The next U.S. administration will face numerous issues and challenges, and given the security dilemma posed by the militant threat in the FATA, Pakistan will undoubtedly be at the top of that agenda. Below, Niloufer Siddiqui, an M.A. candidate at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, [where she is concentrating in South Asia Studies and International Economics] delves into how the new Obama/Biden administration should change U.S. policy towards Pakistan:
Of all the foreign policy issues that will engage the attention of Barack Obama and Joe Biden come January 20th – and there will be many – none is more critical than Pakistan. Government and security analysts agree that if another terrorist attack were to be planned against the U.S., it would almost certainly originate in Pakistan’s tribal areas in the border region with Afghanistan.
The seven years since the events of September 11th have seen increased U.S. engagement with Pakistan, and as the country moves forward into another attempted democratic endeavor, such engagement and support must continue.
However, the fundamentals of U.S. policy towards Pakistan must be reworked. There is no easy solution. U.S. policymakers face the difficulty of balancing long-term strategies, which would have a positive impact on underlying structural problems but which fail to sufficiently address immediate dangers, and its short-term policies, which result in increasing anti-American sentiment and are detrimental in the long term.
While some prioritizing of issues would no doubt be necessary, longer-term goals cannot be sacrificed for short-term gain. It is essential, rather, that Pakistan’s many problems be approached in an integrated and mutually reinforcing manner.
Obama’s team has already shown that it recognizes this core policy dilemma by framing the problem of extremism and militancy in regional terms. The events which unfolded in Mumbai last month have no doubt thrown their plans to resolve the long-standing Kashmir dispute into disarray. The U.S. must now adopt an even more sensitive approach towards India-Pakistan relations, but should continue to realize that the situation in the FATA cannot be viewed in isolation.
Successful bilateral relations are characterized by cooperation and communication which serves one’s own national interests while understanding the motivations underlying the other party’s actions. With this in mind, both the U.S. and Pakistan would both be served well if the Obama administration were to broadly pursue the following recommendations:
- Continue cooperation with Pakistan’s democratic government and strengthen democratic institutions.
The Bush administration’s relationship with Pakistan over the last eight years has been heavily criticized for being focused on Musharraf and the army. This served both to alienate the larger populace which had begun to increasingly view the former military leader with disdain and also prevented effective engagement with leading civilian figures. There is now an opportunity to rectify the imbalance between support for the military and civilian institutions.
A democratic Pakistan, seen as legitimate by its own people, is in the U.S.’s long-term interests. The U.S. must engage with more than just a handful of senior leaders. This includes taking key stakeholders on board and reaching out to elected Cabinet members and members of Parliament.
At the same time, the U.S. administration must demonstrate an unwavering commitment to strengthening democratic institutions. It should therefore apply quiet pressure on Zardari‘s government to move forward on repeal of Article 58 2(b), or at the very least, some reconfiguration of the powers of the President and Prime Minister. Simultaneously, it must engage with local civil society actors in providing technical assistance and earmarking funds to strengthening the Parliament and judiciary.
- Alter the scope of development assistance, with the goal of having it centered on socioeconomic reforms rather than military aid.
The U.S. should move forward with the innovative Biden-Lugar legislation (the “Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2008”) introduced July 15, 2008. By promoting socio-economic development, the legislation begins to tackle some of the core causes of insurgency and militancy, including lack of employment opportunities and social welfare programs, and demonstrates the U.S.’s long-term commitment to Pakistan.
The U.S. should also continue to move forward on the Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZ) legislation, which would allow for duty-free access to U.S. markets for certain types of goods produced. The zones were chosen as part of a province-wide study to locate the most economically under-developed regions to provide employment opportunities to the people of that area. Such proposals suggest recognition of the link between economic underdevelopment and terrorism.
- Develop a long-term plan for the FATA, without which military excursions in the tribal areas are worthless.
