The Quest for American Popularity in Pakistan

until there is tangible movement towards regional reconciliation.


Translation: Unless America leans on India and gets it to hand over Indian Kashmir to us, we`ll be osama lovers and hate america...

There is a reconciliation problem for sure..your failure to reconcile with reality..


There was also little admonition of President Musharraf for not following a democratic path


Something that equally applies to the vast majority of Paki citizens...Hey..you told us he was an awesome democrat..and 97%(or was it 98%) of you voted to keep him in office..


India must also be more amenable to such mediation. It is delusional for Indian politicians to assume that Kashmir is still just an internal problem


Must be? Or what?

What`s delusional is you thinking that India is about to give away any land in Kashmir...

How about looking at the root cause, huh? How about shutting down the islamic terrorist training camps...camps that trained the Lodi ice-cream terrorists, among others?

I don`t think that America`s Gaajar ya Danda approach towrds the rest of the world will help them win any friends. This approach works for donkeys or slaves but not for human beings. Perhaps it will help them if they start with considereing rest of humanity as human beings. I have heard Karen Hughes speak - with spokespersons like her, one can only pray, may God help Americans.

Serious question, what research has been done on resolving conflict between two irrational parties?

I don`t think that America`s Gaajar ya Danda approach towrds the rest of the world will help them win any friends. This approach works for donkeys or slaves but not for human beings. Perhaps it will help them if they start with considereing rest of humanity as human beings. I have heard Karen Hughes speak - with spokespersons like her, one can only pray, may God help Americans.

US-Pak relations in the context of global affairs is like a fly that falls into a milk pot… no one gives a shyt about it, really.

Pakistan has a huge image issue. Even the Ummah countries don’t think very much of Pakis. Pakis should hire some big time PR firm to work on improving its image abroad. Today, Pakistan is considered no more than an American whore by its fellow losers like Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and even Sudan.

Pakistan should worry about the finality of the prophethood and oneness of Allah if it wants to be a force to be reckoned with.

Re: # 3
Well said kulharee. I cant agree with you more!!!

#2 by Urstruly on March 16, 2006 10:46am PT


I don`t think that America`s Gaajar ya Danda approach towrds the rest of the world will help them win any friends.


You`re assuming there is an overwhelming desire in the American junta for friendship with adherents of the religion of peace...Most Americans care only about the cost of gas..and as long as America controls the dictators/monarchs in that region, they can get that under control...

p.s. It`s less than a month to go till the tax-filing deadline. Have you filed your taxes yet? The US government needs to know how much money it`s going to have so it can plan the next set ot bombing operations in Iraq and Bajaur...

Salim you goody-goody article completely fails to apreciate the cause of the Pakistani discomfiture. The primary reason why Pakistan is currently at loggerheads in all fields is the fundamental premise of Pakistan. Yet, even if we grant that condition its existence, all leaders of Pakistan have failed miserably to articulate a workable raison detre for the ``state.``

Now to the specifics of your write-up:

``Perhaps the need for popularity is most prescient in Pakistan given its strategic location and its nuclear ``might.`` ``

****This is an opaque statement.****

``As we celebrate the business allure of India, let us not forget the central role Pakistan played in cementing ties between America and that other business giant, China. It was from that same airport in Islamabad where President Bush landed with lights out that Henry Kissinger had secretly flown to Beijing for meetings with Chinese officials more than thirty years ago.``

****Are you trying to cash on the use by Nixon anonymously of an avenue to reach China to suggest that Pakistan can claim a quid pro quo? Nixon was a ``tricky Dick.`` He did not have the courage to ask China for complicity against Soviet Union. Most Americans were annoyed at the low level strategy. It was definitely not a high point for American Politics. And, fittingly, Nixon was forced out.****

``There is no question that without US support the mujahideen would have never succeeded in their struggle against the Soviets. ``

****You are absolutely right! All Mujahideen would have been snuffed out by even Afghanistan, let alone USSR.****

``At the end of the day, Pakistanis must realize that the US, like all countries will have its strategic interests and cannot be considered a philanthropic fund. However, Americans must also consider the importance of tangible progress towards resolution of disputes, coupled with gestures of goodwill, as the primrose way to popularity. ``

****Admitted. However, US does not give a damn about popularity in Pakistan. Now that the non sequitur Pakistan has come into existence, it needs to think what its role can be. It needs to stop championing the cause of Indian Muslims who have greater rights and wealth than them. Pakistan should ponder how it can improve its own existence by suppling the needs of its own people. Kulharee is right: ``Pakistan should worry about the finality of the prophethood and oneness of Allah if it wants to be a force to be reckoned with. `` I would say it should jettison the antiquated and illogical fixations.****

Re: # 5

``You`re assuming there is an overwhelming desire in the American junta for friendship with adherents of the religion of peace...``

What I assume is well known to everybody; meaning: I do not believe in any of this crap. However, You need to tell that to the author who wrote this article under the assumption that Americans are undertaking a ``quest for popularity`` and Karen Hugghes is the pointman to accomplish that. Sometimes it surprises me to see the degree of self delusion people live in. Bush playing cricket-give me a brake. What is next; 61 dogs accompanying him dancing pom pom in Islamabad?

