Islamabad in a fix over joining US-led coalition

[PAKISTANFOREVER]

ISIS's Afghanistan have territory about 200-500km west of Peshawar, inside Afghanistan on the border areas.

Why not? Removing ISIS from Afghanistan and then Milking Uncle Sam for more free monies and bang bangs is both in our favor, we can take out the ISIS and prevent them from coming into us and get payed for doing it by the yanks.

If we look at history and what Pakistan has done before, I'm sure there is a 80% chance that we will join.

ISIS

I know about that bond but Afghanistan and you don't share it. Sorry, For sure....Afghanistan sees you as the estranged brother trying to destabilize it and wanting it to dance to your tunes which they don't encourage. They are a separate country .Not your backyard. This idiosyncratic thought led to strained relations.
I am pretty much sure of that based upon the current affairs.
Grow up. International politics is much more than muslim-to-muslim bonds which you pathetically believe.



If you are saying this from your experience then I don't pay respect to it.
Because what you have experienced is illusions. Pathetic !
You guys are still in the 70s. Accept it. This is a modern world and the guy who is willing to spend is the king. Muslim-Muslim bhai-bhai is a faux in the present world.
Can Pakistan spend that much to win over alliances ? Strict no.

Well they obviously see something in Pakistan because there is at least officially 3 million legal Afghans in Pakistan. The real figure could actually be many times more. And not to mention more pouring into Pakistan everyday. We'd all be happy in Pakistan if the Afghans went home or were sent to Iran or any other place except here. Whatever problems the Afghans have or don't have I wish they'd solve themselves and not expect others to carry them.

 

[Cash GK]

respect for pakistan they gave identity in the world to so many Afghanistani, travel with pakistani passport.I know some of try to make india happy. it is not to make india happy.Afghan people are claver they know how and where to get money.so let the indian give them. atleat they steeling money from india.I know if war brok up between indian and pakistan they will be there as all their history they been doing with indians

 

[Super Falcon]

Pakistan should ask USA first to do more in Afghanistan to eliminate terrorists.

And also eliminate karzai abdullah so peace prevails

 

[waz]

ISIS is spawning in Afghanistan. The Pakistani members were wiped out with American drone strikes and Pakistani military operations. But their appeal should never be underestimated and they could arise at any time. I'm not against a small presence of combat craft such as the J7-17, as it would give our pilots great practice, not that they are short of that with the TTP!
However, such a deployment is plagued with difficulty. If Pakistan launches strikes they should solely focus on ISIS. But could that prop up Asad? Pakistan has spoken out against the regime. What would Russia, with whom Pakistan has a blossoming relationship with, make of it? Will they be supportive? Would they want Pakistan to back their own anti ISIS mission?
The rebels are also another element. Most of the rebels would welcome strikes on ISIS, however the likes of Nusra are allied with Al-Queda, who are the sworn enemies of Pakistan.
What about the Arab states? Pakistan has close allies such as Jordan who are actively involved, so can count on their support.
Finally who foots the bill? Such a deployment, even a token would be expensive, and that's money Pakistan can ill afford to spend.

Now let's say Pakistan does join should requests be asked of the states. One major concern Pakistan should raise is the sale of advanced weapons to the Indians i.e. the the talk of F-35. What's the point in extending a helping hand whilst your only enemy is being armed? You've see the furore the Indians are raising over potential SU-35 sales. There are other things as well e.g. arms sales, more help in energy and so forth.

Let's see what happens.

 

[Jaanbaz]

Last time we joined a coalition it turned out bad. In fact we have been bitten by USA too many times but like a greedy beggar we keep following USA.

 

[khail007]

Pakistani USA jaisay naag say kitni martaba dassay jayen gay. NO MORE USA COALITIONS JOINING.

 

[Desert Fox]

We should not join this coalition. America and her allies created this mess and now they should go at it alone.

 

[somebozo]

Why dont they asked their beloved India to join the fight against ISIS?? Or is Pakistan too strategic to ignore???

 

[SirHatesALot]

Why dont they asked their beloved India to join the fight against ISIS?? Or is Pakistan too strategic to ignore???

US interests in India is more economic than strategic, Pakistan will remain Americas major non NATO ally.

 

[Azadkashmir]

dont forget they killed our soldiers at the post and refuse to apologise. pakistan stay out of it. usa is playing double game get pak involved another war and help india arm up dnt trust this country. i swear usa plays double dirty game. majority of people dont know but usa built up soviet union behind close doors communism and capitalim two of same coin. yes all the machine tools and training provided by usa. usa creates groups like isis then fights it and uses this as pretext to invade countries.

 

[Khanivore]

Is "Do More" rhetoric getting upgraded to "Do More v2.0"? If the US is expecting Pakistan to put boots on the ground or aerial cover against ISIS, how do they expect that to be achieved when already they got Pak forces involved on the Afghan border region? It's already cost so many lives and billions of $s losses. Crazy.

