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The Pak-US Relationship

By CHRIS BRUMMITT, Associated Press Writer
Sun Sep 28, 2008

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Beyond the bullets and the bluster, the United States and Pakistan need each other too much to allow tensions along the Afghan border to derail their relationship.

U.S. missile strikes on suspected militant havens in Pakistani territory have ratcheted up tensions and uncertainty, and a brief clash between forces of both nations a few days ago has heightened worries.

But few can envisage sustained fighting on the frontier or American soldiers being killed and wounded — a scenario that could shatter a strategically vital alliance between two countries that have little in common save mutual need.

Washington requires Islamabad's help to prevent Afghanistan sliding into chaos seven years after the ouster of the Taliban and to hunt down Osama bin Laden and other top al-Qaida leaders thought to be hiding in the restive tribal areas along the Afghan border.

Many of the supplies for U.S. troops in Afghanistan also move through Pakistan.

Pakistan's new civilian rulers, in turn, need U.S. cash to stave off an economic meltdown that is eroding their popularity just six months after taking power following years of dictatorship.

This nuclear-armed nation also requires American help in defeating the homegrown Islamic militants who have built up strongholds in the tribal region and forged ties with the Taliban and al-Qaida.

Those extremists are posing an increasing threat to Pakistan itself — a fact underscored by the devastating bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad.

"I think this climate of tension cannot prevail for too long," said Ishtiaq Ahmad, professor of international relations at Quaid-i-Azam University in the capital. "The stakes are really too high on either side."

The frontier with Afghanistan is a rugged, inhospitable land where Pakistan's government has never had much control. NATO and U.S. commanders say militants sheltering there are mounting rising attacks in Afghanistan and fear the extremists could be plotting another Sept. 11-scale attack in the West.

U.S. forces had been conducting strikes on "high-value" targets across the border in recent years under what many people believe was an unwritten agreement with Islamabad.

But tensions have spiked over a flurry of attacks since late August, including a highly unusual ground raid by U.S. commandos. With many Pakistanis angry, and government critics using the attacks to argue for cutting ties with Washington, civilian and military leaders have protested strongly to Washington.

On Thursday, U.S. helicopters and Pakistani ground troops briefly traded fire along the poorly defined and marked border, without anyone being hit, officials from both nations said.

Yet almost immediately, both sides were making conciliatory noises.

"I look at U.S. support as a blessing," President Asif Ali Zardari said in New York alongside Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who promised help for Pakistan.

Pakistan needs Western cash to avert economic crisis. The shock of higher oil and food prices has helped push up inflation to 25 percent, wrecked the government's finances and exacerbated a trade gap that is fast eating up the country's foreign currency reserves.

Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir reportedly told a meeting of donor nations in New York that "$10 billion to $15 billion was our immediate requirement" to avoid bankruptcy.

U.S. officials must tread carefully in working with Pakistan against extremist groups. While leaders of both side stress they have a common enemy, many Pakistanis blame the rise in violence here on the alliance with Washington and the U.S. border strikes are feeding public anger.

"The Americans cannot afford to destabilize the government too much," said Talat Masood, a retired general.

Some analysts see the outrage generated by the Marriott bombing as a possible turning point, however.

"This is a historic moment to create a mass opposition to the militants," said Ahmad, the Quaid-i-Azam professor. "The biggest challenge now is being able to say this is not only our own war, but it is also a common war with the Afghans, NATO and the U.S."
 
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DAN RATHER
SYNDICATED COLUMNIST

September 26, 2008

NEW YORK -- Gen. Pervez Musharraf often has been described by President Bush as a "strong ally" in the war on terrorism and the fight against extremists. But Musharraf is no longer president of Pakistan.

Pakistan often has been described by Bush as an ally in the war on terrorism, but just this past week there were reports that U.S. military helicopters exchanged fire with Pakistani soldiers at a checkpoint along the Afghan-Pakistan border -- an incident followed up by an exchange of fire between U.S. and Pakistani ground forces.

So just how goes the U.S.- Pakistani alliance?

As might be expected, U.S. and Pakistani accounts of the helicopter incident differ, with Pakistani officials insisting the helicopters had crossed over the border into Pakistani territory and U.S. officials just as firmly insisting that they had not. In the Pakistani version, too, the ordnance fired was "flares ... just to make sure that they know they have crossed the borderline," in the words of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari.

Zardari's presidency, not yet a month old, has seemed to open a particularly tense new chapter in the U.S.-Pakistani alliance. On Sept. 3, less than a week before he took office, U.S. commandos made an incursion -- without Pakistan's permission or prior knowledge -- into Pakistan's South Waziristan border region, a known staging point and hideout for Taliban militants. Pakistan claims that the incursion killed 20 civilians, a claim disputed by the U.S.

Days later, it was revealed that the U.S. incursion was authorized by a policy that Bush put into effect in July.

Pakistan reacted with strongly worded demands that its sovereignty be respected and with a warning that the Pakistani army had orders to open fire on any foreign troops discovered within the nation's territory. Zardari reiterated this position in sideline sessions with Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at last week's United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.

Cross-border incursions and threats to fire on another's forces are not generally the way that "strong" allies deal with one another. What gives?

On the Pakistani side, Zardari, the widower of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated last December, begins his presidency in a somewhat precarious political position. On the one hand, his popular election with some 70 percent of the vote grants him democratic legitimacy that his predecessor Musharraf lacked. On the other hand, longstanding allegations of corruption against him and several decisions made early in his tenure have earned him the distrust of Pakistan's extremely powerful army.

Zardari must understand that he cannot risk losing the loyalty of his nation's army altogether, with the example of Musharraf's 1999 coup no doubt in mind. And while he has made strong statements -- in Pakistan and in American newspapers -- about his desire to fight terrorism, he has also expressed his concern that U.S. incursions will unite fractious Islamic extremist groups within his country against his government. He has said he sees the recent terrorist bombing of the Islamabad Marriot Hotel as a warning from these groups.

On the U.S. side, the policy authorizing cross-border incursions reflects both a growing recognition of the deteriorating situation within Afghanistan and long-festering frustration with the efforts of Pakistani forces to root out militants in the border region. Some have implied that U.S. election-year politics also may be contributing to the new push against the Taliban in this area.

Both Bush and Zardari say they have the same goal in fighting al-Qaida and the Taliban. But lately the U.S. and Pakistan look like two countries divided by a common enemy.

Dan Rather is a columnist for Hearst Newspapers.
 
