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U.S. efforts fail to convince Pakistan's top general to target Taliban
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US differences with Pakistan are based on two different perspectves that are not reconcilable. Recent events and the relationship between the US and Pakistan's army chief have confirmed that this is not going to change. US sees militants and Taliban inside Pakistan as havens for the short term as the US disengages from Afghanistan, whereas Pakistan's army sees them as useful elements in Pakistan's security interests in relation to India for the long term. Whe Kayani met with Obama in Washington, he handed Obama a 13 page document showing Pakistan's strategic perspective and emphasizing the gap between short term US interests and Pakistan's long term interests. The Wikileaks cables show Kayani discussing with US officials a possible removal of President Zardari and his preferred replacement. This made Kayani, normally reticent, to rant for hours on the irreconciliable differences between the US and Pakistan with a group of Pakistani journalists. He described Pakistan as the US's "most bullied ally," and said the frames of reference of the US and Pakistan regarding regional ssecurity "can never be the same," according to news accounts. And added that "the real aim of US strategy is to de-nuclearize Pakistan." Holbrooke and Admiral Mullen had hoped to reverse "a trust deficit" between the two sides. But this has not happened. General Petraeus is taking a tougher attitude and patience is thin on both sides. According to a Kayani friend, air marshal Chaudhry, Kayani is always asking Petraeus what the strategic objectives are in Afghanistan. US officials say they have given up on changing Kayani's thinking and that Kayani has told them: "I don't trust you." Kayani's position makes sense when one looks at the strongly anti-American public in Pakistan. Pakistani military and intelligence officials say a campaign against militants inside Pakistan incites domestic terrorism and uproots local communities. And by following Pakistan's own interests and frames of reference Kayani sends signals that win esteem among the Pakistani public. Opinion polls now show the military held in higher esteem than the Zardari administration. This puts the US in a no-win situation in Afghanistan with no clear objectives for the long term. This leaves the US in a time of tight budgets stretched thin to meet the needs in other defence areas that need attention, such as modernization of forces, trouble spots such as Korea, Iran and elsewhere, and resources needed for modernization of US infrastructure and supporting new technologies and industries. The lasting solutions that will take time, careful thought and preparation would be to integrate South Asia as a whole into an economic zone, extensive infrastructure building, and bring India and Pakistan closer through diplomacy and negotiations. See the articles by Richard Haas and others on the need to redirect resources.
Consensus report of 16 US Intelligence Agencies on Afghanistan and Pakistan in December 2010
12/14/2010
The links between Afghanistan and Pakistan and the situation along the border makes the effort in Afghanistan difficult.
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Playing the Game-Pakistan army and intelligence services use American money to finance the Taliban and obtain American aid to fight the Taliban.
01/06/2008
Report by Dexter Filkins of the NYT.
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The underlying simmering presence of Kashmir in the India, Pakistan, Afghanistan region, and the need for fresh thinking and starting anew.
12/06/2006
Behind the terrorist groups there is the Kashmir issue. And reports sugest no dimunition in capabilities and thin distance between the intelligence agency and these groups in Pakistan. With cooperation between Indian and Pakistan poice and intelligence at zero a year after 26/11 Mumbai, fresh thinking is needed. For 500 million people in North America and 1500 million people in South Asia these events threaten their economic future, infrastructure and development in South Asia, and economic renewal in North America.
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India and Pakistan and the tensions in Kashmir and Afghanistan.
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Kashmir tensions are rising. And Indian assistance in Afghanistan reconstruction is opposed by Taliban. This complicates further negotiations between India and Pakistan as Pakistan already is going through political transition and the army runs foreign affairs for Pakistan.
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Leader of Pakistani Taliban Killed in Drone Strike
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Pakistan's view on the debate in Washington about sending more troops and expansion of war in Afghanistan.
10/01/2009
Foreign Minister Qureshi at the Journal's offices in New York says it would mean the Pakistani Taliban would threaten Islamabad, there would be more misery, suicide bombings, and hurt the economy badly. But Qureshi speaks for an increasingly unpopular Zardari administration. The army, opposition parties, and the Intelligence agencies, and increasingly the public sentiment is against an expanded American presence in Afghanistan, or a bigger American footprint in Afghinstan and Pakistan. See Rosenberg in WSJ.
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U.S. deeply split on troop increase for Afghan war
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Richard Haas on Afghanistan, Pakistan, U.S. national security goals, and action needed to redirect resources.
09/03/2009
Haas calls Afghanistan a strategic distraction and calls for the redirection of resources. The $125 billion spent there each year should go to address national security goals in areas that need it badly-, to reduce the deficit finances which weakens the US, the growing threats from N. Korea and Iran's nuclear development, and modernization needs in defense.
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Wall Street Journal 12/20/2010
Wall Street Journal 12/27/2010
U.S. efforts fail to convince Pakistan's top general to target Taliban
Washington Post 12/31/2010
The view form Pakistan which discourages a large American footprint there and in Afghanistan.
01/04/2008
The head of the ISI, Pakistan's intelligence agency, met with CIA officials and argued against America sending more troops to Afghanistan. Some opposition parties oppose the large American embassy construction in Islamabad and consulate in Peshawar as signs America is increasing its presence. And Army chief Kalyani who sees Taliban moving into Baluchistan opposes drone attacks on Mullah Omar residing there.
Grouped Articles
Pakistan Gives Sharif a Mandate
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Pakistan to Release Senior Taliban Leader
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Leader of Pakistani Taliban Killed in Drone Strike
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Taliban Making Military Gains in Afghanistan
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Around an Invisible Leader, Taliban Power Shifts
New York Times 12/28/2014
Taliban Leader Mullah Omar Is Dead, Afghan Spy Agency Says
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