By Rizwan Ghani

Pakistan is about to redefine its relations with America after the Salala tragedy. The parliament is going to discuss Pak-US relations. Our policy makers should remember France’s reaction over deaths of its soldiers. A careful look at domestic and international developments will show that beyond transactional relationship based on Afghanistan and NATO, there is no future of permanent Pak-US relations. PPP supports the relations but Mualana Fazl ur Rehman has said that America is the enemy of Pakistan. The overwhelming majority of public (more than 90 %) is against Pak-US relations. Just like US military-industrial complex, a powerful lobby in Pakistan supports Pak-US relations to protect its profits in US and Afghanistan. There are fundamental differences in Pak-US policies on human rights, Constitutions, economic models, political systems and even the internet. However, countries are redirecting their foreign policies to face recession, increasing oil prices and avert military conflicts.

Where does Pakistan stand on China and permanent NATO presence in the region? How does the government plan to react beyond the rhetoric of redlines to any future US attacks on Pakistan? China has decided to deal with America diplomatically. Obama’s recently issued defense review is China centric. It aims to maintain permanent US presence in Asia. A NATO like alliance has been forged between America and five East Asian nations (Japan, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and South Korea). Under the doctrine of “offshore balancing”, the troop number will be cut in future military operations. Instead, there will be an increase in use of air force and navy. It will be replaced with high technology use and missile shields (in Turkey). Unmanned surveillance vehicles including drones, nanotechnology and 24/7 (satellite) surveillance will substitute human intelligence networks. War outsourcing is part of the Obama doctrine. The imposition of passage levy on NATO is one part of the complex picture, which deals with constitution, armed forces and public opinion. Our liberal media blames government policies for paid military operations. The armed forces feel let down for their services to the nation and obeying government orders. The constitutionalists object to use of national armed force within state boundaries as unconstitutional and gross violations of fundamental rights and international conventions. It brings state, government, civil society and media at crossroads, which in turn exposes the state and its institutions to foreign exploitation. Memo is just one example of this complexity, in which each party believes it is on high moral ground or is a victim. However, from America’s perspective, it is a good business deal. No body bags, media scrutiny, domestic pressure to end dirty wars, accountability for crimes against humanity, power to prolong wars due to reduced costs and safety fallouts for the American public (NATO spent one crore plus monthly for Pakistani route as compared to ten crores for other routes). To protect its national unity and interests, Pakistan cannot be part of America’s outsourcing policy.

Can Pakistan support US imperialism? US takes it as its right to interfere in others affairs under its illegal doctrine of imperialism- no to national boundaries and sovereignties. Hillary’s redline threat is nothing new, it is part of American policy since 1963. Kennedy invited national poet Robert Frost to his inauguration speech to send a new foreign policy message of “Good Fences make good neighbors” to the world, an end to Vietnam war, and fight against what he called the “common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself”. He was murdered (in Texas), and Frost was replaced by Walt Whitman as beacon of new foreign policy, “Democracy is like grassland with no boundaries”. Reportedly, Tokyo is paying $2bn plus annually for 70 US military bases in Japan instead of giving the money to unemployed Japanese demanding eviction of US forces. Washington has formed an anti-China “String of Pearls” in the Far East comprising Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia. America does not respect nations and international laws, which recognize sovereign rights and boundaries of states. It is about time Pakistan upholds Iqbal’s message of freedom from the west, adopts Islamic values and restores faith in self and nation.

Not-so-covert warfare is part of US foreign policy. The thawing of North, South Korea relations under the Sunshine Act was derailed by sinking of South Korean military vessel leading to 42 deaths because united Korean Peninsula undermines US interest in the region. The Chinese tourists were shot dead in Philippines resulting in scrapping of scheduled talks between Beijing and Manila. Manila was rewarded with Philippines Sea. Mumbai blasts rocked Pak- Indo talks on Kashmir. International conspiracy has stopped Islamabad from demanding resolution of Kashmir issue as per the UN Resolutions and it is struggling to prove its innocence as a terror sponsoring state. Delhi was rewarded with Indo-US nuclear deal for adopting “friendly” policies against China, Afghanistan and Baluchistan. Islamabad should not send Mumbai Judicial Commission to India because old ploy of terrorism is being used to sell so-called war against terrorism (SWAT) to justify permanent occupation of Asia through Afghanistan, Philippines and CARS (Not-so-covert warfare…, Jan. 21, Arab News). Our parliament should scrap all US sponsored agreements to protect national interests. The US sponsored Afghan Trade Agreement must be scrapped to start energy and trade corridor between Pakistan, ME, China, Russia and Europe. All NATO agreements and foreign intelligence networks should be ended (Norway’s security agents in Pakistan, Jan. 20, Pak. observer), Pak-Afghan border should be sealed and regulated as per international laws. Pakistan must demand the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan so that three million Afghan refugees can return to Afghanistan and the Afghans can take control of their country. Telecommunication and energy sectors should be privatized to regain control of security and economy. Reportedly, invisible ‘closed phone’ networks can be established within existing telecommunication networks. In Greece, a local engineer was murdered for reporting spy software. A judicial inquiry should be ordered to determine the role of multinationals, foreign forces and anti-state elements in mobile-triggered attacks in Pakistan. The material used in these attacks is not available in the region and attack timings show that they were aimed at winning public support in the west and conning Pakistanis. Under Beggar Thy Neighbor policy, the energy sector was used to initiate a pancake collapse of our economy to control our foreign policy, national security including denuclearization, and to sustain America’s SWAT. Therefore, Pakistan needs to expose acts of sabotage against armed forces, public and the state. Also, those responsible, not the public, should pay the Rs. 160 bn debt. There should be public inquiries of 7/7 and 9/11. The Ripple Effect (BBC documentary) should be shown on our national TV.

Pakistan and America cannot get along due to fundamental differences. The violation of human rights including use of drones, no accountability for forced sterilization, police state and racism is part of America’s policies. Unlike US, the extra judicial killings, racism and forced sterilization are crimes in Pakistan. Our Constitution envisages a welfare state, a parliamentary form of government, no fixed term for the PM, independent judiciary, Sharia based law, Freedom of Information, internet freedom, and a government obliged to protect rights of weak against strong including equitable wealth distribution. Americans have however made the judiciary subservient to parliament, practice full presidential terms and protect them for war crimes and crimes against humanity (pending court case against Nixon for ordering the killing of Vietnamese civilians). The US state cannot protect poor from the rich, hold rich accountable (Swiss Banks and 50,000 US tax evaders), media from paying for information despite FoIA (New York Times), public from SOPA ‘nanny state surveillance’ and separate religion from State (political resistance against right to abortion).

Originally appeared pakistan observer.

Tags: Afghanistan, NATO, Pak US relations

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