The Jilted-Lover Syndrome : A Self-Portrait --JPR
This is an extract from the Dawn article and JPR's note is identified as such.
Dawn.com opinion page
Indo-US partnership and Pakistan
Now, in June 2002, Pakistan stands on the sidelines as Washington and New Delhi are steadily developing their strategic partnership that was put on the backburner, at least while Operation Enduring Freedom was in progress. That strategic partnership looks ominous from the Pakistan perspectives. If it continues-as it appears to be-it will not be long before Pakistan will conclude that the United States is once again using it to fulfil its long-range strategic purpose in southern Asia, in which Washington views it as a mere pawn.
Thus, the nuclearization of South Asia, at least for now, seems to be serving India's aspirations to be taken seriously by China as well as the United States as a major Asian power.
Under Bush, the two democracies were to go a long way toward developing close military ties. The 9/11 terrorist attacks on the US seemed to have only served as a temporary diversion in America's resolve to develop that strategic partnership. The outcome of that resolve emerged in the form of an extensive series of meetings between the two governments.
Flash a few dollar bills: The monkey and the peanuts-JPR
Sprinkling of a few million dollars of economic assistance here and there (by the U.S.)- which his predecessor, General Zia ul-Haq, has famously described in another era as "mere peanuts" - will not do. …Indo-U.S. cooperative endeavours alter the balance of power in South Asia. An immediate answer is that they promise to alter it in a very substantial way in favour of India.
The jilted-lover syndrome Ever in search of Sugar Daddy who would pay the bills--JPR
The US has had a long and sad history of using Pakistan and then discarding it, and generally remaining oblivious to Pakistan's strategic interests in the region, especially in relation to its chief antagonist, India. That tradition still seems to be driving the Bush administration's current pro-Indian predilections in South Asia.
It sees India, although a democratic state, as very Machiavellian in its approach to Pakistan. India was substantially responsible for the dismantlement of the eastern wing of Pakistan, which is now Bangladesh. One can only understand how supercilious the Indians feel about that act when one still hears them describe the
dismantlement of East Pakistan as "liberation" of Bangladesh.
A demand-beggar syndrome and live on payoffs-what a life for a country of Punkistan--JPR
As Pakistan examines its own options, it seems to have two potential choices of simultaneous pursuit. First, it can continue to rely on China, and hope that the Sino-Indian regional rivalry remains a major source of military and economic payoffs from China. Given the continued nature of the tense U.S.-China ties, Pakistan has every reason to hope that Beijing will not lower the significance of its strategic ties with Islamabad. |
