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Pakistan–United States relations



Pakistan–United States relations



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Pakistan-U.S relations
Flag of the United States   Flag of Pakistan
Map indicating location of USA and Pakistan
     United States     Pakistan

Pakistan–United States relations are the transatlantic relations between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the United States of America. Pakistan has long been seen as an ally of the United States. However the relationship is an unusual one. Historically, no ally of the United States has faced as many sanctions from the US as Pakistan, primarily because the relation has always been based on strategic interests rather than genuine partnership. The United States established diplomatic relations with Pakistan in 1949; reluctantly, at first. Since the Eisenhower administration, however, Pakistan and the US began developing more cosy relations. Both the countries had their strategic interest in mind, US was able to secure its political interests through Pakistan, while Pakistan got monetary aid.


The American agreement to provide economic and military assistance to Pakistan and the latter's partnership in the Baghdad Pact, CENTO and SEATO strengthened relations between the two nations. At the time, its relationship with the U.S. was so close and friendly that it was called the United States' "most-allied ally" in Asia. Pakistan however felt deceived and ill-compensated for the risks incurred in supporting the U.S. - after the U-2 Crisis of 1960, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev had threatened the nuclear annihilation of Pakistani cities. The U.S. suspension of military assistance during the 1965 Pakistan-India war generated a widespread feeling in Pakistan that the United States was not a reliable ally. Even though the United States suspended military assistance to both countries involved in the conflict, the suspension of aid affected Pakistan much more severely. Gradually, relations improved and arms sales were renewed in 1975. Then, in April 1979, the United States cut off economic assistance to Pakistan, except food assistance, as required under the Symington Amendment to the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, due to concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program.







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[edit] Soviet invasion of Afghanistan


The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 highlighted the common interest of Pakistan and the United States in peace and stability in South Asia. In 1981, Pakistan and the United States agreed on a $3.2-billion military and economic assistance program aimed at helping Pakistan deal with the heightened threat to security in the region and its economic development needs. With U.S. assistance - in the largest covert operation in history - Pakistan armed and supplied anti-Soviet fighters in Afghanistan, eventually defeating the Soviets, who withdrew in 1988.



[edit] Nuclear weapons


Recognizing national security concerns and accepting Pakistan's assurances that it did not intend to construct a nuclear weapon, Congress waived restrictions (Symington Amendment) on military assistance to Pakistan. In March 1986, the two countries agreed on a second multi-year (FY 1988-93) $4-billion economic development and security assistance program. On October 1, 1990, however, the United States suspended all military assistance and new economic aid to Pakistan under the Pressler Amendment, which required that the President certify annually that Pakistan "does not possess a nuclear explosive device."


India's decision to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 and Pakistan's matching response set back U.S. relations in the region, which had seen renewed U.S. Government interest during the second Clinton Administration. A presidential visit scheduled for the first quarter of 1998 was postponed and, under the Glenn Amendment, sanctions restricted the provision of credits, military sales, economic assistance, and loans to the government. An intensive dialogue on nuclear nonproliferation and security issues between Foreign Secretary Shamshad Ahmad and Deputy Secretary Talbott was initiated, with discussions focusing on CTBT signature and ratification, FMCT negotiations, export controls, and a nuclear restraint regime. The October 1999 overthrow of the democratically elected Sharif government triggered an additional layer of sanctions under Section 508 of the Foreign Appropriations Act which include restrictions on foreign military financing and economic assistance. U.S. Government assistance to Pakistan was limited mainly to refugee and counter-narcotics assistance.



[edit] Alliance with US


Pakistan moved decisively to ally itself with the United States in its war against Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda. It provided the U.S. a number of military airports and bases, for its attack on Afghanistan. It has arrested over five hundred Al-Qaeda members and handed them over to the United States; senior U.S. officers have been lavish in their praise of Pakistani efforts. Since this strategic re-alignment towards U.S. policy, economic and military assistance has been flowing from the U.S. to Pakistan and sanctions have been lifted. In the three years before the attacks of September 11, Pakistan received approximately $9 million in American military aid. In the three years after, the number increased to $4.2 billion[2]. In June 2004, President Bush designated Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally, making it eligible, among other things, to purchase advanced American military technology. In May, 2006, The Bush administration announced a major sale of missiles to Pakistan, valued at $370 Million USD.



