Pakistan US Rift

[Signalian]

From 1965, till today, USA puts embargo on Pakistan whenever Pakistan has gone to war with an enemy. USA is doing the same once again when Pakistan has started to win the war on its home ground. Pakistan is fighting a war on many fronts, its military is engaged on its Western border against TTP and other miscreant factions as well as north-eastern border on LOC against India. Basically Pakistan' military has been stretched towards both sides.

Pakistan was a major user of USA military hardware but that has slowly diminished over time. Though the saga of F-16's continue, PAF now has JF-17 with capabilities almost similar to F-16 in many aspects. The Army still uses USA made artillery however the offensive punch of MBT's has been shifted to Chinese, Ukrainian as well as Al Khalid series of locally produced tanks. The gunships are American but Pakistan is now looking towards China, Russia and Turkey. The Navy is also looking towards China and Turkey for modernisation of surface and sub fleet.

To sustain and win a war, constant supply of weapons, ammunition, spares, logistics, fuel etc is required. The WOT is complicated war and thus needs hi-tech machinery like sensors, intelligence sharing platforms, guided munitions etc. The terrorists can blend in common population and then strike when least expected. They have started to use weaponry and tactics which was not common in combat before especially in conventional warfare. The need for weapons like MRAP's for transport in turbulent areas, gunships with FLIR/Mmw Radars/guided and fire and forget missiles like Hellfire, UCAV's with large payload and endurance, Aircrafts with excellent A2G avionics systems and complimenting weaponry, Intel gathering and surveillance aircrafts as well as satellite coverage for areas which are hard to monitor is a must. To strangle Pakistan by denying such weapons, stretching Pakistan on opposite sides and then slapping sanctions to void spares, ammunition and support systems will never help the cause.

Pakistan on its own is taking the right measures for its own security now. Building the wall along the border; not only to stop cross border movement but also protect the CPEC routes inside the territory. This will help stop the blame-game of terrorists escaping to sanctuaries in Pakistan. A million Afghans have been told to move back into Afghanistan, which is after all their own soil. Some new forces have been raised like SSD, LCB's and existing ones like FC, Rangers, Police etc have been upgraded with their own SF teams.

Pakistan however still needs modern aircrafts as the likes of Mirage -III/V have reached the end of their life frames. This aircraft has been used in roles of strike, intercept and recon in PAF. It can carry and launch the ALCM, Ra'ad. Mirage has night strike capability and has been regularly used in WOT campaign. Its replacement is necessary at this stage so PAF doesn't lose its Strike element and the burden on F-16's is reduced completely. Since F-16 is sanction prone, the burden of all types of operations will fall on JF-17, which is still maturing and stepping into Block-III configuration. Considering the options which could be made available are SU-35 and then the J-31. SU-35 could be suitable choice though its numbers will be less considering the price tag and operating cost. Its been almost a decade that PAF has flown a twin engine fighter after retiring the F-6 and A-5. SU-35 has the capability to carry an amazing payload and can easily take over the role of Mirages. Technologically, it would be close to F-16 Block 52+ and could surpass some aspects too.

In Artillery, all the SPH are USA made. There are many options available in the market like T-155, PLZ-05 etc in tracked versions and Nora B-52, T5-52 etc. There was also a talk of Pakistan requiring some 500 wheeled SP guns. With IA going towards Korean K-9 SP gun, Pakistan Army will need a modern SP gun through a reliable supplier.

Thankfully, PAA is already in the process of selecting a gunship either from the Chinese Z-10 or Turkish T-129. It should only be a matter of time that a decision comes out. The AH-1Z deal is yet to be seen, if its rendered a green light or not.

With such options out there for procurement of different weapon systems, cost is a major issue. Pakistan has already paid a heavy price in human life (civilians and soldiers) as well as infrastructure, losing billions of dollars over time. On top of that,Pakistan's infrastructure (roads, bases etc) has been used by USA and its coalition for launching strikes into Afghanistan as well as inside Pakistan to take out terrorists and supplying its forces in Afghanistan. It has turned out that more losses have been incurred (100+ Billion $) for Pakistan than what has been received (30+ Billion $).

