The United States–Pakistan relations refer to the
international, historical, and cultural bilateral relationship between the
Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the United States of America. Roughly two
months of its independence after the departure of the subcontinent by Great
Britain, the United States established relations with Pakistan on 20 October
1947.
The United States was amongst the first nations [who?] to
have established relations with Pakistan in late 1940s, but since then,
relations have been centred around the United States' extensive economic,
scientific, and military assistance to Pakistan.Allying with the U.S.
during the Cold war against the USSR, Pakistan was an integral in CENTO and
SEATO— both alliances opposed the Soviet Union and Communism. Relations were
soured in the 1970s with the left-oriented PPP led government which came in
power in 1971. However, the closely coordinated military cooperation deepened
in the 1980s against Soviet expansion in Central Asia. After the disintegration
of USSR, and Pakistan's subsequent return to democracy, the relations once
again became cold with the U.S. imposing an economic embargo against Pakistan
during the most of the 1990s.
Since 2011, the intensive criticisms and allegations of each
other based on their strategies in the War on Terror have hindered relations.
Furthermore, as a result of the Lahore incident and the black operation in the
country which killed the al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, followed by the
Salala incident, relations between two countries were severely damaged.
Currently, Pakistan is designated as a Major non-NATO ally of the United
States, which is the second-largest supplier of military equipment to Pakistan
after China, and largest economic aid contributor as well. A 2014 Politico
article named Pakistan as America's most "awkward" ally.
After Pakistan's independence by the partitioning of the
British Indian Empire, Pakistan was founded while struggling with problems
involving the national economy, national security, and Soviet influence on
Afghanistan and Iran, forced Pakistan's first prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan
to cement a pro-Western and pro-American policy. In 1949, the Soviet Union
directed a farewell message to Prime minister Ali Khan, followed by the U.S.
invitation in 1950. The proposal was under consideration when Pakistan's
geostrategists, military policy makers, logisiticians and foreign service
officers raised great questions whether or not the Soviet Union could provide
the military, technical, and economic aid that the country needed so urgently.
One key common denominator was at the home front, when the Communist party had
gained the considerable support in East Pakistan and the Socialist party in
West Pakistan, in which the Muslim League had failed to take active measures
against socialists in the West and communists in the East. Prime Minister Ali
Khan made a tireless effort to establish relations with the Soviet Union,
repeatedly asking Joseph Stalin for military aid, but all attempts were
rebuffed by the Soviets.[8] According to the PIIA, the religious background of
Pakistan and the atheist background of the Soviet Union had created a major
divergence after Pakistan noted subservience which was forced upon the allies
of the Soviet Union.
After a long debate, Prime Minister Ali Khan decided to pay
his first visit to the United States, while holding the Soviet invitation which
was met with great hostility from the Soviet Union, and the harsh criticism by
Pakistani socialists and communists of Ali Khan and his government. The
President of the United States Harry Truman and the U.S. itself were well aware
of strategic importance of Pakistan, but did not have any concrete
plans[dubious – discuss].The U.S. continued its civilian aid to the country
through the United States Ambassador to Pakistan, Paul Allin. It was not until
1950 when the military aid was begun with new ambassador Avra M. Warren taking
office.
In 1950-53, a flurry of Pakistan's state delegation paid
visit to the U.S., initially seeking military aid rather than civilian. Prime
Minister Liaqat Ali Khan, Huseyn Suhravardie, Army commander Ayub Khan, Foreign
Minister Sir Zafrullah Khan, Foreign Secretary Ikram-ullah Khan, Finance
Minister Ghulam Muhammad, Defense Secretary Sikander Mirza, and special envoy
Mir Laiq Ali made U.S visits with the main intention of getting military aid.
Controversially, there was neither an organized, coordinated, nor institutional
effort nor any attempt made to study the U.S. decision-making process to
achieve the goal.
The U.S. government officials were smart enough to understand
and to very quickly grasp the mediocre leadership of Pakistan. The U.S.
government would use the country to achieve regional and strategic goals and
interests. When the true nature of U.S. ambition exposed to Prime minister Ali
Khan, the prime minister deliberately attempted to warm relations with the Soviet
Union and the Soviet bloc, while warning the U.S. that "[Pakistan] has
annexed half of Kashmir without [A]merican support.... And would be able to
take the other half too".Ali Khan's sudden shift and aggressive mood was a
"bombshell" for President Truman's presidency and for U.S. foreign
policy. In 1950, President Truman requested Prime minister Ali Khan to provide
a military base to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to keep an eye on
Soviet Union, which Ali Khan hesitated and later refused, prompting the U.S. to
began planning the assassination of Ali Khan to remove him from the country's
politics once and for all. However, there are no official evidence[citation
needed] to support, marking the big question on Ali Khan's assassination. The
Indian government followed a different, non-aligned policy stance, which leaned
closer towards the Soviet Union than towards the United States of America.
Pakistan was seeking strong alliances to counter its neighbor, India. At this
time, India was neutral and went on to be a part of Non Aligned Movement.
In 1972, Zulfi Bhutto gifted the thoughtful and unique carved
ivory set of chess to the United States, handed over to President Gerald Ford.
In 1953, the United States assessed Pakistan as "a volunteer
army of 3,000,000... It is not neutral but an anti-communist... As a possible
ally for US, Pakistan displays a tempting picture of power — potential and
actual. The Pakistan Armed Forces were extremely well-disciplined,
professional, well trained armed forces whose morale and bravery are
unquestionable. According to Hamid Hussain, Pakistan has become comical in
1955-56, and the Secretary of State John Foster Dulles while arguing for wheat
aid to Pakistan in 1953, told the sub-committee on Agriculture and Forestry
during hearings that, "the people of Pakistan had a splendid military
tradition and that in Karachi he had been met by a guard of honour which was the
"finest" he had ever seen". Apparently, Dulles did not tell the
agriculture department what on earth the wheat aid has to do with the military.
After the signing of first mutual defence treaty in May 1954, large-scale
interaction between U.S. and Pakistani military started, with hundreds of
officers began to sent to U.S. on routine and regular basis, getting trained
shoulder-to-shoulders with U.S. military. A U.S. Military Assistance Advisory
Group (MAAG) was established in Army Headquarters in Rawalpindi, although the
MAAG was divided into groups depending on their role. According to Colonel
Jordan of CIA, the officers of Pakistan Armed Forces were not only trained in
military ethics but also to groom them for non-military activities such as
leadership, management, economics. The U.S. had no interests to enhance
relations with the political leadership, but was rather hostile towards the
civilians. In 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower kindly requested Prime minister
Suhravardie to lease a military base, Peshawar Air Station (PAS), to make
preparations for spy operations and to coordinate secret signal intelligence
flights to gain intelligence on Soviet Union's intercontinental ballistic
missiles. The request was granted and the U.S. opened the station with
building an airstrip, command and control station and air force base near
by.This base was kept in secret, the highest Pakistani government
officials, including the military personnel, could not enter, and in 1959, U.S.
denied the request of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto when he tried to visit the facility.