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September 29 2008

Less noticed than it should be amidst the turmoil shaking the world’s financial system, Pakistan is fighting for its life. The spectacular recent bombing in the heart of Islamabad that destroyed the Marriott hotel dramatised this. But there is much, much more.

The spread of the conflict in Afghanistan across the border into Pakistan, and the fusion of Pashtun nationalism with Islamism that has given Pakistan an indigenous Taliban, are turning the two countries into a single battlefield. But Afghanistan, ultimately, is strategically insignificant in comparison to Pakistan, a nuclear-armed federation that is coming apart at the seams under a weak government, at the crossroads of central Asia, the Middle East and south Asia, where Pakistan remains dangerously at odds with its arch-rival India.

Nor is it just that Pakistan is starting to experience Iraqi levels of ultra-violence. There is a dangerous lack of common purpose between the US and Pakistan in confronting the spread of jihadism. In the past month, there have been at least five instances of Pakistani troops firing at US incursions across the Afghan border. Yet the Pakistani army is also fighting pitched battles against insurgents in the Bajaur region near the frontier. Are the US and Pakistan on the same side?

Washington and Islamabad need to agree on ways to isolate and crush the jihadis before they penetrate the Pakistani mainstream. The current strategy is not working. Overeliant on US air power, costly in civilian lives, and outside Pakistan’s control, it is alienating Pakistanis. The Pakistani army, moreover, even though it has taken heavy losses, still needs to rein in some of its officers and spies who have been abetting jihadism as part of Pakistan’s long struggle with India.

None of this is easy under a weak government led by Asif Ali Zardari, who took over from General Pervez Musharraf, Washington’s preferred strongman. The way forward is to strengthen democratic and civilian government. The US must realise that – as the Musharraf era showed – supporting autocracy does not bring stability; it breeds extremism and, in extremis, failed states.

The US needs to treat Pakistan with the respect due an ally, help it rebuild its institutions, restore economic growth and extend the rule of law. Mr Zardari, for his part, needs an alliance with the army to regain control of all Pakistan’s territory. To his credit, he has already reached a large measure of agreement with Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president. He needs a similar level of understanding with and from Washington.
 
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Major U.S. Arms Sales and Grants to Pakistan Since 2001
Prepared for the Congressional Research Service by K. Alan Kronstadt, Specialist in South Asian Affairs (8/28/08)
Major government-to-government arms sales and grants to Pakistan since 2001 have
included items useful for counterterrorism operations, along with a number of “big ticket”
platforms more suited to conventional warfare. In dollar value terms, the bulk of purchases are
made with Pakistani national funds: the Pentagon reports total Foreign Military Sales agreements
with Pakistan worth $4.55 billion for FY2002-FY2007 (in-process sales of F-16 combat aircraft
and related equipment account for about three-quarters of this). The United States also has
provided Pakistan with nearly $1.6 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) since 2001
(including scheduled FY2008 funds), with a “base program” of $300 million per year beginning
in FY2005. These funds are used to purchase U.S. military equipment. Pakistan also has been
granted U.S. defense supplies as Excess Defense Articles (EDA).
Major post-2001 defense supplies paid for with FMF include:
! eight P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and their refurbishment (valued at $474 million);
! about 5,250 TOW anti-armor missiles ($186 million; 2,007 delivered);
! more than 5,600 military radio sets ($163 million);
! six AN/TPS-77 surveillance radars ($100 million, all delivered and in operation);
! six C-130E transport aircraft and their refurbishment ($76 million, all delivered and in
operation); and
! 20 AH-1F Cobra attack helicopters granted under EDA, then refurbished ($48 million, 12
delivered, 8 pending refurbishment).
Supplies paid for with a mix of Pakistani national funds and FMF include:
! up to 60 mid-life update kits for F-16A/B combat aircraft (valued at $891 million, with at least
$335 million of this in FMF, Pakistan’s current plans are to purchase 46 of these); and
! 115 M-109 self-propelled howitzers ($87 million, with $53 million in FMF).
Notable items paid for entirely with Pakistani national funds include:
! 18 new F-16C/D Block 50/52 combat aircraft, with an option for 18 more (valued at $1.43
billion);
! F-16 armaments including 500 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles; 1,450 2,000-pound bombs; 500
JDAM bomb tail kits; and 1,600 Enhanced Paveway laser-guided bomb kits ($667 million);
! 100 Harpoon anti-ship missiles ($298 million, 88 delivered);
! 500 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles ($95 million, 300 delivered); and
! six Phalanx close-in naval guns ($80 million).
While the Pentagon has notified Congress to the possible transfer to Pakistan of three P-3B
aircraft as EDA grants that would be modified to carry the E-2C Hawkeye airborne early
warning suite in a deal worth up to $855 million, negotiations have not progressed beyond the
notification stage. If implemented, FMF could be used toward this purchase. Major EDA grants
since 2001 include 14 F-16A/B combat aircraft and 16 T-37 military trainer jets (20 more are
pending). Under Coalition Support Funds (part of the Pentagon budget), Pakistan received 26
Bell 412 helicopters, along with related parts and maintenance, valued at $235 million.
Source: U.S. Department of Defense. See also CRS Report RS22757, U.S. Arms Sales to Pakistan, and CRS Report
RL33498, Pakistan-U.S. Relations
 
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United States-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue
Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
September 29, 2008


The United States is committed to a long-term, broad-based partnership with the government and the people of Pakistan. This partnership is based on the shared interests of the two countries in promoting democracy, peace, security, stability, and prosperity in Pakistan and in South Asia.

Since 2002 the United States has provided more than $3.4 billion to Pakistan to improve economic growth, education, health, and governance and to assist with earthquake reconstruction. The United States has also provided more than $2.4 billion in security assistance since 2002 to help Pakistan combat terrorism along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and to support Pakistan’s conventional defense and modernization needs. Total U.S. development and security assistance to Pakistan in Fiscal Year 2008 is more than $960 million.
QUOTE:
Yes Its may correct figure to show on record, but in fact paid as political/strategic bribe to their pakistani slaves (so called leaders-the black sheeps of Pakistan), in the name of pakistan to shaken its sovreignity, peace and economy lead to destablization.
UNQUOTE

HIGHLIGHTS OF U.S. ASSISTANCE TO PAKISTAN

Education

More than 600,000 children and 60,000 teachers are benefiting from U.S. assistance to Pakistan’s education sector.
Since 2006, trained more than 3,700 teachers and supervisors in interactive teaching and learning skills. More than 2,400 classrooms at 327 primary, middle and high schools, as well as model colleges, have been equipped with new learning materials.
Improved sanitation facilities and the quality of drinking water at 176 girls’ primary schools and 89 villages in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Provided training in sanitation to religious scholars, elected representatives, and community members benefiting 60,000 households or 420,000 people.
Supported the bilateral Fulbright Program, which provides an opportunity for more than 350 Pakistani students each year (new and continuing) to pursue MA or PhD degrees in the United States. The Fulbright Commission in Pakistan receives the largest amount of U.S. government funding of any Fulbright Program worldwide.