Although the bottom line is that during USA sanctions, Pakistan has turned towards indigenisation in the past and Pakistan still has the capability to do so now, the situation has become a bit tighter due to a constant WOT being fought by the Armed Forces, which although is bearing fruits but its end is not in sight yet.

Threats, warnings and action to malign Pakistan's efforts and cutting promised aid will of course hamper Pakistan's efforts but it will also further distance Pakistan from USA and USA's planning for the region.

 

[Scorpion]

Block the route to Afghanistan and stop other logistic support given by Pakistan to the US and then Trump will recognize Pakistan effort.

 

[Eagle1]

Pakistan Likely to Keep Open Supply Routes to Afghanistan
07 Jan 2018
By Richard Sisk

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Friday that Pakistan was likely to keep open supply routes to U.S. troops in Afghanistan despite the Trump administration’s cutoff of military aid.

“No, I’m not concerned about them,” Mattis said of what the military calls the G-LOCS, or ground lines of communication, and the A-LOCS, or air lines of communication through Pakistani airspace.

In previous disputes with Washington, Pakistan has occasionally squeezed the G-LOCS running from the port of Karachi up through the Khyber Pass into Afghanistan, but Mattis, who was in Pakistan last month, said he had received no indications from his Pakistani counterparts of any response that would affect the supply routes.

“I don't have any at this time, no,” he said. Mattis also noted that Army Gen. Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command, had spoken Thursday with Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, to discuss the potential impact of the aid cutoff.

In a New Year’s Day Tweet, President Donald Trump said: “The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!”

Since he took office, Trump has been viewed with suspicion in Islamabad because of his courting of India, Pakistan’s traditional enemy.

In his address to the nation in August on the new Afghanistan strategy, Trump said "We appreciate India's important contributions to stability in Afghanistan. We want them to help us more with Afghanistan, especially in the area of economic assistance and development."

The U.S. has repeatedly accused Pakistan of harboring terrorists from the Haqqani network, a charge Pakistan denies, and of maintaining relations with the Afghan Taliban and providing them with safe havens in Quetta and Peshawar.

On Thursday, the Trump administration announced that nearly all military aid to Pakistan, about $2 billion annually, would be frozen.

On Friday, a senior administration official, speaking to reporters on background, said that steps in addition to the military aid cutoff were under consideration.

“The U.S. does have a range of tools that we're looking at beyond just the security assistance issue to deal with Pakistan and to try to convince it to crack down on the Taliban and Haqqani network," the official said.

“Certainly, no one should doubt the U.S. resolve to address this threat and all options, I would say, will be on the table," the official said.

The aid cutoff announcement triggered a furious response from Pakistan. Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif called the United States "a friend who always betrays.”

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi charged that the U.S. was grossly overestimating the amount of aid provided. “The aid in the last five years at least has been less than $10 million a year. It is a very, very insignificant amount,” he said.

Abbassi also said that the U.S. was promoting a “fallacy” in charging that Pakistan was soft on terrorism. “We are today fighting the largest war on terror in the world. We are fighting the world’s war on terror with our own resources. That is something the world has to appreciate,” he said.

Abbassi said that Pakistan had lost 6,500 of its troops and 37,000 civilians in combating terrorism. In addition, “We have suffered a loss of over $120 billion in our economy,” he said. “We just want the world to know that Pakistan is on the forefront on the war on this terror.”

In his informal session with Pentagon reporters Friday, Mattis agreed that terrorists had inflicted huge losses on Pakistan.

“I think many of you are aware that Pakistan has lost more troops total than all of NATO, coalition, combined in the fight against them,” Mattis said. “But we've had disagreements, strong disagreements on some issues, and we're working those.”

The dialogue with Pakistan was continuing despite the aid cutoff, Mattis said. He said that “we're still working with Pakistan, and we would restore the aid if we see decisive movements against the terrorists, who are as much of a threat against Pakistan as they are against us.”