The U.S. interest in Pakistan grew after realizing the
importance of Pakistan Armed Forces, which was seen as potential partners
against communism, not the political leadership. That is why, when Prime
minister Huseyn Suhravardie made a frequent trip to U.S., the importance was
not given to him but his Army commander Ayub Khan. Furthermore, relations
gradually went down with people-elected president Iskander Mirza, leading to
the military coup against him in 1958. After successfully leading the military
coup d'état in 1958, Ayub Khan quickly visited the U.S., stressing that armed
forces are the strongest element.
Ayub Khan and U.S. were completely convinced that the left
wing intellectuals will come to power which would not only destabilize
Pakistan[how?] but would affect U.S. strategic interest.To United States,
the military alliance with Ayub Khan was to ensure a provide safeguard to U.S.
interests in Southwest Asia and Middle East and not against India. The secret
Establishment too saw the relationship as a short cut to modernization of its
armed forces but failed to comprehend long-term strategic interest of Pakistan.
Military
dictatorship (1960–1969)
Pakistan joined the US-led military alliances SEATO and
CENTO. In 1954 the United States signed a Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement
with Pakistan. Under Ayub Khan, Pakistan enjoyed a strong and close
relationship with the United States. Pakistan had aligned itself with the
United States during the Cold War, as opposed to the Soviet Union. Khan's
government also provided a secret military base to United States. The 1960s era
was perhaps most enjoyable and fond relationships enjoyed both by the United
States and Pakistan. This 1960s era, Pakistan and her people were the most
pro-American nation where the U.S. image was more positive than any other
nation at that time. In 1961, Khan paid a state visit to the United States,
accompanied by his daughter Begum Nasir Akhtar Aurangzeb. Highlights of the
trip included a state dinner at Mount Vernon, a visit to the Islamic Center of
Washington, and a ticker tape parade in New York City.
In 1954, Ayub Khan famously told Brigadier-General Henry A.
Byroade and the United States that "I didn’t come here to look at
barracks. Our army can be your army if you want us. But let’s make a
decision".In 1960, Ayub Khan gave approval to U.S. to fly a spy mission to
Soviet Union, knowing the aftermath of the mission, Ayub Khan was fully aware
of the operation. On May 1960, the U-2 incident took place, its pilot Gary
Powers was captured. The CIA notified Ayub Khan of the incident when he was in
London for a state visit, he shrugged his shoulders and said that he had
expected this would happen at some point.According the General Khalid
Mahmud Arif, this incident "severely compromised Pakistan security"
and brought the Soviet ire on Pakistan. "Pakistan felt deceived because
the US had kept her in the dark about such clandestine spy operations launched
from Pakistan’s territory", quoted by General Arif.
The United States military aide was only concentrated in
West-Pakistan, and the economic benefits enjoyed by West Pakistan, not the
East. The Anti-Americanism and democracy tendency was great and was stronger in
East-Pakistan, the East-Pakistan parliament signed a statement, denouncing the
military pact and aide with United States. The United States refrained to
provide the military training of the East Pakistan Army and the East Pakistan
Rifles, troops stationed at Kashmir province did not receive any training but
was managed by Pakistan itself
President Ayub Khan and Jaqueline Kennedy with Sardar, a Seal
brown horse gifted by Khan to Jackie Kennedy, 1962.
The economic aide to Pakistan was increased by the United
States through the consortium companies. Booming economy had brought Pakistan a
prestige and the success of capitalism system in an underdeveloped country was
widely appreciated. But this was short lived, when Ayub Khan launched the
Operation Gibraltar against India, leading India to declare full-scale war with
West-Pakistan.
Many civil bureaucrats, notably Sartaj Aziz noted that the
war with India was an ill-considered decision and its aftermath that was uncontrollable
by Ayub Khan. The economy and foreign policy requirements are not fully
consistent, in fact they were rapidly falling out of line after the operations
were launched. The United States placed embargo on Pakistan, both military and
economical, that led the collapse of Pakistan's economy.
The war with India came with an economic cost for Pakistan,
which lost the half a billion dollars it had coming from the Consortium for
Pakistan through the United States. Ayub Khan could not suffer the aftermath
and fall from the presidency after surrendering the presidential power of Army
Commander General Yahya Khan in 1969. Escalating the further crises, the
country was floundered; losing East-Pakistan after India was again attacked by
Pakistan six years later, with the economy in great jeopardy without United
States' assistance.
Military dictatorship (1969–1971)
Pakistan was perceived in the United States as an integral
bulwark against Communism in the Cold War. The United States cautiously
supported Pakistan during the 1971 war although congress kept an arms embargo
in place.
In 1971, Pakistan helped the United States to make
preparations for the President Richard Nixon for his historical visit to the
Peoples' Republic of China (PRC). President Nixon and Henry Kissinger used
Pakistan's relationship with China to start secret contacts with China, which
resulted in Henry Kissinger’s secret visit to China in July 1971 while visiting
Pakistan.
Role in Indo-Pakistani war of 1971
President of Pakistan Yahya Khan with United States President
Richard Nixon, 1970.
Nixon relayed messages to Yahya, urging him to restrain
Pakistani forces.His objective was to prevent a war and safeguard
Pakistan's interests, though he feared an Indian invasion of West Pakistan that
would lead to Indian domination of the sub-continent and strengthen the
position of the Soviet Union.Similarly, Yahya Khan feared that an
independent Bangladesh could lead to the disintegration of Pakistan. Indian military
support for Bengali guerillas led to war between India and Pakistan.
The United States was secretly encouraging the shipment of
military equipment from Iran, Turkey, and Jordan to Pakistan, reimbursing those
countries despite Congressional objections. The U.S. used the threat of an aid
cut-off to force Pakistan to back down, while its continued military aid to
Islamabad prevented India from launching incursions deeper into the country.
Near the end of the war and fearing Pakistan's defeat by the joint forces of
Mukti Bahini and Indian forces, Nixon ordered the USS Enterprise into the
Indian Ocean, although it was never used for actual combat fearing Russian
response. Pakistan also felt the US arms embargo affected Pakistan more than it
affected India.
The United States deployed the Task Force-74 of the United
States Seventh Fleet, when it became apparent that Pakistan was losing the war.
At the height of Vietnam war, the Enterprise led the Task Force-74 and was seen
as a Show of force by the United States in support of the beleaguered West
Pakistan Armed Forces. The Task Force-74 was forced to withdraw when the Soviet
Union dispatched a large fleet to support India, as well as nuclear submarines armed
with nuclear missiles.