India : Hindu

Pakistan : Muslim

America : Christian


Did I leave out anything?

Re: # 3

Really? Is that all there is to it? I mean just hire a PR firm and improve your image and all will be hunky dory?

Amazing......

The time has come for Pakistanis to do an unemotional, dispassionate analysis of Kashmir. What is the benefit to Pakistan if it gets Kashmir tomorrow? Absolutely nothing. It will not improve their economy one bit. Nobody`s living standards will be raised. In fact, there will be 20 million more people competing for jobs and hungry for food.

Will it make Pakistan a stronger country? No way. Given the track record with Baluchis, Sindhis, Pathans, most likely there will be another province added that will be unhappy and resort to militancy, this time against Pakistan. Will Pakistanis be able to enjoy the beauty of Kashmir? Yes. but they can do that anyway if jihad stops and it has peace with India.

What will be the cost to Pakistan to get Kashmir? Even if we take away the costs of a war - nuclear or otherwise, the loss of Kashmir will mean an angry India upset at the loss. That will mean further hostility for another 100 years, no regional trade or economic benefit.

Will there be an impact to Islam as a faith in South Asia? Yes, a huge negative impact. In the quest to liberate 20 million muslims, Pakistan will end up damaging 100 million muslims in India and Islam as a faith in India. There will be major rise in hindu nationalism in India once again and muslims will pay a painful price. There could be bloody riots all over again, destruction of mosques and millions of refugees. In other words, a bloody mess.

What about Kashmiris themselves? They will not benefit either, except for the emotional high of living in a Islamic country, which will probably end after a few months. Soon they will realize that life is tough in Pakistan and they will miss out on the economic boom in India.

So from all angles considered, any change in status quo in Kashmir is actually a lose-lose for all 3 parties. It is much better for Pakistan to just end jihad and focus on its economy and for Kashmiris to work for economic development within India.

#8 by parthaab on March 16, 2006 2:17pm PT


Did I leave out anything?


Yes..

YOU: commie idiot.

maulana urstruly...your comments on your military blowing up islamic schools instead of fighting the Indians and taking Indian Kashmir?





A cloud of smoke is seen as a Madrasa or Islamic school is blown up by security forces in Miranshah, the north Waziristan tribal area of Pakistan March 15, 2006.

`` Perhaps the need for popularity is most prescient in Pakistan given its strategic location and its nuclear ``might.`` ``

Is this a delusion ?

`` During his recent visit to Pakistan, President Bush chose to engage in a cricket match with local youth to charm the public. His trip was doomed to criticism because Pakistanis are in perpetual denial about their asymmetric competition with India. ``

How is it Bush`s problem ?

`` While public diplomacy of this kind is positive there are still other points which have not yet been scored by the US administration. It is naive for pundits in Washington to assume that people in Pakistan will merely respond to such measures alone. Public diplomacy may melt some icy precepts in Pakistan but American ideals will still flounder in the murky waters of conspiracy theories until there is tangible movement towards regional reconciliation. ``

If USA cannot pressure Pakistan to back off explain how it can pressure a country seven times larger to make any concessions.

`` America`s opportunity to build better ties with Pakistanis following the earthquake in October of 2005 has been largely missed. Much of the goodwill that American aid and helicopters would have brought was lost with the Bijaur bombing in January of 2006. The reluctance of the American administration to apologize for loss of civilian lives in this incident added insult to injury. ``

If not Bijaur it would be something else. Let us cut the crap.

`` In recent US statements there has still been no mention of efforts to resolve the Kashmir conflict, and any mediating role which might be played by the US in this territorial dispute was avoided. There was also little admonition of President Musharraf for not following a democratic path for fear that such a trajectory might lead to an outcome similar to the Palestinian election. However, the fanatics in Pakistan can be quelled perhaps most effectively through democratization. President Musharraf claims that empowerment of the population beyond feudalism is essential before full democratization. Yet it is not clear how people are supposed to feel empowered when every government decision is draped in military and security expediency. The only way out of this cold war trap is for America and Europe to facilitate a lasting solution to regional South Asian conflicts. ``

Military and mullahs are in cahoot. Democracy is doomed until then.