The U.S. should stop its unilateral military strikes as soon as possible, with the realization that such actions fail to solve any short-run problems and merely exacerbate the long-term situation. The costs of intrusions by U.S. Special Forces and air strikes by U.S. drones far outweigh the benefits. The impact on both the central government, which has publicly denounced the air strikes and vowed to uphold Pakistan’s sovereignty at all costs, and the public has been detrimental. In the absence of reliable information, media reports merely fuel anti-American sentiment in Pakistan.
The U.S. should encourage the recently formed Friends of Pakistan group to assist Pakistan in its efforts towards local development of the FATA. In line with this, the U.S. must develop a road map in consultation with the Pakistan central and provincial governments, and other international actors, for political and socio-economic reform in the FATA.
- Promote regional stability and address Pakistan’s security concerns.
In the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, the U.S. should quietly convince both India and Pakistan of the urgent need for increased cooperation on issues of joint security and counterterrorism efforts. While pressuring Pakistan to crackdown on terrorist groups, particularly if linkages to the Mumbai attack are proven, it must simultaneously stress to India the need for restraint in its rhetoric. The fragility of Pakistan’s domestic political situation must be taken into account when devising regional plans.
Pakistan’s security concerns on both its eastern and western borders determine its strategic culture and objectives. Addressing Pakistan’s insecurities vis-à-vis India are essential to enable it to focus its attention on its western border, and may also address the root cause of linkages between rogue elements of the ISI and military with terrorist outfits.
Progress on Kashmir is key in this regard. The next administration should follow up on its campaign promises of turning attention to this issue, and apply pressure on both sides to be innovative and creative in their own approach to resolving the long-lasting conflict. It must, however, recognize the limitations of its own role and its failed attempts at mediation in the past. Therefore, its policy would reap rich dividends if characterized by patience and even-handedness.
If you would like to contribute a piece to CHUP, please email Kalsoom with your idea/potential piece at changinguppakistan@gmail.com. Pieces should be relevant to Pakistan, and be no longer than 800 words.
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I think the real question is what we will do ourselves to us,as a nation.Proud nations don’t behave like us.I think we need to take a deep breath and stop thinking about Obama !
He is a US President,not Pakistan’s President.He will do what ever will be in the best interest of his country,so do we should think what is in the best interst of our country!
You cannot negociate from a position of weakness.
May God grant Pakistan some statesmen than political jugglers,a’meen!
In my perception obama is not bothered about anything which is happening in asia.
His largest concern is unemployment, non-competitive industry[automobile], budget deficit, external debt
Bush has printed enough notes to bail out every body. Deficit to their GDP is very high and in the long term there will be large inflation.
At this juncture, USA is looking at market where they can dump thier products which will in turn create employment internally.
India is one such market for them and unfortunately no such thing exist with pakistan. So the sudden love for india by USA will increase. Today times of india states they will give india protection through the nuclear schield capability against any attack. Offcourse at a price.
Pakistan involvement on indian terrorim is a very old story and suddenly they have started pressurising pakistan. Further pakistan economy and military survival is on the basis of US aid and aid from its friends [ saudi / uae / kuwiat ].
