America-Pakistan Feud
A relationship born of necessity is not much of a relationship to begin with. Particularly when each side despises the other and must ensure that this reality never bubbles above the surface of cordiality. And particularly when it is well known by one of the parties that the other is unreliable and completely invested in milking it for all the treasury it can obtain, while promising that its reliability can be depended upon even while it practises to the contrary.The United States has placed itself in a very peculiar position. It has long befriended Saudi Arabia and Saudi royalty - for America has great need of energy resources and the Saudis just happen to be generously endowed with those resources known as fossil fuels. American money that has purchased Saudi oil has made the House of Saud enormously wealthy.
And since the Saudis are extremely pious, they have funded Wahaabist madrasses to exploit vulnerable young Muslims and induct them into fundamentalist Islamism. Pakistan has long been the recipient of such largesse, with Saudi treasury paying for such inflammatory-religious schools, which have also had another kind of outreach facilities known as jihadist training camps.
As a particularly virulent form of Islamism has become popularized all over the Muslim world, sending tentacles into migrant Muslim communities living in Europe and America, Pakistan has become well recognized as a crucible, a training ground and recruiter to service violent jihadis who have taken inspiration from al-Qaeda, themselves honoured guests along with the Taliban, residing in Pakistan.
This is the Pakistan, proud possessors of the Islamic world's only nuclear infrastructure, that presents as America's partner in fighting terrorism. Although under President Obama it is not diplomatic nor polite to use such terminology. But President Obama did authorize the raid into Pakistan that captured and dispatched Osama bin Laden in handshake-distance to a Pakistani military base, without advising Islamabad beforehand.
The successful incursion, undetected until the mission was successfully completed, has raised the ire of the Pakistan military and its civilian government, let alone its anti-America-impassioned public. A definite chill has descended over the previously amicable, and trusting relationship between the two countries. Pakistan is outraged that despite its co-operation over the past decade, its friendship has been taken for granted.
India too has had ample experience with Pakistan's friendly overtures. Of course it might be suggested that it is India, which has suffered much through Pakistan-directed violence against it in Kashmir and Mumbai, that represents the friendly, reliable, co-operative country that America can rely upon for assistance.
But alas, al-Qaeda and the Taliban do not operate openly within India, and India is not a conduit to those terrorists which have infiltrated Pakistani government agencies, its military and its politicians to which and to whom the United States would prefer access toward elimination.
Labels: Pakistan, Political Realities, Technology, Terrorism, Traditions, United States
posted by Pieface @ Thursday, September 08, 2011
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