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Pakistan rejected on Tuesday a US proposal for joint operations in the tribal areas against terrorism and militancy as differences of opinion between the two countries over various aspects of the war on terror emerged. The proposal for joint operations in the tribal areas had been floated by US presidential envoy for the region Richard Holbrooke and Joint Chief of Staffs Admiral Mike Mullen during a series of meetings with the civilian and military Pakistani leadership.
During meetings on Tuesday, US officials were told that continuing drone attacks inside Pakistan’s territory were counter-productive and Pakistan requested that drone technology be shifted to the Pakistan Army. US officials were also told that it would be difficult to bridge the trust deficit if statements maligning the ISI kept coming from the US and if US officials kept ignoring the contributions of the Pakistan Army and ISI in the war on terror.
Do you think the Pakistani decision to refuse to conduct joint operations in FATA is correct? Should Pakistan’s cooperation with the US in the war on terror be made conditional on the cessation of drone attacks? How best can the US proceed without the support of the Pak Army and ISI?
its a very lucrative offer to pakistan from Uncle SAM… and its not the time to cry out loud and return the foreign aid coming Pakistanis way. coz its kind of compensation from USA, for what it is doing in FATA and other area of pakistan. Me thinks , its a right time to keep shut accept the American hand as saviour of time. As its very clearly seen here around the globe that pakistan army and its political parties are in capable to anything to do anything against these foreign mercenaries, so called TALIBS. People of pakistan should accept the aid and use it wisely in creating more multi cultural society…
One more thing i would like to add to my previous writing –
Pakistani people give 15 billion dollar every year to the government in the form of taxes
which is considerably quite a large amount than Obama’s check of 1.5 billion dollar
Pak Government owes more to wishes of People of Pakistan than will of Obama and his allies
And People of Pakistan simple don’t want the government to fight this Foreign War
For people who think Pakistan is running on American aid:
Pakistan budgets rounds 20 billion dollar per year and if America has given .5 billion dollar in past per year- that does not mean that Pakistan is running on American aid.
Else that money which America has given was used to provide the safe passage for their supplies to reach to Afghanistan & spend on fighting a war with people who are not fighting with people of Pakistan.
America if hired Pak for fighting its war – this amount is nothing – but for sure Pak is spending more than its resources to fight this war
If we dont fight this American war we can save a lots of money – our security situation will be better and economy will flourish more – which will give a return more than 1.5 billion dollar per year for sure.
Mr Sarwar Husain,
India needs to compete with pakistan? why should it compete with you? I feel like laughing when you say this.
Show me one metric where pakistan can be compared with India.
As a Indian muslim, we are fine in India, we no need any external help and please don’t create problem for us. We have our own voice..
Let us face the truth and fight together!
This is in reference to Mr. Vinod’s comments where he alleges that we in Pakistan compete in everything with India.
The fact is rather otherwise, it is India who from the day one wants to destablize Pakistan.
It is India who wants to compete with Pakistan, be it sports, social or politics etc etc. Anything happens with Muslims in India they are threatened to leave their country and go to Pakistan. It is such culture prevailing in India.
Please correct the record and yes this trend must change and there should not be any neighbor bashing either side.
Sarwar Husain
I am amazed to read some of the comments. the basic point is what is the economic situation of Pakistan – industrial production is poor and cant support country’s economy. agricultural production is at much lower level than potential. it was flourishing at one time.
Huge defense expenditure and ISI role in nurturing let taliban and many more continues unabated.
Country needs lot of money to support budget due to political and security environment foreign investment not likely to come.
what is the choice to avoid bankruptcy? US aid! no one gives you free money – only choice is to abide by their conditions and concentrate on economic growth instead of supporting the terrorists.
Let us face the truth and fight together!
May I ask one question the answer of this question has never come to me. Why every one in Pakistan, specially the Army and the ISI, is so hung up with a competition with India? Why not with China or Iran or even a small country say Dubai? It is so sad to see the time and energy being wasted on this. Today’s Indian is hardly ever thinking of Pakistan, except when the polticians with their cunning use the subject for votes. To day we are competing with ourselves and may be searching a position on the Globe. We look at you as another country like Burma or Indonesia or Korea and go on with our lives.
It is time that every Pakistani should pause and think that why would India Like to attack Pakistan created by voting and mutual agreement. It is absurd that we would like to bring so many complecated problems and hamper our progress by harming or attacking Pakistan. The myth of India danger is spread in Pakistan by the Army and ISI to retain their supremacy, power and the wealth amassed from various sources like business and you know what. Please let us get out of this propoganda. You know India has a histroy of never being close to America in past. But today let us stand and stand united with even America to fight out the real enemy – Terrorism.
Dear Pakistani Friend,
Thanks for your concerns!
But we can take care of the our problems by ourselves.
Referring to two Lahore attack – Pak police has fought bravely with the attackers – killed them or make them run from the motives they had.
This is our Land and we know how to take care of it – noone else can do it better than us.