Health

Renovated and equipped 40 hospital and rural centers, more than 30 of which now provide round-the-clock care.
Through almost 1,200 child health days, provided medical care, vaccinations, and nutritional support to more than 135,000 children, including in the FATA.
Trained more than 1,400 public sector doctors and 600 private clinic doctors in handling obstetric emergencies, and more than 1,800 traditional birth attendants to conduct clean deliveries and to recognize emergencies that require hospital referral.
Supporting the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey, which provides reliable figures on the direct and indirect causes of maternal and child deaths, family planning, and other vital health issues.

Economic Growth

Providing micro-credit loans to populations in Balochistan, Sindh, and the FATA. More than 350,000 loans totaling more than $63 million have been disbursed.
Increased the competitiveness of Pakistani small and medium-sized enterprises in sectors such as gems and jewelry, dairy, marble and granite, horticulture, furniture, and surgical instruments, which in turn helps to create more and better jobs.
Provided $200 million in Economic Support Funds to the Government of Pakistan each year in Fiscal Years 2005, 2006 and 2007. The funds provided vital budgetary support for Pakistan’s health, education, clean drinking water and earthquake reconstruction initiatives.
Since 2006, provided more than $200 million in food security assistance.

Democracy and Governance

Since 2006, provided approximately $155 million in support of democracy in Pakistan, of which more than $29 million has gone to direct support for Pakistan’s election and political processes. For Pakistan’s February 2008 elections, the U.S. supported the Election Commission of Pakistan, provided translucent ballot boxes and seals, ensured a computerized voter registration list, funded 38 observers through Democracy International, provided support for the deployment of 20,000 observers to cover more than 40,000 polling stations, and contributed funding to a United Nations Development Program activity that trained 60,000 polling station staff and other election officials.
Trained more than 1,100 members of local governments, including 225 women, in budget oversight, leadership skills, and participatory planning.
Trained hundreds of national and provincial parliaments on rules of procedure, the committee system, legislative drafting, and budget review.

Earthquake Relief

Gave commodities to 370,000 people affected by the earthquake.
Provided emergency medical treatment to 35,000 people.
Supplied safe drinking water to 57,000 people.
Gave emergency shelter materials to 596,000 people.

2008/815

Released on September 29, 2008
 
Last edited:
.
United States-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue
Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
September 29, 2008


The United States is committed to a long-term, broad-based partnership with the government and the people of Pakistan. This partnership is based on the shared interests of the two countries in promoting democracy, peace, security, stability, and prosperity in Pakistan and in South Asia.

Since 2002 the United States has provided more than $3.4 billion to Pakistan to improve economic growth, education, health, and governance and to assist with earthquake reconstruction. The United States has also provided more than $2.4 billion in security assistance since 2002 to help Pakistan combat terrorism along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and to support Pakistan’s conventional defense and modernization needs. Total U.S. development and security assistance to Pakistan in Fiscal Year 2008 is more than $960 million.


HIGHLIGHTS OF U.S. ASSISTANCE TO PAKISTAN

Education

More than 600,000 children and 60,000 teachers are benefiting from U.S. assistance to Pakistan’s education sector.
Since 2006, trained more than 3,700 teachers and supervisors in interactive teaching and learning skills. More than 2,400 classrooms at 327 primary, middle and high schools, as well as model colleges, have been equipped with new learning materials.
Improved sanitation facilities and the quality of drinking water at 176 girls’ primary schools and 89 villages in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Provided training in sanitation to religious scholars, elected representatives, and community members benefiting 60,000 households or 420,000 people.
Supported the bilateral Fulbright Program, which provides an opportunity for more than 350 Pakistani students each year (new and continuing) to pursue MA or PhD degrees in the United States. The Fulbright Commission in Pakistan receives the largest amount of U.S. government funding of any Fulbright Program worldwide.

Health

Renovated and equipped 40 hospital and rural centers, more than 30 of which now provide round-the-clock care.
Through almost 1,200 child health days, provided medical care, vaccinations, and nutritional support to more than 135,000 children, including in the FATA.
Trained more than 1,400 public sector doctors and 600 private clinic doctors in handling obstetric emergencies, and more than 1,800 traditional birth attendants to conduct clean deliveries and to recognize emergencies that require hospital referral.
Supporting the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey, which provides reliable figures on the direct and indirect causes of maternal and child deaths, family planning, and other vital health issues.

Economic Growth

Providing micro-credit loans to populations in Balochistan, Sindh, and the FATA. More than 350,000 loans totaling more than $63 million have been disbursed.
Increased the competitiveness of Pakistani small and medium-sized enterprises in sectors such as gems and jewelry, dairy, marble and granite, horticulture, furniture, and surgical instruments, which in turn helps to create more and better jobs.
Provided $200 million in Economic Support Funds to the Government of Pakistan each year in Fiscal Years 2005, 2006 and 2007. The funds provided vital budgetary support for Pakistan’s health, education, clean drinking water and earthquake reconstruction initiatives.
Since 2006, provided more than $200 million in food security assistance.

Democracy and Governance

Since 2006, provided approximately $155 million in support of democracy in Pakistan, of which more than $29 million has gone to direct support for Pakistan’s election and political processes. For Pakistan’s February 2008 elections, the U.S. supported the Election Commission of Pakistan, provided translucent ballot boxes and seals, ensured a computerized voter registration list, funded 38 observers through Democracy International, provided support for the deployment of 20,000 observers to cover more than 40,000 polling stations, and contributed funding to a United Nations Development Program activity that trained 60,000 polling station staff and other election officials.
Trained more than 1,100 members of local governments, including 225 women, in budget oversight, leadership skills, and participatory planning.
Trained hundreds of national and provincial parliaments on rules of procedure, the committee system, legislative drafting, and budget review.

Earthquake Relief

Gave commodities to 370,000 people affected by the earthquake.
Provided emergency medical treatment to 35,000 people.
Supplied safe drinking water to 57,000 people.
Gave emergency shelter materials to 596,000 people.

