"It's
time we recall the golden principle of falling back on our own resources to
meet our needs, for if the price of aid to help us stand on our feet and be
counted among advanced nations is our sovereignty, then we had better
do without with it."
Secretary Clinton's visit to
Islamabad may have rendered prospects for development projects in certain basic
areas more attainable, but the political mileage that the Pakistan government ceded
to the Americans in the process more than offsets any gains that may have
accrued from such plans. While the benefits are subject to a development
process that may or may not take off - and only if it is taken to its logical
conclusion without withering away amid petty technicalities like the much-hyped
"reconstruction opportunity zones" announced in 2006, the vital
concessions we have given the United States to decide our policies are very
tangible now. It's time we recall the golden principle of falling back on our
own resources to meet our needs, for if the price of aid to help us stand on
our feet and be counted among advanced nations is our sovereignty, then we had
better do without it.
Let
us also not forget that Hillary Clinton set the tone of her visit by declaring
that should there be another incident similar to the one in New York's Times
Square, the consequences for Pakistan would be very severe. To quote her words,
uttered during a BBC
interview, “it would have a very devastating impact on our relationship.” Her
threat deliberately avoids taking account of the predicament of America's central
ally in the war on terror: the menace, largely created or at least accentuated
by U.S. policies in the region, isn't entirely under Islamabad's control. This
can therefore be interpreted as plain and simple pressure to bring Pakistan in
line with America's pursuit of its strategic goals.
Posted
by WORLDMEETS.US
The cowardliness of our
leaders is such that they couldn’t bring themselves to say that interference in
Pakistan's internal affairs wouldn’t be tolerated. Consequently, Secretary
Clinton boldly suggested the extension of the Army chief of staff's period of
service, something unheard of in the annals of relations between sovereign
states. General Kayani's retirement or extension has been debated for some time,
and though the principle of timely retirement and promotion should be followed,
it should be up to the [Pakistan] government to make that decision, according
to the interests of the country and not foreign advice. The Americans also
arm-twisted Pakistan to allow Indian goods access to Afghanistan through
Pakistan, a policy strategically harmful to our interests, which demands a
resolution of the Kashmir issues before any such concession.
Although the U.S.-Pakistan
talks were called a strategic dialogue, our strategic interests were neglected:
the water dispute with India wasn't considered worthy enough to discuss; and Secretary
Clinton took exception to our proposal to acquire nuclear power plants from
China. The issue boils down to this: a need for the courage to utter a decisive
'no' to U.S. dictates.
