Ex-envoy opposes US arms for Pakistan to fight extremism
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NEW YORK: Hussain Haqqani, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States, has strongly opposed the use of American military aid to fight extremists in Pakistan and said instead it will fuel conflict in South Asia.
The Obama administration announced this month to sell almost $1 billion worth of attack helicopters, missiles and other equipment to Pakistan.
Read: US, Pakistan must ‘divorce’ as allies: Husain Haqqani
Mr Haqqani said that: “Pakistan’s failure to tackle its jihadist challenge is not the result of a lack of arms but reflects an absence of will.
He said: “With nuclear weapons, Pakistan no longer has any reason to feel insecure about being overrun by a larger Indian conventional force.
For the US to continue supplying a Pakistani military that is much larger than the country can afford, will only invigorate Pakistani militancy and militarism at the expense of its 200 million people, one-third of whom continue to live at less than a dollar a day per household.”
Also read: Husain Haqqani resigns, ready to face inquiry
The former ambassador said that unless Pakistan changes its worldview, American weapons will end up being used to fight or menace India and perceived domestic enemies instead of being deployed against jihadists.
“Competition with India remains the overriding consideration in Pakistan’s foreign and domestic policies. By aiding Pakistan over the years—some $40 billion since 1950, according to the Congressional Research Service—the US has fed Pakistan’s delusion of being India’s regional military equal.
Seeking security against a much larger neighbour is a rational objective but seeking parity with it on a constant basis is not.
Instead of selling more military equipment to Pakistan, Mr Haqqani said, US officials should convince Pakistan that its ambitions of rivaling India are akin to Belgium trying to rival France or Germany.
Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2015
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Comments (150) Closed
Apr 21, 2015 06:18am
One Sane voice of a Pakistani. Then again, it is one against close to 200million.
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Apr 21, 2015 06:21am
He was former Ambassador of US for US. Now he's even worse.
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Apr 21, 2015 06:21am
And the weapons India has been procuring from United States will not be used against Pakistan??? Go Figure!
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Apr 21, 2015 06:25am
Is he an Indian ambassador in D.C now?
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Apr 21, 2015 06:28am
I don't think U.S really cares where these weapons will be used. $1 billion is more important.
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Apr 21, 2015 06:31am
With friends like you, who needs enemies. I don't know what else you did hurting Pakistan' interests when you represented Pakistan as ambassador.
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Apr 21, 2015 06:31am
Does he also oppose issuance of hundreds of Pakistani visas to the Americans?
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Apr 21, 2015 06:34am
To avoid any nuclear conflict between IndoPak the conventional gap should be decreased. Has the Ex-Pak Ambassador lost it?
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Apr 21, 2015 06:40am
He spoke the truth! I know for many pakistanis who blindly believe in parity with India, it is bitter to digest! Well, go ahead and compete with whoever you want!
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Apr 21, 2015 06:46am
On one hand Mr. Haqqani said that Pakistan dont have any danger from conventional Indian force and on the other hand says that it may be used against India.
Mr. Haqqani also forgets to consider that weapons are also a business using which American earn money.
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Apr 21, 2015 06:48am
It has been confirmed that he was enemy agent when working as ambassador of Pakistan appointed by PPP and case against him was correct(memo). Will PPP clarify the position.
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Apr 21, 2015 06:50am
the arms supply by usa is used to killed own people. more arms more killing innocent .study the report, where they use.usa shoud better spend or give more amount on education and economy development.
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Apr 21, 2015 06:50am
By telling the truth, one automatically becomes enemy of the state of Pakistan.
I can tell from the comments below, that ignorance of people is the biggest enemy of Pakistan.
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Apr 21, 2015 06:53am
He is an intellectual and has merely spoken the truth and realty.
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Apr 21, 2015 07:01am
If Pakistan had Mongolia on the east and Kazakistan on the west, then yes sure a Belgian sized military would do, but unfortunately we don't and despite the size of our military we are far off from achieving a balance of power with our hegemonicly strengthening hostile neighbour.
If Israel can survive the shear size and population of Arabia then we can too just with a better ratio.
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Apr 21, 2015 07:08am
He is right. Instead of US arms the nation should use Chinese arms. They are truly all weather friends of Pakistan. Only condition being imposed that they must allow Muslims in PRC to follow the religion freely.
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Apr 21, 2015 07:11am
He really knows what Pakistan is all about.
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Apr 21, 2015 07:18am
And was their to defend pakistan,what a leadership we have.
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Apr 21, 2015 07:23am
@Faisal Bajwa - To avoid conventional war you need nuclear deterrence...and now to avoid nuclear conflict you need conventional weapons...wah bhai wah...what a logic...remember Pakistan matters very little in India's scheme of things...while India-phobia remains the core of Pakistan's policy in all aspects including delusions about being equal to India...the major difference is India pays upright for its purchases...while Pakistan is essentially living on dole-outs...