Declassified CIA intelligence documents stated that
"India intended to dismember Pakistan and destroy its armed forces, a
possible loss of U.S. ally in the Cold war that United States cannot afford to
lose. Nixon termed India as "Soviet stooge" before ordering the
Enterprise to lead the Task Force-74. In an assessment completed by U.S.,
India, with full-backing of Soviet Union, can tackle [Pakistan] without anybody
doing anything. Nixon sent a strong message to Soviet Union urging Russians to
stop India from dismembering and disintegrating the State of Pakistan from
existence, in Nixons' words: "In the strongest possible...(...)... terms
to restrain India with which … (Soviets) have great influence and for whose
actions you must share responsibility... (...)...".
Democratic government (1971-1977)
Main articles: 1977 Pakistani coup d'état, Smiling Buddha,
Organization of the Islamic Conference, Pakistan and its Nuclear Deterrent
Program, Democratic socialism, Pakistan People’s Party, and Nationalization in
Pakistan
See also: Pakistan–Soviet Union relations, Pakistan North
Korea relations, and Pakistan-Vietnam relations
As a result of the 1970s election, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a
charismatic democratic socialist, became President (1971-1974) and later Prime
minister in 1974. This period is seen as a "quiet cold war" with the
Pakistan who was administer under democratic socialists led by Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto. His socialist ideas favored the communist ideas but never actually
allied with communism. Under Bhutto, Pakistan would focus on Movement of
Non-Aligned Countries, building closer ties with Soviet bloc and the Soviet
Union. Meanwhile, Bhutto tried to maintain a balance with the United States,
but such attempts were rebuffed by United States. Bhutto opposed the
ultra-leftism concepts but was a strong proponent of left-wing politics, which
the U.S. had opposed in Pakistan from the very start.
“ When
differences develop, a small country should not take on a great power head-on,
it is wiser for it to duck, detour, and side-step and try to enter from the
back-door... ”
—Zulfi Bhutto, on U.S.-Pakistan relations,
Although, Richard Nixon enjoyed firmly strong relations with
Bhutto and was a close friend of Bhutto, the graph of relation significantly
went down under the Presidency of Jimmy Carter. Carter, an anti-socialist,
tightened the embargo placed on Pakistan and placed a pressure through the
United States Ambassador to Pakistan, Brigadier-General Henry By road. The
socialist orientation, and Bhutto's proposed left-wing theories, had badly
upset the United States, further clinging the bell tolls in the United States
as fearing Pakistan's loss as an ally in the Cold war. The leftists and
Bhutto's policy towards Soviet Union was seen sympathetic and had built a
bridge for Soviet Union to have gain access in Pakistan's warm water ports,
that something both United States and Soviet Union had lacked.
During the course of 1976 presidential election, Carter was
elected as U.S. President, and his very inaugural speech Carter announced the
determination to seek the ban of nuclear weapons. With Carter's election,
Bhutto lost all links to United States administration he had through President
Nixon. Bhutto had to face the embargo and pressure from the American President
who was totally against the political objectives which Bhutto had set forth for
his upcoming future plans. Carter indirectly announced his opposition to
Bhutto, his ambition and the elections.Responding to President Carter,
Bhutto launched a more actively aggressive and serious diplomatic offensive on
the United States and the Western world over the nuclear issues.Bhutto's
demagogic act on nuclear issues put the United States, particularly Carter who
found it extremely difficult to counter Bhutto, on Defensive position at the
United Nations.While India and Soviet Union were pushed aside when Bhutto
attacked Indian nuclear programme as labeling latter's program based on the
nuclear proliferation.Writing to the world and Western leaders, Bhutto made it
clear and maintained to the United States:
Pakistan was exposed to a kind of "nuclear threat and
blackmail" unparalleled elsewhere..... (...)... If the world's community
failed to provide political insurance to Pakistan and other countries against
the nuclear blackmail, these countries would be constraint to launch atomic
bomb programs of their own!... [A]ssurances provided by the United Nations were
not "Enough!"...
—Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, statement written in "Eating
Grass", source
Although, Carter placed an embargo on Pakistan, Bhutto under
the technical guidance and diplomatic though Foreign minister Aziz Ahmed,
succeeded to bought sensitive equipment, common metal materials, and electronic
components, marked as "common items", hide the true nature of the
intentions, greatly enhance the atomic bomb project, though a complete failure
for Carter's embargo.Bhutto tried to resolve the issue, but Carter
intentionally sabotage the talks. In a thesis written by historian Abdul
Ghafoor Buhgari, Carter keenly sabotaged Bhutto credibility, but did not wanted
favored his execution as Carter made a call to General Zia-ul-Haq to stop the
act. Therefore senior leadership of Pakistan People’s Party reached out to
different country's ambassadors and high commissioners but did not meet with
the U.S. ambassador, as the leadership knew the "noble" part played
by Carter and his administration.When Carter administration discovered Bhutto's
act, the programme was reached to a well advanced level, and furthermore, had
disastrous effect on SALT I Treaty which was soon collapse, a failure of
President Carter to stop the atomic proliferation and arm race between Soviet
Union and United States heightened.
Bhutto meeting with Nixon in 1972.
In 1974, with India carried out the test of nuclear weapons
near the Pakistan's eastern border, codename Smiling Buddha, Bhutto sought
United States to impose economic sanctions in India. Though it was unsuccessful
approach, in a meeting of Pakistan's Ambassador to United States with Secretary
of State Henry Kissinger, Kissingers told Pakistan’s ambassador to Washington
that the test is “a fait accompli and that Pakistan would have to learn to live
with it,” although he was aware this is a “little rough” on the Pakistanis. In
the 1970s, the ties were further severed with Bhutto as Bhutto had continued to
administer the research on weapons, and in 1976, in a meeting with Bhutto and
Kissinger, Kissinger had told Bhutto, "that if you [Bhutto] do not cancel,
modify or postpone the Reprocessing Plant Agreement, we will make a horrible
example from you". The meeting was ended by Bhutto as he had replied:
"For my country’s sake, for the sake of people of Pakistan, I did not succumb
to that black-mailing and threats". After the meeting, Bhutto intensified
his nationalization and industrialization policies, as well as aggressively
taking steps to spur scientific research on atomic weapons and the atomic bomb
project. Bhutto authorized the construction of Chagai weapon-testing
laboratories, whilst United States opposed the action and predicted that it
will lead to a massive and destructive war between India and Pakistan in the
future. The atomic bomb project became fully mature in 1978; and a first cold
test was conducted in 1983
Bhutto called upon Organization of Islamic Conference in
order to bring Muslim world together but after months, the pro-United States
Muslim nations and United States itself took the promised step and Bhutto was
declared as the corrupted one, and, as a result, Bhutto was hanged in 1979
Military dictatorship (1977–1988)
In 1979, a group of Pakistani students burned the American
embassy in Islamabad to the ground killing two Americans as a reaction to Grand
Mosque Seizure, citing the U.S. involvement. The claim was a lie started by
Iran.