2008/815

Released on September 29, 2008

This all looks good on the paper, but in reality the things are very much the opposite.

Yes Its may correct figure to show on record, but in fact paid as political/strategic bribe to their pakistani slaves (so called leaders-the black sheeps of Pakistan), in the name of pakistan to shaken its sovreignity, peace and economy lead to destablization.

Spot on.
 
.
This all looks good on the paper, but in reality the things are very much the opposite.

Yes Its may correct figure to show on record, but in fact paid as political/strategic bribe to their pakistani slaves (so called leaders-the black sheeps of Pakistan), in the name of pakistan to shaken its sovreignity, peace and economy lead to destablization.

Spot on.

Thanks for your guidance
 
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United States-Pakistan Strategic Partnership Joint Statement

Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
September 29, 2008


Following is the text of a joint statement issued by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte and Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi following the third round of the United States-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, held September 29, 2008, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. The United States-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue was last held in Islamabad, Pakistan, in September 2007.

Begin text:

Deputy Secretary Negroponte and Foreign Minister Qureshi reaffirmed their commitments to a wide-ranging, substantive, and long-term strategic partnership between the United States and Pakistan, which is based on shared values and a common effort to promote enduring peace, security, stability, freedom, and prosperity of Pakistan and of the region. Both sides exchanged views on ways to deepen their bilateral cooperation and to make the Strategic Dialogue more effective and productive.

The United States and Pakistan both strongly condemned the terrorist attack at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, on 20 September. Both Deputy Secretary Negroponte and Foreign Minister Qureshi offered their condolences to the families of all of those lost in the vicious attack. They acknowledged that terrorism and violent extremism pose a common threat to Pakistan, the United States, and the international community.

The United States affirmed its support for Pakistan's sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity. The United States is dedicated to providing Pakistan with the training and equipment it needs to fight terrorism, including support to enhance Pakistan’s counterinsurgency and counterterrorism capabilities and increased cooperation with Pakistani security forces. Both sides renewed their intention to work together to combat the threat of terrorism and violent extremism by expanding security cooperation, and to work together to develop and modernize the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Pakistan expressed its appreciation for the $4 million the U.S. has committed for flood relief and for humanitarian assistance to those displaced by fighting in Bajaur.

During the Strategic Dialogue, the two sides discussed regional and international issues of common interest. The U.S. expressed support for continued dialogue and improved relations between Pakistan and its neighbors. The U.S. expressed support for the resumption of the Jirga process with Afghanistan and for Pakistan’s commitment to hold the next Regional Economic Cooperation Conference meeting in Islamabad later this year.

The Pakistani Government expressed its appreciation for the new Friends of Pakistan initiative, which will help Pakistan face its challenges in the years ahead.

Building on the August 2008 bilateral Economic Dialogue, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to increased bilateral economic cooperation. Pakistan outlined its economic stabilization measures and reforms to foster economic growth and opportunity. The U.S. expressed support for Pakistan's plan to stabilize its economy and welcomed Pakistan's commitment to implement comprehensive reform measures.

The U.S. expressed its determination to continue efforts to promote Reconstruction Opportunity Zones legislation, currently pending in Congress. The establishment of such zones would improve stability and security by stimulating jobs, infrastructure and legitimate economic alternatives in underdeveloped areas.

The two sides emphasized the need for improved regional cooperation and integration in the energy sector. They reaffirmed their commitment to address Pakistan’s growing energy needs by expanding technical assistance and promoting investment in Pakistan’s energy sector.

Cooperation in education and science and technology were reviewed, and both resolved to make best efforts to hold Energy and Education Dialogues by the end of the year.

In keeping with the commitment made by President Bush and Prime Minister Gillani during their July meeting in Washington, the delegations began discussions focused on agricultural cooperation that would help Pakistan strengthen its agricultural sector and enhance its food security.

The two sides committed to work together to realize their long-term vision of the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Partnership.

2008/813
Released on September 29, 2008

QUOTE:
What a dreamfull story script:lol:
I wish this all would be fact in real life, but its fact such dreams never comes true:angry:
We have get rid of all non-sense aristocratic & plutocratic greedy politicia (who are ruling turn by turn, on Pakistan and ever-ready to sell national interests & Sovereignty) in the name of democracy, and then find the real ways to get peace & development of the country.
 
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Analysis: US, Pakistan ties too important to fail

By CHRIS BRUMMITT

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — Beyond the bullets and the bluster, the United States and Pakistan need each other too much to allow tensions along the Afghan border to derail their relationship.

U.S. missile strikes on suspected militant havens in Pakistani territory have ratcheted up tensions and uncertainty, and a brief clash between forces of both nations a few days ago has heightened worries.

But few can envisage sustained fighting on the frontier or American soldiers being killed and wounded — a scenario that could shatter a strategically vital alliance between two countries that have little in common save mutual need.

Washington requires Islamabad's help to prevent Afghanistan sliding into chaos seven years after the ouster of the Taliban and to hunt down Osama bin Laden and other top al-Qaida leaders thought to be hiding in the restive tribal areas along the Afghan border.

Many of the supplies for U.S. troops in Afghanistan also move through Pakistan.

Pakistan's new civilian rulers, in turn, need U.S. cash to stave off an economic meltdown that is eroding their popularity just six months after taking power following years of dictatorship.

This nuclear-armed nation also requires American help in defeating the homegrown Islamic militants who have built up strongholds in the tribal region and forged ties with the Taliban and al-Qaida.

Those extremists are posing an increasing threat to Pakistan itself — a fact underscored by the devastating bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad.

"I think this climate of tension cannot prevail for too long," said Ishtiaq Ahmad, professor of international relations at Quaid-i-Azam University in the capital. "The stakes are really too high on either side."

The frontier with Afghanistan is a rugged, inhospitable land where Pakistan's government has never had much control. NATO and U.S. commanders say militants sheltering there are mounting rising attacks in Afghanistan and fear the extremists could be plotting another Sept. 11-scale attack in the West.

U.S. forces had been conducting strikes on "high-value" targets across the border in recent years under what many people believe was an unwritten agreement with Islamabad.

But tensions have spiked over a flurry of attacks since late August, including a highly unusual ground raid by U.S. commandos. With many Pakistanis angry, and government critics using the attacks to argue for cutting ties with Washington, civilian and military leaders have protested strongly to Washington.

On Thursday, U.S. helicopters and Pakistani ground troops briefly traded fire along the poorly defined and marked border, without anyone being hit, officials from both nations said.