The only problem in finding solutions is the un-sincere motives of the foreigners
Pakistan is faltering on all fronts. Financial crisis has broken the back of the country let alone the threats of advancing Taliban.
Speaking of Taliban or even Al-Qaeda, it was a joint US-Pakistan effort to create that force to fight the Soviets and nobody paid attention to them once the Soviets retreated from Afghanistan. Pakistani intelligentsia even used them on different fronts to fight their proxy wars.
So what’s wrong in joining hands again in eradicating this menace which is spreading like a genetically modified bad weed produced by the American MonSanto. Afterall, Pakistan doesn’t have much of a choice ie cooperating with the US or face a full fledged assault from more and more advancing Talibans as well as financial collapse
It is certainly a bold step but we should also be prepared for the aftermath of the decision. I believe now U.S. with the help of India militants can try to destabilize the country even more to get us to a point where they can say “see, you need our help”.
It doesn’t make sense when we say cooperation be made conditional considering the fact that we want to survive on the money provided by them. Once you have accepted the money then you are out the game. The point is not how best they can proceed but, how far they will go in disregarding the sovereignty of the country and carrying out attacks on our soil.
I agree with what Ahmed Moosa spells out in clear and no uncertain terms and would add that in the unfortunate event of Islamabad being overrun by Taliban or even if there is an iota of a chance of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons falling in the hands of the militants, we can easily forget about drones and prepare ourselves for B-52 bombers delivering kilotons weapons on Pakistan.
Pakistan had been cooperating with the united states of America ever since it gained independence in 1947.
it was part of our sponsored defence pacts, seato, baghdad pact, cento etc. the rulers in pakistan were fooled that the solution of ills was in keeping friendly ties with washington. afghanistan imbroglio is not the first in which US is entrenched and seeking pakistan’s help. with islamabad’s help it dismembered the mighty soviet union. it was pakistan that facilitated US diplomatic ties with china.
it was pakistan that helped US to intrude into the muslim world. in return, washington invented pl-480, to make and break governments in pakistan in the fifties. it weakened democracy and ayub era of dictatorship came in.
Zardari has been smart enough to refuse to accept blank cheque nor is ready to offer such a document. its wise not to board the sinking american ship. US is destined the meet the same fate in afghanistan as the former soviet union met.
no one had come out victorious from afghanistan. the country is going to prove the US grave yard. so why to fight besides them?
Better Late than never!
I am glad to hear that Pakistan has finally turned down this awful suggestion given by the US.
Applause to Shah Mehmood Qureshi and others.
I believe that we should step out of this ‘war on terror’ ASAP and try to find solution to our indigenous problems.
I believe we can effectively use dialogue as a tool for solving the Taliban issue (as proved by the Buner issue). Moreover, autonomy of provinces can bring fruitful results (suppression leads to hate and crimes).
Thanks
I hear a lot of my Pakistani friends saying two things. One, US presence in Afghanistan and operations in Pakistan is a form of slavery. And two, the drone attacks should cease. Let us first ask ourselves what the US is doing in the area. US interferance in this area is not new. The last time was between 1979 – 1989 when Zia welcomed them with open arms, accepted their money and allowed them free access. This proved one thing to the Americans….that you can do what you want in Pakistan if you know the right people, and if you dont forget to carry your cheque book.
As far as violation of sovereignty is concerned, its all in Pakistan’s hand. No one can violate anyone’s sovereignty if a nation stands firm. Those who came before sold Pakistan’s nationhood for a few dollars.
Finally, this will be the first time in the history of Afghanistan that it will be conquered and held by a foriegn army. Till now, the others were invaders and came with the intent to invade and subjugate. They were looked upon as villians. This time, the villians are the Taliban. The whole world was protesting US ocupation of Iraq. Today, we dont see that opposition for Afghanistan.
Say what you may. With you, without you or in spite of you…the Americans will finish the job. And for the first time in their dirty history of interference and invasions (Korea, Vietnam, Iraq etc)…they have done the right thing. The reputation of Afghan (hence Taliban) invincibility was based on moral right, as much as their fighting capabilities. After blowing up girls schools and whipping women, they have lost that ground. The world believes that the Americans are fighting stone-age savages.
The Americans have got it right this time.
After having created the demons of terror, Pakistan is finding itself on the backfoot. When its famed armed forces and pride ISI cannot tame the march of Taliban across various parts of Pakistan, what’s wrong in agreeing to US’s help to scoot the demons from Pakistan’s soil and eventually from the world?
I heard a lot about the might of Pakistan’s armed forces and wiles of the famous ISI, but pray where are those qualities when Taliban is having a free run across Pakistan. Has it been checkmated or simply kept under wraps?? When terror attacks are happening in Pakistan’s most cosmopolitan city Lahore, then its time to acknowledge that Pakistan is under real danger.
Its time to not talk of sovereignty, but time to talk of pure existence as a single state. Which one is important??? Safety and security OR Fear and danger. Think wise and in a level headed manner or else agree to live under the rule of people who will take you back to stone age era. Cool and matured heads is the need of the hour in today’s Pakistan.