Crile and Charlie Wilson meeting with ISI officers, c. 1980s.
After the removal and death of Bhutto, the Pakistan's ties
with United States were better and improved.In December 24, 1979, the Soviet
40th Army crossed borders, rolling into Afghanistan, President Carter issued
his doctrine (see Carter Doctrine). The silent features offers the creation of
the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF), increasing the deployment of United States
Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), a collective security framework in the
region and a commitment to the defense of Pakistan by transfer of significant
amount of weapons and Monetarism.
Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, ISI and CIA ran
multi-billion dollar worth Operation Cyclone to thwart the communist regime as
well as defeating Soviets in Afghanistan. Throughout the military regime of
General Zia-ul-Haq, the ties and relations were promoted at its maximum point,
and United States had given billion dollars of economic and military aid to
Pakistan. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 highlighted the
common interest of Pakistan and the United States in opposing the Soviet Union.
In 1981, Pakistan and the United States agreed on a $3.2 billion military and
economic assistance program aimed at helping Pakistan deal with the heightened
threat to security in the region and its economic development needs. With US
assistance, in the largest covert operation in history, Pakistan armed and
supplied anti-Soviet fighters in Afghanistan.
In the 1980s, Pakistan agreed to pay $658 million for 28 F-16
fighter jets from the United States; however the US congress froze the deal,
citing objections to Pakistan's nuclear ambitions. Under the terms of the
American cancellation, the US kept both the money and the planes, leading to
angry claims of theft by Pakistanis.
“ When
Americans lost in Vietnam, Americans went home and cried. When the Soviets got
kicked out of Egypt, Soviets decided to go after Libya... Is America still the
leader of the free world? In what respect?.... I hope it will soon restore its
countervailing role, abandoned after Vietnam ”
—Zia on U.S.'s policy on Pakistan.,
Initially, Carter offered Pakistan $325 million in aid over
three years; Zia rejected this as "peanuts." Carter also signed the finding
in 1980 that allowed less than $50 million a year to go to the Mujahideen. All
attempts were rebuffed, Zia shrewdly played his cards knowing that Carter was
on his way out and he may get a better deal from the incoming Reagan. After
Ronald Reagan came to office, defeating Carter for the US Presidency in 1980,
all this changed, due to President Reagan's new priorities and the unlikely and
remarkably effective effort by Congressman Charles Wilson (D-TX), aided by
Joanne Herring, and CIA Afghan Desk Chief Gust Avrakotos to increase the
funding for Operation Cyclone. Aid to the Afghan resistance, and to Pakistan,
increased substantially, finally reaching $1 billion. The United States, faced
with a rival superpower looking as if it were to create another Communist bloc,
now engaged Zia to fight a US-aided war by proxy in Afghanistan against the
Soviets.
The Reagan administration and Reagan himself supported
Pakistan's military regime, American officials visited the country on a routine
basis.The U.S. political influence in Pakistan effectively curbed down the
liberals, socialists, communists, and democracy-advocates in the country in
1983, instead advising Zia to hold the non-partisans elections in 1985. General
Akhtar Abdur Rahman of ISI and William Casey of CIA worked together in harmony,
and in an atmosphere of mutual trust. The ISI officer Mohammad Yusuf stated
"“It was a great blow to the Jehad when Casey died", calling Casey
"shaheed", a former CIA director is actually a martyr of Islam. The
U.S. intelligence community also helped Zia to expand the idea of
Establishment, in the national politics of Pakistan, approving the sale of F-16
Fighting Falcon, nuclear technology, naval warships, intelligence training and
efforts.
Relations after the Cold war: 1988-1999
Democratic governments (1988–1998)
Main articles: Pressler amendment, Taliban, Economy of
Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, Benazir Bhutto, Indo-Pakistani War of 1999, 1999
Pakistani coup d'état, Pokhran-II, Chagai-II, and Soviet troop withdrawal from
Afghanistan
After the restoration of democracy after the disastrous and
mysterious death of Zia and U.S. Ambassador in an aviation crash, relations
deteriorated quickly with upcoming prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz
Sharif. The United States took tough stand on Pakistan's nuclear development,
passing the Pressler amendment, while significantly improving the relations
with India. Both Benazir and Nawaz Sharif also asked the United States to take
steps to stop the Indian nuclear programme, feeling that United States was not
doing enough to address what Pakistan saw as an existential threat. Pakistan
found itself in a state of extremely high insecurity as tensions mounted with
India and Afghanistan’s infighting continued. Pakistan’s alliance with the U.S.
was strained due to factors such as its support for the Taliban and public
distancing of the Pakistani government from the U.S.
Rift in
relations
In 1992 US Ambassador Nicholas Platt advised Pakistan's leaders
that if Pakistan continued to support terrorists in India or
Indian-administered territory, "the Secretary of State may find himself
required by law to place Pakistan on the state sponsors of terrorism
list."When the US decided to respond to the 1998 United States
embassy bombings in Africa by firing missiles at an al-Qaeda camp in
Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, five Pakistani ISI agents present at the camp
were killed.
Economic
embargo
Benazir Bhutto paying state visit to the U.S., 1989.
In 1989, Benazir Bhutto made a quick visit in the U.S. asking
U.S. to stop financing the Afghan mujahideen to President George H. W. Bush,
which she marked "America's Frankenstein". This was followed by Nawaz
Sharif who visited the U.S. in 1990, but U.S. gave cold shoulder to Pakistan,
asking Pakistan to stop developing the nuclear deterrence. In 1990, Prime
minister Nawaz Sharif travels to U.S. to solve the nuclear crises after the
U.S. had tightened its economic embargo on Pakistan, prompting Sharif and
then-Treasure Minister Sartaj Aziz to held talks on Washington.It was widely
reported in Pakistan that the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Teresita
Schaffer had told the Foreign Minister Shahabzada Yaqub Khan to halt the
uranium enrichment programme. In December 1990, France's Commissariat à
l'énergie atomique agreed to provide a commercial 900MW power plant, but plans
did not materialize as France wanted Pakistan to provide entire financial funds
for the plant. Furthermore, the U.S. Ambassador Robert Oakley further
influenced on the project, showing growing concerns of the U.S. on the
agreement. While talking to U.S. media, Nawaz Sharif declared that:
"Pakistan possessed no [atomic] bomb... Pakistan would be happy to sign
the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) but it must be provided "first"
to India to do the same". After the France's project cancel, Nawaz Sharif
successfully held talks with the China to build the largest commercial nuclear
plant, CHASNUPP-I in Chasma city in Pakistan.
