Donald Trump’s rancorous speech and Pak-US relations

Pakistan is strong’

Pakistan came into existence in the cold war era. These were times when the NATO alliance had locked horns with Warsaw signatories. For reasons unknown Nawabzada Liaqat Ali Khan abandoned his visit to Moscow and proceeded to Washington thereby negating non alignment. Pakistan soon signed SEATO and CENTO pacts against Soviet Union and its allies. Pakistan received aid under the Marshall Plan and Wheat from Baltimore under the Agriculture Trade Development Act or Food for peace (PL 480). In return Pakistan gave United States an air base at Badaber, a remote base roughly four miles from Peshawar, which became a listening post for United States Air force Security Services. The United States installed ballistic missiles at Badaber targeting Moscow and Kremlin. The infamous Lockheed U-2 high altitude spy planes flew from Badaber for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. One such aircraft manned by CIA pilot Gary Powers was shot by a surface to air missile over Sverdlovsk; who later confessed and apologised for his role in espionage. When interrogated by the KGB he revealed the Peshawar air base and it was marked in red by the Soviets. This incident devastated Pak-Soviet Relations and created animosity of Pakistan with a neighbouring superpower much closer in geographic proximity then United States with whom we shared a 12 mile border in the Wakhan corridor. This was Pakistan’s first sacrifice and cost to pay for aligning itself with the United States.

The United States entangled itself in the Korean War and demanded Pakistan to send its troops in combat with the US forces. Nawabzada Liaqat Ali Khan boldly refused. In 1962 India went to war with China and engaged in Laddakh and Leepa Valley. Chinese forces were able to trample the Indian army. The renowned Indian armored division “Fakhr e Hind” was crushed and the Indian army left their tanks and ran on foot. The Indians raised hue and cry and answering their commotion the US started offering military aid to India. A conspiracy theory states that the 1965 India-Pakistan war was also orchestrated to boost the morale of the Indian army who had suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Chinese. General JN Chaudhry, chief of army staff of the Indian army boasted that he will have his evening tea in Lahore Gymkhana. However the Indian forces had to bite the dust as Pakistan army successfully defended its territory. The United States remained aloof andnever came to our aid at this crucial time.

China, under the influence of Mao Zedong, the communist revolutionary poet, philosopher, political theorist and founding father, laid the foundation of a superpower with Zhou Enlai, the first premier of Peoples Republic of China. The United States has still kept the government of Chiang Kai Shek as the member of United Nations who needed a rising super power to counter the Soviets and Warsaw signatories. Henry Kissinger arrived in Pakistan with the US intentions of opening ties with China. He pretended sick and disappeared from public eye reportedly resting in Murree. He was flown to Beijing. This paved the way for the first visit of the US president to China. The United States never gave Pakistan the credit for setting the US- China relations at ease.

The Bangladesh movement was openly supported by both the US senators and the Congress. India sent its troops impersonating “Mukti Bahini” and enflaming guerilla resistance in East Pakistan later sending regular troops leading to Dhaka fall. This was a major setback for Pakistan and 93,000 army officers/soldiers were taken to Indian camps as prisoners of war. Pakistan lost its eastern wing, the US aircraft carrier “USS Enterprise” supposedly dispatched for our aid never reached the Arabian Sea. Pakistan was left stranded by the International community and all allies at this juncture.

The Soviet army invaded Afghanistan in 1979, posing a gigantic threat to the NATO alliance. Pakistan again became the front line state. The Taliban, who are the subject of US rage and Trump’s clamor, were recruited and trained bred on the advice of William J. Cassey, Director CIA, with the help of Maulana Fazl Ur Rehman and Maulvi Sami Ul Haq from their madrassahs. The Russians were crushed by the help of Pakistan, Pakistan army and our Intelligence agencies. They suffered such heavy loss in both cash and kind that it led to the dissolution of Soviet Union. The victorious United States once again took to its heels and made a quick exit stranding Pakistan once again. As a result Pakistan was left suffering at the mercy of terrorism/Kalashnikov culture, heroin cultivation and millions of Afghan refugees. These refugees had no loyalty to Pakistan or means of supporting themselves so they engaged in atrocious crimes in tribal areas and Karachi. Theft, dacoity, illegal weapons, kidnap for ransom drug trade and killing innocent civilians have been their prime employment.