Read the following to understand the US ACTIONS
http://blog.tnsatish.com/2008/10/global-imbalance-imminent-dollar-crisis.html
Global Imbalance – An imminent Dollar Crisis
By M.R.Venkatesh, Economist
By Swadeshi Jagaran Manch and Vision India Trust
Islam has a billion followers across the world. Along with the world they stand to see the butchering of young children by isreal. Probably the rich countries want unrest to continue so that their oil price go up. It has moved from 37 usd to 48 usd. as usual oil price is a conspiracy. why did israel start this offence when oil reached 37 usd per barrel
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/o/oil_petroleum_and_gasoline/index.html
1999 – 16 usd per barrel
2008 – 147 usd per barrel
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/hist/rwtcD.htm
12/12/2008 – 46.27
19/12/2008 – 33.17 usd
26/12/2008 – 37.58
02/01/2009 – 46.17
06/01/2009 – 48.56
oil export of the gcc country per day is 30.2 million barrel per day. Price moved from 37.58 usd to 46.17 in ten days [ thanks to violence in gaza and political instability in the region ] has made gcc country richer by 30.2 * 8.59 = 259 million USD per day. I understanda that the gcc countries pay 40% as royalty to english company so that are also rich by 100 million usd every day
http://www.opec.org/home/Monthly%20Oil%20Market%20Reports/2008/pdf/MR122008.pdf
http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Israel_Gaza_Strip_and_West_Bank
“We strongly advise you not to travel to the Gaza Strip. Israel commenced military operations in the Gaza Strip on 27 December 2008 and the security situation there remains dangerous and unpredictable. ”
So who is the beneficiary of this fight, isreal or gcc. Both isreal gets a piece of land and GCC / america get more money from rest of the developing world and poor palestine living in gaza. And still islamic world things that israel is the beneficiary of this war.
Hi Guys,
I thought it will not be published. Good. Would like feedback and views on the same.
Friends
All here blames USA & West & Israel. Why is that not targetted toward onself and one own community
What has the muslim populiation do elevate themself to the scientific developments.
Poor islamic states are ruled by dictator or always in a war between each other it could be tribal or shia vs. Sunni
The rich nations are purely dependent on usa/west for the technology to extract the oil and they want to enjoy their life.
For example a muslim in non – gcc country is nowhere near the GCC muslims. If the curse of hinduism is caste, for islam it is the tribe and tribe is more important than their religion given a choice. That is the reason that iran and iraq fought for 11 years to ulitmate destruction.
Probably muslim all over the world has to learn a few lessons from american black community. They suffered for hundred of years in the society but they moved themself slowly up in the society and today is black ruling the white house. Same manner take the case of mandela and south africa.
However the violence of islamic world get more hatred than support. Today indian muslim wants india to support palestinian. On fair ground it is correct but for the india’s benefit, it is better to align with USA/ Israel to handle the terrorism sponsored the neighbours.
Today every body look upon muslim with a sense of fear as their religious tendency takes them to seven century rather than 21st century.
Even hinduism had its own set of problems like sati, untouchability etcc.. There were reforms which moved the socity further.
@Satwa Gunam,
Friends,
US, west & Israel and now India is the main reason
for disequilibirium between powerful and non-powerful !
the rest of your bullshit about Islam and muslims
is so marginal, and hindu, that I will not waste time,
your last phrase was so hypocrite and false that it made me
laugh couple of minutes,
Hindus have ” some” problems” sati which does’nt exist
anymore I presume, or does it ?
Untouchabilitiy, the grave worst problem of India
(shouders, dalits, adhiwasi, minorities,
muslims Christians Bhuddist constant target of killings)
killing non-Brahman Hindu is a Hindu ritual,
Satwa Gunam !! who are you making fool ??
Hinduism is not a religion, its a legend carried on by the serfs
and storytellers, rules established by powerfull only,
originally was hinduism, later replaced by Brahmanism which
is quite different and no more 100% Hinduism,
all the traditions are corrupt Brahmanic superstitious,
devmalai legends and empty nonsenses,
I don’t know which reforms are you talking about ?
nothing will change ! the most inhuman
attitude is the culturel heritage of Brahmanism / Hinduism.
Racism is the corner piller of Hinduism, you remove it, the
whole thing will collapse on your face. How would you reform
the status of DALITS, minorities, and non hindu Brahmans ??
I wonder who is copying who, Israel or India. ?
Hi,
I have read some of your irrational responses. Truth stays on what position pakistan is today and what position india is.
India has come a long way in modernizing itself whereas the islamic world has to come a long way. It is not told by a racist hindu but an educate and enlighten muslim.
Try to search your soul if it is free from prejudices.
Extracts of speech by Hafez A.B Mohamed: Director-General, Al Baraka Bank.
