“It’s not time to divorce Pakistan”
U.S. President Obama and Republican Presidential nominee Romney shake hands at the conclusion of the final presidential debate at Lynn University in Boca Raton. — Photo by Reuters
WASHINGTON: “No, it’s not time to divorce a nation on Earth that has 100 nuclear weapons and is on the way to double that at some point,” said Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney when asked in the third and final presidential debate if it was time for the United States to divorce Pakistan.
Mr Romney, however, endorsed the drone strikes, saying that he supports the Obama administration’s policy on this key issue.
Mr Obama did not directly address this issue but when confronted by the moderator, CBS anchor Bob Schieffer, he said he was also engaging the countries where the United States was fighting terrorists.
Mr Obama also avoided responding directly to questions about Pakistan and neither the moderator nor Mr Romney pressed him for an answer, reflecting an apparent understanding on not concerning the president on sensitive security issues.
“I believe we should use any and all means necessary to take out people who pose a threat to us and our friends around the world. And it’s widely reported that drones are being used in drone strikes, and I support that and entirely,” Mr Romney said, while endorsing the current US policy on these unmanned aircraft.
He said he felt that President Obama was “right to up the usage of that technology, and believe that we should continue to use it, to continue to go after the people that represent a threat to this nation and to our friends.”
Pakistan was mentioned 25 times in the 90-minute debate but mostly by Mr Romney.
US President Barack Obama mentioned Pakistan only four times, twice when talking about his decision to raid Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad.
“And you said we should ask Pakistan for permission. And if we had asked Pakistan permission, we would not have gotten him. And it was worth moving heaven and earth to get him,” said Mr Obama while quoting from Mr Romney’s earlier statement on this issue.
“I can tell you at the same time, that we will make sure that we look at what’s happening in Pakistan, and recognize that what’s happening in Pakistan is going to have a major impact on the success in Afghanistan,” said Mr Romney when asked if he would still withdraw US troops from Afghanistan if he was told that Kabul was not yet ready to shoulder security responsibilities by 2014.
“And I say that because I know a lot of people that feel like we should just brush our hands and walk away,” he said.
“And I don’t mean you, Mr President, but some people in our nation feel that Pakistan is not being nice to us, and that we should walk away from them,” he explained.
“But Pakistan is important to the region, to the world and to us, because Pakistan has 100 nuclear warheads and they’re rushing to build a lot more. They’ll have more than Great Britain sometime in the relatively near future.”
Mr Romney noted that Pakistan also had the Haqqani Network and the Taliban within its borders. “And so a Pakistan that falls apart; becomes a failed state, would be of extraordinary danger to Afghanistan and to us,” he warned.
That’s why, he said, he believed the United States will have to “remain helpful in encouraging Pakistan” to move towards a more stable government and rebuild its relationship with America.
“And that means that our aid that we provide to Pakistan is going to have to be conditioned upon certain benchmarks being met,” said Mr Romney, defending a bilateral congressional demand that US aid to Pakistan should be made conditional to its performance in the war against terrorists.
“So for me, I look at this as both a need to help move Pakistan in the right direction, and also to get Afghanistan to be ready, and they will be ready by the end of 2014,” said Mr Romney while defining his policy for the Pak-Afghan region.
President Obama, when asked the same question, explained how he withdrew American troops from Iraq, refocused on Afghanistan and delivered a surge of troops to that country.
His administration also had decimated al Qaeda’s core leadership in the border regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The moderator then recalled that Gen. Johan Allen, the US commander in Afghanistan, says Americans continued to die at the hands of groups who were supported by Pakistan.
“We know that Pakistan has arrested the doctor who helped us catch Osama bin Laden. It still provides safe haven for terrorists, yet we continue to give Pakistan billions of dollars,” he said.
“Is it time for us to divorce Pakistan?” the moderator asked.
“No, it’s not time to divorce a nation on Earth that has 100 nuclear weapons and is on the way to double that at some point, a nation that has serious threats from terrorist groups within its nation, as I indicated before, the Taliban, Haqqani Network,” said Mr Romney.
“It’s a nation that’s not like others and it does not have a civilian leadership that is calling the shots there. You have the ISI, their intelligence organization, is probably the most powerful of three branches there. Then you have the military and then you have the civilian government.”
Mr Romney warned that this was a nation, which, “if it falls apart, if it becomes a failed state, there are nuclear weapons there and you’ve got terrorists there who could grab their – their hands onto those nuclear weapons.”
Pakistan, he noted, was in a region which was important for the United States and technically it was an ally even if “they’re not acting very much like an ally right now.”
