CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION: PAK-US RELATIONS, NATO AND DRONE ATTACKS

  • ALEENA NAGHMAN: Geostrategic and geopolitical significance of Pakistan for America, Pak-US relationship, Drone attacks- History
  • AYESHA YAQUB: Evolution and rise in demand of drone attacks, why America uses drones?
  • ANUM SAEED: NATO Background
  • AMARA TANVEER: Statistics, Analysis of Raymond Davis Case

GEOSTRATEGIC AND GEOPOLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF PAKISTAN FOR AFGHANISTAN

By Aleena Naghman

The geostrategic significance of Pakistan attracted the American policy makers to establish diplomatic relations with Pakistan in 1947. Located at the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent; the region of Pakistan interests United States to enclose the growing China, the nuclear Iran, ‘terrorist’ Afghanistan and the favorable market of India.[1]Pakistan is a junction of South Asia, West Asia and Central Asia, a way from resource efficient countries to resource deficient countries. The world is facing energy crisis and terrorism. Pakistan is a route fortransportation, and a front line state againstterrorism. Security and Business are two main US interests in the region while Pakistanis playing a front line role against terrorism.

Today the political scenario of the region is tinged with pre emption policy and US invasion of Iraq andAfghanistan, Iran’s nuclear program, India’s geopolitical muscles (new strategic deal with US) to gain the hegemony and to counter the ‘The Rise of China’ which has earned all the qualities to change Uni-polar world intoBipolarworld. America, the super power of this uni-polar world wants to physically appear in Afghanistan and has its eyes on Iran.[2] Consequently, Pakistan becomes important for US because it is an immediate neighbor of both countries. United States has very skillfully decided to develop diplomatic relations with the strategically located Central Asian country Pakistan to facilitate its foreign policy agendas concerning other nations and entities in the region.

History of Pakistan-United States Relationship:

The relationship of Pakistan and United States bears its roots in the Cold War, the South Asia regional politics of the 1950s, US concerns about Soviet expansionism and Pakistan’s desire for security assistance against a perceived threat from India. In the beginning of 1950’s when United States became concerned about Communist influence in Central Asia, it began to support Pakistan as a Cold War ally in the region. Always having the viewed Islam as inimical to atheist Communism, the US saw Pakistan as an important counterbalance to the rising influence of the USSR in neighboring India and Afghanistan. This drove the Mutual Defense Agreement 1954 between United States and Pakistan. By 1955 Pakistan strengthened its ties with the West by joining two defense Pacts namely South East Asia Treaty Organization and the Central Treaty Organization. As a result of these alliances, Pakistan received nearly $2 billion as US aid including $508 million for military between 1953 to 1961. The pro-American sentiments soared high in Western side of Pakistan in the decade of 1960s. Pakistan when American aid was directed more towards West Pakistan which caused an uproar and feeling of distrust in East Pakistan. However, United States did not provide military support to Pakistan in the 1965 Indo-Pak was over Kashmir as promised in the alliance of South East Asia Treaty Organization and the Central Treaty Organization. This spawned a feeling among Pakistanis that United States was no longer a reliable ally.

Limited U.S. in 1975 aid was resumed, but was suspended again in 1979 by the Carter Administration in response to Pakistan’s secret construction of a uranium enrichment facility in response to India’s nuclear weapons program. Therefore, in the mid 1970s American aid to Pakistan had already started declining due to Bhutto’s secret pursuit of nuclear technology during the concluding year of his regime. Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in late 1979, Pakistan was again viewed as a frontline ally in the effort to block Soviet expansionism. In 1981, the Reagan Administration negotiated a five year, $3.2 billion aid package with Islamabad. Pakistan became a transit key country for arms supplies to the Afghan resistance, as well as a camp for some three million Afghan refugees. Between 1971 and 1974 Pakistan became an important ally for US during the cold war and United States supported Pakistan, despite thearms embargo. Pakistan assisted also President Richard Nixon in making his first visit to Peoples’ Republic of China.

End of Cold War:

With the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the cold war came to an end and Pakistan’s assistance was no longer needed. Thus, the relationship with Pakistanquickly deteriorated since the Soviets were the only reason the two countries came together in the first place. It was then once again that US focused on Pakistan’s nuclear program. Relations between the two countries soured as the US changed its bilateral aid policy towards its former close ally. In April 1979, the United States suspended most economic assistance to Pakistan over concerns about Pakistan’s nuclear program under the Foreign Assistance Act. Within a brief period, all channels of bilateral aid to Pakistan were shut down. Indeed, US-Pakistan bilateral relations went to the level of indifference and covert hostility in the post-cold war period. US economic aid fell from well above $500 million a year to less than $100 million a year.