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/01/07/pakistan-likely-keep-open-supply-routes-afghanistan.html?ESRC=eb_180108.nl

 

[Eagle1]

Pakistan pushed into China’s embrace as US cuts military aid
By: Usman Ansari  
15 hours ago
08 Jan 2018

A loaded truck travels through a tunnel in northern Pakistan's Gojal Valley. (Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images)

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan is being further pushed into China’s embrace as a consequence of the U.S. State Department’s plan to cut military aid to Islamabad, analysts agree.

The U.S. decision came days after President Donald Trump’s New Year’s Day tweet that accused Pakistan of playing U.S. leaders for “fools,” reiterating longstanding allegations that Pakistan gives safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan.

“If the U.S. policy is to further isolate Washington from the mainstream world, then they are going the right way about it,” said Brian Cloughley, an author, analyst and former Australian defense attache to Islamabad. “Pakistan will go even further into the Chinese embrace — and very much on China’s terms, of course.”

Claude Rakisits, an expert on Pakistan and senior fellow at Georgetown University, believes that “given that the civilian government seems to be putting all its economic, political and strategic eggs in the Chinese basket, this will strengthen its hand vis-a-vis the military because it will be able to argue that the China card is the sure one to play.”

It is actually through the prism of China, not terrorism, that analyst and former Pakistan Air Force pilot Kaiser Tufail believes Washington is acting. Regionally, “the U.S. sees hindrances in securing a permanent presence in Afghanistan so as to be a counterweight to the growing Chinese influence in the region,” he said.

The “U.S. wants Pakistan to oppose all political forces in Afghanistan which desire an ouster of U.S. troops from their country. These elements have been conveniently labeled as terrorists by USA, and Pakistan is being wrongly accused of supporting them,” Tufail said.

Essentially, Washington wants Islamabad to support U.S.-backed Afghan groups that do its bidding, and America’s frustration has boiled over into halting military aid, he noted.

A Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs news release issued Friday said Islamabad was “engaged with the US Administration on the issue of security cooperation.”

“Pakistan has fought the war against terrorism largely from its own resources, which has cost over $120 billion in 15 years,” the release said, adding that the country is “determined to continue to do all it takes to secure the lives of our citizens and broader stability in the region.”

How will the cuts impact Pakistan’s military?

Despite the historically rocky bilateral relationship, Rakisits believes Pakistan’s military will not welcome “diminished military ties with the U.S. because it has gained a lot out of that relationship over the years.”

Cloughley, however, doubts the fiscal cuts will make much difference, “equipment-wise or even in operating costs,” though he acknowledges there is “not a hope, given the present climate” of Pakistan’s AH-1Z helicopter gunships being delivered, nor of any corvettes.

Even if the cuts impact Pakistan’s plan to acquire the Turkish T129 helicopter gunship, which uses American engines, Cloughley doesn’t think the military will be overly concerned. “They’ll find an alternative,” he said.

For better or for worse, that alternative is China, according to Tufail.

And if Pakistan fills the gap with China, Rakisits said, Islamabad’s “eventual over-reliance on China in the years to come will diminish Pakistan’s foreign policy options.”

Tufail said the cuts will likely impact the military’s development programs, which could have serious consequences. An increase in terrorism in Baluchistan or a flare-up on the Line of Control in Kashmir could force Pakistan’s military to undertake “some realistic risk assessment and analysis of state capacity that would be under economic strain.”

“For Pakistan to retain full operational capacity of its front-line assets like the F-16s and anti-tank helicopters, which are of U.S. origin, rhetoric will have to eventually take a back seat. This is already evident from the Pakistan National Security Committee’s consensus on ‘not acting in haste,’ and ‘wanting to play a constructive role in the region,’ ” he said.

How did Pakistan respond?

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman did not respond to Defense News’ requests for comment regarding the cut in military aid, but the ministry’s news release did discuss counterterrorism efforts.