In 1995, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto made final visit to
U.S. urging President Bill Clinton to amend the Pressler Amendment and
emphasized United States to launch a campaign against the extremism, with
Pakistan allying with the United States. Prime minister Benazir Bhutto was
succeeded to pass the Brown Amendment, but the embargo on arms remain active.
At the United States trip, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto faced a heated
criticism and opposition on nuclear weapons program, Benazir Bhutto responded
fiercely and sharply criticized U.S.'s nonproliferation policy and demanded
that the United States honour its contractual obligation. Although Benazir was
able to convince U.S. business community to invest in Pakistan, but she was
unable to revert the economic embargo which kept investment away from the country.
Nawaz Sharif meeting with William Cohen, Secretary of State,
1998
In 1998, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ordered to conduct first
nuclear tests after Benazir Bhutto called for the tests (see Chagai-I and
Chagai-II), in response to Indian nuclear tests (see Pokhran-II). Nawaz
Sharif's ordering the nuclear tests was met with great hostility and ire in the
United States after President Clinton placing the economic embargo on Pakistan.
The relations were also refrained and strained after Nawaz Sharif became
involved with Kargil war with India, while India's relations with Israel and
U.S greatly enhanced. Soon after the tests, Benazir Bhutto publicly announced
her believe that her father was "sent to the gallows at the instance of
the superpower for pursuing the nuclear capability,though she did not disclose
the name of the power. In 1999, Benazir leaked the information that Nawaz Sharif
would be deposed that there is (nothing) that Americans want to support Nawaz
Sharif or the democracy in Pakistan. After the military coup was commenced
against Nawaz Sharif, the President Clinton criticized the coup demanding the
restoration of democracy but did not favor the mass demonstration against the
military regime as the coup, at that time, was popular. In conclusion, both
Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto refused to make compromises with respect to the
country's nuclear deterrence, instead building infrastructure despite U.S.
objections.
Cold war legacies and trade sanctions
CENTO and
SEATO
Pakistan was a leading member of the Central Treaty
Organization (CENTO) and the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) from its
adoption in 1954-55 and allied itself with the United States during the most of
the Cold war. In 1971-72, Pakistan ended its alliance with the United States
after the East-Pakistan war in which East Pakistan successfully seceded with
the aid of India. The promise of economic aid from the United States was
instrumental in creating these agreements. At the time the pact was adopted,
Pakistan's relationship with the United States was the friendliest in Asia.
During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, the United States
refused to provide any military support to as against its pledged. This
generated a widespread anti-American feelings and emotions in Pakistan that the
United States was no longer a reliable ally. According to C. Christine Fair, the
U.S. cut off arms supplies because Pakistan "started the war with India by
using regular military personnel disguised as mujahideen." According to
Fair, in 1971 "the Pakistanis were angry at the U.S. again, for not
bailing them out from another war they started against India."
Trade
embargo
In April 1979, the United States suspended most economic
assistance to Pakistan over concerns about Pakistan's atomic bomb project under
the Foreign Assistance Act.
Military
science programmes
Pakistan
and atomic weapons
In 1955, after Prime minister Huseyn Suhrawardy established
nuclear power to ease of the electricity crises, with U.S. offering grant of
US$350,000 to acquire a commercial nuclear power plant.Following this year, the
PAEC signed an agreement with counterpart United States Atomic Energy
Commission where the research on nuclear power and training was started
initially by the United States. During the 1960s, the U.S. opens doors to
Pakistan's scientists and engineers to conduct research on leading institutions
of the U.S., notably ANL, ORNL, and LLNL. In 1965, Abdus Salam went to U.S.
succeeding the U.S. government to establish a national institute of nuclear
research (see PINSTECH and a research reactor Parr-I).The Pinstech was
designed by leading American architect Edward Durrell Stone whereby American
nuclear engineer Peter Karter designed the reactor, with the reactor supplied
by the American Machine and Foundry as its contractors. Later in years, U.S.
helped Pakistan to negotiate to acquire first commercial nuclear power plant,
Kanupp-I, from GE Canada in 1965. All this nuclear infrastructure was
established by the U.S. during the successive years of the 1960s, as part of
the Congressional Atoms for Peace programme.
The leadership of both nations meeting in a high-level state
dinner in Islamabad, 2006
This was changed after Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and democratic
socialists under him decided to build nuclear weapons for the sake of their national
security and survival.In 1974, U.S. imposed embargo and restriction on Pakistan
to limit its nuclear weapons programme. In the 1980s, the American concerns of
Pakistan’s role in nuclear proliferation eventually turned out to be true after
the exposure of nuclear programs of Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Libya.
Although the atomic program was effectively peaceful and devoted for economical
usage, the nuclear policy change in the 1970s and till the present, with
Pakistan maintaining its program as part of the strategic deterrence.
In the 1980s, the plan to recognise national security
concerns and accepting Pakistan' assurances that it did not intend to construct
a nuclear weapon, Congress waived restrictions (Symington Amendment) on
military assistance to Pakistan. In October 1980, a high level delegation and
CMLA General Zia-ul-Haq travels to U.S., first meeting with former president
Richard Nixon. Although, the meeting was to discuss the Soviet integration of
Afghanistan, Nixon made it clear he is in favor of Pakistan gaining nuclear
weapons capability, while correcting that he is not in a race for the
presidential elections. The following year, Agha Shahi made it clear to
Alexander Haig that Pakistan "won't make a compromise" on its nuclear
weapons program, but assured the U.S. that the country had adopted the policy
of deliberate ambiguity, refraining itself to conduct nuclear tests to avoid or
create divergence in the relations.
In March 1986, the two countries agreed on a second
multi-year (FY 1988–93) $4-billion economic development and security assistance
program. On October 1, 1990, however, the United States suspended all military
assistance and new economic aid to Pakistan under the Pressler Amendment, which
required that the President certify annually that Pakistan "does not
possess a nuclear explosive device."
India's decision to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 and
Pakistan's response set back US relations in the region, which had seen renewed
US interest during the second Clinton Administration. A presidential visit
scheduled for the first quarter of 1998 was postponed and, under the Glenn
Amendment, sanctions restricted the provision of credits, military sales,
economic assistance, and loans to the government.