Demographics:
o World Jewish Population. 14 million
o Distribution: 7 m in America
5 m in Asia
2 m in Europe
100 thousand in Africa
o World Muslim Population: 1.5 billion
o Distribution: 1 billion in Asia/Mid-East
400 M in Africa
44 M in Europe
6 M in the Americas
o Every fifth human being is a Muslim.
o For every single Hindu there are two Muslims
o For every Buddhist there are two Muslims
o For every Jew there are 107 Muslims
o Yet the 14 million Jews are more powerful than the entire 1.5 billion Muslims
Why?
Here are some of the reasons.
Movers of Current History
o Albert Einstein Jewish
o Sigmund Freud Jewish
o Karl Marx Jewish
o Paul Samuelson Jewish
o Milton Friedman Jewish
Medical Milestones
o Vaccinating Needle: Benjamin Ruben Jewish
o Polio Vaccine Jonas Salk Jewish
o Leukaemia Drug Gertrude Elion Jewish
o Hepatitis B Baruch Blumberg Jewish
o Syphilis Drug Paul Ehrlich Jewish
o Neuro muscular Elie Metchnikoff Jewish
o Endocrinology Andrew Schally Jewish
o Cognitive therapy. Aaron Beck Jewish
o Contraceptive Pill Gregory Pincus Jewish
o Understanding of Human Eye. G. Wald Jewish
o Embryology. Stanley Cohen Jewish
o Kidney Dialysis Willem Kloffcame Jewish
Nobel Prize Winners
o In the past 105 years, 14 million Jews have won 180 Nobel prizes whilst 1.5 billion Muslims have contributed only 3 Nobel winners
Inventions that changed History
o Micro- Processing Chip. Stanley Mezor Jewish
o Nuclear Chain Reactor Leo Sziland Jewish
o Optical Fibre Cable Peter Schultz Jewish
o Traffic Lights Charles Adler Jewish
o Stainless Steel Benno Strauss Jewish
o Sound Movies Isador Kisee Jewish
o Telephone Microphone Emile Berliner Jewish
o Video Tape Recorder Charles Ginsburg Jewish
Influential Global Business
o Polo Ralph Lauren Jewish
o Coca Cola Jewish
o Levi’s Jeans Levi Strauss Jewish
o Sawbuck’s Howard Schultz Jewish
o Google Sergey Brin Jewish
o Dell Computers Michael Dell Jewish
o Oracle Larry Ellison Jewish
o DKNY Donna Karan Jewish
o Baskin & Robbins Irv Robbins Jewish
o Dunkin Donuts Bill Rosenberg Jewish
Influential Intellectuals/ Politicians
o Henry Kissinger , US Sec of State Jewish
o Richard Levin, PresidentYaleUniver sity Jewish
o Alan Greenspan , US Federal Reserve Jewish
o Joseph Lieberman Jewish
o Madeleine Albright , US Sec of State Jewish
o CasperWeinberger , US Sec of Defence Jewish
o Maxim Litvinov , USSR Foreign Minister Jewish
o DavidMarshal , Singapore Chief Minister Jewish
o Isaacs Isaacs, Gov-GenAustralia Jewish
o Benjamin Disraeli, British Statesman Jewish
o Yevgeny Primakov, Russian PM Jewish
o Barry Goldwater , US Politician Jewish
o Jorge Sampaio, President Portugal Jewish
o Herb Gray, Canadian Deputy – PM Jewish
o Pierre Mendes, French PM Jewish
o Michael Howard, British Home Sec. Jewish
o Bruno Kriesky, Austrian Chancellor Jewish
o Robert Rubin , US Sec of Treasury Jewish
Global Media Influential
o Wolf Blitzer, CNN Jewish
o Barbara Walters ABC News Jewish
o EugeneMeyer , Washington Post Jewish
o Henry Grunwald, Time Magazine Jewish
o Katherine Graham , Washington Post Jewish
o Joseph Lelyeld, New York Times Jewish
o Max Frankel, New York Times Jewish
Global Philanthropists
o George Soros Jewish
o Walter Annenberg Jewish
Why are they powerful? why are Muslims powerless?