“We believe that Pakistan-US cooperation in fighting terrorism has directly served US national security interests as well as the larger interests of international community,” the ministry said, adding that joint efforts and Pakistan’s own counterterrorism operations “helped decimate Al-Qaeda and fight other groups who took advantage of ungoverned spaces.”

The ministry went on to list failures on the Afghan side of the border.

“Our efforts towards peace are awaiting reciprocal actions from the Afghan side in terms of clearance of vast stretches of ungoverned spaces on the Afghan side, bilateral border management, repatriation of Afghan Refugees, controlling poppy cultivation, drug trafficking and initiating Afghan-led and owned political reconciliation in Afghanistan.

“Arbitrary deadlines, unilateral pronouncements and shifting goalposts are counterproductive in addressing common threats.”

Rakisits said Pakistan ”completely misread Trump, believing that little would change in the relationship. Washington called their bluff.”

For Cloughley, however, Pakistan has at least one card to play: It could retaliate by shutting down the Karachi-Torkham supply route used by the U.S. to transport materiel to and from Afghanistan.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/mideast-africa/2018/01/08/pakistan-pushed-into-chinas-embrace-as-us-cuts-military-aid/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DFN DNR 1.8.18&utm_term=Editorial - Daily News Roundup

 

[jbgt90]

As i said this is the only possible outcome of the US ditching Pakistan . Its up to Pakistan to now figure out its relationship with China , and hopefully not take it down the same path as the US .

 

[Eagle1]

Pakistan suspends military and intelligence cooperation with US
09 Jan, 2018

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has suspended military and intelligence cooperation with the United States in the wake of Trump's threats that Pakistan has given the US "nothing but lies and deceit" and suspension of security aid for Pakistan, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said while addressing a gathering at Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Speaking during a seminar titled 'Contours of Security Environment of Pakistan', Khan said the US is facing defeat in Afghanistan despite spending billions of dollars. He alleged that the US is using Pakistan as a 'scapegoat' for its failures in Afghanistan.

"Pakistan does not want to put a price on its sacrifices but wants them to be recognised," the defence minister said, adding that Pakistan will not allow Afghanistan's war to be fought on Pakistani territory.

Khan also said that the US is busy in a blame game against Pakistan rather than providing it with assistance to secure the Pak-Afghan border.

Answering a question on the occasion, the minister said that Pakistan took the right steps by blocking Nato supplies to Afghanistan in the aftermath of 2011 Salala attack.

But Pakistan is not taking the same route after Trump's recent tirade as it is a "leverage we want to use at the appropriate time", he clarified.

The defence minister said Iran, China and Russia are as important to the region as the US and reaffirmed Khwaja Asif signalling that the alliance between Pakistan and the US is over.

"This is not how allies behave," Asif had said in an interview with the *Wall Street Journal <link>*earlier this week. He maintained that Washington has turned Islamabad into a "whipping boy" for its failures in Afghanistan.

The Pentagon on Monday said that the US has told Pakistan what it must do if it wants Washington to resume paying out hundreds of millions of dollars in security aid.

“Our expectations are straightforward,” Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning told reporters.

“Taliban and Haqqani leadership and attack planners should no longer be able to find safe haven or conduct operations from Pakistani soil.”

https://timesofislamabad.com/09-Jan-2018/pakistan-suspends-military-and-intelligence-cooperation-with-us

 

[Eagle1]

U.S. wants 'decisive action' against terrorism, Pentagon says of Pakistan
The statement follows suspension of delivery of security funds and military equipment based on U.S. officials lack of satisfaction with Pakistani leaders' efforts against terror groups.

By James LaPorta | Jan. 09, 2018 at 1:56 PM

President Donald Trump departs the White House on January 5, 2018 for a weekend trip to Camp David where he will met with Republican leadership. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI
| License Photo

Jan. 9 (UPI) -- The Pentagon has clarified what the United States expects of Pakistan after suspending the delivery of security funds and military equipment, and what needs to happen for delivery of both to start back up.

