A radical reset of US-Pakistani Relations Required

[Ropey]

In his interview with CBS News's "60 Minutes" show on Sunday, President Obama struck a hopeful note about the prospects for cooperation with Pakistan in the aftermath of the US operation to kill Osama bin Laden. He notes that Bin Laden must have "some sort of support network", but hedged on whether the Pakistani government was involved in protecting bin Laden.

Barack Obama said there 'might have been some people inside of government, outside of government' in Pakistan helping Osama bin Laden. Photograph: Olivier Douliery/Corbis

The president is attempting to be diplomatic, but this is no time for soft-pedaling what should be a crisis in US-Pakistani relations. The United States can no longer afford the dangerous delusion that Pakistan is a partner in our counter-terrorism efforts.

The facts here are plain and damning. Osama bin Laden spent five years in a town which is home to one of Pakistan's elite military academies. In effect, he was surrounded by those officials who were allegedly on his trail for the last ten years. His behavior was conspicuous enough to have attracted some attention in a town crawling with retired military and intelligence officials. The compound was built with layers of security walls and marked by a number of security cameras. It had no telephone or internet access, and its mysterious owners were known for burning their trash rather than leaving it out to be collected. The owners of the residence did everything possible not to leave a trail of their activities, a fact that could not have escaped the notice of officials trained in surveillance and counter-intelligence.

For the last 15 years, ISI officials have manipulated the Taliban to turn Afghanistan into a basket case to keep India off-balance. To them, whether this policy contributes to the misery of the population of Afghanistan or leads to the death of US soldiers is beside the point.

Defenders of Pakistan often point out that the US shares a problem of militancy with Pakistan. But the "problem" that Pakistan faces with militant groups is one of its own making. The Pakistani military has devoted much of the last 20 years to nurturing an array of militant groups in the hopes of using them against its enemies, or at least diverting them from attacking the government. The ISI has proven willing to sponsor groups such as Lashkar e Taiba to conduct terrorist spectaculars such as the Mumbai attacks, even when such attacks raise the risk of standoff between the two nuclear-armed rivals.

There is no doubt that Pakistan must reform into a true Democracy and do so from within. They can not continue this double dealing method and now truly fight their own radicals all the whilst sifting the militancy and corrupt generals for the radical elements and on a continual basis.

There is no other way a country such as Pakistan can rid itself from their own foible of dealing with radicalization from he birth of the country. Pakistan was created to show the rest of the Muslim world that Democracy would work with Islam. That was the first mistake. It must come from within.

What other way terrorism can be defeated? Appeasement? That's a band-aid solution. The Arab spring revolution rushing throughout the Middle east has weakened the radical terrorist assault movements like Al Qaeda, etc.

It is time to remove the funding and see what they choose. If the young Pakistanis choose radical fundamentalism, then they can be dealt with on that platform. If they choose to fight terrorist, rid their controlling powers of radical elements and stand up against their own internal enemies, then support should come.

They do themselves a great disservice fomenting stories concocted by their military and the government and blaming all their internal woes on external reasons all the whilst holding their hands out for more money to continue their military race with India. At least India spends their own money on military increase.

Now they use the good cop, bad cop on Pakistan with Kerry as the good cop. I just hope that the bad cop is a son of a bitch!!!

A radical reset of US-Pakistani relations required | Michael Boyle | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

 

[High_Gravity]

Pakistan is a real mess Ropey, Pakistan is a third world shit hole with a very large population who are ignorant, illiterate, backwards and they are very Anti American, and to make matters worse, they have nuclear weapons. I think the White House is scared to just drop the aid to Pakistan because if Pakistan fails, those nukes basically fall into the hands of the Taliban and other Islamic extremists. I do believe the aid needs to be reviewed, Osama Bin Laden was living 750 years from an elite Pakistani Military Academy, there was a Military base nearby and a large Pakistani retired Military community, this is like if Ghaddafi vanished today, and 5 years later he is dicovered living in Annapolis, the whole time with the US swearing up and down they have no idea where he is.

It is obvious Pakistan is no friend to the US, they only tolerate our presence because they need our billion dollar aid packages and support for their Military. Pakistan is no different than a bitter bitch of a ex wife that hates you, but needs and wants your child support and alimony. I don't have any easy solutions for Pakistan, but I don't think tossing money at them is the answer either.

 

[Ropey]

I don't have any easy solutions for Pakistan, but I don't think tossing money at them is the answer either.

Indeed. Reformation must come from within but the within is corrupt to the core. My view? No more money to any portion of the middle east.

 

[High_Gravity]

I don't have any easy solutions for Pakistan, but I don't think tossing money at them is the answer either.

Indeed. Reformation must come from within but the within is corrupt to the core. My view? No more money to any portion of the middle east.

I agree 100%, if someone is giving you billions of dollars a year why change anything? I wouldn't, I am convinced Pakistan kept Bin Laden safe because they wanted the war in terror to keep going so they could keep getting their billion dollar aid packages, if they just give us Bin Laden in the beginning than we have no need for them right? they basically hustled us.

 

[High_Gravity]

I also personally wish we could just take their nukes from them, the nukes is what makes Pakistan a hot issue and why people even care about it. Remove the nukes, and nobody would give 2 shits about Pakistan.

 

[Ropey]

I am convinced Pakistan kept Bin Laden safe because they wanted the war in terror to keep going so they could keep getting their billion dollar aid packages

As am I.

 

[Sunni Man]

I don't have any easy solutions for Pakistan, but I don't think tossing money at them is the answer either.

Indeed. Reformation must come from within but the within is corrupt to the core. My view? No more money to any portion of the middle east.

Does that include Israel ?

 

[Ropey]

I don't have any easy solutions for Pakistan, but I don't think tossing money at them is the answer either.

Indeed. Reformation must come from within but the within is corrupt to the core. My view? No more money to any portion of the middle east.

Does that include Israel ?

See above. I know your map has no Israel so you need affirmation.

 

[Jos]

Pakistan is still in Asia

 

[Sunni Man]

Pakistan is still in Asia

Don't confuse Dopey with the facts.

He is having a hard enough time as it is.