US South Asia expert, Dennis Kux believes that those relations are like a bad marriage where divorce is impossible and are likely to continue to rock along. He was speaking at a seminar on "Recent Irritants in Pak-US Relations," organised by Punjab University Pakistan Study Centre (PSC), in collaboration with the department of history here Monday.
He said that Robert Gates (former defence secretary) described the US-Pakistan relations as a bad marriage but Kux thinks they are not heading to divorce because the US and Pakistan need each other due to a number of reasons. Therefore these relations with ups and downs will likely to continue in future. He also pointed out that the members of US Parliament criticised Pakistan's two-faced policies towards terrorist groups. Washington considers Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network and the militants led by Hikmatyar as terrorists.
Pakistan on the other hand considers these groups as useful proxies, to protect itself after the US/Nato forces leave Afghanistan for good. Ambassador Kux briefly discussed the role of various US Presidents in Pakistan-US relations during a half-century of "roller coaster ride". He highlighted that after the killing of Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad and Raymond Davis caper, US and Pakistan have developed trust deficit on a number of counts. Islamabad has reduced military and intelligence co-operation and also demanded an end to drone attacks. US administration has suspended the disbursement of 800 million dollars of military aid.
Kux said that the US administration, congress and the US media very harshly criticised the role of ISI in Pakistan in supporting the Haqqani networks' anti-American activities in Afghanistan. In brief, the relations between the US and Pakistan have spiralled downward to their lowest point since 9/11.
Kux was of the view that the tragic events of 9/11 once again made Pakistan a key player in US involvement in Afghanistan. Musharraf became number one ally in US war against terror. Both the countries benefited from this Bush-Musharraf Alliance; Pakistan benefited militarily and economically and the US benefited Islamabad's help in killing and capturing of al Qaeda elements. Pakistan became an indispensable ally and "non-Nato ally" of the US; and Musharraf was supported by US despite the fact that the main political parties protested against US attitude. In 2009, when George Bush left the White House, Pakistan's political alliance had completely changed. Although a great deal of military and economic aid had been given to Pakistan, the differences between the two countries began to be multiplied. The Raymond Davis affair and later the Abbottabad operation created a great deal of mistrust between the two countries.
Kux gave a detailed review of US-Pakistan Relations from Pakistan joining Western Alliances in 1954 to date. The Eisenhower administration and Ayub Khan co-operated with each other with the result that Pakistan became America's 'Most Allied Ally in Asia'. But when military aid was given to India in 1962, after the India-China war, Pakistan was infuriated. Similarly, Pakistan's friendship with China and criticism of US role in Vietnam angered Washington. In 1965, President Johnson cut-off military and economic aid to Pakistan due to its war with India, ending the US-Pakistan alliance altogether. When Nixon came to the White House, US-Pakistan relations were once again revived and Pakistan-China friendship became a positive point for the US. Pakistan facilitated the emergence of friendly relations between US and China. During the Ford administration, good relations continued between two countries. Jimmy Carter focused on nuclear non-proliferation, democracy and human right issues during and after his election campaign and therefore relations between US and Pakistan deteriorated once again.
Kux also said that in 1979, due to attack on US Embassy in Islamabad and slow response of Pakistan's law-enforcement agencies during the incident resulting in the death of four US Embassy employees further deteriorated the relations. But the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan once again revived this relationship and made Pakistan "a front line state".
Dennis further said that President Reagan and Zia-ul-Haq developed very friendly relations fighting against the Soviet Union hand in hand. During this period, the United States deliberately ignored the development of Pakistan's nuclear weapons. Certification was given by the US President that Pakistan was not developing a nuclear bomb. But after the destruction of Soviet Union, Pakistan's nuclear programme became the critical issue between the two countries and soon the US intelligence agencies confirmed that Pakistan possessed a nuclear weapon. Nuclear issue and the role of ISI for supporting Islamic radicals kept on marring the relations during the closing of 20th century.
Under Senior Bush in the beginning of new millennium the Americans were deeply worried over Pakistan's support to insurgency in Kashmir and close relations with Taliban regime in Kabul. The Clinton administration was angry due to Pakistan's Kargil operation capturing Indian territories and also when Nawaz Sharif government was thrown-out by Musharraf in 1999.