Al-Qaeda factor bedevils Pak-US relations
Sunday, 1 November 2009
THE military operations of the Pakistan armed forces in South Waziristan are no ordinary counter-terrorism campaign. The armed forces of Pakistan have actually been fighting a war against the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Taliban-controlled areas along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan. The Pakistan government claims that it is their own war and insists on 'no American face' on their war. But the fact is America "quietly rushed hundreds of millions of dollars in arms, equipment and sophisticated sensors to Pakistani forces in recent months". President Barack Obama "personally intervened at the request of Pakistan's top army general to speed the delivery" of certain types of sophisticated weapons. American military drones are helping Pakistani ground commanders through video images and target information. According to a Pentagon spokesman, America has "put military assistance to Pakistan on a wartime footing." America has, since September 11, 2001, given Pakistan about $12 billion in military assistance.
Apparently, Pakistan has been fighting America's 'War on Terror'. This view has been strengthened with the strategic extension of America's war in Afghanistan into Pakistan and re-christening of the war from Afghan War to AfPak War. Pakistan is a war zone for America though the war there is not being directly fought by American troops. It is really difficult for the people of Pakistan to accept that their army is fighting their own war against the Talibans and al-Qaeda who were originally located in Afghanistan. It is true Pakistan assisted the Talibans and al-Qaeda in the 1980s and 1990s; but this was done at the behest of America and Pakistan gained monetarily as well as militarily in the bargain. Now that the Pakistan military itself has been forced to fight battles against the Talibans of Pakistan and al-Qaeda on their own soil and the latter, in retaliation, have spread a wave of terror all across Pakistan through attacks on civil and military targets alike, Pakistanis are getting increasingly vociferous in their criticism of America's role in their country.
In an attempt to remove the palpable distrust in the relations between America and Pakistan, President Obama has offered Pakistan $7.5 billion in civilian aid over a period of five years. In addition to these, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, during her October 28-30 visit to Pakistan committed to Islamabad more than $300 million for poverty alleviation, improvement of electricity supply and for strengthening law enforcement and border security. Clinton emphasised on the old ties between their two countries, highlighted the civilian aspect of their bilateral relations and spoke highly about the prospects of Pakistan taking off "like a rocket in terms of economic development" and becoming "a power house."
But Clinton's public diplomacy was not enough to remove the mistrust and distrust which are in-built in the relations between America and Pakistan in the aftermath of the 'War on Terror.' The core issue in their relations at the moment is the al-Qaeda and on this, there has been no progress. Pakistan continues to maintain that the al-Qaeda leadership is not in Pakistan. And Clinton firmly reiterated American position on the second day of her Pakistan visit, last Thursday: "Al-Qaeda has had safe haven in Pakistan since 2002… I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to." Coincidentally, the same day, the New York Times disclosed that Pakistani forces, operating in South Waziristan, "found documents this week linked to a member of the Hamburg cell of Al Qaeda that is believed to have planned the September 11 terrorist attacks." Al-Qaeda is the albatross around the neck of the Pak-US relations.
Apparently, Pakistan has been fighting America's 'War on Terror'. This view has been strengthened with the strategic extension of America's war in Afghanistan into Pakistan and re-christening of the war from Afghan War to AfPak War. Pakistan is a war zone for America though the war there is not being directly fought by American troops. It is really difficult for the people of Pakistan to accept that their army is fighting their own war against the Talibans and al-Qaeda who were originally located in Afghanistan. It is true Pakistan assisted the Talibans and al-Qaeda in the 1980s and 1990s; but this was done at the behest of America and Pakistan gained monetarily as well as militarily in the bargain. Now that the Pakistan military itself has been forced to fight battles against the Talibans of Pakistan and al-Qaeda on their own soil and the latter, in retaliation, have spread a wave of terror all across Pakistan through attacks on civil and military targets alike, Pakistanis are getting increasingly vociferous in their criticism of America's role in their country.
In an attempt to remove the palpable distrust in the relations between America and Pakistan, President Obama has offered Pakistan $7.5 billion in civilian aid over a period of five years. In addition to these, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, during her October 28-30 visit to Pakistan committed to Islamabad more than $300 million for poverty alleviation, improvement of electricity supply and for strengthening law enforcement and border security. Clinton emphasised on the old ties between their two countries, highlighted the civilian aspect of their bilateral relations and spoke highly about the prospects of Pakistan taking off "like a rocket in terms of economic development" and becoming "a power house."
But Clinton's public diplomacy was not enough to remove the mistrust and distrust which are in-built in the relations between America and Pakistan in the aftermath of the 'War on Terror.' The core issue in their relations at the moment is the al-Qaeda and on this, there has been no progress. Pakistan continues to maintain that the al-Qaeda leadership is not in Pakistan. And Clinton firmly reiterated American position on the second day of her Pakistan visit, last Thursday: "Al-Qaeda has had safe haven in Pakistan since 2002… I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to." Coincidentally, the same day, the New York Times disclosed that Pakistani forces, operating in South Waziristan, "found documents this week linked to a member of the Hamburg cell of Al Qaeda that is believed to have planned the September 11 terrorist attacks." Al-Qaeda is the albatross around the neck of the Pak-US relations.