I agree with the government and am glad they had the guts to say no. US should not come half way around the world to solve problems.
Yes, the decision although quite late, was the right one to say ‘no’ to the so-called joint operations in FATA as proposed by the American duo.
In their own national interest, its the high time and the right time for the movers and shakers in the land of the pure to pull-out immediately from the so-called US coalition on the war on terror. The sooner they take off the yoke of slavery from their neck the better. Time is running out fast and any more delays in taking this bold and daring step by the PPP government might prove to be fatal as well as harmful beyond any possible repairs to the national security and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
I think that any average can tell you that sooner or later, US is doomed to fail in Afghanistan and will be forced to quit since all invaders have to leave one day. Now it’s up to the current PPP leadership to show its real transactional skills and traits by calling it a quits with the Americans. If they are able to do so, for sure, the process of American withdrawal from Afghanistan will be accelerated by more than three folds and I will not be surprised if they are forced to get out of Afghanistan latest by the end of the current term in office of President Obama.
To day for the first time I have gone through the DAWN COM FORUM. I am impressed with the conviction and clarity the problems are being discussed. I feel it is right to go for joint operations. why only with America let all the countries in the region including China join and fight this terror looming large to destroy the life and what ever progress has been achieved.
US operations joint or alone will not raise the issue of Pakistan’s sovereignty violation because they want to operate in the areas occupied by Afghan, Chechen, Uzbek militants and Pakistani rebels. This situation has close resemblance with 1971 war when we requested America to intervene against Indian’s invasion and Bengali rebellion. In 1971 they could not help but now they want to take charge. So let them join us against our enemy.
We have lost SWAT, NWFP and Balochistan. We face an increasing menace of Taliban taking over the coutry. Our Government and army are useless and have resigned all ability to strike back. yet there is still a call for Kashmir!
We cannot defend our own coutry and keep it united and yet we still harp for kasmir – the very reason we trained terrorists who now threaten to take over Islamabad instead of kashmir. See our fate. How kashmir has turned into a disaster for pakistan – as if bangladesh taught us nothing.
Pakistan cannot face a taliban push for islamabad. The USA can protect us and maintain pakistan as a unified islamic state. The USA is our best friend- better than our own govenment or our expensive army. Our army has enjoyed civilain benefits too much and for far too long time, it has lost the will to fight, it has outsourced the will to fight to the terrorists, until too late as the terroists now feel they are the masters.
God bless USA for our defence and independence.
moosa
If American forces continue to bomb inside Pakistani territories just based on intelligence availed from satellites, that is never going to help their cause. That terrain is one of the most dangerous and roughest in the world, and only Pak army and ISI have the experience of combating in those terrains.
But the ideology of Taliban has now been embedded in the upcoming generations of those areas and with time the resistance will become stronger and stronger if we continue to fight. The only end to this ordeal can be achieved through very intense dialog and the clearing of misconceptions between the gov and taliban. But as Pak is bound with very incompetent leaders and politicians, and the nation divided over this issue, there doesn’t seem any end in sight. It will only get worse from here whether there would be any help from Americans or not.
To Gaurav Arya:
Excellent post Mr.Arya……..I fully agree with you. Further I would like to add, if we cannot combat millitants, there is no harm in seeking US assistance in killing these millitants who are playing havoc with human lives in the name of Islam. We have already handed over Swat to them……..what’s next in line…Lahore, Gujranwala, Karachi, Hyderabad, Nazimabad, Sialkot, DHA, Liaquatabad, Quetta, II Chundrigar Rd……..wake up my friends and lets get united to cure this disease called ‘Taliban!’
Pak needs US more than the US needs Pak now. Sovereignty – lets be practical. Our army cannot root out the Taliban. If not a full fledged joint operation, at least try them out in a particular region.
US is simply not going to give their drone without any trust building measures. And why blame them for accusing ISI.
For the Pak people the LeT are ‘good’ militants, as they mostly don’t kill our own people. Taliban are the ‘bad’ militants as they are now killing our own people.
US just sees both as militants – which is not completely wrong.
A lot of introspection and open mindedness is required. Pak used to be a great nation. Lets face the reality. Lets stop pretending to be a sovereign nation – we are not!
Either we allow US help us root out the Taliban or we let Taliban root out any sanity left in the country.
Pakistan Government has done right thing by showing guts. As USA,UK and India kept on saying do more do more; it is the right time for Pakistan Government to stand up show their National Sovereignty National Esteem. Pakistan does not need any aid which is being conditional and at the cost to its soverignty and at the cost of Kashmir issue. Kashmir is “integral part of Pakistan” not India. India is occupying that land.
I cannot for the life of me believe that our Army cannot defeat the rag-tag taliban who have made life Hell for our citizens.
A pertinent question however is ” Does our Army want to defeat the Taliban?”
I think NOT.