Nonproliferation
and security
Since 1998, the governments of both countries have started intensive
dialogues on nuclear nonproliferation and security issues. First meeting took
place in 1998 between Foreign Secretary Shamshad Ahmad and Deputy Secretary of
State Strobe Talbott to discuss the issues focusing on CTBT signature and
ratification, FMCT negotiations, export controls, and a nuclear restraint
regime. The October 1999 overthrow of the democratically elected Sharif
government triggered an additional layer of sanctions under Section 508 of the
Foreign Appropriations Act which include restrictions on foreign military
financing and economic assistance. US Government assistance to Pakistan was
limited mainly to refugee and counter-narcotics assistance.".At the height
of the nuclear proliferation case in 2004, President George Bush delivering a
policy statement at the National Defense University, President Bush proposed to
reform the IAEA to combat the nuclear proliferation and quoted: "No state,
under investigation for proliferation violations, should be allowed to serve on
the IAEA Board of Governors—or on the new special committee. And any state
currently on the Board that comes under investigation should be suspended from
the Board."
The Bush's proposal was seen as targeted against Pakistan,
which is an influential member of IAEA since the 1960s and serves on the Board
of Governors; it did not receive attention from other world governments. In
2009, Pakistan has repeatedly blocked the Conference on Disarmament (CD) from
implementing its agreed program of work, despite severe pressure from the major
nuclear powers to end its defiance of 64 other countries in blocking
international ban on the production of new nuclear bomb-making material, as
well as discussions on full nuclear disarmament, the arms race in outer space,
and security assurances for non-nuclear states.The Chairman Joint Chiefs
General Tariq Majid justified Pakistan's action and outline the fact that
atomic deterrence against a possible aggression was a compulsion, and not a
choice for Pakistan. He further justified that "a proposed fissile
material cutoff treaty would target Pakistan specifically.
On December 10, 2012, the Assistant Secretary for Arms
Control, Verification, and Compliance Rose Gottemoeller and Additional
Secretary for United Nations and Economic Coordination Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry
co-chaired the Pakistan-U.S. Security, Strategic Stability, and
Nonproliferation (SSS&NP) Working Group in Islamabad.Gottemoeller traveled
to Pakistan after former Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran wrote in an
article that, "Pakistan had moved its nuclear doctrine from minimum
deterrence to second strike capability and expanded its arsenal to include
tactical weapons that can be delivered by short-range missiles like the
Hatf-IX.The meeting ended with an agreement on continuing dialogue on a range
of issues related to the bilateral relationship, including international
efforts to enhance nuclear security and peaceful applications of nuclear
energy.
Space
programme
In the 1990s, U.S. and the Missile Technology Control Regime
put restrictions on Pakistan's space programme in amid fear that the country's
alleged covert development of missile programmes. The U.S. began cooperation
with Pakistan in peaceful space technology in the 1960s after establishing the
Sonmiani Terminal in 1961, constructing an airfield and launch pad. In 1962,
the Space Research Commission launched the first solid-fuel rocket, Rehbar-I,
built with close interaction with the U.S. NASA. Launching of the rocket made
Pakistan the first South Asian country and tenth country in the world to
carrying out the launch of the rocket. During the 1962 and 1972, approximately
200 rockets were fired from the Sonmiani, but this cooperation waned after
1972.
During the 1990s and early 2000s, U.S. tightened its embargo
and constriction on Pakistan's space development, and in 1998, putting
restrictions and sanctions on premier astronautics research department, DESTO,
although the sanctions were uplifted in 2001 by the Bush Administration.
Relations
since 2001
Pervez
Musharraf with President Bush
After the September 11 attacks in 2001 in the United States,
Pakistan became a key ally in the war on terror with the United States. In
2001, US President George W. Bush pressured the government into joining the US
war on terror. Pervez Musharraf acknowledges the payments received for captured
terrorists in his book:
We've captured 689 and handed over 369 to the United States.
We've earned bounties totaling millions of dollars
—Former President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf
In 2003, the US officially forgave US$1 billion in Pakistani
debt in a ceremony in Pakistan in turn for Pakistan joining the US 'war on
terror'. "Today's signing represents a promise kept and another milestone
in our expanding partnership," US Ambassador Nancy Powell said in a
statement, "The forgiveness of $1 billion in bilateral debt is just one
piece of a multifaceted, multibillion dollar assistance package." The new
relationship between the United States and Pakistan is not just about September
11,' Powell said. "It is about the rebirth of a long-term partnership
between our two countries." However Pakistan support of the U.S. and its
war has angered many Pakistanis that do not support it.
In October 2005, Condoleezza Rice made a statement where she
promised that the United States will support the country's earthquake relief
efforts and help it rebuild" after the Kashmir Earthquake.
Alliance with United States
Prior to the September 11 attacks in 2001, Pakistan and Saudi
Arabia were key supporters of the Taliban in Afghanistan, as part of their
"strategic depth" objective vis-a-vis India, Iran, and Russia.
After 9/11, Pakistan, led by General Pervez Musharraf,
reversed course as they were under pressure from the United States and joined
the "War on Terror" as a U.S. ally. Having failed to convince the
Taliban to hand over bin Laden and other members of Al Qaeda, Pakistan provided
the U.S. a number of military airports and bases for its attack on Afghanistan,
along with other logistical support.[citation needed] Since 2001, Pakistan has
arrested over five hundred Al-Qaeda members and handed them over to the United
States; senior U.S. officers have been lavish in their praise of Pakistani
efforts in public while expressing their concern that not enough was being done
in private. However, General Musharraf was strongly supported by the Bush administration.
Pakistan Prime minister Shaukat Aziz shakes hands with President
George Walker Bush.
In return for their support, Pakistan had sanctions lifted
and has received about $10 billion in U.S. aid since 2001, primarily military.
In June 2004, President George W. Bush designated Pakistan as a major non-NATO
ally, making it eligible, among other things, to purchase advanced American
military technology.
Pakistan has lost thousands of lives since joining the U.S.
war on terror in the form of both soldiers and civilians, and was going through
a critical period, however many areas of Pakistan are becoming terror
free.[neutrality is disputed] Suicide bombs were commonplace in Pakistan,
whereas they were unheard of prior to 9/11.The Taliban have been resurgent in
recent years in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Hundreds of thousands of
refugees have been created internally in Pakistan, as they have been forced to
flee their homes as a result of fighting between Pakistani forces and the
Taliban in the regions bordering Afghanistan and further in Swat.[citation needed]
In addition, the economy is in an extremely fragile position.
A key campaign argument of US President Barack Obama was that
the US had made the mistake of "putting all our eggs in one basket"
in the form of General Musharraf.[citation needed] Musharraf was eventually
forced out of office under the threat of impeachment, after years of political
protests by lawyers, civilians and other political parties in Pakistan. With
Obama coming into office, the U.S. is expected to triple non-military aid to
Pakistan to $1.5 billion per year over 10 years, and to tie military aid to
progress in the fight against militants. The purpose of the aid is to help
strengthen the relatively new democratic government led by President Zardari and
to help strengthen civil institutions and the general economy in Pakistan, and
to put in place an aid program that is broader in scope than just supporting
Pakistan's military.