Pressler Amendment 1985 and After:

The renewal despite of US aid and close security ties and while many in Congress remained troubled by Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program. The Pressler Amendment added to the Foreign Assistance Act, requiring the president to certify to Congress that Pakistan does not possess a nuclear explosive device during the fiscal year for which aid is to be provided. Pakistan’s aid by US continues flowing, however, as the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush certified Pakistan each year until 1990. In August of 1990 sanction started with the Pressler Amendment. This legislation, enacted in 1985, required certifying by U.S. President that Pakistan did not possess nuclear weapons; without certification, Pakistan would lose most of its military and economic assistance from the United States. In 1990 the President refused to certify Pakistan, not coincidently the first year that the US no longer needed the Pakistani cooperation. In 1992, the relations between US and Pakistan plummeted further whenUS ambassador Nicholas Platt, warned Pakistan of being included into state sponsors of terrorism list, in case it continued to support militants causing trouble in India.

In 1995, Benazir Bhutto visited United States and requested President Bill Clinton to lift the embargoes on Pakistan and launch a joint operation to eradicate militancy from the region. As a reaction to Bhutto’s proposal, Brown amendment, which provided for the delivery of$368 million of military equipmentpurchased but not received by Pakistan before the imposition of Pressler amendment sanctions in 1990, was passed; however, the sanctions on arms were not lifted. In 1998 Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif conducted nuclear test in Balochistan, in retaliation to similar tests conducted by India, which invited the wrath of Clinton’s administration on both the countries. President Clinton imposed sanctions under Glenn amendment on India as well as Pakistan. Glenn amendment includedsuspension of aid, including economic development assistance, credits and credit guarantees by the US government, US bank loans to the governments of India and Pakistan, loans from international financial institutions, such as the IMF and World Bank, and exports of dual-use nuclear or missile items. However, in July of 1998, US lifted the sanctions on both the countries for purchasingagricultural products from US farmers. Later in the year President Clinton exercised his waiver on lifting restrictions on the activities of US banks in Pakistan.

War on Terrorism:

After the attacks of September 11, the United States lifts some sanctions placed on Pakistan after the 1998 nuclear tests and the 1999 military coup.[3] On account of the September 2001 attacks on US, President George W. Bush encouraged Pakistan to become their ally in the war against terrorism. Initially Pakistan tried to strike a negotiation deal with Taliban and al Qaeda members to handover Osama bin Laden to American authorities. However, when negotiations failed, Pakistan allowed American army to use its military bases for launching attacks on Afghan soil. President Pervez Musharraf confessed that the country had no option but to support United States as it had threatened Pakistan of“bombing it into stone age”if it did not join the fight against al Qaeda. Simultaneously in 2001, US officials introduced a bill to lift all the sanctions, previously imposed on Pakistan under Pressler and Glenn amendments. President Musharraf, under strong US diplomatic pressure offered President Bush agreed upon Pakistan’s “unstinted cooperation in the fight against terrorism.” In the US led anti-terrorism coalition Pakistan became a vital ally. In October 2001, large amounts of U.S. aid began flowing into Pakistan. United State in 2003 officially forgave $1 billion worth of loan it had granted to Pakistan in a goodwill gesture and appreciation for Pakistan’s cooperation.

President Bush designated In June 2004, Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally of the United States under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. Pakistan has been a source of nuclear proliferation to North Korea, Iran, and Libya may complicate future Pakistan-US relations.[4] The succession of drone attacks in Pakistan began since 2004 by the United States government on Pakistan, controlled by the Central Intelligence Agency. These attacks are primarily part of war on terrorism, initiated by US, to defeat Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants in Pakistan however, they have killed more civilians than terrorists. Since 2004, US army has launched a variety of drone strikes on the north-western side of the country. The drone strikes plan to target Pakistani Taliban and supporters of al Qaeda, however, the strikes have also resulted in latge civilian deaths and caused much opposition from Pakistanis. A report was issued in 2007 in which Pakistan was accused of using aid money provided by US to Pakistan for its cooperation on war on terror, forstrengthening its defence against India.

11th June US Airstrike on Afghan-Pakistan Border:

On June 11th, 2008, a US attack on the Afghan-Pakistani border killed 10 members of the paramilitary Frontier Corps. The Pakistani military condemned the attack as an act of aggression, souring the relations between the two countries. Pakistan has repeatedly condemned drone attacks as they are an infringement of its sovereignty, also resulting in civilian deaths including women and children, which have further enraged the Pakistani government and people. On October 4th, 2008“The Washington Post”reported that there was a secret deal between the US and Pakistan allowing these drone attacks.Pakistani foreign ministerShah Mehmood Qureshidenied its credibility.

