B L Saraf
In his New Year statement President Donald Trump expressed his disgust with Pakistan and issued orders of stoppage of American aid to that country. He said “The US has foolishly given more than $ 33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit thinking of our leaders as fools.” Who fooled whom and when did this fooling business start are matters of no guess .
Pakistan has been fooling America right from the day of his birth. Rather, America blissfully allowed itself to be fooled in a foolish bid to lord over the Globe. Men like Dullous Brothers in 1950s, Richard Murphy, George Schultz and others in 1980 acted as collaborators in the fooling business.
Ronald Reagan , Trump’s distant predecessor in office, hosted the Afghan warlords , like Gulbudin Hekmetyar and others in the White House and described them as moral equivalents of the founding fathers of the world’s oldest democracy. They were then playing American game to defeat Soviet Union in Afghanistan. These very war lords proved to be America’s nemesis post dismembering of the Soviet Union. That Pakistan played double game in US, with the help of insiders, was known to the Chief Executives of the great country. People in US administration knew what was going on, and they kept regularly informing taxpaying Americans.
While demitting office, President Eisenhower delivered a warning to the country. “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the Military – Industrial Complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.” Quoted by Larry Pressler in his book Neighbors in Arms.
Larry Pressler, the Republican law maker and author of famous Pressler Amendment has made a telling comment on the unholy nexus between Military – Industry – compromised public servants in U S Administration. He writes in Neighbors In Arms ” United States has become a nation run by a monster I call Octopus. Its tentacles are long and its grip is strong. Its shape is without solid form. It can lurk into any corner and crannies. It can change its appearance to hide from predators and strike at a prey.”
Pressler had succeeded in introducing Amendment to the US Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 which necessitated prior certification by U S President, in writing to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Chairman of Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, to the effect that Pakistan does not possess nuclear explosive device and that the proposed United States assistance program will reduce significantly the risk that Pakistan will possess a nuclear explosive device .
In his book American Rules Professor Bacevich Sr , devised a word ‘Washington’ or ‘the Military Industrial State which encompass the principal components of the national security state – the Department of Defense, State, Homeland Security and various agencies comprising intelligence and law enforcement communities. Its rank extends to select think tanks and interest groups. ‘Washington is headed by the people who, whether acting officially or unofficially are able to put a thumb on the helm of state and help doing deals.
Republican Senator Robert Corker recorded his protest in 2016 when State Department approved subsidized sale of F-16s to Pakistan. He noted that Pakistan government maintains a relationship with Haqqani groups. Despite U S pressure Haqqani group enjoys freedom of movement and possibly has support from the Pakistani Government.
Glenn – Symington Amendment was invoked when President Jimmy Carter received intelligence report that Pakistan was continuing with nuclear weapon development program at a facility at Kahuta. In 1979 the Amendment was enforced and US Military Aid was cut off. But it didn’t stop Pakistan. Same Carter provided F -16 to Pakistan, on a fallacious plea that it would deter it from pursuing nuclear program. Then in 1981 US President exempted Pakistan from the Amendment.
According to Pressler the Octopus started devising ways to circumvent the Amendment the minute it was passed. One government agency or another was trying to sabotage the law from within. Consequently, Pakistan was not deterred.
Senator Glenn is blunter. He admonished Reagan administration in statement made on 26th March 1987. “Six years $3 billion later, we see Pakistan poised at the ” nuclear threshold State ‘. It is amply clear that Pakistan gained the status of ‘nuclear threshold state ‘ during the period when the U S assistance was its highest level.”
Pakistan always found a supporter in “Military – Industrial Complex “, “Octopus” and “Washington “in US to go on the fooling business. Is that scenario a thing of past now? Hope it is so! But then more than the victims of Pakistan sponsored terror, it is for President Trump to be aware of his insiders if Pakistan is to be deterred.
Mercifully, unlike in the past this time in Pakistan the threat has rattled many a serious political observer and those who are in charge of the government there. Some blame Pakistani UN Representative for her over exuberant elation after U N Vote on shifting Israel’s Capital to Jerusalem went against the Americans. Others feel that politics of Pakistan is moving in a dangerous direction. There are alarming signals from the country that with the help of some sections in the establishment and Army, the terrorist Hafiz Saeed organization is emerging as a political force through his Milli Muslim League (MML). Another US Designated terrorist Fazulr Rehman Khalil is reported to have plans to constitute his own political party. These observers in Pakistan have cautioned the Government about the emerging consequences in the region.
We take leave with two prayers. One, may no ‘Octopus ‘ or ‘ Washington ‘sabotage Trump within. Two, Pakistani’s deep state listens to the voices of sanity raised within.
(The author is former Principal District & Sessions Judge)
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