AUSTRALIA:
Swift response by Pakistani officials to President Joe Biden’s remarks had opened the floodgates of the nationalistic media in the country. Such statements are nothing new and have been echoed in Pakistan ever since the country had acquired nuclear weapons. The uncertain relationship between the US and Pakistan is no secret either.
History illustrates that Pakistan joined the western economic and security order in mid to late 50s. The alliance benefitted Pakistan immensely till 1965. American dollars and new technology altered Pakistani socio-economic fabric and the country saw much development. Bounties of the cooperation were green revolution, industrial growth and military strength. Despots of the time used to get a red-carpet welcome in the US — visual proof of which is available on digital media. Everything was going well until the situation in Vietnam took a nasty turn in August 1964 when the Gulf of Tonkin incident occurred. The US establishment thereafter decided to get involved in Vietnam on another level. Like always, the US expects all its allies to join in all its military adventures. Most allies such as Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Thailand contributed soldiers and got dividends in return.
However, for Pakistani policymakers, it was a watershed moment. Neither could they side with the US and earn Sino-Russian wrath, nor displease the US and go against them. The third bitter outcome could be to create a hostile enemy next door in the shape of India. Pakistan went for the third option. The 1965 war broke out with the idea to have a limited conflict yet intense enough to dodge participation in the Vietnam war. Pakistan indeed achieved its goal but at the cost of jeopardising its trustworthy relationship with the US in the long run.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2022.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
