US to resume military training programme for Pakistan: State Dept

[Pakistani Fighter]

If USA want to improve relationship, they will have no issue with sale of Old/used/surplus F-16s to Pakistan. As far as new F-16s are concerned, I have NOT heard anything regarding those.



15 Bell AH-1Z viper attack helicopters not Chinese Z10s

View attachment 595233

Ooops sorry

 

[Vortex]

US Resumes Military Training Program for Pakistan Army, Offers $2 Billion in Aid
Posted 3 days ago by Sajawal Rehman

• Army Chief Impressed by Standards at Pakistan Aeronautical Complex
  
  According to experts, the relations between the two nations have improved in the last year or so, especially after Imran Khan’s meetings with Donald Trump.
  
  Talking to Reuters, a State Department’s spokeswoman told that the program “provides an opportunity to increase bilateral cooperation between our countries on shared priorities”.
  
  We want to continue to build on this foundation through concrete actions that advance regional security and stability.
  
  Under the program, 66 Pakistani armed forces officers will also go to study different courses at U.S. military education institutions, such as the U.S. Army War College and the U.S. Naval War College.

What would be the price to pay this time ? We should ask them straight this question !

And I suspect this news to be a trick for india...

 

[jupiter2007]

No need for AiD, ask them to do investment in Pakistan without any preconditions.

 

[Meengla]

Sir G, the history of PAK-USA relation tell us that Pakistan always succumbed to US demands.

That may have been the case but Pakistan did get some things in return. The Pakistani civil and military planners know well the good and bad of Pakistan-America history. Anyway, who is arm twisting Pakistan to do anything? Washington doesn't have even half the leverage it used to have over Pakistan. It is Pakistan's choice.

Bottom line: Learn from the past but don't live in the past. There are many, many ways the lone superpower of the world can benefit Pakistan and many ways it can hurt Pakistan. A unilateral string sanctions regime in coordination with America's allies--even without the UN authorization--can go long ways in crippling Pakistan's economy! And I am glad the Pakistani planners have never lost sight of that impact, PDF machos notwithstanding.

 

[UniverseWatcher]

Shishir Upadhyaya
is a former Indian Naval Intelligence Officer, PhD.
27 Dec, 2019 03:29 / Updated 2 hours ago

© AFP / FAROOQ NAEEM

Barely a year after the Trump administration suspended military training for Pakistan, the US government has approved resumption of Pakistan’s participation in its International Military Education and Training Program, or IMET.
In 2018, US President Donald Trump signaled his decision, blindsiding the State Department, in a tweet squarely blaming Pakistan for failing to crackdown on terrorist groups in their country and providing “nothing but lies and deceit.”

That decision was rolled back by the end of the year – as Pakistan’s strengthening relations with Russia and China threatened to sideline American influence.

Defense training as a Policy Instrument
Defense training is a useful policy in the long term that helps to cultivate potential military leaders and influencers, particularly in military dominated states such as Pakistan. Trump’s decision to cut-off military training assistance for Pakistan appears to have raised concerns in the State Department over loss of influence in the country, carefully cultivated through years of defense cooperation and training provided to a generation of military officers who trained at various defense establishments in the United States. This move to resume the IMET is clearly an attempt to restore American strategic influence in Pakistan.

Significantly, this comes at a time when the United States government is reviewing training for foreign personnel on American soil, following a recent incident involving a Saudi Royal Air Force officer who opened fire in a classroom at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida, killing three American sailors and wounding eight other people, before being shot dead by police. This factor could possibly weigh against the government’s decision when it comes up for a vote in Congress. However, the military establishment in the United States, which has always tried to insulate military-to-military engagements from political tensions, regards that long-term benefits of defense cooperation that could potentially build mutual trust outweigh short-term political risks.

© AFP / FAROOQ NAEEM
Cutting into regional politics
The resumption of defense training comes in the wake of the Prime Minister Imran Khans’ visit to Washington in July this year, in an attempt to re-boot Pakistan’s relations with the US.

Pertinently, Imran Khan was accompanied by the country’s top military leadership including the Chief of the Army and the Director General of the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), the premier national intelligence agency of Pakistan. In recent years, Pakistan-US strategic ties have declined significantly, with the Trump administration pressuring Pakistan to crack down on terrorist groups within its borders that targeted US troops in Afghanistan. At the same time, the US elevated its relationship with India – which has always opposed US-Pakistan defense cooperation – to a strategic partnership. Evidently, Pakistan’s reacceptance into IMET is likely to upset India.