The Pentagon's top press officer told reporters Monday that the United States wants Pakistan to take "decisive action" against terrorism within the region following the suspension of security funds and military equipment to the Pakistani government -- a decision that drew harsh backlash last week from the U.S. ally.

"Our expectations are straightforward: Taliban and Haqqani leadership and attack planners should no longer be able to find safe haven or conduct operations from Pakistani soil," said Army Col. Robert Manning, who is the director of defense press operations at the Pentagon.

"This suspension is not a permanent cutoff at this time," Manning said. "Security funding and pending deliveries will be frozen, but not cancelled or reprogrammed at this time."

Manning said that the U.S. stands ready to "work together" with Pakistan, and that, "the U.S has conveyed to Pakistan specific and concrete steps that it could take toward these ends," adding, "We stand ready to work together with Pakistan to combat terrorist groups without distinction."

Military and security funds being cut off to Pakistan for their alleged harboring of terrorists from the Haqqani network -- one of the most dangerous insurgent groups in Afghanistan -- comes after months of President Donald Trump accusing Islamabad of maintaining close relationships with the Afghan Taliban.

Historically, Pakistan has faced the same type of criticism before regarding its counterterrorism efforts and providing of "safe havens" to terrorists from the past two White House administrations, with the Pakistani government staunchly refusing to ramp up their operational tempo when accused of aiding the Taliban's efforts.

Pakistan's response last week, however, was more tempered than previous official statements to past accusations.

Pakistan issued a statement on Friday that said, "We are engaged with the US Administration on the issue of security cooperation and await further details."

"[It] needs to be appreciated that Pakistan has fought the war against terrorism largely from its own resources, which has cost over $120 billion in 15 years," Pakistan said in a statement on Friday, which noted that counter terrorism efforts between the two countries has "decimated al-Qaeda" and other groups, directly serving the national security interests of the U.S. and the international community.

"Arbitrary deadlines, unilateral pronouncements and shifting goalposts are counterproductive in addressing common threats," the Pakistani leaders added.

The current U.S.-Pakistan feud first kicked off after Trump first took office, when he called out Islamabad in August 2017 during the announced of a new strategy for Afghanistan that called for an increase in troop levels, saying Washington could "no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organizations."

"We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars, at the same time, they are housing the very terrorists we are fighting...that must change immediately," said Trump.

Last week's announcement that $900 million for Pakistan in Coalition Support Funds would be frozen came just days after Trump tweeted criticismof the U.S. for "foolishly" giving military aid to Pakistan despite the country giving "save haven" to terrorists at the start of the New Year.

The State Department said that Pakistan was being placed on a "special watch list" for its treatment of religious minorities, and that all military equipment deliveries would stop.

On Friday, Defense Secretary James Mattis said the U.S. has "had disagreements, strong disagreements on some issues, and we're working those. The specific individual things we're doing are best handled in private, to ensure that we can be most productive -- and that's what we're working now."

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2018/01/09/US-wants-decisive-action-against-terrorism-Pentagon-says-of-Pakistan/9621515522426/?nll=1

 

[WebMaster]

Pakistan has suspended military and intelligence cooperation with US: defence minister


Pakistan has suspended military and intelligence cooperation with the United States in the wake of US President Donald Trump's allegation that Pakistan has given the US "nothing but lies and deceit" and suspension of security aid for Pakistan, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said while addressing a gathering at Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Speaking during a seminar titled 'Contours of Security Environment of Pakistan', Khan said the US is facing defeat in Afghanistan despite spending billions of dollars. He alleged that the US is using Pakistan as a 'scapegoat' for its failures in Afghanistan.

"Pakistan does not want to put a price on its sacrifices but wants them to be recognised," the defence minister said, adding that Pakistan will not allow Afghanistan's war to be fought on Pakistani territory.

Khan also said that the US is busy in a blame game against Pakistan rather than providing it with assistance to secure the Pak-Afghan border.

The US Embassy in Islamabad said it had not been informed about the suspension of military cooperation by Pakistan.

