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Pakistan rejects US warnings
By M K Bhadrakumar – September 26, 2011
The United States-Pakistan tensions are gradually assuming a crisis character and unless there is a political initiative to roll them back, things might snowball. President Barack Obama received bad advice to snub the Pakistani request for a meeting with PM Yousuf Gilani in New York. A meeting would have done no harm to US interests. YG is now spearheading Pakistani ‘resistance’ by forging national consensus among Pakistani political parties, which would leave the US no option but to negotiate with the Pakistani military leadership.
On the other hand, the special corps commanders meeting at Rawalpindi on Sunday apparently took a stance against conducting any military operations against the Haqqani group. Armed with this ‘mandate’, army chief Gen Parvez Kayani left for London Sunday to attend a conference. The British are certain to avail of Kayani’s presence in London to do some mediation between the US and Pakistan.
Interestingly, ISI is taking an open stance that it does keep contact with the Haqqanis, and ‘So what?‘ The hint is that Pakistan also has a lot of dope on the US’s dealings with the Haqqanis for political accommodation despite its propaganda. The two sides are dancing around the core issue: US wants Pakistan to step aside so that it can deal directly with Pakistan’s ’strategic assets’, whereas Pakistan insists on a key role in the making of any Afghan settlement.
Pakistani intelligence seems to rate the probability of a US special forces move in north Waziristan. The US is adopting a differentiated approach toward the militant groups based in Afghanistan in the border regions. The special corps commanders meeting was specifically called to assess the security situation. At the same time, Pakistan estimates that the overall US position is weak in Afghanistan politically and militarily. Pakistani rhetoric has noticeably escalated.
Gilani’s brief visit to Kabul on Thursday reflects an attempt to sound out President Hamid Karzai on resuscitation of the Pak-Afghan peace moves in the post-Burhanuddin Rabbani scenario. At Rabbani’s funeral on Friday, Karzai pointedly refrained from blaming Pakistan.
Posted in Politics.
Tagged with Haqqani network, US-Pakistan.
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By M K Bhadrakumar – September 26, 2011
By M K Bhadrakumar – September 26, 2011
The United States-Pakistan tensions are gradually assuming a crisis character and unless there is a political initiative to roll them back, things might snowball. President Barack Obama received bad advice to snub the Pakistani request for a meeting with PM Yousuf Gilani in New York. A meeting would have done no harm to US interests. YG is now spearheading Pakistani ‘resistance’ by forging national consensus among Pakistani political parties, which would leave the US no option but to negotiate with the Pakistani military leadership.
On the other hand, the special corps commanders meeting at Rawalpindi on Sunday apparently took a stance against conducting any military operations against the Haqqani group. Armed with this ‘mandate’, army chief Gen Parvez Kayani left for London Sunday to attend a conference. The British are certain to avail of Kayani’s presence in London to do some mediation between the US and Pakistan.
Interestingly, ISI is taking an open stance that it does keep contact with the Haqqanis, and ‘So what?‘ The hint is that Pakistan also has a lot of dope on the US’s dealings with the Haqqanis for political accommodation despite its propaganda. The two sides are dancing around the core issue: US wants Pakistan to step aside so that it can deal directly with Pakistan’s ’strategic assets’, whereas Pakistan insists on a key role in the making of any Afghan settlement.
Pakistani intelligence seems to rate the probability of a US special forces move in north Waziristan. The US is adopting a differentiated approach toward the militant groups based in Afghanistan in the border regions. The special corps commanders meeting was specifically called to assess the security situation. At the same time, Pakistan estimates that the overall US position is weak in Afghanistan politically and militarily. Pakistani rhetoric has noticeably escalated.
Gilani’s brief visit to Kabul on Thursday reflects an attempt to sound out President Hamid Karzai on resuscitation of the Pak-Afghan peace moves in the post-Burhanuddin Rabbani scenario. At Rabbani’s funeral on Friday, Karzai pointedly refrained from blaming Pakistan.
Posted in Politics.
Tagged with Haqqani network, US-Pakistan.
No comments
By M K Bhadrakumar – September 26, 2011
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