The US- Pakistan Relationship

The Pakistan-US ties are once again in an uncertain position. The core differences remain over the path to progression in the Afghan conflict and US demands from Pakistan. As articulated by the US Secretary of Defense during his recent visit to Pakistan-- the problem is a loss of trust and this trust has to be rebuilt. Easier said than done unless both sides are prepared to understand each other’s concerns.

Pakistan and the other key regional players maintain that a military solution to the Afghan crisis is not feasible because massive troop deployments in the past have not led to victory. In fact, vast swathes of Afghan territory are under Taliban control or influence including an over 600 km stretch of the Pak-Afghan border and opium production is at an all-time high. The US logic for more emphasis on military operations is to get into a stronger position before a meaningful dialogue can take place. The US probably wants to rely on its vastly superior fire power instead of more troops on the ground. Linked to the new ‘conditions based’ timeline for US stay in Afghanistan and the need to avoid body bags from Afghanistan (that lead to domestic pressure) the US is probably in Afghanistan for the long haul. The Taliban may not be the only reason for the US in Afghanistan. This is something that Russia, China, Pakistan and Iran would have noted and factored into their own strategies.

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