America-and-Pakistan

Clinton Urges Pakistan to Act Decisively Against Militancy | South Asia | English

2011-05-27T11:04:00.000-07:00

Clinton Urges Pakistan to Act Decisively Against Militancy | South Asia | English

Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - US, Pakistan need to redouble efforts to counter terrorism: Clinton

2011-05-27T05:08:00.000-07:00

Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - US, Pakistan need to redouble efforts to counter terrorism: Clinton

WikiLeaks, Front Stage/Back Stage

2011-05-27T03:42:00.000-07:00

WikiLeaks, Front Stage/Back Stage

Clinton, Joint Chiefs chairman press Pakistan - Yahoo! News

2011-05-27T01:06:00.000-07:00

Clinton, Joint Chiefs chairman press Pakistan - Yahoo! News

What Pakistanis think about America!

2010-06-19T21:31:00.000-07:00

There is a general disbelief amongst the people of Pakistan, whether inhabited in the cities or the villages, about the purpose, sincerity and dependability of the Pak-America friendship. A vast majority of the people, educated and uneducated alike, strongly believe that the America has never been faithful to Pakistan and betrayed the latter's interests in times of crises.

When the Pakistanis say 'America', they don't mean the Americans as the people of the United States. The word 'America' is used to mean the government of the United States just like when we say 'Pakistan,' it means the government of Pakistan, not the people of Pakistan. This needs to be clearly understood.

The ongoing 'War on Terror' is perceived as a war of America, not of Pakistan, by a vast majority of the 180 million people on the soil of Pakistan. America has been unable to convince Pakistanis that it is truly a war against terrorists. A vast majority of Pakistanis do not approve extremism, militancy and terrorism in their homeland. That is a settled question. But a vast majority of Pakistanis do believe that it is our government's job to deal with extremists, militants and terrorists, not that of America.

The way the Bush and the Obama administrations have tackled the issue leaves much to be desired. There has practically been no major sustainable initiative on the part of the U.S. to interact with the opinion-makers, community leaders and the media in Pakistan and put across its viewpoint on terrorism, debate the issue in public and convince the Pakistanis that it is Pakistan's war and America is just helping in it as a friend.

The frequent visits of the U.S. civilian and military officials and their interaction only with the high-ups in Pakistan add to the growing suspicion and mistrust between the people of Pakistan and the U.S. administration. The frequency itself becomes questionable. Many a time a visit coincides with a major event in Pakistan. That gives the message to the people in Pakistan that the U.S. is involved in the internal affairs of their country 'head over heals.'

It should not be beyond the scope of this discourse to state that the U.S. has a long history of supporting unpopular civilian and military governments in Pakistan. That the U.S. has a long history of helping dictators, civilian and military, to get into power. That the U.S. has a long history of 'disposing off' rulers in Pakistan who were no longer sustainable or required to serve the fomer's interests. Such an approach, as perceived by the people of Pakistan, makes it crystal clear that Pakistan is treated as an American colony rather than an independent, sovereign, friendly state.

The Obama administration, earlier perceived to be better than the Bush administration, is fast becoming unpopular in Pakistan and amongst the Pakistanis anywhere in the world. President Obama is no longer perceived as a statesman well suited to lead the world to peace, progress and prosperity.

Chairman

Good Governance Forum

Pakistan

http://www.goodgovernanceforum.com/

Pakistan's First and Only Interactive Think Tank on Governance

U.S. Development Strategy in Pakistan : Center for Global Development : Initiatives: Active

2010-06-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

U.S. Development Strategy in Pakistan : Center for Global Development : Initiatives: Active

The U.S. image in Pakistan - TheHill.com

2010-06-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

The U.S. image in Pakistan - TheHill.com

Donate to alleviate human sufferings

2009-12-20T00:32:00.003-08:00

Good Governance Forum appeals to world citizens to help in improving governance in Pakistan for alleviating the sufferings of the vast majority of 180 million fellow human beings in poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, socio-economic inequalities and disorder in law enforcement.

