US’ betrayal: What are the options left for Pakistan?

[T-Rex]

US’ betrayal: What are the options left for Pakistan?
Global Village Space |

Itfa Khurshid Mirza |

Donald Trump’s speech at the Riyadh Summit in Saudi Arabia has become the talk of the town. Choosing Saudi Arabia as the first country to begin his foreign visits has a lot to unveil about Trump’s strategic motives. If we analyze the crux of his address to over 50 heads of Islamic states, it was more of cajolery loaded with excessive praise for Middle Eastern countries to further own interests of course. In addition, it was kind of a ‘to do list’ for Islamic states, from combating extremist ideology, vanquishing the forces of terrorism, or stopping financing terrorist groups.

He didn’t even bother to mention Pakistan. Probably, Pakistan was a nuisance here among the states which were likely to go in arms trade agreements to benefit U.S weapons industry.

Both the U.S and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement of $110 billion of defense purchase in order to strengthen Saudi military. This is an approach of principled realism involving shared interests. Trump also referred the Summit as the beginning of peace in the Middle East followed by the peace in the world. He admired the role of the Middle Eastern states in combating terrorism and extremism in the region. This urged to look into the past statements of the ‘unpresidential’ President Donald Trump when every single speech included the key term ‘Radical Islamic terrorism’.

Read more: Trump’s first foreign trips only indicate one thing….

Options on the table for Pakistan
In his honeyed words of appreciation, he also showed concern for the Muslim countries which suffered as a result of ongoing terrorist wave globally. Countries he specifically mentioned were Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, United Arab Emirates and on top of the list Saudi Arabia. He didn’t even bother to mention Pakistan. Probably, Pakistan was a nuisance here among the states which were likely to go in arms trade agreements to benefit U.S weapons industry. Trump’s visit and speech left a food for thought for Pakistani policymakers.

Trump has rendered U.S past foreign policy as rudderless, ineffective, and unreliable and based his new foreign policy on experience and judgment and the policies which didn’t work in the past.

Pakistan was the sole Islamic nuclear state in the Islamic Summit. The way it was treated and silenced at such a notable forum is a matter of grave concern particularly after being given the command of Islamic alliance, that too delegated from Saudi Arabia. This entire scenario has far-reaching consequences on the role that Pakistan has to play in the newly created theater of ‘Global Centre for Combating Extremist Ideology’. A total snub of Pakistan even raised the question of whether it will be entrusted with any responsibility in the new emerging geo-strategic environment?

Before proceeding further, this is what President Trump said to PM Nawaz Sharif on a telephonic conversation after winning presidential elections in January 2017: ‘I am ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to outstanding issues’. This is a huge shift in U.S foreign policy towards Pakistan. Trump has rendered U.S past foreign policy as rudderless, ineffective, and unreliable and based his new foreign policy on experience and judgment and the policies which didn’t work in the past.

Read more: Implications of US cold-shouldering Pakistan by reducing military aid

Keeping in view the entire scenario Pakistan also needs to make a shift in its foreign policy in order to regain the status of a significant ally. Pakistan has been in the limelight since five decades due to the U.S interest in Afghanistan and now focus is being shifted to the Middle East.

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US’ betrayal: What are the options left for Pakistan?

Terrorism inside Pakistan is mostly committed by the terrorists with funds, intelligence and arms from the notorious RAW which happens to be the most reliable partner of another notorious entity we know as CIA. Naturally Trump did what super powers have been doing for ages, pointing his dirty fingers towards the terrorists assisted by his rivals.

 

[Musafir117]

USA Europe gonna be history in power play the next players are Far East or Asian in future and who care about Uncle Sam more?

 

[SrNair]

Keep telling urself that,...

End of the deal.

 

[Mangus Ortus Novem]

Muslims states don't have capable leaders and people of those countries are equally guilty of electing or tolerating such corrupt and spineless charlatans. Just imagine what kind of a leader can have business and personal ties with jandal who uses his close ties with the Pak PM to harm Pakistan.

Why is that, my friend?

 

[maximuswarrior]

Own Camp ?? are you sure

Owncamp means you are the lead and the decision maker

US used Pak for Afganistan and dumped (decision maker : US)
US used Pak for WOT and dumped (decision maker : US)
KSA will use PAK for its interests (Yemen/ Iran) and dump (desision maker : KSA even though military is lead by RS)
China will use Pak and dump (decision maker : China, blue prints are coming from China and orders are being followed)

You stupid fool. Is that why you and your country keep lecturing us 24/7 how bad our economic and military relations with China are? LOL

The US begs Pakistan up to this day. So much for dumping. Only Pakistan knows how much we extracted from the Americans and returned the favor through Afghanistan.

