President Trump and Pakistani Premier Imran Khan have spent Monday in a war of words on Twitter, with Trump engaging in one of his usual tirades accusing Pakistan of taking US money and not giving back anything in return.
While previous Pakistani officials have mostly shrugged off the public condemnations from the US, Khan was quick to fire back on Twitter, saying the US should stop making Pakistan a scapegoat for its failures, and ask why 140,000 NATO troops and $1 trillion had left the Taliban even stronger in Afghanistan.
Trump went on to complain that the US had given Pakistan billions and Pakistan didn’t help with bin Laden or Afghanistan, saying that “everybody in Pakistan knew” where bin Laden was and they didn’t tell America.
It has become a popular pasttime for recent presidents to blame Pakistan for failures in Afghanistan, and Trump is just continuing that in his own manner. The big change is that Imran Khan, unlike his predecessors, no longer feels like he needs to just be quiet and take it.
Pakistan denies supporting Afghan Taliban insurgents waging war against U.S.-backed troops in Afghanistan
Sure, and Miller Light tastes great, is less filling.
What the US never gets is that other countries in the world have their own security concerns, and they often differ from US interests.
General McChrystal in his assessment for Obama in August 2009 made it crystal clear that Pakistan fears a growing US-fostered India interest in Afghanistan, and acts accordingly. Pakistan doesn’t want to become an Indian sandwich (my words), with deadly foes on both eastern and western borders. So Pakistan supports the Taliban. Always has, always will.
Nevertheless, Obama stupidly said in his December 2009 speech at West Point that Pakistan is a US ally, and Washington continued to send dollars to Islamabad.
I suppose Trump will next complain about Iran helping the Taliban (true), but at least he won’t call Iran an ally.
There it is: the complaint that the bribe should have bought a lot more. Whatever Trump, if the deal is garbage then actually walk away.
If EVERYBODY in Pakistan knew where bin laden was, that doesn’t say much for a country with 17 intelligence agencies not knowing.
They’re intelligence agencies not intelligent agencies, is the problem. But then, they didn’t really have anything on bin Laden anyhow, which is why they killed him. In fact we’ve got much more on US presidents than was ever suspected of OBL.
Everyone knew, the US intelligence agencies included.
Aha, Trump’s Pakistan twitter had nothing to do with “taking US money and not giving back anything in return”. It was triggered by his recent insult of a former US Marine who did not catch Bin Laden earlier even though “everybody in Pakistan knew where bin Laden was and they didn’t tell America”.
Trump is always soooo transparent.
I’m sure Trump has also been considering the Asia Bibi case.
We are all victims of short and shorter memory syndrome. Taliban was created by three partners. US in lead role, Pakistan providing human material and Saudi Arabia providing schools and Islamic indoctrination. The schools are Madrassas and students —Taliban.
It was the plan to solve the problem Al-Qaeda could not. Al-Qaeda was Saudi Organization, led by a billionaire’s son, and attracting mistly Arab malcontents frim ither countries. While they suceeded in organizing mountain tribes to harass Soviet and Afghan forces, and sufficiently enough to make Soviet forces withdraw — they could not be a factor in unufying Afghan tribes sufficiently to go after large towns, especially Kabul. The Afghan government Siviets left behind was solid and would have outlasted the fickle relationships between “ foreigners” and some rougue tribes that lived American bribes in money and weapons. To do that a Pashtun force was needed, speakers of the same language as most Southern Afghanistan. Taliban force was born. While schools accepted poor kids and teenagers, they selected the older and fitter for military training. This was mostly Pakistan’s job. And it is certain that Pakistan provided commanders and other logistics to the army of religiously fanatical recruits. The Afghan tribes on their way quickly folded. Combination of religious zealotry, superior arms, and money did the job, and they provided new reinforcements marching on Kabul. As very few and isolated tribes remained outside of this force, Taliban took Kabul, executed many oeople fir no other reason then being “anti-Islamic”. Teachers, public sector employees, police, social workers. They brutally mass executed many lower ranking military officers, as well as higher echelon, including president. Women who used to wirk and go to University at that time, were either executed or managed to hide behind burka at home. Taliban rule of terror continued unabeted as they pushed into Northern Alliance. These mostly non-Pashtun tribes, Tajiks and Uzbeks, did not want to be subjugated. Taliban rule continued without US complaining of the brutality. In fact, wined and dined by White House in August just before 9/11. Their key crime was giving pipeline deal to Argentina, not US. After 9/11 Al -Qaeda — already reduced to two training camps, was identified as the guilty party, and Taliban being forced into accepting US conditions. No matter how much Taliban tried to please, it was a foregone conclusion that US was invading.
Ever since, Kabul government is in US control, while tribes — still called Taliban, or students — have been subjected to divide and rule, with shifting alliances and combination of bribes and bombing. Which brjngs us to today. Ever since Bhutto was assasinated, foreign elements of Pakistan ruling class lost power, and Pakistan’s elite was divided between terror barrons that earned money on recruiting Pakistani poor for foreign wars and emerging nationalists. Army was caught in between with US being against nationalism. With China offering an economic lifeline through economic corridor between China and China built port of Gwadar, nationalists gained upper hand. With both India and Pakistan ascebding to the top permanent membership of SCO, and bookended by Russia and China on each side, with Central Stans in the muddle, conditions changed. No matter the appearances, India and Pakistan are resolvjng their issues away from the glare of political noise. No matter what US gives to India — it will never become US dominsted politically. And India “demands” US cut military aid to Pakistan, something Pakistan protesteth a bit too much. For the first time, Pakistan and Russia work together militarily. And while US is cutting, Saudis have given 500 milion just recently after Saudi Davos. And Imran Khan announced that he will mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia on — Yemen crisis.
It will be wise to remember the genesis of political machinations to understand the present. And if we think we really understand the Saudi issue — we are deeply mistaken. When I count heads — the most outspoken anti-Saudi yellers, and find them to be identical to anti-Iran, anti-Russia cheerleaders, it is verry telling. Trump will take Saudi Arabia in any reincarnatiin — but will stick it to them on Yemen and other spits. Like Al-Mahra in South Yemen, on Omani border. Sahdis planned to buikd a port there, as it is close to Saudi territory and is outside Bab Al Mandeb straights. But US has propled UAE there, and tge fake news reported that the killing of orotesters there was due to Saudi troups arriving. Even though governor is appointed by UAE and UAE occupied the territory. Oman got unwanted attention by Nethanyahu comming to visit and British opening a base. Shoring up UAE is the key to prevent Saudis escaping to open waters. There have been too many Saudi unfriendly moves in Yemen to count.
But this short sighted urge to stick it to them since MbS took power June 2017, will backfire. And spectacularly. Iran project is all that the short- termers think about, but here is the priblem. They ran into their brethern in mastery of short term exploitation — the Saudis. So, it is time to observe patrerns, no time for jumping to conclusions.
Trump is a clueless idiot:
1. No Pakistani was involved in 9/11 but Pak decided to participate in US War on Terror.
2. Pakistan suffered 75,000 casualties in this war & over $123 bn was lost to economy. US “aid” was a miniscule $20 bn.
3. Tribal areas were devastated & millions of ppl uprooted from their homes. The war drastically impacted lives of ordinary Pakistanis.
4. Pak continues to provide free lines of ground & air communications(GLOCs/ALOCs).