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Apr 21, 2015 07:24am
One hundred percent agreed with him! We need everything but arms from US.
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Apr 21, 2015 07:34am
Most rational Pakistani I have heard in recent times. He must be thoroughly unpopular amongst Pakistanis.
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Apr 21, 2015 07:35am
Any voice pointing to Pakistan's obsession with India is considered anti-Pakistan, in-spite of the history of futility of all wars with India.
Pakistan hasn't got back an inch of Kashmir even after three wars with India....The sane voices are only pointing to this and advocating efforts to give peace a chance.
Is this wrong?
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Apr 21, 2015 07:42am
It keeps the US defense industries going and bonanza for PAK military.
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Apr 21, 2015 07:47am
To think that he represented Pakistan in USA for three years! What does that say about Zardari who appointed him?
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Apr 21, 2015 07:47am
Gosh... he once represented Pakistan... wonder who hired him... many diplomats do no take him seriously...
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Apr 21, 2015 07:48am
This man is right we should spend our money on defeating hunger and poverty inequality and illiteracy. We shouldn't give in to the propaganda of these so called generals who live like kings and who are a state in themselves what good is a nuke when you can't even feed your people
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Apr 21, 2015 07:49am
Weapons eventually end up in enemy's hands when the Pakistani military tries to arm militia to fight proxy wars.
Haqqani has a point.
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Apr 21, 2015 07:51am
@Faisal Bajwa, if you don't have money how is it possible?
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Apr 21, 2015 08:05am
What a fool, he is like kashmiris in held Kashmir , while living on handouts by India still burn Indian flag and praise Pakistan.
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Apr 21, 2015 08:09am
His comments seems to reflect that Pakistan should stop competing Indian and accept it as a "big and unable to compete" Country. It seems that he is more in favor of India than Pakistan. Can he suggest US administration to stop funding Taiwan to compete with China?
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Apr 21, 2015 08:10am
He is utterly and absolutely wrong, Pakistan is not like Belgium but rather like Japan, and India is neither France nor Germany it is Cuba.
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Apr 21, 2015 08:22am
For the US to continue supplying a Pakistani military that is much larger than the country can afford, will only invigorate Pakistani militancy and militarism at the expense of its 200 million people, one-third of whom continue to live at less than a dollar a day per household.”
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Apr 21, 2015 08:24am
While i dont agree with him, only defence infrastructure and weapons build up will not make a country strong ,we need strong industrial, agricultural , space sectors, education should be given utmost importance ,also health, nutritious food, mental development and water resources.
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Apr 21, 2015 08:24am
Pakistan should always maintain parity with India and at the same time work to reduce conventional weapons on both sides of the border.The former ambassador it seems has other agendas.
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Apr 21, 2015 08:27am
yes i think we should concentrate on country economics to develop and with the strong will to close this weapons fight inside the country and leave the Afghanistan on his will.
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Apr 21, 2015 08:31am
"American weapons will end up being used to fight or menace India"
The weapons being supplied to Pakistan are of NO significance against any regular military much less of Bharat-India.
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Apr 21, 2015 08:39am
SAARC countries (India, Pakistan and five other Asian countries must cooperate with each other in a friendly economic and social cooperation and not compete. 67 years of confrontation is enough.
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Apr 21, 2015 08:39am
"American military aid...will fuel conflict in South Asia."
Destabilizing the region, at cost to Pakistan, is one major military objective of the US.
In any case the weapons being supplied to Pakistan have NO military value, relevance or of significance to Bharat-India. They can only be used effectively against minor insurgents, tribals and miscreants...not against any regular military whatsoever.
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Apr 21, 2015 08:41am
it is india that should realize that pakistan is a co regional power and on par with India. With China's coperation, Pakistan will become the new regional policeman.
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Apr 21, 2015 08:47am
Correction .. Ex Pakistani
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Apr 21, 2015 08:52am
Its time to think deeply that we have such people in our administration
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Apr 21, 2015 08:56am
Actually balance of power will ensure peace in the subcontinent.
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Apr 21, 2015 08:58am
Well articulated with logical arguments. But in the land of pure, only sentiments rule.
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Apr 21, 2015 09:08am
Mr. Haqqani is a true Pakistani who knows the ground realities facing his homeland. Creating regional circumstances giving rise to a surrounding belligerent environment may be good for the international powers that be, but is fatal for the citizens of Pakistan.