`` As we celebrate the business allure of India, let us not forget the central role Pakistan played in cementing ties between America and that other business giant, China. It was from that same airport in Islamabad where President Bush landed with lights out that Henry Kissinger had secretly flown to Beijing for meetings with Chinese officials more than thirty years ago. Just as Pakistan had helped the US mediate one of its most serious geopolitical conflicts, perhaps the US can reciprocate in kind. India must also be more amenable to such mediation. It is delusional for Indian politicians to assume that Kashmir is still just an internal problem just as much as it was for Indonesians to assume that East Timor was a domestic island dispute. External mediation from Portugal was essential in dispute resolution in that case and indeed given the lack of trust between parties, external mediation will also be essential in the Kashmir dispute. Britain and the United States are essential for this mediation process to commence and would be the best card for a popularity contest in the Muslim world. ``

It is arrogance to say that USA would not have mended its ties with China without Pakistan`s help. USA and China had some common interests and a common foe - USSR. What Pakistan did was peanuts.

`` At the end of the day, Pakistanis must realize that the US, like all countries will have its strategic interests and cannot be considered a philanthropic fund. However, Americans must also consider the importance of tangible progress towards resolution of disputes, coupled with gestures of goodwill, as the primrose way to popularity. ``

USA has no special obligation towards mediating regional conflicts especially when the involved parties have no interest in making compromises.

>>>>>>>>India must also be more amenable to such mediation. It is delusional for Indian politicians to assume that Kashmir is still just an internal problem just as much as it was for Indonesians to assume that East Timor was a domestic island dispute<<<<<<<

IT IS DELUSIONAL FOR PAKISTANI TERRORISTS TO THINK BALOCHISTAN FREEDOM STRUGGLE IS JUST AN INTERNAL PROBLEM JUST AS MUCH AS IT WAS FOR INDONESIANS TO ASSUME THAT EAST TIMOR WAS A DOMESTIC ISLAND DISPUTE. IT IS HIGH TIME THE INTERNATIONAL COOMUNITY MEDIATES AND LIBERATES THE INNOCENT BALOCHIS.

YEP.

OPINION
Discrediting The Balcohs
Frustrated in their attempts to crush the independence struggle through their military might, Pakistan`s military-intelligence establishment have embarked on an insidious campaign to discredit the Baloch movement.


B. RAMAN
The Baloch freedom-fighters continue to wage a determined struggle against the Pakistan Army and the Punjabi feudal aristocracy, which has colonised their homeland with Chinese assistance. Their struggle is against the Punjabi-dominated Army and not against the common people, wherever they are from.

The operations of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and other groups, which have joined this freedom struggle, are directed against the external manifestations of the Punjabi colonisation such as the Army, the Air Force and para-military forces as well as the infrastructure through which the valuable resources of the Baloch people are being taken away to add to the wealth and comfort of the Punjabis, while the Balochs themselves continue to suffer in abject poverty and misery.

Despite the deployment of nearly 40,000 troops and para-military forces and the use of the Air Force, including the helicopters donated by the US for operations to hunt for Osama bin Laden and his No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri, President General Pervez Musharraf has not been able to suppress the freedom struggle being waged by the Balochs.

In the meanwhile, the international community and opinion makers in the US have been taking increasing notice of the freedom struggle and the grievances of the Balochs. The Pakistan Human Rights Organisation headed by the renowned Dr. Asma Jehangir has also been highlighting the continuing gross violations of the human rights of the Balochs.

Frustrated in their attempts to crush the independence struggle through their military might, Pakistan`s military-intelligence establishment have embarked on a campaign to discredit the movement by planting mines on roads and routes used by innocent civilians and blaming on the BLA and other organisations fighting for independence the resulting civilian casualties.

In a tragic incident on March 10, 2006, a wedding party of 30 civilians perished after the bus in which they were traveling hit a land-mine in the Dera Bugti area of Balochistan. An insidious campaign has been unleashed by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to blame the Baloch freedom-fighters for this incident as well as earlier incidents in which civilians were killed by land-mines.

Well-informed sources say that these mines, many of them of Chinese origin, were planted by the Army and the ISI in order to discredit the freedom struggle and weaken the growing external support for it. They assert that the BLA and its sister organisations do not have any land-mines.

The Chinese have also been playing a deplorable role in the efforts of the Army to crush the independence struggle, by providing the Pakistani military units deployed in Balochistan with arms and ammunition and by sharing with them the intelligence collected by Chinese intelligence officers posted in Gwadar and other places under the cover of engineers.

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B. Raman is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai.