Pak-US relations — out of balance
There is a vast trust deficit that is akin to circular debt in that every attempt to retire it fails
Secretary Defence Lt-General (retd) Muhammad Alam Khattak (L) in a meeting with General Joseph L Votel, Commander US Central Command (R), in Ministry of Defence, Rawalpindi on May 9, 2016. PHOTO: PID
Geopolitics is a global balancing act, finely tuned by diplomats of every nation to maintain equanimity among the community of nations and is one of the more neglected aspects of international relations. Changes in the geopolitical architecture tend to be small and infinitesimally slow, but there is currently what amounts to a geopolitical churn in the neighbourhood of Pakistan as well as other states in the sub-continent and Central Asia. The churn has been triggered by two of the largest global players entering a phase of major realignment in tune with their national and global interests and ambitions — China and the US.
In this context, the remarks of Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani regarding the relationship between Pakistan and the US as “imbalanced” bear close scrutiny. The senator said that the relationship between us and one of our largest donors is driven by giving priority to the national security interests of the US in the region rather than Pakistan. Well of course it is, and what else does the senator think it is driven by? Certainly not charitable largesse, any more than the Chinese interest in Pakistan is driven by anything other than self-interest, profit and regional influence. The relationship between the US, India and Pakistan is anything but one of equals.
For the Americans, India has much to offer as a market for its goods, whilst Pakistan sits squarely on the debit side of the balance sheet. There is a vast trust deficit that is akin to circular debt in that every attempt to retire it fails. The senator’s attempt to call the US to account founders on the rocks of American exceptionalism and that is not about to change either. America is big enough and powerful enough to do pretty much what it wants. Pakistan has few chips to bargain with, India a fistful. In terms of the visuals, there is never going to be balance between us in terms of a neutrally set bar across the fulcrum — and that said there are unrealistic expectations on both sides. It is not that the relationship is out of balance, just that the balance is being recalibrated.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 13th, 2016.
In this context, the remarks of Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani regarding the relationship between Pakistan and the US as “imbalanced” bear close scrutiny. The senator said that the relationship between us and one of our largest donors is driven by giving priority to the national security interests of the US in the region rather than Pakistan. Well of course it is, and what else does the senator think it is driven by? Certainly not charitable largesse, any more than the Chinese interest in Pakistan is driven by anything other than self-interest, profit and regional influence. The relationship between the US, India and Pakistan is anything but one of equals.
For the Americans, India has much to offer as a market for its goods, whilst Pakistan sits squarely on the debit side of the balance sheet. There is a vast trust deficit that is akin to circular debt in that every attempt to retire it fails. The senator’s attempt to call the US to account founders on the rocks of American exceptionalism and that is not about to change either. America is big enough and powerful enough to do pretty much what it wants. Pakistan has few chips to bargain with, India a fistful. In terms of the visuals, there is never going to be balance between us in terms of a neutrally set bar across the fulcrum — and that said there are unrealistic expectations on both sides. It is not that the relationship is out of balance, just that the balance is being recalibrated.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 13th, 2016.