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Apr 21, 2015 09:12am
Given that Pakistan and India have never been able to resolve any disputes by engaging in warfare, and given that now both nations possess nuclear weapons - whose use could destroy the two nations beyond recognition - obviously it would be wise for them to not go the way of the wars. However, Pakistan would have the full right to deploy the weapons it buys from the US or any other nation in case it has to.
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Apr 21, 2015 09:20am
@One Trick Pony
Why would they care about 1 billion dollars? Washington gives that much away as chump change.
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Apr 21, 2015 09:22am
@ Faisal Bajwa... No he has not lost it. He wants to "earn" it. Earn his keep that is. Read a bit about his antics while he was Pakistan's ambassador.
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Apr 21, 2015 09:26am
I think more than Pakistan, US should be unhappy with Mr Haqqani
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Apr 21, 2015 09:35am
One Sane & logical voice. What he is saying is absolutely right. We are living in our self weaved world of our own, assuming that we can take on India in every field. Rational people know that this is not possible. The ambassador was very right in pointing out, if Belgium can rival France or Germany? And why we Pakistanis have to compete with India only. I think this is a very myopic view that we have got.
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Apr 21, 2015 09:56am
If he doesn't speak like this people will forget him this is what he has done all his life, but now it seems to be overflowing....
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Apr 21, 2015 09:59am
true voice coming out of the closet if you have nuclear weapons then why to worry for the securities or it just an obsession against India
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Apr 21, 2015 10:01am
What will be the gain by this arms race? will the commoner be benefitted, will he be more healthier, prosperous, tolerant ?
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Apr 21, 2015 10:03am
One really has to escape the bubble to get the true picture. Glad Haqqani sees the light. Too bad he's only one of maybe five people, none of whom is anywhere near the corridors that matter. Keep up the good fight.
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Apr 21, 2015 10:04am
Someone talking sense in Pakistan but we all know he will be shunned.
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Apr 21, 2015 10:06am
Truth is bitter. No body is going to listen to his assessment and the arm race shal continue to the chagrin of hundreds of the poor both bin India and Pakistan.
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Apr 21, 2015 10:11am
I agree with Mr. Husain Haqqani.
Let China supply all the arms that Pakistan needs to control the Taliban and ISIS.
The US should keep out of their internal wars,it makes
sense to me that National Chinese workers will have
to be protected and mines and processing that will
happen in Pakistan and Afghanistan and Baluchistan and PK has to be protected 24/7.
No doubt US will review its position and relations with Pakistan very soon because of the recent development in Pakistan,China and Afghanistan.
It is good to note that the US and Iran are beginning
to re establish their relations afresh.
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Apr 21, 2015 10:14am
One Insane voice of a sold to a highest bidder former Pakistani. Then again, (Thanks God) it is one against close to 200million.
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Apr 21, 2015 10:22am
Hussain Haqqani's assessment is incorrect. Beyond India, we have other external and internal defense obligations for which Pakistan must have well equipped and well trained armed forces. Our defense spending is far less when compared with other countries in the region.
In regards to India and in consideration to the fact that both India and Pakistan are nuclear States, a war is no longer an option between them. Nuclear status of both countries guarantees peace
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Apr 21, 2015 10:25am
One of the few sensible diplomats in Pakistan.
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Apr 21, 2015 10:25am
@sab Hussain Haqqani is a professor in Boston University, and safe from Pakistan's grip.
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Apr 21, 2015 10:28am
Hussain Haqqani bitter truth statement, Pakistan, who has harbored OBL, how come US still continues to rely on Pakistan by giving a 1 billion dollars worth of arms.
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Apr 21, 2015 10:31am
Pakistan has to reassess its goals. Will it only be a country to counter India or will it also be a country that will help build lives across the Sub continent. Being a nuclear power it has some responsibilities. Gaining a conventional edge against India will only make Pak weaker, where is the money? India has bigger role to play than Pakistan.
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Apr 21, 2015 10:35am
His perception is wrong and to quote his words, "by will". Pakistan is not creating an equal force. Pakistan is creating only deterrence.
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Apr 21, 2015 10:39am
> Seeking security against a much larger neighbour is a rational objective but seeking parity with it on a constant basis is not.
He gave the right anology, not sure if Pakistani's would understand. It is similar to "India seeking parity with US millitary on a constant basis" - that would be senseless for India. In the same proportion Pak trying to seek parity with India constantly does not make sense
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Apr 21, 2015 10:43am
Hussain Haqqani has done a great service to Pakistan, albeit inadvertently. He states in unequivocal terms that Benazir Bhutto had promised the Americans to surrender Pakistan's nuclear program. The revelation has been made in his book Magnificent Delusions.