Here’s another reason. We have lost the capacity to produce knowledge.
o In the entire Muslim World (57 Muslim Countries) there are only 500 universities.
o In USA alone, 5,758 universities
o In India alone, 8,407 universities
o Not one university in the entire Islamic World features in the Top 500 Ranking Universities of the World
o Literacy in the Christian World 90%
o Literacy in the Muslim World 40%
o 15 Christian majority-countries, literacy rate 100%
o Muslim majority – countries , None
o 98% in Christian countries completed primary
o Only 50% in Muslim countries completed primary.
o 40% in Christian countries attended university
o In Muslim countries a dismal 2% attended.
o Muslim majority countries have 230 scientists per one million Muslims
o The USA has 5000 per million
o The Christian world 1000 technicians per million.
o Entire Arab World only 50 technicians per million.
o Muslim World spends on research/developmen t 0.2% of GDP
o Christian World spends 5 % of GDP
Conclusion.
o The Muslim World lacks the capacity to produce knowledge.
Another way of testing the degree of knowledge is the degree of diffusing knowledge.
o Pakistan 23 daily newspapers per 1000 citizens
o Singapore 460 per 1000 citizens.
o In UK book titles per million is 2000
o In Egypt book titles per million is only 17
Conclusion.
o Muslim World is failing to diffuse knowledge
Applying Knowledge is another such test.
o Exports of high tech products from Pakistan is 0.9% of its exports.
o In Saudi Arabia is 0.2%
o Kuwait , Morocco and Algeria 0.3%
o Singapore alone is 68%
Conclusion.
o Muslim World is failing to apply knowledge.
What do you conclude? no need to tell the figures are speaking themselves very loudly we are unable to listen
Rafay Kashmiri
As usual you can put your irrational comments.
Dear Rafay Kashmiri,
Can you kindly provide any reference for what you have posted!!!
Best Regards,
M Fawad A.B.
Satwa Gunam I agree with you that the Muslim world is lacking knowledge but please develop more on wha you meant by “Today every body look upon muslim with a sense of fear as their religious tendency takes them to seven century rather than 21st century.
Even hinduism had its own set of problems like sati, untouchability etcc.. There were reforms which moved the socity further.”
Hi
I am happy that somebody in the islamic world to accept the short coming. If you see hinduism the laws have made all the short coming as illegal – untouchability, sati, etcc..
However no such has happened in the islamic world Further pls see the recent happening in pakistan which are self explanatory.
a. attack on islamabad university and views there off
================================
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/metropolitan/14-the-evil-in-our-midst-zj-01
b. Dawn article on recent attacks and people perception about army
==============================
The Pakistan Army’s reluctance to tackle the Jaish and the Lashkars has invariably been associated with its role in their progeniture. A similar explanation could, of course, be extended to its attitude towards the Taliban, although the intent behind its sponsorship of the latter in their original incarnation was two-pronged: a strategic grasp of Afghanistan (without the sort of investment Moscow or Washington made in pursuit of the same objective), plus the bonus that they would be uprooted from Pakistan.
For all its foibles, follies and farces, the army at present has a chance to redeem itself. But the onset of winter may well slam shut this small window of opportunity.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/columnists/mahir-ali-the-armys-last-chance
I just found this webpage and thought I ought to throw my hat in to comment.
This article, although well written, it is littered with false thinking. For one, it fails to distinguish between sovereignty of a country and infringement: while the US should not use drone strikes in FATA (a point I disagree with 100%), it should pressurize the countrys elite to amend the constitution! Makes no sense at all.
The biggest change needs to come from the political system, in Pakistan. As seem to be made out in the article, the road for Pakistan to rise above the “self created” quagmire need not pass through Washington D.C, but instead from a political system that is able to ensure delivery to its people.
Just a thought, albeit belated.