“We have not received any formal communication regarding a suspension,” Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said, according to VOA news.

Answering a question during the seminar, the defence minister said that Pakistan took the right steps by blocking Nato supplies to Afghanistan in the aftermath of 2011 attack at Salala check post.

But Pakistan is not taking the same route after Trump's recent tirade as it is a "leverage we want to use at the appropriate time", he clarified.

The defence minister said Iran, China and Russia are as important to the region as the US and reaffirmed Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif's statement signalling that the alliance between Pakistan and the US is over.

"This is not how allies behave," Asif had said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal earlier this week. He maintained that Washington has turned Islamabad into a "whipping boy" for its failures in Afghanistan.

The Pentagon on Monday said that the US has told Pakistan what it must do if it wants Washington to resume paying out hundreds of millions of dollars in security aid.

“Our expectations are straightforward,” Pentagon spokesman Colonel Rob Manning told reporters.

“Taliban and Haqqani leadership and attack planners should no longer be able to find safe haven or conduct operations from Pakistani soil.”

Worsening relations
In the new year, Washington has increased pressure on Islamabad to "do more" in the fight against terrorism.

Washington has stated that the suspension of military aid, which came after Trump accused Pakistan of "lies and deceit", is part of America's South Asia strategy.

The development has followed in the aftermath of an increasingly terse back-and-forth between Washington and Islamabad since Trump announced the policy.

In Pakistan, the move has been seen as the first step to implementing Trump’s pledge to tighten economic restrictions on Islamabad.

Despite the tension, however, US and Pakistani officials remain in contact with each other. US Defence Secretary James Mattis on Friday said that the Pentagon was maintaining its communication with the Pakistani military establishment even after the suspension of military assistance.

Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua has said that Pakistan will continue to engage with Washington as far as possible, because America is not only a global power but also has a regional presence, and "for us it’s almost our neighbour".

 

[Eagle1]

What will happen to this deal?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/946061971169955840

 

[Eagle1]

Pakistani Army Chief Says Nation Felt 'Betrayed' by US
January 12, 2018
by Ayaz Gul - VOA News

FILE - U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis (L) meets with Pakistan's army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Dec. 4, 2017.

ISLAMABAD —
A top American general has told Pakistan's army chief the U.S. military does not intend to conduct any unilateral strikes inside the country and both sides emphasized the need for continued cooperation to fight terrorism, an official announcement said Friday.

U.S. Central Command General Joseph Votel telephoned General Qamar Javed Bajwa this week and offered the assurance, said army spokesman Major-General Asif Ghafoor, while releasing details of the conversation. He did not say when it occurred.

The high-level contact came after U.S. President Donald Trump, in a New Year Day's tweet, accused Pakistan of "lies and deceit," saying the country is providing havens to militants fighting U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

The Trump administration subsequently suspended nearly $2 billion in security assistance to Islamabad until it takes "decisive action" against alleged Afghan militant sanctuaries on Pakistani soil.

FILE - Pakistan army spokesman Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor

Ghafoor said Votel reiterated Washington's concerns, saying they are undermining Pakistan's counterterrorism contributions.

"The U.S. is not contemplating any unilateral action inside Pakistan, but is seeking cooperation to tackle Afghan nationals, who, in the U.S.'s view, use Pakistan's soil against Afghanistan," the spokesman quoted Votel as telling Bajwa.

Ghafoor said the army chief told the U.S. general the entire Pakistani nation "felt betrayed over U.S. recent statements despite decades of cooperation."

The spokesman said that during the conversation with Votel, General Bajwa noted Pakistan was fully aware of U.S. concerns about the activities of Afghan nationals in Pakistan and that steps were being taken to counter them.

"[The army chief] reiterated that Pakistan will not seek resumption of [U.S.] aid but expects honorable recognition of our contributions, sacrifices and unwavering resolve in the fight against terrorism for peace and stability in the region."

A Central Command spokesman confirmed Votel's contact with Bajwa.