Yet almost immediately, both sides were making conciliatory noises.

"I look at U.S. support as a blessing," President Asif Ali Zardari said in New York alongside Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who promised help for Pakistan.

Pakistan needs Western cash to avert economic crisis. The shock of higher oil and food prices has helped push up inflation to 25 percent, wrecked the government's finances and exacerbated a trade gap that is fast eating up the country's foreign currency reserves.

Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir reportedly told a meeting of donor nations in New York that "$10 billion to $15 billion was our immediate requirement" to avoid bankruptcy.

U.S. officials must tread carefully in working with Pakistan against extremist groups. While leaders of both side stress they have a common enemy, many Pakistanis blame the rise in violence here on the alliance with Washington and the U.S. border strikes are feeding public anger.

"The Americans cannot afford to destabilize the government too much," said Talat Masood, a retired general.

Some analysts see the outrage generated by the Marriott bombing as a possible turning point, however.

"This is a historic moment to create a mass opposition to the militants," said Ahmad, the Quaid-i-Azam professor. "The biggest challenge now is being able to say this is not only our own war, but it is also a common war with the Afghans, NATO and the U.S."

Chris Brummitt, Islamabad bureau chief for The Associated Press, has reported on southern Asian affairs since 2002.

http://www.ap.google.com
 
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Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
September 29, 2008

United States-Pakistan Strategic Partnership Joint Statement

Following is the text of a joint statement issued by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte and Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi following the third round of the United States-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, held September 29, 2008, at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. The United States-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue was last held in Islamabad, Pakistan, in September 2007.

Deputy Secretary Negroponte and Foreign Minister Qureshi reaffirmed their commitments to a wide-ranging, substantive, and long-term strategic partnership between the United States and Pakistan, which is based on shared values and a common effort to promote enduring peace, security, stability, freedom, and prosperity of Pakistan and of the region. Both sides exchanged views on ways to deepen their bilateral cooperation and to make the Strategic Dialogue more effective and productive.


The United States and Pakistan both strongly condemned the terrorist attack at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, on 20 September. Both Deputy Secretary Negroponte and Foreign Minister Qureshi offered their condolences to the families of all of those lost in the vicious attack. They acknowledged that terrorism and violent extremism pose a common threat to Pakistan, the United States, and the international community.


The United States affirmed its support for Pakistan's sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity. The United States is dedicated to providing Pakistan with the training and equipment it needs to fight terrorism, including support to enhance Pakistan’s counterinsurgency and counterterrorism capabilities and increased cooperation with Pakistani security forces. Both sides renewed their intention to work together to combat the threat of terrorism and violent extremism by expanding security cooperation, and to work together to develop and modernize the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Pakistan expressed its appreciation for the $4 million the U.S. has committed for flood relief and for humanitarian assistance to those displaced by fighting in Bajaur.


During the Strategic Dialogue, the two sides discussed regional and international issues of common interest. The U.S. expressed support for continued dialogue and improved relations between Pakistan and its neighbors. The U.S. expressed support for the resumption of the Jirga process with Afghanistan and for Pakistan’s commitment to hold the next Regional Economic Cooperation Conference meeting in Islamabad later this year.


The Pakistani Government expressed its appreciation for the new Friends of Pakistan initiative, which will help Pakistan face its challenges in the years ahead.


Building on the August 2008 bilateral Economic Dialogue, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to increased bilateral economic cooperation. Pakistan outlined its economic stabilization measures and reforms to foster economic growth and opportunity. The U.S. expressed support for Pakistan's plan to stabilize its economy and welcomed Pakistan's commitment to implement comprehensive reform measures.


The U.S. expressed its determination to continue efforts to promote Reconstruction Opportunity Zones legislation, currently pending in Congress. The establishment of such zones would improve stability and security by stimulating jobs, infrastructure and legitimate economic alternatives in underdeveloped areas.


The two sides emphasized the need for improved regional cooperation and integration in the energy sector. They reaffirmed their commitment to address Pakistan’s growing energy needs by expanding technical assistance and promoting investment in Pakistan’s energy sector.


Cooperation in education and science and technology were reviewed, and both resolved to make best efforts to hold Energy and Education Dialogues by the end of the year.


In keeping with the commitment made by President Bush and Prime Minister Gillani during their July meeting in Washington, the delegations began discussions focused on agricultural cooperation that would help Pakistan strengthen its agricultural sector and enhance its food security.


The two sides committed to work together to realize their long-term vision of the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Partnership.


2008/813


Released on September 29, 2008

U.S. Department of State - Home Page
 
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* Fact sheet issued at end of meeting highlights US assistance to Pakistan in various sectors​

By Khalid Hasan

WASHINGTON: The one-day strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the United States ended on Monday with both sides affirming their strong commitment to a wide-ranging, substantive, and long-term strategic partnership, based on shared values and a common effort to promote enduring peace, security, stability, freedom, and prosperity of Pakistan and of the region.

The Pakistan side was led by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani, Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and Ambassador Husain Haqqani. The US side was led by Deputy Secretary John Negroponte and included Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher.

The two sides exchanged views on ways to deepen their bilateral co-operation and to make the strategic dialogue more effective and productive. They condemned the September 20 terrorist attack at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, offering their condolences to affected families, while acknowledging that terrorism and violent extremism pose a common threat to Pakistan, the US, and the international community. The US affirmed its support for Pakistan's sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity, affirming its dedication to providing Pakistan with the training and equipment it needs to fight terrorism, including support to enhance Pakistan’s counterinsurgency and counterterrorism capabilities and increased co-operation with Pakistan’s security forces. Both sides renewed their intention to work together to combat the threat of terrorism and violent extremism by expanding security co-operation, and to work together to develop and modernise the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Pakistan expressed its appreciation for the $4 million Washington has committed for flood relief and humanitarian assistance to those displaced by the fighting in Bajaur.

The two sides discussed regional and international issues of common interest, with the US expressing support for continued dialogue and improved relations between Pakistan and its neighbours. It also expressed support for the resumption of the jirga process with Afghanistan and for Pakistan’s commitment to hold the next Regional Economic Co-operation Conference in Islamabad later this year. The Pakistan delegation expressed its appreciation for the new Friends of Pakistan initiative, which will help the country face challenges in the years ahead. Building on the August 2008 bilateral economic dialogue, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to increased bilateral economic co-operation. Pakistan outlined its economic stabilisation measures and reforms to foster economic growth and opportunity, while the US expressed support for Pakistan's plan to stabilise its economy and welcomed Pakistan's commitment to implement comprehensive reform measures.

