President Donald Trump is notorious for his bluntness, arrogance and off the cuff remarks. He does not mince words and reaches the core point without beating about the bush. There is a general perception that President Trump does not like Pakistan and Muslims and that view is mainly held due to his over exuberant and un-thoughtful statements during his campaign and even after the assumption of his office. It matters a lot how the head of superpower state conducts himself when the world is terminally polarized. He represents the US. It is sufficient to give some respect.
Americans hate being tricked or lied to. They are mostly motivated by their self-interest. The US is an empire and it determines the rules of the game. But it is said that great power comes with great responsibility. It is rather unfortunate that interests of the empire collide with higher human values sometimes. By and large, however, the US people are honest, truthful and they respect honest and informed people. Their alliance with many nations has stood the test of the time. The interest of the 'empire' however may be the ultimate determining factor in the US relations with another state. Empires act like that. With this background, let us assess the US-Pakistan relations.
Pakistan has thanked the US for its intervention that avoided South Asia from a great calamity and that saved thousands of millions from pain and suffering. US must wholeheartedly acknowledge Pakistan's role for its help in sorting out the mess in Afghanistan. This time around, there is brave, honest and sensible leadership in Pakistan. Luckily, President Trump also likes straight talk. He appreciates that useless wars earn nothing for the US taxpayers. US-Pak relations spanning over seven decades had few flows and many ebbs. Distrust, largely fuelled by stereotypes and prejudices and sometimes due to conflict of interest, soured these relations.
It is well known that Pakistan joined the US camp in the 1950s. The US perhaps believed that Indian leadership was inclined towards socialist ideology. Pakistan leadership, having supported the Allies in their cause during WWII and many thousands Muslim soldiers having laid their lives for the British Empire, were respected in the free West. The US visit of Liaquat Ali Khan in 1950 and military alliances of the 1950s were based on a strong strategic footing. Pakistan desperately needed military and financial aid from the US to protect itself against India. The US required Pakistan's constant help for its containment policy in the region. This strategic relationship was partly based on Olaf Caroe's views on the region. Pakistan could not match India's military prowess without the US state of the art military equipment. From U-2 to Afghan War(s), Pakistan remained in the bad books of the Soviet Union for the US sake. Few years ago, Hillary Clinton was quite true when she stated that the US always left Pakistan in the lurch.
There has been tremendous cooperation on both sides in furtherance of their strategic and economic interests. The US provided military and economic aid to Pakistan while Pakistan sincerely facilitated the US interests during the Cold War. This long-standing relationship has the ability to reclaim the ground lost during recent years. Pakistan and its people have always cherished their relations with the US. The US must realize that Pakistan perceives the US' cooperation with India as a threat to its interests and existence. Pakistan cooperated with the US beyond all limits to get the US support against India. A common phenomenon and trend is thus noticed in these relations that at the most critical moments, it is so believed in Pakistan, Americans were less than forthcoming. In the 1960s, Americans provided military assistance to India against China. It was used by India to dismember Pakistan. The US had defence pact with Pakistan but in 1965 and 1971, it never came to Pakistan's help, so it is also alleged. On the contrary, the Soviet Union went many extra miles to help India against Pakistan. The US may have an answer to all this but in Pakistan at least this is the perception. It is however clear that whosoever cooperates with India, it is perceived as an enemy in this part of the World. States watch their interests and while doing that, local sensitivities cannot be ruled out. The US' main grievance seems to be that Pakistan has been less than fair in its dealings with the US. It is perhaps an effect not a cause. Truth lies somewhere in between.
The US has huge economic interests in India. India, over the years, has been able to pose itself the biggest democracy and an emerging economy. Indians have also been able to penetrate policy circles of the US. Unfortunately, however, the US seems to be attracted to the (false) colours of India. The fact of the matter is that India negates all values the US or the West stands for. Liberty is a great virtue in the US but India has become an extremist and a fake state. It has learnt the art of getting away with naked lies. It has violated all norms of civility as it is brutally repressing its minorities. Its main religious majority is utterly intolerant and highly cruel. Christians, Muslims and Sikhs and many other minorities in India are absolutely unsafe and at the mercy of Hindutva. Women and children are unprotected. Class system of thousand years is a natural producer of poverty and repression. It is unimaginable how an enlightened American can stand this ugly face of India.
Pakistan should undertake a self-assessment and reassure itself of its strength. American and Pakistani societies share and stand for basic human values of tolerance, truth and respect for humanity and their goals are also common inasmuch as both uphold blessings of liberty, well being and happiness of people. False walls of distrust can be removed with several confidence building measures. Pakistan has large, young and educated population, which can serve US society in different capacities. Pakistan can reassure the US of its continuous support and cooperation. These relations can be rebuilt on to forge strategic partnership, honesty and truth between the two countries without compromising their mutual interests and alliances in Asia. The United States must appreciate that India and Pakistan cannot live in peace unless their core issues are settled on permanent basis. The US' estimates of India's potential to stand up to China are a gross miscalculation. The ruling classes in India have their own agenda to become world power. President Trump would be true claimant of Nobel Peace Prize, as rightly pointed out by PM Khan, if he, by using his good offices and position could end miseries of millions of Kashmiris and settle this dispute.
(The writer is an Advocate of Supreme Court and former Additional Attorney-General for Pakistan)
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