Osama bin Laden was picked by the Americans and launched in Afghanistan to lead the jihad. Al Qaeda and Taliban were also orchestrated for similar objectives but became redundant after Soviet dissolution. They turned against the United States and launched the 9/11 strike on US soil. The book title L’Effroyable imposture, “The Horrifying Fraud”, by French journalist and activist Thierry Meyssan writes that the US military-industrial complex sought a casus belli for launching war against Afghanistan and Iraq. The perpetrators were mostly Saudi nations but the threat came to Pakistan “Friends or enemies”, “With us or against us”. We were threatened with extinction and bombing back to Stone Age. Pakistan once again offered its territories, air space and even its airbase in Jacobabad. In spite of the enormous sacrifice of Pakistan the US forces have miserably failed in Afghanistan which has been openly accepted by their generals. In five thousand years no foreign occupation has been successful in Afghanistan. Donald Trump and his entire administration are fishing for a scape goat. In an irrational rage and frenzy Mr Trump blamed Pakistan for their failures. The major factor contributing to this rancorous clamor are a successful Indian propaganda and foreign policy which has been able to malign Pakistan effectively with their rising influence in Afghanistan. Moreover the “Unholy Alliance” of Israelia gency Mossad and RAW has been consistently plaguing Pakistan’s interest and trying to alienate Pakistan and depriving it of its due influence and prestige in the region.

Global politics is changing and international equilibrium is in a state of rapid metamorphosis. The Middle East is devastated in a permanent state of chaos. The US miscalculated again entered Iraq on a farce story of WMDs dividing the entire Middle East and pushing them in a permanent state of civil war. The Americans supplying weapons to both the Iraqi forces and the al Qaeda is supporting their dwindling arms industry as all other commercial activities are failing to with the cost effective Chinese competitors. Syria too has been ruined by a fierce civil war. Similar is the fate of Libya and Yemen. However the situation is changing as Russian Navy is now coming face to face with the US fleet in Syria. In the South China Sea the US aircraft carriers are likely to lock horns with the Chinese navy. The recent Hydrogen bomb explosion creating an earthquake of 6.3 magnitude by Kim Jong iI of North Korea and its continuous threats to Japan and South Korea now pose a very alarming state and world leaders need to sit together to defuse the rising tension.

In the midst of the above crisis, Trump’s untimely and unwarranted bashing of Pakistan is completely out of line. The Russian and Chinese governments have supported Pakistan which is a positive sign. The CPEC is another opportunity for Pakistan for not only strengthening our ties with China but also prosper and benefit economically. Similarly Iran has been another supporter of Pakistan and has always stood by our side. Even though the Pakistan government has kept Iran at a distance owing to its close ties with Saudi Arabia, Iran is still an ally.

Donald Trump is arguably the most controversial president of the United States. He is facing stiff opposition at home with monstrous protests against his policies and demeanor has marred his short tenure. Pakistan on the other hand is the mainstay of the Chinese One Belt One Road initiative. Moreover, the development of Gwadar port and the interest of Central Asian states in this project is another opportunity for Pakistan. Russia has already shown its inclination to Pakistan owing to its growing dependence on China. It is far from reality thatthe Trump administration with their unholy alliance in Afghanistan with India and Israel try any imprudent military adventure in the region.

Trump attacks Mexico one week, Venezuela the next and now Pakistan. Next week it will be someone else. Pakistan is great, Pakistan is strong. The irresponsible statements do not impact intricate ground realitiesthat exist in the region.