Featured Pakistan wants to be treated like an ally, not a scapegoat - Washington Post

[VCheng]

Pakistan needs to sell its strategic position for global economic interests to WEST to EAST to Everyone!

Good idea - if it works.

 

[khansaheeb]

That's great. But what can it offer in return to make such treatment possible? That is the key question.

You mean the other way round don't you? What can the US do for Pakistan to ensure a cordial relationship in a region where the US has run out of friends?

 

[waz]

Good article but see the comment section on Washington Post, 300 comments and everyone calling it a propaganda piece. Stating Pakistan as exporters of terrorism and how Osama Bin Laden was found here. No articles will help if the US citizens themselves hate Pakistan due to Indian propaganda over years and also ourselves to blame for Osama bin laden fiasco.

I can guarantee you that 90% of those comments are Indian with pretend western names, seriously it is at epidemic levels. There are also thousands of Twitter accounts of them being Pashtun nationalists, Baluch etc. I post on a massive forum which has a significant number of right-wing Americans. Most are indifferent now, some just want out, but a good number say it's better to work with the "devil we know" i.e. Pakistan.

 

[VCheng]

You mean the other way round don't you? What can the US do for Pakistan to ensure a cordial relationship in a region where the US has run out of friends?

With the US withdrawal nearly complete, is that really what USA needs in the region?

 

[waz]

With the US withdrawal nearly complete, is that really what USA needs in the region?

It needs relationships something they have massively strained, in the illusion nations will overlook things because it’s the US. They haven’t….

 

[VCheng]

It needs relationships something they have massively strained.

Yes, but any relationship going forwards must demonstrate a needed value for both sides.

 

[Neurath]

There are calls from within USA to work with Pakistan and Afghan Taliban. This article is 2nd in a row for the same.

Pakistan should maintain pressure on USA to do the needful. Things will move forward eventually.

I don't think these calls will make any headway really. One must consider the influence of lobbies in Washington, among which the powerful ones are all working actively against Pakistan.

 

[waz]

Yes, but any relationship going forwards must demonstrate a needed value for both sides.

The problem is many nations don’t see the US putting much value in.
I’m afraid the ramifications of this will be felt for years to come.

 

[VCheng]

The problem is many nations don’t see the US putting much value in.
I’m afraid the ramifications of this will be felt for years to come.

That is not a problem. After all, if any nation feels a relationship with USA does not add any (or sufficient) value for them, they can explore their other options to best serve their national interests, for example, as the Pakistani NSA has already said.

 

[313ghazi]

It's going through the motions, which is the right thing to do, but the USA is a snake. Always has been.

 

[Beast]

The NATO shall blame no one but themselves for Afghanistan failure,,,

 

[waz]

That is not a problem. After all, if any nation feels a relationship with USA does not add any (or sufficient) value for them, they can explore their other options to best serve their national interests, for example, as the Pakistani NSA has already said.

It's a problem for the US for sure, as they have for example a goal to counter China, however EU nations did made symbolic gestures regarding this, but now there is open talk of going their own way. The US is pretty much running out of partners to work with, much of it down to their policy.

 

[VCheng]

It's a problem for the US for sure, as they have for example a goal to counter China, however EU nations did made symbolic gestures regarding this, but now there is open talk of going their own way. The US is pretty much running out of partners to work with, much of it down to their policy.

I am sure USA will find its own way forward not only with the U, but many other nations as well, including China, just as I am sure that Pakistan will chart its own course to serve its national interests, with or without US support, with the present setup in charge. The best thing about international geopolitics is that things are never totally black and white, but always varying shades of grey, and even these shades keep on changing and are never constant.

 

[waz]

I am sure USA will find its own way forward not only with the U, but many other nations as well, including China, just as I am sure that Pakistan will chart its own course to serve its national interests, with or without US support, with the present setup in charge. The best thing about international geopolitics is that things are never totally black and white, but always varying shades of grey, and even these shades keep on changing and are never constant.

Yes I agree, and indeed it is shades of grey and nothing is certain. However one thing is no doubt, the Afghan debacle has badly damaged the reputation of the US being a reliable partner.

 

[VCheng]

Yes I agree, and indeed it is shades of grey and nothing is certain. However one thing is no doubt, the Afghan debacle has badly damaged the reputation of the US being a reliable partner.

USA will get over the recent setbacks, I am quite sure. Anyone who wishes to see this debacle as an end to USA would do well to study the aftermath of the Vietnam withdrawal and how everything not only recovered from that debacle, but came back ever stronger.