[edit] Partition of India from British Raj: 1947 - 1952


After its independence by partitioning of British Raj, Pakistan followed a pro-western policy. The Indian government followed a different, non-aligned policy stance, which leaned closer to the Soviet Union rather than the United States. Pakistan was seeking strong friends to counter its bigger neighbour India, which was strongly backed by the Soviet government.



[edit] Ayub Khan Era: 1952 - 1969


Pakistan joined the US led military alliances SEATO and CENTO. In 1954 the United States signed a Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement with Pakistan.



[edit] Separation and Partition of Pakistan (Bangla-Desh): 1969 – 1972


President Richard Nixon used Pakistan's relationship with China to start secret contacts with China which resulted with Henry Kissinger’s secret visit to China in July 1971 while visiting Pakistan. America supported Pakistan throughout the civil-war.



[edit] Zia Era: 1977 – 1988


The Taliban are one of the mujahideen ("holy warriors") groups that formed during the war against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan during 1979 to 1989.


In 1979, a group of Pakistani students burned the American embassy in Islamabad to the ground killing two Americans.


By mid-1980s, Osama Bin Laden moved to Afghanistan, where he established Maktab al-Khidimat to recruit Islamic soldiers from around the world who later formed the basis of an international network.[citation needed]



[edit] Democratic governments: 1988-1998


The stage was set for a very tumultuous situation; the 1990s was an era of intense upheaval in Pakistan. Pakistan found itself in a state of extremely high insecurity as tensions mounted with India and Afghanistan’s infighting continued. Pakistan’s alliance with the U.S was strained due to factors such as its support for the Taliban and public distancing of the Pakistani government from the U.S.



[edit] Post 9/11: role in the War on Terror


After the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, Pakistan became a key ally in the war on terror with the United States. However, US$5 billion earmarked to train the Pakistani army in counter-terrorism were instead spent on unrelated military purposes.[1][2]


On November 6, 2001, US President George W. Bush declared his policy: "You are either with us or against us". President Musharraf later claimed that the U.S. had made a so-called threat to bomb Pakistan "back to the Stone Age" after the September 11 attacks, if Pakistan refused to aid and help America with its war on terrorism.[3]


Musharraf acknowledges the payments in his book:


"We've captured 689 and handed over 369 to the United States. We've earned bounties totaling millions of dollars"


On 11 June 2008, a US airstrike on the Afghan-Pakistani border killed 11 members of the paramilitary Frontier Corps. The Pakistani military condemned the airstrike as an act of aggression, souring US-Pakistani relations.[4]



[edit] Normalization


Relations between Pakistan and the United States been cooling down recently after the visit of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to the United States[1]. US Representatives to Pakistan have also allegedly made intense apologies to the Pakistani government for the Gora Prai airstrikes.


U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson addressed senior bureaucrats at the National Management College and emphasized that the United States will assist Pakistan’s new democratic government in the areas of development, stability, and security.[2]


The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations World Food Program, in Pakistan, officially announced the signing of an agreement valued at $8.4 million to help ease Pakistan's food crisis.[3]


With relations between Pakistan and the United States cooling down, it is expected that Pakistan and the United States could return to being allies again not only in the war on terror but also in other possible threats to regional and world peace.


It is also hoped by the United States that Pakistan under the administration of Asif Ali Zardari would only strengthen relations between Pakistan and the United States.



[edit] References



  1. ^ Peters, Justin (2007-12-24). "Foreign Aid Betrayed". Slate.
  2. ^ ROHDE, DAVID; CARLOTTA GALL, ERIC SCHMITT and DAVID E. SANGER (2007-12-24). "U.S. Officials See Waste in Billions Sent to Pakistan". The New York Times.
  3. ^ U.S. threatened to bomb Pakistan over war on terror: Musharraf
  4. ^ Riaz Khan (2008-06-11). "Pakistan blames US coalition for troops' death", Google News, Associated Press. 


[edit] See also




[edit] External links






Sister projectWikimedia Commons has media related to: Pervez Musharraf and George W. Bush










































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