The US expressed its determination to continue efforts to promote Reconstruction Opportunity Zones legislation, currently pending in Congress, as their establishment would improve stability and security by stimulating jobs, infrastructure and legitimate economic alternatives in underdeveloped areas. The two sides emphasised the need for improved regional co-operation and integration in the energy sector. They reaffirmed their commitment to address Pakistan’s growing energy needs by expanding technical assistance and promoting investment in Pakistan’s energy sector. Co-operation in education and science and technology were reviewed, and both sides resolved to make best efforts to hold energy and education dialogues by the end of the year. In keeping with the commitment made by President Bush and Prime Minister Gilani during their July meeting in Washington, the delegations began discussions focused on agricultural co-operation that would help Pakistan strengthen its agricultural sector and enhance its food security.

Fact sheet:

A Fact sheet issued at the end of the meeting said:

US-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue:


The US is committed to a long-term, broad-based partnership with the government and the people of Pakistan. This partnership is based on the shared interests of the two countries in promoting democracy, peace, security, stability, and prosperity in Pakistan and in South Asia. Since 2002, the US has provided more than $3.4 billion to Pakistan to improve economic growth, education, health, and governance and to assist with earthquake reconstruction. The US has also provided more than $2.4 billion in security assistance since 2002 to help Pakistan combat terrorism along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and to support Pakistan’s conventional defence and modernisation needs. Total US development and security assistance to Pakistan in Fiscal Year 2008 is more than $960 million.

Highlights of US assistance to Pakistan:

Education:


More than 600,000 children and 60,000 teachers are benefiting from US assistance to Pakistan’s education sector. Since 2006, trained more than 3,700 teachers and supervisors in interactive teaching and learning skills. More than 2,400 classrooms at 327 primary, middle and high schools, as well as model colleges, have been equipped with new learning materials.
Improved sanitation facilities and the quality of drinking water at 176 girls’ primary schools and 89 villages in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Provided training in sanitation to religious scholars, elected representatives, and community members benefiting 60,000 households or 420,000 people. Supported the bilateral Fulbright Programme, which provides an opportunity for more than 350 Pakistani students each year (new and continuing) to pursue MA or PhD degrees in the US. The Fulbright Commission in Pakistan receives the largest amount of US government funding of any Fulbright Programme worldwide.

Health:

Renovated and equipped 40 hospital and rural centres, more than 30 of which now provide round-the-clock care. Through almost 1,200 child health days, provided medical care, vaccinations, and nutritional support to more than 135,000 children, including in the FATA.
Trained more than 1,400 public sector doctors and 600 private clinic doctors in handling obstetric emergencies, and more than 1,800 traditional birth attendants to conduct clean deliveries and to recognise emergencies that require hospital referral. Supporting the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey, which provides reliable figures on the direct and indirect causes of maternal and child deaths, family planning, and other vital health issues.

Economic Growth:

Providing micro-credit loans to populations in Balochistan, Sindh, and the FATA. More than 350,000 loans totalling more than $63 million have been disbursed. Increased the competitiveness of Pakistani small and medium-sized enterprises in sectors such as gems and jewellery, dairy, marble and granite, horticulture, furniture, and surgical instruments, which in turn helps to create more and better jobs. Provided $200 million in Economic Support Funds to the government of Pakistan each year in Fiscal Years 2005, 2006 and 2007. The funds provided vital budgetary support for Pakistan’s health, education, clean drinking water and earthquake reconstruction initiatives. Since 2006, provided more than $200 million in food security assistance.

Democracy and Governance:

Since 2006, provided approximately $155 million in support of democracy in Pakistan, of which more than $29 million has gone to direct support for Pakistan’s election and political processes. For Pakistan’s February 2008 elections, the US supported the Election Commission of Pakistan, provided translucent ballot boxes and seals, ensured a computerised voter registration list, funded 38 observers through Democracy International, provided support for the deployment of 20,000 observers to cover more than 40,000 polling stations, and contributed funding to a United Nations Development Programme activity that trained 60,000 polling station staff and other election officials. Trained more than 1,100 members of local governments, including 225 women, in budget oversight, leadership skills, and participatory planning. Trained hundreds of national and provincial parliaments on rules of procedure, the committee system, legislative drafting, and budget review.

Earthquake Relief:

Gave commodities to 370,000 people affected by the earthquake. Provided emergency medical treatment to 35,000 people. Supplied safe drinking water to 57,000 people. Gave emergency shelter materials to 596,000 people.
 
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By Paul Eckert, Asia Correspondent
Thu Oct 2, 2008

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The next U.S. president must revamp policy toward Pakistan, mixing deft diplomacy, security support and economic aid to help Islamabad defeat a grave threat from extremists, an experts' report said on Thursday.

Pakistan Policy Working Group, a bipartisan group of a about a dozen experts on U.S.-Pakistan relations, said the nuclear-armed Muslim country of 160 million people could pose the "single greatest challenge" for the next U.S. president.

"Washington needs to rethink its entire approach to Pakistan," said the report. "We must be much smarter about how we work with Pakistan, with whom we work, and what sort of assistance we provide," it added.

The report said last month's bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad showed that U.S. options were diminishing rapidly and there was no time to lose. It also warned that increased U.S. missile attacks on targets inside Pakistan, reflecting impatience with Islamabad, are counterproductive.

A review of policies toward Pakistan, recipient of $11 billion in mostly military aid from the United States since the September 11, 2001, attacks, should begin with updating the National Intelligence Estimate on the country to form a strategic plan for all U.S. government agencies, it said.

The 43-page report sets out recommendations for new U.S. policies in the areas of Pakistani domestic politics, counterterrorism and domestic security, regional relationships and U.S. aid to Pakistan.

In the domestic arena, the United States needs to be patient with the new elected government, help build up democratic institutions and support broad reforms, it said.

"Just as the U.S. was too slow in gauging the public disaffection with President (Pervez) Musharraf before the 2008 elections, it must not too quickly lose patience with Pakistan's elected leaders," it said.

PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN-INDIA TRIANGLE

In the security sphere, the report urges Washington to boost support for Pakistani civilian institutions that can oversee military and intelligence agencies, who often operate autonomously and have used Islamic militants as a foreign policy tool against India and Afghanistan.

"The U.S. should seek to adjust Pakistan's cost-benefit calculus of using militants in its foreign policy," it said.