Aid from the United States since 9/11
Pakistan is a major non-NATO ally as part of the War on
Terrorism, and a leading recipient of U.S. aid
Trust
deficits issues
In 2008, NSA Director Mike McConnell confronted ISI Director
Ahmad Shuja Pasha, claiming that the ISI was tipping off jihadists so that they
could escape in advance of American attacks against them.
On 11 June 2008, the Gora Prai airstrike, on the
Afghan-Pakistani border, killed 10 members of the paramilitary Frontier Corps.
The Pakistani military condemned the airstrike as an act of aggression, souring
the relations between the two countries. However after the drone attacks in
June, President Bush had said 'Pakistan is strong ally '. Western officials
have claimed nearly 70%( roughly $3.4 billion) of the aid given to the
Pakistani military has been misspent in 2002–2007. However U.S-Pakistani
relationship has been a transactional based and US military aid to Pakistan has
been shrouded in secrecy for several years until recently. Furthermore a
significant proportion of US economic aid for Pakistan has ended up back in the
US as funds are channeled through large US contractors. US Representative Gary
Ackerman also said a large sum of US economic aid has not left the US as it
spent on consulting fees and overhead cost.
In the November 2008 Mumbai Attacks, the United States
informed Pakistan that it expected full cooperation in the hunt for the
plotters of the attacks.
Border engagement and skirmishes
The United States and Pakistan have experienced several
military confrontations on the Durand Line. These skirmishes took place between
American forces deployed in Afghanistan, and Pakistani troops guarding the
border. On November 26, 2011, 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in an aerial
attack on Pakistani positions near the border. The attack further damaged
US-Pakistani relations with many in Pakistan calling for a more hardline stance
against the United States.
Afghan war factor in Pakistan–United States relations
Main articles: War in Afghanistan (2001–present),
India-United States relations, New Great Game, Taliban, and Northern Alliance
Present US-Pakistan relations are a case study on the
difficulties of diplomacy and policy making in a multipolar world. Pakistan has
important geopolitical significance for both India and China, making unilateral
action almost impossible for the US. At the same time, Pakistan remains a key
player in American efforts in Afghanistan. The two countries are trying to
build a strategic partnership, but there remains a significant trust deficit,
which continues to hinder successful cooperation in combating common threats.
Despite recent setbacks, both Pakistan and the United States
continue to seek a productive relationship to defeat terrorist organizations.
It has been alleged that the ISI pays journalists to write articles hostile to
the United States.
2009: U.S.
military and economic aid
On 14 September 2009, former President of Pakistan, Pervez
Musharraf, admitted that American foreign aid to Pakistan had been diverted
from its original purpose of fighting the Taliban to preparing for war against
neighboring India.The United States government has responded by stating that it
will take these allegations seriously.However Pervez Musharraf also said,
'"Wherever there is a threat to Pakistan, we will use it [the equipment]
there. If the threat comes from al-Qaeda or Taliban, it will be used there. If
the threat comes from India, we will most surely use it there."
In late 2009, Hillary Clinton made a speech in Pakistan about
the war against the militants and said "...we commend the Pakistani
military for their courageous fight, and we commit to stand shoulder to shoulder
with the Pakistani people in your fight for peace and security."
In October 2009, the US Congress approved $7.5 billion of
non-military aid to Pakistan over the next five years via the Kerry-Lugar Bill.
In February 2010, US President Barack Obama sought to increase funds to
Pakistan to "promote economic and political stability in strategically
important regions where the United States has special security interests".
Obama also sought $3.1 billion aid for Pakistan to defeat Al Qaeda for 2010.
On December 1, 2009, President Barack Obama in a speech on a
policy about Pakistan said "In the past, we too often defined our
relationship with Pakistan narrowly. Those days are over.... The Pakistani
people must know America will remain a strong supporter of Pakistan’s security
and prosperity long after the guns have fallen silent, so that the great
potential of its people can be unleashed." President Obama also said,
"In the past, we too often defined our relationship with Pakistan
narrowly, those days are over. Moving forward, we are committed to a
partnership with Pakistan that is built on a foundation of mutual interests,
mutual respect and mutual trust" and that the two countries "share a
common enemy' in combating Islamic extremism."
In the aftermath of a thwarted bombing attempt on a 2009
Northwest Airlines flight, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration
(TSA) issued a new set of screening guidelines that includes pat-downs for
passengers from countries of interest, which includes Pakistan. In a sign of
widening fissures between the two allies, on January 21, Pakistan declined a
request by the United States to launch new offensives on militants in 2010.
Pakistan say it "can't launch any new offensives against militants for six
months to a year because it wants to 'stabilize' previous gains made. However,
the US praises Pakistan's military effort against the militants.Furthermore
Pakistan president, in meeting with the U.S. delegation, had said Pakistan
"had suffered a... loss of over 35 billion dollars during the last eight
years as a result of the fight against militancy." But the President also
called for "greater Pak-U.S. cooperation".
2010: Coalition
partnership issues
In February 2010, Anne W. Patterson (U.S. Ambassador to
Pakistan) said that the United States is committed to partnership with Pakistan
and further said “Making this commitment to Pakistan while the U.S. is still
recovering from the effects of the global recession reflects the strength of our
vision. Yet we have made this commitment, because we see the success of
Pakistan, its economy, its civil society and its democratic institutions as
important for ourselves, for this region and for the world.”
Between 2002–2010, Pakistan received approximately $18
billion in military and economic aid from the United States. In February
2010, the Obama administration requested an additional $3 billion in aid, for a
total of $20.7 billion.
In mid-February 2010, after the capture of the second most
powerful Taliban, Abdul Ghani Baradar in Pakistan by Pakistani forces, the
White House hailed the operation. Furthermore, White House Press Secretary
Robert Gibbs said that this is a "big success for our mutual
efforts(Pakistan and United States)in the region" and praised Pakistan for
the capture, saying it was a sign of increased cooperation with the US in the
terror fight.
In March, Richard Holbrooke, then US special envoy to
Pakistan, said that US-Pakistani relations have seen "significant
improvement" under Obama. He also said, "No government on earth has
received more high-level attention" than Pakistan
2011:
American accusations and attacks in Pakistan
As early as 2005, the Western criticism against Pakistan grew
and many European and American political correspondents criticized Pakistan at
the public level.The London-based The Economist in fact observed: "As
an American ally, Pakistan has become an embarrassment for United States."