KSA merely took an ex-Pakistani general into its ranks. That has nothing to do with Pakistan. Pakistan isn't part of the Arab war against Yemen. There is nothing to dump here.

LOL here comes the cat out of the bag. That is right. You keep burning about China because this is where we are going to hurt you most. We have already disgraced you beyond comprehension. All you and your country can do now is vent frustration by writing irrelevant articles and visiting our forums. Keep going though. We want the burning sensation to continue.

Just remember this much. Whilst you burn in anger and are just a sideshow we are working hard with our ally China to achieve milestones.

 

[IceCold]

Problem is our civilian leadership runs to the US for their domestic incompetence and also for a US protection if they are thrown out. In such scenario who is going to take them seriously? nobody Whether is nawaz or zardari, the US knows all too well what both these gentlemen are capable off and when to take them seriously. Besides lets not forget that all of the wealth of these people are lying abroad. So no matter what Pakistani politicians including the PM will not be taken seriously at any international forum nor will Pakistani politicians or the government has the moral courage to speak up. Like Good dogs they will hide their tail between their legs and come back.

 

[t_for_talli]

The US begs Pakistan up to this day.

Is there a way to nominate your post for "Post of the century"

 

[T-Rex]

Why is that, my friend?

Most Muslims of today are born cowards. At the instigation of their non-Muslim masters they hate each other to such an extent that it's not very difficult for them to find an excuse to persecute or kill each other.

 

[LeGenD]

A blessing in disguise... enable the remaining pro-american Pakistani establishment to get off of the American teat...

Pakistan can continue to bet on the winning horse... while India continues its tradition of betting on the loosing horse.

Can we now scale back the huge American embassy in Islamabad?

You don't understand the bigger picture. Chinese investment is not a substitute to other modes of contribution to our economy.

Take a look at our trade-based statistics:

The top export destinations of Pakistan are the United States ($3.93B), China ($2.44B), Afghanistan ($1.95B), Germany ($1.62B) and the United Kingdom ($1.48B).

The top import origins are China ($11.9B), the United Arab Emirates ($5.38B), Saudi Arabia ($3.01B), the United States ($1.96B) and Indonesia ($1.92B).

Source: http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/pak/

While China is our largest trading partner, we benefit most from our trade relations with the US (exports > imports). Conversely, China is contributing to trade deficit of Pakistan (imports > exports). In short, China is extracting much more from Pakistan than it is giving us in return on annual basis. Please keep in mind that CPEC is NOT free for us; loans continue to pile-up through it.

US contributes to Pakistani economy in other ways as well. For example, when Pakistani economy reached a new low during the tenure of PPP-led government in 2008, IMF came to our rescue:

The Pakistani economy was buffeted by large shocks during FY2007/08, including adverse security developments, higher oil and food import prices, and the global financial turmoil. The external current account deficit widened as a consequence, net capital inflows declined significantly, and the currency depreciated substantially. A delay in the pass-through of higher international prices to domestic consumers led to a large increase in the fiscal deficit, and its monetization by the State Bank of Pakistan contributed to rising inflation and a sharp decline in international reserves.

Source: https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2015/09/14/01/49/pr08303

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Fools don't realize it but we are well on our way to becoming a Chinese colony in the future.

You are severely mistaken to think that Pakistan belongs in the Trump/US/Saudi camp to begin with. We don't belong in these camps.

We have established our own camp with China. The rest doesn't matter to us one bit. We know why sobs and cries day and night about this camp.

These camps are little more than political illusions.

China remains the largest trading partner of the US and is warming up to Israel and Saudi Arabia as well. I don't see the possibility of China taking a U-Turn for Pakistan for its interests at any point in the foreseeable future.

Conversely, Pakistan cannot afford to alienate both US and Saudi Arabia because our relations with the latter two states go much further than War on Terror and Afghanistan.

No matter what we do, globalization favors economically strong players in the long-term.

USA Europe gonna be history in power play the next players are Far East or Asian in future and who care about Uncle Sam more?

WEST is far from becoming irrelevant in coming years.

As for 'who care about Uncle Same more' remark, see my response above to understand why.

 

[tarrar]

US betrayal is not new to us, this has been happening for decades now. Unfortunately for us, we don't have a politician & a Govt. With spine & guts who could handle US well.

 

[wiseone2]

You are severely mistaken to think that Pakistan belongs in the Trump/US/Saudi camp to begin with. We don't belong in these camps.

We have established our own camp with China. The rest doesn't matter to us one bit. We know why sobs and cries day and night about this camp.

30-40 years from now there will be sob stories about China dumped us. some people never learn