead anyway.

Gives our enemy nuclear technology while denies it to us. (Right, some members here will bring on the AQ argument and 'how clean our record is' ). Regardless of whatever reason we in Pakistan see China on the other hand going to great lengths to keep us at par with our foes. US on the other hand tries to get in the way. Good way to build trust!

Then, it seeks assurances from us that the peanut weapons it is providing us will not be used against our traditional foe while offering the same foe with top of the range weapons without providing us any assurance. Moreover its ally on the war on terror cant even have Drones to operate. (This also highlight's that the US doesn't trust us 'BUT' is trying hard to win our trust..! What irony!).Two faced US cant win Pakistan's trust.

Then, it provides our foe all the space it can on the other side of the border so that it can plan and execute its sinister plots against us but refuses to allow us that space which is a pressing concern for us. Moreover it keeps a 'hands off' policy in Kashmir. We trying to carve out some kind of strategy after realising that it is not "safe" to trust US. I guess its not easy winning our trust with such hypocritical actions!

There are many many more things the US has done and is doing will never let it regain our trust, be it the drone strikes it carries instead of providing us the technology, or say the constant spanking of Pakistan and accusations such as Bin Laden is in Pak when we have categorically denied it, etc etc.

The fact is it is not 1970s or 80s, Pakistani nation has become a lot more sagacious after going through its toughest times. Then, the recent tsunami of media which is always critical of the US policies against Pakistan further highlights the issues. In my opinion US with such hypocritical policies, a lack of respect for Pakistan, combined with our independent Media it is next to impossible to gain Pakistan's trust. US really needs hard thinking to do if it really wants to regain Pakistan's trust. For now Id rather trust China for a 100 times before US.

Keep trying Uncle Sam..

 

[Tiger Awan]

Keep your drones away. Respect our brothers living in FATA.
Solve Kashmir Problem
Then talk of gaining our confidence.