Archive for July, 2011
Where the problem lies
on July 25, 2011Pakistan and the US share no conventional binding factor: borders, social fabric, ethnicity, language, religion. The US is a rich country and Pakistan needs aid, and that is the thread that joins the two. When the US requires more services from Pakistan it adds extra warmth, and when it does not, the relations become cold. Meanwhile, unlike China, the US neither cares about Pakistan’s interests and the threats we perceive. Similarly it is not antagonistic towards Pakistan as India is. Read the complete column »
Obama’s old wine in new bottle
on July 9, 2011The way President Barack Obama reached the world’s top position is indeed sufficient proof of his abilities. In terms of common sense and talent George W Bush and Obama are on opposite ends. Thus, in this part of the world we were very hopeful that Obama’s policies in Pakistan and Afghanistan will bring positive change, but unfortunately his policies proved self-contradictory and hopeless. Gen Pervez Musharraf was once the most despised person in Pakistan, but is now praised due to the worse leadership of Asif Ali Zardari. In the same way, the common people in Pakistan and Afghanistan now see Bush as a far better president than Obama. There was much hue and cry about the Af-Pak policy when Obama took over the presidency, but it proved confusing from the very moment of its announcement. In the same breath, sending 30,000 forces and initiating political dialogues surprised and confused the analysts. Now, after two years of massive human and material losses, he has announced the old policy with a new zeal. When he was announcing the much awaited new policy, it sounded nothing more than old wine in new bottle. Read the complete column »