 

[Awi]

Pakistan can't afford to join this bloody game, if ISIS came to Pak then it will be our problem and if need be ALL PARTNERS in CPEC will join arms with Pak against that evil to protect their interests. Pak doesn't need US, and we don't need their money, as at the end it turns out to be just blood money.

 

[Nothing]

Without joining coalition , Pakistan can keep ISIS away. GOP don't need outside support for same. Make sure they don't enter from borders and if someone claims to part of it, put that person behind bar. If any organization declares support , ban it and put its leaders and worked behind bar.
Make sure everyone knows supporting ISIS is end for them.
You guys will be good.
Don't involved politics in it, simple matter of national security.

 

[Kompromat]

Its none of Pakistan's business.

 

[Thorough Pro]

It runs deeper than it looks. Joining US led coalition against ISIS in Syria means going against Russian interests in Syria and ruin the recent progress in our relations with Russia besides getting stuck in yet another US created quagmire, we are still not out of the first and what did we gain from the previous besides loosing thousands of our sons, billions in economic loss, unrest, terrorism and false propaganda by the same US, lies and blame of double play.

Our platter is full at the moment, forces are busy on northern front, nuisance in the east is directly involved in terrorism in our country, expanding it's military at an alarming rate and threatening day in and day out with cross border firing.

We MUST keep out of any more coalitions and focus on cleaning our own inner filth rather than worrying about others problems.

Islamabad in a fix over joining US-led coalition
By Zahid Gishkori
Published: September 21, 2015



ISLAMABAD:
With the war against militancy raging on within its own boundaries, Pakistan has to decide within the coming days whether or not to join the US-backed international alliance against the ultra-extremist Islamic State (IS).

Ahead of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s upcoming trip to the US, the government is in a quandary over how it should respond to Washington’s request to join its military alliance against the militant group, which has established a self-styled Caliphate over large areas in Iraq and Syria.

PM Nawaz is expected to visit New York to address the United Nations General Assembly session next week.

The US started bombing IS hideouts in Syria using bases in Turkey in August last year. It has also formally asked Islamabad to join its military alliance to fight the growing global presence of the terrorist group.

Read: Turkish jets join US-led coalition strikes on Islamic State

“Pakistan is caught between the American demand and its own ongoing battle against the militants,” a senior government official said on Sunday.

Islamabad has to decide soon with the PM’s trip to the US coming up. The official claimed the premier and army chief General Raheel Sharif are on the same page, unwilling to join the alliance.

Washington is expected to announce this new alliance – Sahel to South Asia – soon and has already taken Islamabad into confidence, he added.

Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah confirmed the US has shared the idea with Pakistan. “Details however are awaited,” he added.

Last month, US National Security Adviser Susan Rice held meetings with the Pakistani military and civilian leadership when she also extended an invitation to Premier Sharif for the Washington visit.

Officials at the PM Secretariat said Gen Raheel and PM Nawaz would this week discuss the US proposal and other issues ranging from the New York visit, Taliban regrouping, al Qaeda and other militant groups sympathetic to the IS.

With Pakistan facing pressure on its eastern and western borders, they said the fear of suspension of the Coalition Support Fund seems to be Washington’s tactic to pressure Islamabad into joining the proposed alliance against IS.

This would certainly feature during PM Nawaz’s visit to New York this month and then again during the strategic dialogue between the US and Pakistan scheduled for October this year, they added.

Military officials did not comment on the issue when contacted. Senior diplomats said US envoys had been given the task to meet leaders of major political parties to drum up support for this alliance.

A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Islamabad said President Obama developed a plan last year for partnerships from South Asia to the Sahel region, allowing the US to train, build capacity and facilitate partner countries on the frontlines against terrorism. “We continue to coordinate with partners and allies in Europe and the Arab World,” he added.

Iran, Afghanistan and India have already shown willingness to join the alliance to fight against IS.

A spokesperson for the Pakistani Embassy in Washington DC said Pakistan and the US regularly discussed the potential threat of IS keeping in view the evolving nature of terrorism in the Middle East, Sahel region and other parts of Africa and Asia. Pakistan will also participate in the US-led initiative of leaders’ summit on ‘Countering IS and Violent Extremism’ in New York on the sidelines of the forthcoming UN general assembly.

However, Dr Arif Alvi of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf believes Pakistan should not jump into others’ wars. “We should fight our own war in Pakistan,” he said. “We must stay away from this alliance but we can share intelligence with international forces fighting against IS.”

Read: Islamic State says it could buy nuclear weapon from Pakistan within a year

Nafisa Shah of the Pakistan People’s Party called for a parliamentary debate before responding to the US’s proposal. “I personally support multilateral action against IS as it threatens global peace,” she added.

Pakistan, meanwhile, after denying the presence of IS in the country for long, recently put the name of the terror group on the list of proscribed organisations in the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21st, 2015.