Military assistance should be used to transform parts of the Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps, which operate in border tribal areas, into effective counterinsurgency forces.

On regional relations, the report recommends naming a senior U.S. official responsible for promoting better ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan, whose animosity hampers cross-border counterterrorism efforts. Similar efforts are needed to encourage the India-Pakistan peace process, it said.

"U.S. diplomatic initiatives toward Pakistan must also demonstrate that a convergence of U.S., India, and Afghanistan interests on terrorism does not mean the three countries are colluding against Pakistan," the report said.

The group endorses a bipartisan U.S. aid plan introduced in July by Democratic Sen Joe Biden and Republican Sen Richard Lugar, which calls for $1.5 billion per year in nonmilitary spending to support economic development in Pakistan.

"Such assistance, however, must be performance-based, and must be accompanied by rigorous oversight and accountability," said the report. It also recommends favorable U.S. market access for Pakistani textiles and for products produced in tribal regions on the Afghan-Pakistan border.
 
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Next US leader must revamp Pakistan policy
Friday, 03 Oct, 2008
WASHINGTON: The next US president must revamp policy toward Pakistan, mixing deft diplomacy, security support and economic aid to help Islamabad defeat a grave threat from extremists, an experts' report said on Thursday.
Pakistan Policy Working Group, a bipartisan group of a about a dozen experts on US-Pakistan relations, said the South-Asian country of 160 million people could pose the “single greatest challenge” for the next US president, Reuters reported.


“Washington needs to rethink its entire approach to Pakistan,” said the report. “We must be much smarter about how we work with Pakistan, with whom we work, and what sort of assistance we provide,” it added.
The report said last month's bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad showed that US options were diminishing rapidly and there was no time to lose. It also warned that increased US missile attacks on targets inside Pakistan, reflecting impatience with Islamabad, are counterproductive.

A review of policies toward Pakistan, recipient of $11 billion in mostly military aid from the United States since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, should begin with updating the National Intelligence Estimate on the country to form a strategic plan for all US government agencies, it said.

The 43-page report sets out recommendations for new US policies in the areas of Pakistani domestic politics, counterterrorism and domestic security, regional relationships and US aid to Pakistan.

In the domestic arena, the United States needs to be patient with the new elected government, help build up democratic institutions and support broad reforms, it said.

“Just as the US was too slow in gauging the public disaffection with President (Pervez) Musharraf before the 2008 elections, it must not too quickly lose patience with Pakistan's elected leaders,” it said.

PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN-INDIA TRIANGLE
In the security sphere, the report urges Washington to boost support for Pakistani civilian institutions that can oversee military and intelligence agencies, who often operate autonomously and have used Islamic militants as a foreign policy tool against India and Afghanistan.
“The US should seek to adjust Pakistan's cost-benefit calculus of using militants in its foreign policy,” it said.
Military assistance should be used to transform parts of the Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps, which operate in border tribal areas, into effective counterinsurgency forces.
On regional relations, the report recommends naming a senior US official responsible for promoting better ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan, whose animosity hampers cross-border counterterrorism efforts. Similar efforts are needed to encourage the India-Pakistan peace process, it said.
“US diplomatic initiatives toward Pakistan must also demonstrate that a convergence of US, India, and Afghanistan interests on terrorism does not mean the three countries are colluding against Pakistan,” the report said.
The group endorses a bipartisan US aid plan introduced in July by Democratic Sen Joe Biden and Republican Sen Richard Lugar, which calls for $1.5 billion per year in nonmilitary spending to support economic development in Pakistan.
“Such assistance, however, must be performance-based, and must be accompanied by rigorous oversight and accountability,” said the report. It also recommends favorable US market access for Pakistani textiles and for products produced in tribal regions on the Afghan-Pakistan border.
 
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Sunday, October 05, 2008

WASHINGTON: A panel of top Pakistan experts and former US officials, including Richard Armitage, the man who threatened to bomb Pakistan into the Stone Age and Rep. Lee Hamilton, who headed the 9/11 Commission, has prepared a detailed report which says the US cannot afford to see Pakistan fail but its options in Pakistan are diminishing rapidly.

"Pakistan may be the single greatest challenge facing the next American President...Washington needs to rethink its approach to Pakistan. If we genuinely believe that a stable, prosperous Pakistan is in our interest, we must be much smarter about how we work with Pakistan and what sort of assistance we provide," the report released by the Pakistan Policy Working Group says.

The Group claims to be an independent, bipartisan group of American experts on USñPakistan relations and was formed in January 2008 to assess the state of these relations and to offer ideas to the next US President and his Administration on managing this critical partnership.

The group's efforts were guided by the understanding that Pakistan is, and will remain, one of the United States' foremost foreign policy and national security challenges, deserving of heightened attention in the new Administration. Its report says the group met regularly for eight months to discuss topics involving Pakistan's domestic political situation, counter-terrorism and internal security challenges, relationships within the region, and economic development and assistance. Its members traveled to Pakistan, where they interviewed government officials, academics, business leaders, and nongovernmental organization (NGO) workers. Various US officials and Pakistani experts also joined the group's regular meetings to brief members on their areas of expertise.

The report was reviewed and endorsed by Richard L. Armitage, former US Deputy Secretary of State who threatened to bomb Pakistan into the Stone Age after 9/11 and Lee H. Hamilton, former member of US House of Representatives and Co-Chair of the 9/11 Commission. The group was co-chaired by Kara L. Bue of Armitage International and Lisa Curtis, a former CIA official and currently a South Asian expert at the Heritage Foundation.

Other top group members included Walter Andersen of the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Stephen P. Cohen of the Brookings Institution and a known expert on South Asia, Xenia Dormandy of Harvard University, another expert C. Christine Fair, John A. Gastright of the DynCorp International, Robert Hathaway and Dennis Kux, two well known experts of the Woodrow Wilson Center, Daniel Markey of the Council on Foreign Relations and Marvin Weinbaum of the Middle East Institute besides others. The findings in the report reflect a strong consensus view of the group.

The report says the next American President faces the challenge of the sixth most populous country in the world suffering its greatest internal crises since partition, with security, economic, and political interests in the balance.

"With such turmoil, we find US interests in Pakistan are more threatened now than at any time since the Taliban was driven from Afghanistan in 2001. The US cannot afford to see Pakistan fail, nor can it ignore the extremists operating in Pakistan's tribal areas. Pakistan's nuclear arsenal (and past nuclear proliferation), al-Qaeda, and the war in Afghanistan keep US national security firmly anchored in Pakistan. Afghanistan cannot succeed without success in Pakistan, and vice versa."