"U.S. Central Command is in continuous communication with the Pakistan military, including recurring conversations between General Votel and Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Bajwa," a statement said. "We value mutual understanding of interests and concerns that we need to consider that might lead to a positive path forward."

Islamabad denies U.S. allegations of harboring insurgent bases and cites its "unprecedented" gains against terrorist groups on Pakistan soil, resulting in improved national security.

Trump's tweet has sparked a war of words between Pakistan and the United States, prompting fears the two are on a collision course. There has been speculation the U.S. military might undertake drone strikes deep inside Pakistan to target suspected hideouts of the Taliban and the allied Haqqani network.

Such a move, however, is likely to provoke Islamabad to block air and ground routes that U.S. and NATO troops depend on to conduct counterterrorism operations and transport vital military supplies to landlocked Afghanistan.

U.S. airstrikes accidentally hit Pakistani border posts in 2011, prompting the country to close the supply lines for months. Islamabad restored the route only after the U.S. military formally apologized for the incident.

https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistani-armyc-hief-says-nation-felt-betrayed-us/4205340.html

 

[Signalian]

What will happen to this deal?

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/946061971169955840

I personally hope, it doesn't go through. Its a sanction prone bird.

 

[WebMaster]

I personally hope, it doesn't go through. Its a sanction prone bird.

With the current tension Pakistan is likely to halt any present/future arm deals. Italy, China and several other countries would welcome to have their production line busy.

 

[Eagle1]

I personally hope, it doesn't go through. Its a sanction prone bird.

"The Bell AH-1Z and the Bell UH-1Y have 84% identicality and commonality of major components." SO not exactly sanction prone. Intl mkt is flooded with Bell UH1 / 412 parts.

 

[Hithchiker]

