If Pakistanis Thought Like Americans

Oct. 21, 2010 - PRLog -- With the U.S.-Pakistani strategic dialogue resuming in Washington today, the relationship could hardly be worse. The trust deficit, already vast, has been stressed to the breaking point by NATO incursions into Pakistan and the subsequent ten-day closure of the major land supply route from Karachi to Afghanistan in retaliation. But there is a grimmer prospect.

Suppose Pakistanis thought like Americans? That prospect could destroy whatever trust and confidence existed between Washington and Islamabad. Consider why.

The Pakistan government understands that the Obama White House believes its civilian government is dysfunctional and could easily fall either through a Supreme Court ruling or a no-confidence vote. It has been told that the Americans regard the political center of power in Pakistan as resting in the hands of Army Chief of Staff General Ashfaq Kayani and Lt-General Ahmed Shuja Pasha, head of Pakistan’s Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) who are independent of civilian control. Furthermore, President Barack Obama does not believe Pakistan can deliver what the U.S. wants most, namely active support in taking down the Haqqani network operating in North Waziristan. Last, the White House has made it clear that to gain further U.S. financial and military assistance, Pakistan’s government must attack corruption and incompetence at its highest levels.

Reversing this analysis, if Pakistani authorities were to think as Americans, how would they assess the situation in Washington?

Read Complete Article Here:

http://www.spearheadresearch.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=5...

*** ** ***