The forum does not seek nor receive funds from government, political parties and special interest groups in and out of Pakistan. It is entirely dependent on individual contributions from within and outside Pakistan.

Good Governance Forum is the First and Only interactive Think Tank on governance in Pakistan. It is the Largest, Most Diversified and Top Ranking Globally Searched platform for exchange of news and views amongst its 2500+ network members from all walks of life.

Good Governance Forum is contemplating formation of Good Governance Council, a non-partisan, non-governmental and non-profit organization, to have the recommendations of the Good Governance Forum implemented at the various levels of the federal, provincial and city governments in Pakistan.

Website: www.goodgovernanceforum.com
Email: good.governance@gmail.com

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2007-08-02T03:29:00.000-07:00

Response to news: Obama would consider sending troops into Pakistan
(USA Today, 2nd Aug 2007)

Barrack Obama is most probably trying to win the Democratic Party's presidential nomination by accentuating the American phobia of Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda and Muslim militants, real or imagined. So far, the US has been unable to prove to the global intelligentia that there do exist perpetrators of militancy in Pakistan who could be a threat to the security of the Americans or peace in the region.

It is also hard to understand as to why the US and its allies with all their might are still unable to capture the key leaders of the militant outfits. Either the US and its allies are incapable of doing so or these outfits do not exist or these outfits are localized and do not pose any real threat to the US. What is the truth, nobody probably knows for sure.

The United States needs to realize that it has a bigger responsibility of leading the world in its pursuit of progress, peace and security. It just cannot afford to indulge in war incursions. It has the history of failing in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. It is destined to fail in Pakistan. The era of colonial warfare is over. Great Britain and France realized it long time back and pulled out of their colonies before irreparable damage was done to their relationships with the colonial people. Today, the British and the French are welcome guests in their former colonies.

There are serious contradictions in the US policy towards Pakistan. On the one hand, the US calls Pakistan a strategic ally to fight terrorism and on the other, it threatens to attack Pakistan's sovereign territory. Perhaps, the US does not realize that a weaker Pakistan would be more dangerous for peace and security in the region and across the world. The US needs to review and reassess the geo-political stature of Pakistan and to build a solid, amicable, and mutually beneficial relationship not only with the government but also with the people of Pakistan.

It should not be difficult for the think tanks and the intelligentia in the US to understand the pecularities of the region comprising Pakistan, India, Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asian Republics and China. The entire region is intrinsically volatile and vulnerable to sectarian, ethnic and religio-political volcanos. It needs peace, stability, and prosperity to keep it away from bursting into a state of civil war or across the border intrusions.

The US cannot possibly ignore the emerging powers of China, India and Russia in the region. It is only Pakistan with whom the US has historical bonds, right from the inception of Pakistan. It should, therefore, be obvious as to where the US needs to place its trust and confidence to safeguard its geo-political interests.

There exists a long-time relationship between the US and Pakistan and like any relationship in human history it needs to be nurtured and preserved. The US needs to rebuild a healthy relationship with the people in Pakistan whose hatred of the US government is surging to become insurmountable in the time ahead. Pakistanis do not hate the American public. It is only the US government's attitude, approach and application of its policies that creates doubts and hatred in the public mind.

The US is fomenting hatred among the people in Pakistan by its threats and previous attacks in the tribal belt of a sovereign Pakistan. The history has it that no ruler has ever been able to eliminate the tribes by indulging in warfare with them. The situation is more or less the same that the US faced in Vietnam where it could not fight with Vietcong guerillas. The Soviet forces could not defeat similar tribes across the border in Afghanistan during the long Afghan War.

The best option before the present and the future US leaders would be to strengthen and support Pakistan and to let Pakistan handle its affairs and eliminate threats to peace and security in the region, if any, in its own way. Pakistan understands its people better than the US.

Comments by Mumtaz A. Piracha
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-08-01-obama_N.htm#uslPageReturn

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