But for Washington, the wish to have an avenue of influence on the Pakistani military appears stronger than concerns about India’s opinion – especially seeing as how, snubbed by the United States, the Pakistan military has sought to build closer ties with China and even Russia.

Another reason for a closer alliance with Pakistan could be to facilitate Trump’s promised withdrawal from Afghanistan, where the US has lost over 2,200 soldiers over the past 18 years, and spends $45 billion per annum. The Pakistan military could potentially play a crucial role in the ongoing negotiations involving the Taliban and the Afghan government.

Military ties mean political influence
The military has always played an instrumental role in Pakistan since its creation in 1947, with the country being ruled by military dictators on three occasions. Even with a civilian government now in place, the influence of the military is massive – and having it as an ally can be seen as a way for Washington to influence Pakistan politically.

Pakistan was a Cold War ally of the United States, at a time when India refused to align with the Americans, and several US presidents, particularly Nixon, were known to be enamored with the Pakistan military. Significantly, during the Cold War in 1971, Pakistan’s military dictator General Yahya Khan brokered the historic Sino-US rapprochement by facilitating Kissinger’s secret trip to China. Over the years, the United States government has advanced strategic ties with the Pakistan military establishment supported by close defense cooperation, including arms sales and training for officers, many of who have since reached senior and influential positions in the government.

Thus, the resumption of the IMET is clearly a step towards preserving American strategic influence in Pakistan by promoting its military engagements in a country that has shown it is ready to turn elsewhere for allies.

https://www.rt.com/op-ed/476869-military-training-pakistan-us/

 

[IceCold]

This is what the US wants, what about our response on this? However if history is to go by, our army elites love to travel to western countries. I doubt if they will take a moral stand on this and reject this specially when alternatives are there. We are training with the Russians, the Chinese, Turks, all having rich experience in their own domains. Training in the US will only expose us to counter espionage.

 

[graphican]

Pakistan should invest half their investment back on them and should invite American soldiers to be trained in Pakistan. Le this bond of love spread on both sides.

 

[Pakistan Ka Beta]

Russia is playing both sides ( India n Pakistan ) n mostly India side so there is no harm in good or healthy relations with USA but Pakistan must never trust USA .

 

[Baz]

This is what the US wants, what about our response on this? However if history is to go by, our army elites love to travel to western countries. I doubt if they will take a moral stand on this and reject this specially when alternatives are there. We are training with the Russians, the Chinese, Turks, all having rich experience in their own domains. Training in the US will only expose us to counter espionage.

Sandhurst is their favourite and they are proud to be getting trained from their past masters...what a shame

 

[TNT]

Pakistan army is battle hardened and have a vast experience from conventional warfare to gorilla warfare to 6th gen warfare. We dont need anyone other nation to train us but having such training programs gives us influence and relations within US military as well.

 

[KeyBORED Warrior]

"Cultivate potential military leaders and influencers" that's euphemism for "cultivating snitches and traitors".

 

[jupiter2007]

Pakistan army is battle hardened and have a vast experience from conventional warfare to gorilla warfare to 6th gen warfare. We dont need anyone other nation to train us but having such training programs gives us influence and relations within US military as well.

We need to stay neutral and focus on our own foreign policies and national interest. We need to do what is best for Pakistan. USA currently is our biggest trade partner and we need to continue working with USA civil government. We need to continue to sending Army officers for training to USA. It’s not going to make a big difference for us. We all know that USA is not going to sell anything significant to us but they might sell (or donate) leftover military hardware from Afghanistan to us.

As I have mentioned before about foreign policy and working with different nations to improve our relationship and open invest opportunities for them.
As for as defense projects are concerned,
While working with China and Turkey on multiple defense projects, we should try to improve our relationship with Italy, Spain and Germany.

 

[Imran Khan]

Pakistani forces must refuse it

 

[TNT]

We need to stay neutral and focus on our own foreign policies. We need to do what is best for Pakistan.
We can continue to send Army officers for training to USA. It’s not going to make a big difference for us. We all know that USA is not going to sell anything significant to us but they might sell or donate leftover military hardware from Afghanistan to us.
While working with China and Turkey on multiple defense projects, we should try to improve our relationship with Italy, Spain and Germany.

Well military equipment is just one aspect of foreign policy or military to military relations. There are many other aspects that are equally or more important.

 

[Akh1112]

I do not understand what the issue is? Why cant Pakistan maintain warm ties with everyone? No country cares about us, not even China. China is doing what the US did years ago to us, we are reaping the reward now but who knows what the future holds. The best way to avoid a situation like we were in when we were ditched is to nurture friendly ties with everyone.