Taking it lightly is unadvisable now
The US has always been a ‘tough love’ ally of Pakistan essentially using a carrot and stick policy to manage a relationship that is seldom relaxed and positive. Since taking office President Trump has proven to be reckless, unpredictable and unable to deliver on most of his campaign promises.
However there seems to be abject clarity on the US’s new policy on Pakistan: no more terrorist safe havens on Pakistani soil or else! This was expressed by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during his visit to Pakistan, reiterated by Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and most recently directed threateningly towards Pakistan by Vice President Mike Pence during his unannounced Christmas dash to Afghanistan.
Pakistan remains unwilling to go after the proscribed terrorist groups having refuge on its soil with the intensity and fervor that the US expects. The US’s frustration over this problem is understandable given that their efforts to bring the Afghan war to any logical conclusion have failed badly.
It is true that those failures are of the US’s own making and Pakistan cannot be made a scapegoat for it. But it would be unwise for us to think that simply ignoring persistent threats and bullying from the Trump administration will work as it has in the past.
Pakistan has to realise that Trump is a loose cannon with no foreign policy experience as evidenced by his reckless decisions like reversal of the Iran deal, banning Muslims from entering the country, pulling out of the Paris climate agreement and of course the Jerusalem gambit to name a few. All this should be an indication that if push comes to shove the US could make good on its threat of taking action on Pakistani soil and it would not be the first time.
It is imperative that the foreign office and security apparatus be prepared for the worst case scenario of the US taking matters into its own hands. Alternatively it would be best that Pakistan without any discrimination go after the alleged terrorist safe havens in the country once and for all.
