Lets hope that all this screaming nonsense in the US about Pakistan does not turn into a will of influence and force matter. In order for that not to happen the following should be the path.
Three requirements;
1, Stop threatening Pakistan. The dreamy imperialists need to accept that the creation of the new greater ME map is dead. So why hold the threat of a Baluchistan over Pakistan? We hear constantly that Pakistan must be protected then everything done, overtly and covertly, leads to instability. Naivety at best lunacy at worst.
2, Stop threatening Pakistan. A US attack on Pakistan would be a catastrophe, regardless of weather a terrorist attack was planned there or not. The calamity that would ensue would certainly trigger a massive and far more destructive war.
3, Stop threatening Pakistan. Not to go all moral but Pakistan has been a front-line state for fifty plus yrs for the US. Its deep state is a direct response to this role. This is a US made mess and it should do the all the things necessary to alleviate the problem so Pakistan can find itself.
Three suggestions;
1, Get out of Afghanistan at a minimum find a new transport route. The cost would be less to do so. The day after the OBL killing the Pakistani peoples response to every article was "This is BS". They didn't flood the papers with love for him or hate for the US. They screamed that their country has no sovereignty and is supposed to be a democracy and clearly isn't. The people of Pakistan hate the US not for its grand moral leadership but because it tramples on their wishes and interests while disregarding their borders.
2, Increase aid. This should be completely separate from military aid. The aid should be conditioned only on its use for civil society building. Building on existing local government could give the Pakistanis some belief that they may be able to make democracy work from the ground up.
3, At some point Pakistan will have to collect federal taxes "more" broadly. It may be a good idea to hinge military aid on this. Right now might not be the time for that endeavor to get to aggressive. It may be best left to a more responsive local level, again the ground up approach to civilian leadership. The US for its part should cease any participation in the Pakistan brain drain and should encourage it's allies to do the same. People who leave Pakistan to work should be returning remittances and coming home with a fresh perspective. Those who leave for an education should return with it and not be gobbled up by foreign corporations and states. Along with that US law enforcement assistance ensuring corporate adherence to Pakistani law would be very helpful.
I could go and on but instead I will leave this warning.
The stakes are getting very high. One of a very few things holding Pakistan together is the belief of some that they can rescue the country through democracy (reduced US interference is how they view that possibility as coming about). If that belief evaporates all bets are off.
As for Pakistan "It is time to wake up!" as Yousuf Nazar so elegantly states
Update: These are the maps I am referring too, before and after. They came from here and here. Also here is the Armed forces Journal article. Basically it is a sectarian Greater ME of small vulnerable states. Dependent states might be more accurate. Hope that helps.
Three requirements;
1, Stop threatening Pakistan. The dreamy imperialists need to accept that the creation of the new greater ME map is dead. So why hold the threat of a Baluchistan over Pakistan? We hear constantly that Pakistan must be protected then everything done, overtly and covertly, leads to instability. Naivety at best lunacy at worst.
2, Stop threatening Pakistan. A US attack on Pakistan would be a catastrophe, regardless of weather a terrorist attack was planned there or not. The calamity that would ensue would certainly trigger a massive and far more destructive war.
3, Stop threatening Pakistan. Not to go all moral but Pakistan has been a front-line state for fifty plus yrs for the US. Its deep state is a direct response to this role. This is a US made mess and it should do the all the things necessary to alleviate the problem so Pakistan can find itself.
Three suggestions;
1, Get out of Afghanistan at a minimum find a new transport route. The cost would be less to do so. The day after the OBL killing the Pakistani peoples response to every article was "This is BS". They didn't flood the papers with love for him or hate for the US. They screamed that their country has no sovereignty and is supposed to be a democracy and clearly isn't. The people of Pakistan hate the US not for its grand moral leadership but because it tramples on their wishes and interests while disregarding their borders.
2, Increase aid. This should be completely separate from military aid. The aid should be conditioned only on its use for civil society building. Building on existing local government could give the Pakistanis some belief that they may be able to make democracy work from the ground up.
3, At some point Pakistan will have to collect federal taxes "more" broadly. It may be a good idea to hinge military aid on this. Right now might not be the time for that endeavor to get to aggressive. It may be best left to a more responsive local level, again the ground up approach to civilian leadership. The US for its part should cease any participation in the Pakistan brain drain and should encourage it's allies to do the same. People who leave Pakistan to work should be returning remittances and coming home with a fresh perspective. Those who leave for an education should return with it and not be gobbled up by foreign corporations and states. Along with that US law enforcement assistance ensuring corporate adherence to Pakistani law would be very helpful.
I could go and on but instead I will leave this warning.
The stakes are getting very high. One of a very few things holding Pakistan together is the belief of some that they can rescue the country through democracy (reduced US interference is how they view that possibility as coming about). If that belief evaporates all bets are off.
As for Pakistan "It is time to wake up!" as Yousuf Nazar so elegantly states
Update: These are the maps I am referring too, before and after. They came from here and here. Also here is the Armed forces Journal article. Basically it is a sectarian Greater ME of small vulnerable states. Dependent states might be more accurate. Hope that helps.