It says what happens in Southwest Asia can profoundly affect lives of US citizens. "In the face of this challenge, Washington needs to rethink its approach to Pakistan. If we genuinely believe that a stable, prosperous Pakistan is in our interest, we must be much smarter about how we work with Pakistan and what sort of assistance we provide. As the bombing of the Marriott hotel in Islamabad demonstrates, there is little time to waste.

"Our options in Pakistan are diminishing rapidly but political developments in both Pakistan and US, however, make this an opportune moment to recalibrate the US Policy." "A new civilian government headed by the Pakistan People's Party has emerged in Pakistan, and President Pervez Musharraf has departed the scene after nine years of military rule. The upcoming US presidential election will similarly bring a new set of policymakers to power and a potential willingness to consider fresh approaches to managing the difficult but exceedingly important USñPakistan relationship," it says.

In a detailed analysis of the Pakistan situation the experts say 2008 has helped to pave the way for a full transition from military to civilian rule. "Yet civilian leaders must ensure that political infighting does not hamper consolidation of the democratic process and institutions. For now, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has stated that he will keep the Army out of politics.

"However, if the politicians fail to focus on effective governance of the country, the Army could decide to intervene once again, especially if extremists are threatening the integrity of the state. In the past, democratic civilian rule in Pakistan has largely failed to advance stability and security in the country."

It admits that pervasive anti-Americanism is complicating the diplomatic landscape across Pakistan. "USñPakistan cooperation is impeded by suspicions about US designs for the region, its reliability as a long-term ally, and the widely held view that Washington manipulates Pakistan's leaders and policies." "Many Pakistanis hold former President Musharraf responsible for stoking militancy and extremism through actions designed to please American policymakers. Pakistanis also view the increasingly frequent US unilateral attacks into the tribal areasóboth missile strikes and, more recently, raids by US forcesóas direct threats to the country's sovereignty."

"Admiral Michael Mullen's recent, hurried trip to Pakistan was necessary to defuse the tension between Pakistan and the US created by the attacks," it says.

It says effecting smarter diplomacy in this environment laden with political unrest and palpable anti-Americanism, the US is facing tremendous diplomatic challenges.

"Given the disappointments with Pakistan's elected government, some in the US may feel nostalgia for the days when President Musharraf wore his uniform and commanded a docile parliament. But just as the US was too slow in detecting the public disaffection with President Musharraf before the 2008 elections, it must not too quickly lose patience with Pakistan's elected leaders."



Recommendations

Some of the key recommendations for strengthening US policy toward Pakistan presented in the report include:

• Exhibit patience with Pakistan's new democratically elected leaders, while working to stabilize the government through economic aid and diplomacy. But at the same time, emphasize to the Pakistan government that US patience is not unlimited, and that the US Is prepared to be patient only so long as the Pakistan government is achieving visible results in its efforts against the extremists in the tribal areas.

• Develop, invest in, and implement a far reaching public diplomacy program that emphasizes common US and Pakistani interests in combating extremism, creating prosperity, and improving regional relationships instead of highlighting the struggle against extremism in Pakistan as part of the "Global War on Terrorism."

• Invest in US institutions and personnel in Pakistan to support long-term engagement in the region. Expand the mission of the US Embassy and the US Agency for International Development in terms of physical structure and personnel and invest more in training diplomats and other government officials who will dedicate their careers to the region.

• Commission a fresh National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) to form a common operating picture within the US government on what Pakistan and others are doing to counter and/or support militancy and what these actions say about their intent.

• Develop a strategy based on the NIE findings that seeks to adjust Pakistan's costñbenefit calculus of using militants in its foreign policy through close cooperation and by calibrating US military assistance.

• Increase support for civilian institutions that would provide oversight of the military and the Directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence.

• Assign primary responsibility for coordinating and implementing Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy to a senior US official with sufficient authority, accountability, and institutional capacity to promote better ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

• Increase diplomatic efforts to encourage the bilateral peace process between New Delhi and Islamabad.

• Work more closely with our allies and regional countries to encourage Pakistan to stiffen its resolve against terrorism and extremism and to promote greater stability in the country. Raise Pakistan as an issue to a higher level in US bilateral diplomacy, particularly with countries that have good relations with Islamabad, such as China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf states.

• Support the approach to assistance proposed in the BidenñLugar legislation introduced on July 15, 2008. Commit to including $1.5 billion per year in non-military spending in each of the Administration's annual budget requests.

Such assistance, however, must be performance-based, and must be accompanied by rigorous oversight and accountability. The era of the blank check is over.

• Enhance access of Pakistani textiles to the US market on favored terms, starting with passage of the long-awaited Reconstruction Opportunity Zone legislation, and consider increasing the number of product lines included in that legislation.

• Focus the majority of US economic aid on projects in basic education, health care, water resource management, law enforcement, and justice programs, with the goal of developing state capacity to effectively deliver these services to the population.

• Redirect the focus of US military assistance to providing systems and training that enhance Pakistan's counter-terrorism and counterinsurgency capabilities.
 
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WASHINGTON, Oct 4: Pakistanis were leery of their government’s anti-terror cooperation with the United States even before President George W. Bush authorised US military action inside Pakistan without their government’s approval, according to a poll on Friday.

The poll by the Gallup organisation, taken in June, found that almost half the Pakistanis, or 45 per cent, thought the US military presence across the border in Afghanistan posed a threat to Pakistan. Only 17 per cent said it was not a threat and more than one-third, 38 per cent of respondents, had no opinion or would not answer.

President Bush’s July approval of US incursions across the Pakistan-Afghan border came to light after reports appeared about the US operations, mainly comprising drone missile strikes at suspected Taliban or Al Qaeda sites on Pakistani territory.

American and Pakistani forces exchanged gunfire last Saturday for the first time. After the first known ground assault which occurred on Sept 3 became public, Pakistanis reacted with outrage. President Asif Ali Zardari warned that Pakistan’s territory cannot “be violated by our friends.”

According to the poll, one in three of the respondents says the US relationship with Pakistan in Washington’s campaign against terrorism mostly benefits the United States. Only 7 per cent — fewer than one in 10 — said Pakistan benefited more.

More than that, 10 per cent said both sides get nothing from the partnership.

The findings were based on face-to-face interviews with approximately 802 people 15 years old and older.

The Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir were not included in the poll. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 5 percentage points.—AP
 
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