By backstabbing Pakistan, America is losing a friend that has sacrificed its men, property and decades of peace
ISLAMABAD: Zalmay Khalilzad, a US diplomat of Afghan origin, who played a key role in America’s policy towards Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, has advised the US government to adopt a policy of “total isolation” against Pakistan and send Islamabad a strong signal to face the prospect of becoming a “second North Korea” if it continues destabilising Afghanistan by supporting the Taliban and the Haqqani network. He asked the US government to suspend all assistance to Pakistan and “move towards isolating Pakistan internationally, including not supporting IMF renewal of financial support.”
Zalmay’s tirade came amid reports of American ties with Pakistan going sour. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the US Congress, also urged America to isolate Pakistan. In addition, India is being given an enhanced role in Afghanistan through the control of the Chabahar port in Iran. Richard Oslon, the US diplomat, has, on record, admitted that various Indian consulates are active along the Pakistan border in Afghanistan. President Barack Obama has signed a number of deals with India, including ones related to military assistance. This shows the level of cooperation between the two countries.
One understands that unlike the propagated myth, America has never helped Pakistan or any other country in the world, except its own interests. America has only helped America. That’s why there are around 1,000 US military bases all over the world. That’s why the US controls the UN Security Council and uses Nato for its own ends. That’s why around 250 armed conflicts are raging in the world, under American ‘supervision’.
Having said that, not all blame for our current state can be placed on Americans. It is not just America that gave us dollars in exchange for Pakistan fighting for the Americans. It is Pakistan that extended all kinds of help, assisted America to win the war against the Soviet Union and pulled the Americans out from all sorts of troubled waters. Nothing is permanent in this world. Should the US disappear from the map tomorrow, the UK, Russia, Switzerland, France, China, Belgium, Israel and other powers will be all too ready and willing to take over the role of the superpower, and it will be business as usual. By backstabbing Pakistan, America is losing a friend that has sacrificed its men, around $1trillion worth of property and decades of peace.
Hamza Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, July 3rd, 2016.
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