In January 2011, the Raymond Allen Davis incident occurred in which Raymond
Davis, an alleged private security contractor, shot dead two Pakistani locals
after they attempted to rob him. The action sparked protests in Pakistan and
threatened relations between the United States and Pakistan, including aid
flows. Pakistan prosecuted him despite US demands for him to be freed because
he enjoys diplomatic immunity. Ultimately he was freed after the United States
made payments to the families of the slain Pakistanis, but the incident was
emblematic of the volatile nature of American-Pakistani relations. In spite of
this rocky relationship, the United States remains committed to assisting
Pakistan's new democratic government in the areas of development, stability,
and security.
The CIA had long suspected Osama Bin Laden of hiding in
Pakistan.India and US have also accused Pakistan of giving safe-haven to the
Taliban.However, Pakistan has repeatedly denied these accusations.
The attack on the US embassy and the NATO headquarters in
Kabul was blamed on the Haqqani Network, which US Admiral Mike Mullen called
"a veritable arm of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Agency."
Pakistan reacted by recalling its finance minister who was on a visit to the
U.N. Pakistan also tried to strengthen the relationship with China and Saudi
Arabia to counter the U.S. The Chinese government advised Pakistan against any
commitments that could jeopardize China's relationships with US and India.The
United States reissued a call urging Pakistan to act against the Haqqani
Network or else the US would be forced to take on the threat unilaterally. Islamic
groups in Pakistan, issued a fatwa proclaiming Jihad against the US. This was
followed by Pakistan threatening the US with retaliation, if the US went ahead
with unilateral action against the Haqqani network.
In May 2011, Pakistani journalist Saleem Shahzad was killed
and in September, The New Yorker reported that the order to kill Shahzad came
from an officer on General Kayani's staff. In July Admiral Mullen alleged that
Shahzad's killing had been "sanctioned by the government" of
Pakistan,but the ISI denied any involvement in the Shahzad murder.
Collapse of alliance and death of Osama bin Laden
Diagram of Osama bin Laden's hideout, showing the high
concrete walls that surround the compound
Osama bin Laden, then head of the militant group al-Qaeda,
was killed in Pakistan on May 2, 2011, shortly after 1 a.m. local time by a United States special forces military unit. The operation, codenamed
Operation Neptune Spear, was ordered by United States President Barack Obama
and carried out in a US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operation by a team
of United States Navy SEALs from the United States Naval Special Warfare
Development Group (also known as DEVGRU or informally by its former name, SEAL
Team Six) of the Joint Special Operations Command, with support from CIA operatives
on the ground.
According to Obama administration officials, US officials did
not share information about the raid with the government of Pakistan until it
was over.Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen called Pakistan's
army chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani at about 3 a.m. local time to inform him of the
Abbottabad Operation.
According to the Pakistani foreign ministry, the operation
was conducted entirely by US forces. Pakistan Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)
officials said they were also present at what they called a joint
operation; President Asif Ali Zardari flatly denied this.[98] Pakistan's
foreign secretary Salman Bashir later confirmed that Pakistani military had scrambled
F-16s after they became aware of the attack but that they reached the compound
after American helicopters had left.
2012–13: American sentiment against Pakistan
See also: Anti-Pakistan sentiment in the United States,
Allegations of support system in Pakistan for Osama bin Laden, and
Anti-American sentiment in Pakistan
American Chairman of Joint Chiefs Peter Pace is saluting to
Pakistan's inter-services in Islamabad.
Numerous allegations were made that the government of
Pakistan had shielded bin Laden.Critics cited the very close proximity of bin
Laden's heavily fortified compound to the Pakistan Military Academy, that the
US chose not to notify Pakistani authorities before the operation and the
double standards of Pakistan regarding the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai
attacks.US government files, leaked by Wikileaks, disclosed that American
diplomats had been told that Pakistani security services were tipping off bin
Laden every time US forces approached. Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence
(ISI), also helped smuggle al-Qaeda militants into Afghanistan to fight NATO
troops.
According to the leaked files, in December 2009, the
government of Tajikistan had also told US officials that many in Pakistan were
aware of bin Laden's whereabouts.
CIA chief Leon Panetta said the CIA had ruled out involving
Pakistan in the operation, because it feared that "any effort to work with
the Pakistanis could jeopardize the mission. They might alert the
targets." However, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stated that
"cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound in
which he was hiding." Obama echoed her sentiments.John O. Brennan, Obama's
chief counterterrorism advisor, said that it was inconceivable that bin Laden
did not have support from within Pakistan. He further stated, "People have
been referring to this as hiding in plain sight. We are looking at how he was
able to hide out there for so long."
In 2012, Shakil Afridi, a doctor who had been cooperating
with the United States in searching for Al Qaeda and bin Laden was convicted of
treason by Pakistan, and sentenced to 33 years in prison. The United States
Congress voted to cut 33 million dollars in aid to Pakistan; 1 million dollars
for every year that Shakil Afridi was sentenced to prison.
Military aid from the United States
Pakistan is a major non-NATO ally as part of the War on
Terrorism and provides key intelligence and logistical support for the United
States. A leading recipient of US military assistance, Pakistan expects to
receive approximately $20 billion since 2001 a combination of reimbursement to
Pakistan and training programs for the Pakistan counter terrorism units.
However, in the aftermath of the Osama Bin Laden raid, Pakistan Army cancelled
a $500 million training program and sent all 135 trainers home. The United
States showed displeasure at this act and withheld a further $300 million in
assistance.
Some politicians in Pakistan argue the war on terror has cost
the Pakistani economy $70 billion and U.S. aid costs the country more in the
long term, leading to accusations that the US is making Pakistan a client
state.
On 31 May 2012, Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) called for the
United States to suspend all aid to Pakistan and grant citizenship to a doctor
who was jailed for helping hunt down Osama bin Laden.
Cultural influence
According to the Washington Post, American culture has
heavily penetrated Pakistan. In the past decade, the introduction of US cinema,
US fashion and US Cuisine have proliferated Pakistan. In particular, the
introduction of American apple pies, US-style diners similar to the Sonic
Drive-In on Pakistani motorways, Hot dog stands on the streets of major cities,
Fast food restaurants serving Chicago-style pizza as well as New York-style
pizza with the option of US style home deliveries.
The proliferation of American culture in Pakistan stands in
stark contrast to the growing resentment most Pakistanis feel toward the United
States. As a result, US companies have heavily invested in Pakistan. Hardee's
have opened restaurants in the country and its first American-style sports bar.
McDonald's has heavily invested in the country and has been credited with
introducing the concept of home deliveries. Those businesses join existing
burger joints and other American fast-food restaurants such as Pizza Hut, KFC,
Fatburger and Domino's Pizza. Taco Bell and Burger King are also said to be
looking at opening branches in Pakistan
Thanks:
wikipedia.org