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/269238-a-silver-lining
Washington has a long history of wrongdoings and stubbornness. Its betrayal of Pakistan and blunders in Afghanistan are a glaring reality that cannot be denied.
Through his recent tweet, Trump tried to pass the buck of American failures in Afghanistan and blame Islamabad for ‘lies and deceit’, while also emphasising on ‘no more’ aid to Pakistan. Trump’s policy is a blessing in disguise, and his bullying provides a golden opportunity to Pakistan. However, sagacity and effective diplomacy will be needed to harness this opportunity successfully.
It is unfortunate that instead of putting forth a prudent alternative, vote-driven politics and ratings-driven media have engaged in verbal attacks and criticism – a safe and riskless exercise indeed but a futile one. The US is not moved by any external criticism or even verbal abuse. In fact, this unbridled freedom of expression is even available to its own citizens. Washington reacts and can cross any limit only when its interests are threatened.
Surprisingly, the most vociferous in their criticism are those religious-political leaders in Pakistan who beg Washington, behind the curtains, to help them acquire power. Similarly, it is those journalists and anchorpersons who are either green card holders or whose children live in the West who are very vocal in lambasting Donald Trump. In addition, those retired generals are also on the forefront who once launched religious leaders against the US or whose children also live in the US and Australia.
General Pervez Musharaf is a leading example of this. He joined the war on terror and became Washington’s dearest ally, but at the same time launched the MMA to threaten the Americans. Instead of breaking the alliance with the US because of the latter’s double game, he started a double game of his own while fighting the war on terror. To ensure his presence in the media, he now even proudly accepts playing the double game. He either lives in London or the UAE, but Hafiz Saeed – a man designated a terrorist by the UN and US – has become his hero.
The million dollar question here is: can we fight a country in which the children of our elite live, or which has become a second home to our leadership? The Americans know the weakness of our elites and the shallowness of our jingoism. That is why we are at the receiving end of the degrading remarks of the US attorney general as well as the US president.
Nevertheless, looking at the positive side, it is probably the best time to not be as dependent on the US as we were in the past. Trump has also ended up benefiting Pakistan – thanks to his follies and political blunders. Historically, Pakistan’s policymakers have been reluctant to join the China or Russia camps. But Trump’s aggressive approach has pushed Islamabad right towards the opposite camp.
Russia too did not trust Pakistan due to its fears of Islamabad slipping back to the US camp. But now that Pakistan has started responding to Trump in the same tone, Russia’s trust and confidence in us is gradually being restored. China and Russia were also not on the same page as Pakistan on Afghanistan’s issues, particularly India’s role in the country. But with the Washington-New Delhi nexus becoming stronger, and Trump trying to use India as a proxy in South Asia, China and Russia have also grown greatly suspicious of India’s role in Afghanistan. China has strongly rejected Trump’s Afghan policy and has started playing a more effective role in Afghanistan, while Russia has also started showing greater interest in the country for the first time since the disintegration of the USSR.
As far as Iran was concerned, Pakistan was previously facing a dilemma as relations between Tehran and Washington were improving during Obama’s tenure, and Iran and India were also coming closer and their strategic partnership was increasing. The construction of the Chabahar Port and the Kulbhushan Jadhav saga are some examples of these closer ties.
Trump’s current approach towards Iran has reignited Tehran’s traditional animosity and has also weakened Iran and India’s bond. This enhances the chances of Iran and Pakistan becoming close allies, which the US could fear greatly.
While Trump’s irresponsible and foolish statements aimed at the UK, Europe, North Korea and Iran may not be a reflection of the US establishment’s policy at large, what he irresponsibly expresses about Pakistan is indeed US policy. The US establishment may not fully implement everything that Trump says or wants about Afghanistan and Pakistan but there has been a largely similar view in Washington regarding Pakistan even during the Bush and Obama administrations.
The most alarming fact, however, is that the primary victim, Afghanistan, is on the same page with Washington, and Kabul emphatically blames Islamabad for its instability. And being a victim of instability, Kabul’s voice is generally being heard in capitals around the world. This gives Washington an opportunity to engage in anti-Pakistan propaganda, shift the blame and blackmail Islamabad. Pakistan needs to counter this poisonous propaganda, listen to Kabul’s grievances and address its genuine concerns.
Pakistan’s Afghan policy should not be Trump-driven and should not be influenced by reactions to his policies. If we satisfy the people of Afghanistan, we would be able to undermine the credibility of the anti-Pakistan propaganda and deny Washington its blackmailing advantage. Although some argue that being a puppet of the US, the Afghan government will do whatever Washington asks it to do, the fact is on the contrary. Embroiled in animosity with Tehran for decades, the US failed to use Afghanistan against Tehran. Having probably tried its best to use one against the other, it is a fact that neither former Afghan president Hamid Karzai nor Ashraf Ghani ever spoke against Iran or allowed Afghan soil to be used against Iran. Even Iran, in the presence of the US, managed to use the Afghan soil to promote its strategic interests. So if Washington cannot dictate and use Kabul against Tehran, how can it use it against Islamabad?
Pakistan should never accept any demand of the US that is detrimental to, or compromises, its national interests. However, we should support every sincere effort aimed at ending instability in Afghanistan. Since we share a border, a peaceful Afghanistan is the primary need of Pakistan, China, Russia and Iran. The US and India seem to be the primary beneficiaries of instability in Afghanistan. But we should respond to Trump’s policy through other front since it would be suicidal for us to formulate an Afghan policy on the basis of our reaction to Trump’s stubbornness.
To undermine the US-India nexus, it is important to strive for peace and stability in Afghanistan. Keeping Kabul on board, we should strive for a joint strategy and should form a single bloc with China, Russia and Iran. In spite of Kabul’s follies and blunders regarding Islamabad, it is a fact that the people of Afghanistan want peace and stability.
Every Afghan knows that the role and importance of Pakistan, China, Russia and Iran is greater than the US and India. However, they are at the mercy of Washington and New Delhi due to the continuous war and instability in their country. They will rush towards the regional powers the day their dependence on Washington and New Delhi ends. It is high time Kabul were given a chance via a joint strategy and regional bloc for peace.
The writer works for Geo TV.
Email:saleem.safi@janggroup.com.pk

 

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