Kerry Luger Bill 2009 and After:

The famousKerry-Lugar Bill, which invited much controversy and criticism, was passed in the October of 2009. The bill entailed the approval of granting $7.5 billion ofnon military aid, if the command of the country accepted certain condition.[5] The bill clearly showed that US’s distrust in Pakistan’s military authority and considered Pakistani Taliban more intimidating than Afghan Taliban, amongst many other essential points.In 2010’s beginning of the year, Pakistan Army in a joint operation with US intelligence agenciescaptured Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a famous Taliban commander, from the tribal belt of Pakistan. The achievement of the operation was hailed by the United States and Pakistan was praised for its greatest cooperation.

Raymond Davis Incident 2011:

2011 In the beginning,Raymond Davis, a CIA agent in Pakistan killed two Pakistani men in Lahore, claiming that they came to steal from him. Davis was taken into supervision for killing civilians, however, American officials claimed that he was permitted to diplomatic immunity and must be released straight away. Raymond Davis was in a whileacquitted of the murder charges and was sent to United States.

Analysis (by Amara Tanveer):

Don’t locate ball in Court’s court. If the FIR will pathetic, court cannot do anything. If Raymond was a diplomat then why government took so much time to declare this and what about statement of Shah mehmood qureshi about fake documents of resistance of Raymond? America wants special rule for itself and different rules for others. Our government may be beggar to America but people are not, people are not slaves of America. Why no one explaining that this whole issue of “the courts” is a huge and distract side show that everyone has bought into. As they have no authority in this matter? People would try to locate angles that are positive for both the countries rather than just to do the point scoring. Let’s be ambassador of this country rather than being broker for any other country. All the intellectuals should value its countries laws, culture and ethics especially where they live or at the end they would not be left even with moan. For the reference we should consult the History.

“Heard Malik in Geo saying that I expect they release Davis and then you would see what happens. The results would be more hate for the Americans. So let’s try to bring solutions rather than self criticism”

The US and Pak government care to clarify what “official business” this person was transporting guns and driving around in a non-embassy car. The case is not whether he has resistance or not but rather if the resistance can be applied in his exacting case. If the USA accepts he was on representative consular business then that really opens up can of worms.

Osama Bin Laden Operation 2011 (by Aleena Naghman):

May of 2011,Al-Qaeda’s leader Osama bin Laden was killed in an operation conducted by US Navy Seals in Abbott bad, Pakistan. Claimed by President Barrack Obama, the information pertaining to the action conducted in Abbott bad wasnot shared with Pakistan Army. However, the claimed of ISI that the operation was conductedjointly, a claim which was blatantly denied by President Asif Ali Zardari. Since 2001, the war on terror started, Pakistan has received an estimated amount of $20 billion from United States; however, in the wake of OBL’s raidUS withheld $800 million of aidto Pakistan. There is growing concern about U.S. drone attacks directed at Taliban and al-Qaeda elements inside Pakistan that also caused significant collateral damage. The role of American military contractors and the unilateral U.S. raid on Osama bin Laden’s multipart inside Pakistan are especially contentious.

The U.S. is vexed by Pakistan’s ties to the Taliban, whether Osama bin Laden was harbored by elements in the Pakistani government and/or security service, charges of endemic corruption in the government, and difficulties coordinating U.S. military policies with Pakistan’s army. To be successful, U.S. strategy must be settled on understanding Pakistan’s objectives as well as those of the United States. Arriving at a complementary strategy requires identifying zones of agreement and pursuing objectives with negotiations sensitive to the most intense preferences of both parties. This is not to suggest that Pakistan be supposed to accommodated at the expense of U.S. interests, but U.S. policy will be extra effective if it is based on an understanding of Pakistani interests. US interests in Pakistan expand well beyond the immediate war in Afghanistan or the fight against al-Qaeda. Left unchecked, Pakistanis demographic realities and fast-growing nuclear program will almost certainly make it an even more unmanageable challenge in decades to come. Now is the time for swift and decisive U.S. action.[6]

NATO Attack on Salala Agency 2011 and After:

US-Pakistan relations plummeted again when24 Pakistani soldiers died in an air strikeby the US Army. Afghan and US officials claimed that the firing was a result of the attack launched from the Pakistani side of the border, however, the Pakistani military and government denied the claims. As a result of the attack, Pakistani government orderedUS army to evacuate Salala air basewhich was being used to launch offensive on Taliban and militants. Moreover, the government also halted Nato supplies for United Sates. America has established its bases in Pakistan right after the 9/11 attacks. NATO and American forces are dependent on Pakistan for the supplies to continue the ongoing Afghan war. After suspension of the supplies, Pakistanis in a strong position to threaten the Allied forces in Afghanistan for its larger interests.

Since the beginning of 2012, various political parties along with the military command of the country, met and held discussions on restoring Nato supplies. Diplomats from United States also tried to reduce the friction. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said that the supplies were blocked without any pressure and will berestored with consensus. Moreover,Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussenurged Pakistan to reopen Nato ground supply routes to Afghanistan. However, Rasmussen also said that Pakistan had not been invited to the crucial 25th Nato summit to be held in May in Chicago.