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Is Pakistan a US ally?

Published: June 11, 2012

VANCOUVER, CANADA: This is in reference to Maria Waqar’s article “Why drones won’t work” (June 11). The writer says: “Even though the US has stepped up its aerial attacks in Pakistan, it can hope to ‘win’ nothing more than worse relations with its ally”.

One problem with this analysis is that, like so many others, it is based on the assumption that Pakistan is an “ally” with whom the US strongly desires good relations. This may have been a correct assumption a year ago, but that is no longer the case. Pakistan is now clearly an enemy of the US, and US official rhetoric is beginning to acknowledge that status.

Ken Bryant

Published In The Express Tribune, June 12th, 2012.

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Reader Comments (12)

  • Ali tanoli
    Jun 11, 2012 - 11:46PM

    @ken
    when we were friends ???? just few yaers and that also for there intrest.

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  • kaalchakra
    Jun 11, 2012 - 11:59PM

    Pakistan did every thing in its power to help the US, but American demands never end. Americans can also be not trusted nor grateful for any help. Americans can still save the situation by stopping the drone strikes, offering an apology and compensation (even to the soldiers would be enough. America must acknowledge that it was wrong and Pakistan was right), and helping Pakistan resettle Taliban in Afghan government positions at the earliest.

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  • Freeman
    Jun 12, 2012 - 12:21AM

    Writer Ken Bryant is living other side of the world where he can hear one side of the story WHICH IS American point of view.

    If Pakistan is not ally after loss of 40,000 civilians and 6000 army personels and nearly $100 Billion dollar in this American so called of war on Terror then it is clear Pakistan and America have never been Ally. When they were ally?????????

    There are so many trainning camps are running inside Aghanistan under the CIA including Indian Raw and Israel which are giving training 1000′s of bloach and other people and send them to fight with Pakistan arms forces and kill innocent people of Pakistan. Ally do not do this – do they?

    American’s are claiming that they have paid $20 billion dollars Aid to Pakistan in last 10 years. The truth is Pakistan in total received about $8 billion dollars and reminaing Aid went to American embassy’s administration fee. American Embassy in Islamabad is biggest Embassy American in the world. There are so many thousand people work there.

    Remaining money went in the pockets of American puppet Pakistani Leaders WHO ARE IN GOVT.

    If Pakistan kill 24 American army personnel and do not appologise then think what will happen. Will American Govt. and public forget that? Never.

    At this moment there is an Election year in both countries Pakistan and USA. So both countries govt. are very careful as the think if they show flexibility then they will lose elections.

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  • Moe
    Jun 12, 2012 - 12:38AM

    @ Ken

    Considering that you can’t stop Iran from building nukes, the whole of the Middle East from Tunisia to Egypt is seeing the rise of variants of Islamic brotherhood governments and there is nothing you guys can do about it, your much vaunted Army can’t defeat part-time peasant guerillas in Afghanistan, who dressed in jammies and flip-flops and armed with nothing more than AK-47s are giving you are a royal whooping, now that you are telling us that we have been designated as an official enemy, we the Pakistanis are so shaking in our boots right now!

    Ha ha ha seriously mate!

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  • Waziristani
    Jun 12, 2012 - 12:42AM

    Pakistan has remained in friendship as long as US provided financial help. Pakistan needs US money. From the very beginning Pakistan was at war with the US. The money US provided has been channeled to terrorists successfully.

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  • Arindom
    Jun 12, 2012 - 6:42AM

    @Freeman:
    exactly! If 40,000 Pakistanis have been killed by terrorists, then why does your establishment still support them? Why didn’t the establishment take part in the joint investigation of Salala? What did they have to hide? Were the soldiers shooting the US/Afghan troops? You need to ask your establishment these questions, before ranting aimlessly.

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  • Mahakaalchaka
    Jun 12, 2012 - 9:24AM

    @kaalchakra:

    USA did every thing in its power to help Pakistan, but Pakistan’s demands never end. Pakistan can also be not trusted nor grateful for any help. Pakistan can still save the situation by stopping the terrorist crossing borders, offering an apology for cross-border terrorism in the region and compensation (even to the Pakistan civilians would be enough. Pakistan must acknowledge that it was wrong and the civilized world is right), and help USA capture Taliban and accept Afghan government positions at the earliest.

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  • Nasir
    Jun 12, 2012 - 12:03PM

    Pakistan is US allay as far as she is fulfilling all US demands. The moment Pakistan deviates from accepting US demands, she becomes an Enemy. As the end game is approaching, US/ NATO needs an escape goat to put all the blame of their failures. So Pakistan is the best choice.

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  • Hamid
    Jun 12, 2012 - 12:05PM

    US is nobody friend, even it is against its own people when time comes. US is economy and an economy destroyed every thing and shows no ethics…Period

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  • Blunt!
    Jun 12, 2012 - 6:49PM

    @Hamid:

    What a baseless argument man, like seriously? US is the enemy of its own people when time comes? Really?

    Of all the countries in the world, the US tops when it comes to protecting the rights/security of its people, by hook or by crook, but yes, they DO!

    Remember how Raymond Davis got away even after a daylight murder? The only reason is that he was a US citizen. No other country would have managed that.

    Imagine a Pakistani in a similar situation in US?

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  • Jun 12, 2012 - 10:13PM

    I would like to make it clear that there are no anti-Pakistan training camps in Afghanistan run by the United States or any of its agencies. We do not train any group to fight against Pakistan or its people. On the contrary, we have always wished for peace to return to the region including Pakistan. Then, why would we like to destabilize Pakistan? It is easy to accuse others without a shred of evidence, and what this does is that it serves only to increase confusion and insecurities.

    Relationships are always two-way streets, and in the past both countries have made mistakes. The United States is committed to the security of the region including Pakistan. President Obama had promised not to abandon Pakistan and repeat the mistakes of the past, but on the other hand Pakistan has to do its part in dismantling terrorists’ safe havens on its soil. Is it too much to ask? These are the same terrorists who have been destabilizing Pakistan with their daily attacks on innocent civilians and security forces. Unless we are able to neutralize the remaining terrorist groups, peace for the people of the region will remain scarce, and mistrust among the two nations will continue.

    Capt. Joseph Kreidel
    DET-United States Central Command
    http://www.centcom.mil/ur

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  • From the Pak to Na Pak
    Jun 13, 2012 - 1:24AM

    “You cannot trash our sovereignty, threaten us, announce intensified drone attacks, kill our soldiers and civilian men, women and children, refuse to apologise when you do the same in Kabul, hold back our money (from the Coalition Support Fund), threaten to cut off all aid and then pretend that it is business as usual, We have very huge gap and our values are different, We need to the solve problems with support of our neighbors like China, India, Iran and Afghanistan rather then you, you want us to open supply route to create more problems, If you keep making kayos you will loos yourself ”

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