Mollycoddling Pakistan  

Capt. (r) Bharat Verma

Bush Administration’s decision to designate Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) will enhance Islamabad’s access to American military technical know-how on many counts. First, it permits bid for maintenance or repair of US military equipment outside America.  Second, facilitates joint counter-terrorism research projects and offers R&D cooperation to improve conventional defense capabilities. Third, Islamabad is eligible for delivery of excess US defense equipment and purchase of depleted uranium ammunition. Last but not the least, Pakistan becomes entitled to expedited transfer of commercial satellites along with technologies and components. Besides it can stockpile American War Reserves on its territory. In 2002, on closing down of a US War Reserve Stockpile, remaining munitions were transferred to Thai ownership.

Other designated MNNA’s are Israel, Egypt, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Jordan, Argentina, New Zealand, Bahrain, Philippines and Thailand. Pakistan, in comparison is an irresponsible, undependable, tricky and shifty state - available on rent to multiple bidders and yet, treacherous to the core from the day it came into being. India made an unprecedented gesture by partitioning its land to create Pakistan. Islamabad repaid this Indian generosity with invasion of Jammu & Kashmir on its inception! Since than Pakistan army and the ISI have been at it with four wars. Export of terrorism by Islamabad is a foreign policy tool in Kashmir for the past eighteen years. Earlier Pakistan Army earned gory heights by raping its citizens in East Pakistan. Later, true to its colors, while pretending to smoke peace pipe with Vajpayee in Lahore, it simultaneously invaded Kargil. Post 9/11 Pakistan has not only emerged as an acknowledged Fortress of Terrorism but has also been caught with its pants down selling nuclear technology. Yet, Americans once again have moved in haste to mollycoddle Pakistan and equate it with countries like Australia and Japan by removing all sanctions and designating it as a major non-NATO ally.

It should not be too difficult for New Delhi to comprehend the antagonistic great American game being hatched once again in its backyard. Since early Seventies, Washington’s assessments constantly threw up two contenders that had the potential to emerge as superpowers by the turn of the century. China and India, both from Asia could rival and compete for strategic space. That was one too many where Americans were concerned. In a worse case scenario, if China and India combined their markets creating a large Asian Bazaar and managed to carve out their distinct sphere of influence, American preponderance in Asian affairs could rapidly diminish. When Chinese moved away from Soviet Union, Americans embraced them as a counter against India. China also realized early in the game that it could not gain unparallel supremacy in Asia unless India was tied down and hence used Pakistan as a proxy. At a particular point of time in history, United States and China worked in unison to encourage Pakistan to destabilize India. There was a substantial cost for India, but both powers failed in their endeavor, creating a state of bankruptcy in Islamabad that later flowered into world’s largest Jehad Factory armed with nukes. Since 9/11 it has haunted the United States. Down the line Americans unhooked from the dragon as they discovered it was a strategic competitor and have been instigating India to counter China. Meanwhile, unilateral madness unleashed in Iraq made EU, Russia, China and India sit up and take notice of the fact that unipolar world was definitely a dangerous place to live in.

It is against this backdrop, American move to designate Pakistan as MNNA and rearm it by removing all sanctions needs to be viewed. United States strategic objectives are twofold. First, contain New Delhi’s new found ambitions of emerging as a global power. In an orchestrated rhetoric designed by the State Department, President Musharaff and his establishment has once again started chanting the old mantra of Kashmir. This is a direct signal to India to fall in line. Second, snatch Pakistan away from China and use its military, both against India and to dominate Central Asian oilfields.  

The key question is whether these American policies will succeed? In my opinion they will not as Musharaff cannot be equated with Pakistan. The ground swell against America within Pakistan is heightened and its policies in the long run will prove counter-productive. However, Pakistan well fed and armed on American taxpayer’s money will revert to its old ways vis-à-vis India to avoid internal implosion. Though India has no spat with America, it appears that fictionalized scenario depicted by General Padmanabhan, former Chief of the Indian Army in his book entitled “ India Checkmates America - 2017” is set to come true.

The writer is the Editor of the Indian Defence Review and this piece has been reproduced here from the latest issue of the India Defence Review with his permission.