It's in the nature of their job that ambassadors open their accounts with the host governments and public on a positive note. So the enthusiasm underlining the United States' newly-appointed ambassador Richard Oslon's speech at a function in Islamabad on Wednesday would seem to be fitting the bill. "We want to see and prosperous society, a strengthened participatory democracy [in Pakistan] that is responsive to the needs of the people, and economy that advances and creates jobs of Pakistan's growing population and increased educational opportunities for all" - we have heard it before. But what is different this time and may give form and meaning to the words of Ambassador Oslon is the dramatically-changed ambience that tends to obtain for constructive engagement between the two governments.
Firstly, and more importantly, with President Obama now more assured and confident the United States government would like to subordinate its power-driven superpower ambitions to the international realities. When President Obama says the decade of war is ending he is rightly expected to walk out of the battlefront and join others on the negotiating table. And he will find the Afghan Taliban sitting there already and waiting for him to join them. On them his words have not been lost; promptly reacting to his victory they have shown willingness to talk. Given Ambassador Oslon is based in Pakistan, a country which is closer to Afghan people than any other, the role to catalyse the peace process in Afghanistan is already defined.
Secondly, as his words spoken at the function indicate, he is not here to justify American perspective on relations with Pakistan that in the eyes of the man in street here was never above board. Not that the Pakistanis entertain the 'Ugly American' mental picture, they know it first hand - thanks to the US policy of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds. It's indeed a measure of Ambassador Oslon's comprehension of productive diplomacy that conceding truth Pakistanis do not believe America is not their friend, he feels "We have much work to do to overcome doubts, ill-will and misunderstandings". And for that to happen it is his government that has to play the ball. But for Pakistani leaderships' fancy to be a member of an unrewarded co-operative alliance with the United States in the war on terrorism this country would have escaped a lot of destruction it has suffered in the last couple of years. Given his prominent position in the American diplomatic corps we believe that Ambassador Oslon has the right potential to put Pak-US bilateralism back on track. In the past we happened to witness occupants of this hot seat in the Diplomatic Enclave oscillating between extremes of inflexible disposition and too flexibility bordering on ineffectiveness. We had it here 'Viceroy' Robert Oakley and a meek and mild Richard Oslon's predecessor Cameron Munter whose low voice could be heard in Washington and there left in a huff. Ambassador Oslon, however, is not cut out for any of these extreme positions.
Both of his encounters on Wednesday, his address to the 14th International American Studies Conference and his chat with invitees at his deputy's residence, amply suggest his determination to undertake what is doable and shun what is merely utopian. We do appreciate calls, wherever these come from, to help strengthen participatory democracy. But it's his take on this that 'it has to be responsive to the needs of the people' that impresses us more. Let's consider the state of education in Pakistan, the subject he talked about at the conference. The huge contribution being made by the United States government to improve this sector is simply undeniable. But who are ultimate beneficiaries of this exercise - a certain class and special interest groups. Thanks to the 18th Constitutional Amendment, education is now an orphan child of Pakistani governments. The wider issue is not classy education for a section of people, but a programme to increase funds, encourage teacher community, protect schools and expand its scope and application. Today, more than six decades of independence, we have more illiterates in Pakistan than ever before. Being a critical stakeholder in state of education in this country Ambassador Oslon can weigh in with host planners and make them accept that by improving education they would be unlocking Pakistan's real potential.
Comments
Comments are closed.