That’s why, he said, he believed “we have some work to do there.
The Republican presidential candidate said he was not blaming the Obama administration for a strained relationship with Pakistan.
“We had to go into Pakistan. We had to go in there to get Osama bin Laden. That was the right thing to do. And that upset them, but obviously there was a great deal of anger even before that,” he said,
“But we’re going to have to work with the people in Pakistan to try and help them move to a more responsible course than the one that they’re on.”
For Pakistan to change its course was important for them and for their nuclear weapons.
“It’s important for the success of Afghanistan because inside Pakistan, you have large group of Pashtun that are Taliban. They’re going to come rushing back in to Afghanistan when we go.”
now its time to give a political lesson to USA by making a good ties with russia in every field.
Will Russia make good ties with you?
Jinnah engaged USA for his own purpose which was to elevate Pakistan to fight beyond its capability and his successors intensified that effort. They haven’t done badly as Pakistan today possesses some of the deadliest weapons and also succeeded in punching beyond its weight. USA likewise used Pakistan for its own purposes and ended up screwing Pakistan where it has become a joyous experience for both parties excluding the people of Pakistan. People of Pakistan in turn have begun to understand this, but for them the horse had already bolted before they came to appreciate the bleak reality and they are the ones well and truly stuck – can’t turn this way or that way as either way they are screwed. Tough indeed.
Its time to Devorce USA
Typical Americans, they only use people and later throw them away!!
You know – there have been some quite intelligent and most importantly hopeful comments- with people like you – maybe we’re not screwed after all.
its time for oil to divorce the dollar
this is authoritarianism at it’s best.true Pakistan cannot escape responsibility of it’s conduct in the region over the last few decades but the American approach through this time and region has been mind boggling,bordering on limits of extreme arrogance and almost a laboratory kind of approach towards Pakistan.
Pakistan over the years has been destabilized from the inside and from outside and has been systematically portrayed in the international media as a pariah of the world.
It’s all in the geography,greed and authoritarianism and we the Pakistanis unfortunately have been extremely unlucky with the availability of resources of capable leadership at various levels to respond and thus resulting in doubt,chaos and confusion of a common Pakistani.
But one thing in the end ,This Nation Has Resilience .
EDUCATION IS THE ONLY SOLUTION TO PRESENT CONDITION OF PAKISTAN.OPEN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES IN EVERY CORNER.AND ANYBODY WHO DESTROY THE SCHOOLS OR OPPOSE IT,NEEDS TO BE ELIMINATED.WE HAVE TO DO IT IF WE WANT TO BE PROUD AND INDEPENDENT NATION. BEGGARS ARE NOT CHOOSERS.
We need to disengage from this War ASAP
Pakistan needs a technocratic government for at least 3-5 years and work 24/7 on diplomatic front to bring an end to the illegal drone strikes that kill innocent men, women and children. Mine and seal the border for atleast a year and establish peace through military courts.
Keep dreaming….Zzzzzz……
This debate doesnt instill any confidence in me as a Pakistani, high time we stopped acting like a hired gun, time America respected our interests in the region, Pakistan must also be accepting of America’s interests in the region (superpowers deserve super diligence), both need to find an amicable working relationship that is better for all in the neighbourhood and the long term prosperity, peace and destiny of this great region! Right now the presidential race depicts the typical mindsets that all politicians around the world excel at, playing to the masses. Obama for better or worse, for me seems the lesser of the two evils.
It may not be time to DIVORCE Pakistan but nonetheless DIVORCE is eminent. Pakistan should always be wary of Americans as they cannot be trusted. We have been through that phase before. America is only for Americans and no one else. They give lip service to get what they want. USSR was split by a strategic plan evolved in 1940s by the Americans. Pakistan beware.
