WASHINGTON: The United States must shift to a strategy of engaging Pakistan while containing the worst "excesses" of its army, an expert who helped develop the current US approach to Islamabad said Monday.
After coming to power in January 2009, President Barack Obama tasked Bruce Riedel, a former CIA officer, to chair an interagency review of policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan for the White House.
The review urged close dialogue with Pakistan and an intensification of drone attacks against extremist militants in the lawless tribal frontier in northwestern Pakistan.
"That strategy made sense at the time but I think in the light of developments, it's time to shift to a policy of engagement and containment," said Riedel, now a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution think-tank.
"That is to say to continue to engage Pakistan to try to support the development of civilian democracy, to try to help Pakistani economic development but at the same time trying to contain the worst ambitions and excesses of the Pakistani army."
Speaking at a panel discussion, he said that for now, Washington was "not doing enough on the containment part. We're slipping and sliding into it, but I think without a coherent framework."
US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Obama administration had no plans to adopt such a policy at this time.
Ties between Washington and Islamabad took a turn for the worse after a US special operations raid killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in the sleepy Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad in May.
Relations slid to a new low last month when Nato air strikes killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on the Afghan border, prompting Pakistan to boycott the Bonn Conference on Afghanistan's future.
According to Riedel, the Pakistani army is gradually installing a new military dictatorship, without even needing to resort to a coup.
"The new military dictatorship that is emerging in Pakistan will be very different from its predecessors," he said.
"The facade of civilian government is likely to continue to go on ... with very little real power. The media will continue to be very active and alive, except when they criticize the military."
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you mean pakistan should change its US strategy...if it still has one....
Another policy which doesn't pass the smell test. Spending enormous sums of money to support a weak and corrupt civilian govt while containing the military gets you no return on your investment. The govt will still be inept/corrupt and hate you - the military will still be inept/corrupt and hate you - and the people of Pakistan will hate you. Save your money - find some new policy experts.
one who can ask about his pumpkin no one can dare shoot his son
What ! " excesses of the Pakistan army",Bruce Riedel must qualify.One will not accept unqualified pointing fingers at Pakistan army.
@Narayan: Indians hate is going too far against Pakistan. I think America and Nato should appologize all with Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan for killing so many Millions of Muslims.
@Narayan: WTH?? are you serious?? then US should apologize for the 30000+ civilians they killed in Pakistan...I'll advise you to refrain from commenting on public forums. It exposes your ignorance :p
Pakistan must apoligize for all the US and NATO soldiers killed by Al-Qaida during the period OBL was housed in Abbotabad Cantonment.