US never asked for military bases in Pakistan: Western diplomats

[etylo]

The Yankees sure wanted/still wants and asked Pakistan to lease Gwadar port to them to be developed as a exclusive US naval base, we all know that for one.

 

[NooriNuth]

When IK said "Absolutely not" , USA had their answer and couldn't have asked for a base.

 

[Paji]

When IK said "Absolutely not" , USA had their answer and couldn't have asked for a base.

And I guess they must have been scared of asking Shahbaz Sharif as well.

 

[Strigon]

The blame shouldn’t be on the US. It’s doing what IT thinks is their best interest. Blame Pakistan itself for allowing bombardments on its people.

As you all have learnt by now, generals will sell the county if needed.

 

[Olympus81]

I believe the ground work is being laid for Pakistan to provide bases to US.

The absence of CSF hurts out meekly establishment very much. The seniors made their buck and invested in mansions in Houston and Miami. It is only fair their juniors are given that opportunity.

 

[AA_]

iraqis do not care about WMD. no one wants saddam back

Hey hindoo motherfucker, how many Iraqis do you know? I know plenty and they’re mostly Shias and even they want Saddam back. You slumdog dothead smelly shit skinned subhuman

 

[python-000]

US never asked for military bases in Pakistan: Western diplomats

ISLAMABAD: The United States has “at no stage or at any level even asked” Pakistan for military bases in the wake of withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan, a senior Western diplomat...

www.thenews.com.pk

ISLAMABAD: The United States has “at no stage or at any level even asked” Pakistan for military bases in the wake of withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan, a senior Western diplomat has said.


“Nobody in the entire US administration asked for bases, and yet there is so much focus on the issue in Pakistan,” said the official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak publicly on the subject.

“The recurring debate and the hashtag ‘Absolutely Not’ campaign in Pakistan has left everyone scratching their heads in Washington,” he said.

According to informed sources, the United States has also formally conveyed its reservations to Islamabad over the “self-sponsored” campaign about demanding military bases.

Over the last few months, as the date for US withdrawal from Afghanistan draws near, a debate has been raging in policy circles in Pakistan regarding an alleged US request for military bases in Pakistan.

According to a recent report in The New York Times, CIA Director William J Burns had some “direct conversations” with the chief of the Pakistani military and the head of the directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence on the topic. However, the talks stalled when the Americans sensed a reluctance among their Pakistani counterparts. In May, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi took to the floor or Parliament and declared “no US base will be allowed by Prime Minister Imran Khan so long he is in power.”

However, talking to The News, another senior Western diplomat said, “this is akin to creating an issue that doesn’t even exist.”

Regarding the perception in Pakistan that the US is pulling out of Afghanistan in a hasty and chaotic manner, the Western diplomats have suggested it is “preemptive move to blame others” for the ominously deteriorating law and order situation in Afghanistan.

“The debate should focus on why the Taliban failed to start negotiations in time to allow for a political settlement with the current regime in Kabul,” another senior Western diplomat said.

Under the Doha agreement signed by the Taliban and the US in Feb 2020, a full withdrawal of all US and coalition forces would occur within 14 months if the Taliban fulfilled certain conditions, which included cutting ties with al-Qaeda and denying space in Afghanistan to the Islamic State militant group.

However, the intra-Afghan dialogue, which was also part of the Doha peace talks, stalled and there has been no noticeable progress in this regard since nearly a year.

Top Pakistani military and civilian officials have repeatedly pointed out in recent days they wanted the US to exit responsibly. A hasty withdrawal, these officials say, would leave power vacuum which could plunge Afghanistan into another civil war.

laying is there passion with perfection...

 

[Menace2Society]

US never asked for military bases in Pakistan: Western diplomats

ISLAMABAD: The United States has “at no stage or at any level even asked” Pakistan for military bases in the wake of withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan, a senior Western diplomat...

www.thenews.com.pk

ISLAMABAD: The United States has “at no stage or at any level even asked” Pakistan for military bases in the wake of withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan, a senior Western diplomat has said.


“Nobody in the entire US administration asked for bases, and yet there is so much focus on the issue in Pakistan,” said the official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak publicly on the subject.

“The recurring debate and the hashtag ‘Absolutely Not’ campaign in Pakistan has left everyone scratching their heads in Washington,” he said.

According to informed sources, the United States has also formally conveyed its reservations to Islamabad over the “self-sponsored” campaign about demanding military bases.

Over the last few months, as the date for US withdrawal from Afghanistan draws near, a debate has been raging in policy circles in Pakistan regarding an alleged US request for military bases in Pakistan.

According to a recent report in The New York Times, CIA Director William J Burns had some “direct conversations” with the chief of the Pakistani military and the head of the directorate of Inter-Services Intelligence on the topic. However, the talks stalled when the Americans sensed a reluctance among their Pakistani counterparts. In May, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi took to the floor or Parliament and declared “no US base will be allowed by Prime Minister Imran Khan so long he is in power.”

However, talking to The News, another senior Western diplomat said, “this is akin to creating an issue that doesn’t even exist.”

Regarding the perception in Pakistan that the US is pulling out of Afghanistan in a hasty and chaotic manner, the Western diplomats have suggested it is “preemptive move to blame others” for the ominously deteriorating law and order situation in Afghanistan.

“The debate should focus on why the Taliban failed to start negotiations in time to allow for a political settlement with the current regime in Kabul,” another senior Western diplomat said.

Under the Doha agreement signed by the Taliban and the US in Feb 2020, a full withdrawal of all US and coalition forces would occur within 14 months if the Taliban fulfilled certain conditions, which included cutting ties with al-Qaeda and denying space in Afghanistan to the Islamic State militant group.

However, the intra-Afghan dialogue, which was also part of the Doha peace talks, stalled and there has been no noticeable progress in this regard since nearly a year.

Top Pakistani military and civilian officials have repeatedly pointed out in recent days they wanted the US to exit responsibly. A hasty withdrawal, these officials say, would leave power vacuum which could plunge Afghanistan into another civil war.

 

[VkdIndian]

There is no US request on record anywhere in this regard. It is all hearsay, that’s all. Can anyone quote ANY US official making a request?

However, there are multitude of denials for the so called requests. The comments from IK and others are also generic denials to the requests and not aimed specifically to any US official’s visit making it look lame and poor attempts at statecraft on Paksiatni part.

It is hilarious to say that IK and others commented in advance in anticipation of any requests. Are they running a school where they are denying declaration of a possible holiday or a rainy day?

CIA Chief and other senior officials could be visiting Pakskatn for N number of reasons. They could have definitely explored all possible requirements after US withdrawal from Afghan soil. That’s what good planners do. Did they formally ask?

IK and his entire administration, proved to be naive and immature while dealing with the subject. Result is in front of us.

 

[Olympus81]

US never asked for military bases from Pakistan. That may well be true. Imran Khan’s absolutely not was the right move to shut out all conversations with this regard. Not sure how one can argue otherwise. There were some advisors to IK saying he could have given the message in a more diplomatic way, that can be argued.

Looking at this context of IK being pushed out in RCO. It was the establishment who pulled the whole operation with their handlers. US gave a tacit approval, thanks to good lobbying by Haqqani and Bajwa.

Now why IK was forced out as a result of RCO can be attributed to a variety of reasons. Much of it is domestic. In a nutshell establishment’s space was continually being squeezed and the fact that they come under the gambit of law was a big NO.