By mentioning Pakistan again and again in their presidential debates they are giving negative signals to world about Pakistan. Both, Mr. Obama and Mr. Romeny, are aware of the fact that Pakistan is neither Afghanistan nor Iran. Pakistan has been dealing with nuclear weapons for more than 30 years. Yes, i believe, there was some loopholes during times of Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan and Pevaiz Musharaf but I strongly believe command and control of Pakistani nuclear arsenal is firmly intact and Un-breach able to the extent even American CIA is not able to break in. Pakistani ISI is regarded as premier intelligence agency of the world. Yes, there are some problems in ISI due to their involvement in domestic politics which is highly conflicting for their image but still ISI is the first and last line of Pakistani defence. Yes, there are some glimpses of social disintegration within due to Baluchistan crises but one must remember these are crises not conflict. These crises have their roots in mismanagement of Pakistani rulers since 1947 but still matter of Baluchistan is constitutional not geographical. Since 9/11 Pakistan have paid hefty price for so-called American “war against terrorism” but time has come for Pakistan for devising such a foreign policy which safeguards national interest only. As Mr. Romney wrongly put it that in case if Pakistan become failed state, Mr. Romeny must think that a nation which has seen mountainous upheavals in last decade in form of earthquakes, floods, terrorism and shortage of energy, is still resilient enough to stand tall and proud in league of nations. This is visible from some water share events which have occurred first time in history of Pakistan, such as, people’s successful movement to restore Chief Justice, completion of five years of democratically elected government first time in history of Pakistan, Independent Judiciary, Independent Election Commission , extremely vibrant and independent media, rise of Imran Khan’s PTI as third biggest Party in Pakistan, survival of middle and lower class even in grim inflation and price hike and hope in eyes of young generation which make Pakistan such a country which has lots of potential for future. Definitely neither Mr. Romney nor Mr. Obama will ever mention Pakistan as potent country but always propagate threats about Pakistan. We being Pakistanis are more than 100% sure neither Mr. Obama nor Mr. Romney will remain there forever but Pakistan will ever be there because blood of those millions of Sub continent Muslims is, of course, thicker than water. Long Live Pakistan.
I like your thinking. The choice is clear. Strive for peace in the region and we (the region) shall be a place where we do not need the Amricans! The India Pakistan partition and the consequent crisis was unfortunate. But now is the opportunity to realise our rightful place on earth. How can the Americans with impunity use drone on a foreign soil, when a legitmate government is ruling! Enough is enough!!
failed state,
You talking about America bro?
Just deport all Afghans, we really dont care for Afghanistan, then seal and mine the border.
The problem is deep within us.
Time to wake up and face the truth.
See the result of forced marriages??? This marriage was forced on Pakistan by George W Bush who after 9/11 said to Pakistan your either with us or with them! Pakistan had to join the US in this phony war on terror! There was no sitting on the fence! So dont go talking about divorce now!! Cause after divorce the women take the money and the assets! America you can’t afford to lose Pakistan!
Do you mean Pakistan is like a woman who gets to keep the money after divorce?
Pakistan should be very careful for its future decisions. If any thing done carelessly may harm Pakistan
yeah its time to make it suffer more for war that we enforced on it
Without Pakistan, US has no friend in southeast Asia.
no permanent friends, just interests…
Wrong twice:
Firstly Pakistan is in South Asia not Southeast Asia (which would be countries to the East of India starting with Burma and thru the Philippines).
Secondly Pakistan is not a friend of the US and if it is, it is worse than enemies who have not enjoyed as much success in killing US troops.
speechless, our politicians work with the formula>,, more aid, more warfronts that leads to more killings.
How can America make decisions on future of Pakistan? Almighty Allah will look after Pakistan.
Almighty Allah just want the muslims to live as He has told them to, but looks like our policy makers have forgotten it
Allah only helps those who help themselves…
As Pakistanis we must start accepting responsibilities. Allah will help those who help themselves. We cannot say that Almighty Allah will look after us and not do our part. This is the problem with Pakistan and it’s new generation. Accept responsibility, educate yourself, work hard, and build a nation that our generations are proud of. We are an extremely capabale and intelligent nation but we must work hard and have the will power to conquer any obstacles.
But so far he has not … at least noy for the last 60 years
And Almighty ALLAH will not change the course of a nation unsless that nation want to change its own course, and that includes me and you.
Allah gives you two hands ,and one brain , to use it carefully & dont wish more from Allah
Excellent post.
sab kuch allah hi karega? awam kuch nahin karegi?
Now every body knows how much is PAKISTAN important for the world peace. i think neither Romney nor Obama has such kind of courage that they can declare war on the brave nation. It is pakistan who makes Americans fool. Search and read the history of PAKISTAN how they stands during the worse times. INSHA ALLAH time will come when the whole will live under the banner of PAKISTAN.
“INSHA ALLAH time will come when the whole will live under the banner of PAKISTAN” come out of ur dreams.
Pakistan will have to remain in marriage whether it likes or it doesn’t. It is simply not a case of choice.
The PPP is locked in.
Its not “War of Terror” but “War Of Errors”
This is our most beloved Army that is stick to US. and had allowed drone attacks…
Then…what do you suggest
Keep both sides happy or unhappy and pass hard times.
As if President builds Foreign Policy. It is already decided whats going to happen, it does not make any difference who wins.