More flies with honey than vinegar
While tensions still persist, the eyeball to eyeball confrontation between the establishments of the US and Pakistan is over, at least for the time being. Mostly it is the weaker side that blinks first but, at times, the wiser party might consider it expedient to do so. It will take time before it is known who has conceded more to end the standoff.
When the US announced the stoppage of $800 million of military aid, it was let out that Washington wanted certain unspecified steps to be taken. The reason given for stopping the aid by State Department spokeswoman Nuland was Pakistan’s demand to withdraw 100 US trainers. Last month, Mike Mullen had clarified that the trainers were sent at Pakistan’s own request and they could be removed whenever they were not needed. If Nuland’s explanation is accepted, it would confirm the military’s suspicions that the trainers’ group contained undercover intelligence sleuths gathering information, among other things, about the country’s nuclear assets. Whatever the reason, the ISPR responded with a stoic acceptance of the fait accompli maintaining that the military would continue operations in the tribal areas on its own. Within a day, however, there was a realisation at the corps commanders’ meeting that the suspension of aid would not help the anti-terrorism campaign and would in fact have a negative impact on the Pak-US cooperation in the war against terrorism.
Both sides have shown the extent to which they can go if their vital interests are threatened. It soon became clear to both that driving the other to the corner would harm both. Within days of the announcement of the suspension of military aid, top US generals descended on Islamabad to hold talks with their Pakistani counterparts. Meanwhile, the DG ISI has undertaken an urgent trip to Washington and met CIA acting director and other intelligence officials. Apparently, the visit has gone well.
What needs to be done is to understand each other’s concerns. Pakistan wants an end to drone strikes and a regulation of CIA activity. The US wants top Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders to be taken out and an operation in North Waziristan. The issues need to be sorted out in a friendly spirit instead of threats and counter-threats.