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Apr 21, 2015 10:45am
Here I do agree with him but in a different manner. He wants US to stop arms supply to Pakistan and I want Pakistan to get rid of US intervention. Arms supply is more in US interest than our interest. US economy will collapse if its arms supplies to the world dwindle and world conflicts are resolved. Yemen crises are also helping US economy. We need to look east not west !!!!!
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Apr 21, 2015 11:04am
Rationality says turning Pakistan into a developed country is far easy than turning India in to a developed one. The total number of people below poverty line in India far exceeds the entire population of Pakistan, do the math. So the answer is yes Pakistan can equalize and exceed India.
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Apr 21, 2015 11:06am
@Iqbal Bhai By having more no. of nukes than India?
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Apr 21, 2015 11:12am
Dear Reader,
When you get Aid from USA or any other country you have to return the entire money given as Aid with interest, as agreed.
That means money earned by 200 million people over the years have to be repaid to usa.
That means each Pakistani needs to repay at 100, 000.Pakistani rupees to Usa. But not all Pakistanis earn more then $ a day. So of those earning high money are to be taxed
to repay.
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Apr 21, 2015 11:13am
As I think most of you didn't went through whole plot. Mr. Hussain Haqqani is correct with his statement and should be notified.
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Apr 21, 2015 11:26am
We under the rage of emotionalism one should not confuse realism with un-patriotism. Voice of sanity from where it comes should be taken seriously. We as a nation, only to equal India, are spending our every bit of money on defense leaving teaming millions to eat grass. After spending big chunk of our budget on defense, very negligible amount is left for the development sectors, resultantly we are lagging behind in Medical care, Universal education to all on affordable price, Human resource development sector; last but not the least Research & development sector. Having agricultural base our Agri is badly suffering, unable to feed teaming millions & there is hardly any progressto cope with ever increasing demand of food items vis-a-vis population growth. Farmer is continuously suffering low income syndrome. Public Education sector is pathetic. What to say to providing universal medical care, even the rudimentary standard of medical care is not available in BHU, RHC and DHQ hospital.
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Apr 21, 2015 11:33am
we don't need arm... we need open arms..let us say no to weapons in south east Asia..
wake up indo pak the weapons will never resolve any problem. it only kills. look around you, you are surrounded by poverty, diseases, lack of medical facility, no clean waters, depression, regression, exploitation. ever evil you think exists in our society..let me end it by what pope Francis once said.."Even today we raise our hand against our brother... We have perfected our weapons, our conscience has fallen asleep, and we have sharpened our ideas to justify ourselves as if it were normal we continue to sow destruction, pain, death. Violence and war lead only to death.....
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Apr 21, 2015 11:40am
One Insane voice of a sold to a highest bidder former Pakistani. Then again, (Thanks God) it is one against close to 200million.
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Apr 21, 2015 11:41am
Do not say any thing about him. Remember your last president and his PPP who appointed him as Pakistan envoy to US. Just see how much loyal is PPP.
Our Sindhi brothers should open their eyes now.
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Apr 21, 2015 11:57am
It is no more secret how many senior government officials are working for other interests of other countries while paid by Pakistan. This also show the faces of those who advocate such people and support.
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Apr 21, 2015 12:06pm
@Faisal Bajwa
The whole point of having nuclear weapons is to make the 'conventional gap' insignificant. Which is why most countries in the world try to acquire nuclear weapons.
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Apr 21, 2015 12:15pm
India will use its weapon against no body
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Apr 21, 2015 12:58pm
@Rao and what about Indian defence spending which has sky rocketed.
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Apr 21, 2015 12:58pm
I honestly do not oppose what he is saying right now, but what he did while representing Pakistan in US. In fact, what he just said holds value and needs to be understood by us, Pakistanis.
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Apr 21, 2015 01:00pm
@Zak If only 1% of what you say becomes a reality, I'd be a happy Pakistani
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Apr 21, 2015 01:01pm
@HelloWorld I hope he would have carried out "sensible" actions while representing Pakistan in US
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Apr 21, 2015 01:03pm
@Zak India is not trying to be regional power but a global power. The day Pakistan will accept it, they will have at much more peace.
As an Indian, I cam assure our friends, we have no interest in Pakistan. Actually, I would like Pakistan to progress and become prosperous. You also have Afganistan in your backyard, the ripple affects to unsafe neighborhood is not good.
Prosperous Pakistan, who will be more responsible will be good for India. As regarding war, I think, its better then daily violence created by terrorism.
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Apr 21, 2015 01:07pm
Remember all the scandals during his tenure as ambassador? Even the supreme court declared that this person had undermined national security. No surprise that he is at it again.
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Apr 21, 2015 01:09pm
Was he Zardari's PPP chosen Ambassador ?
A BIG question on PPP loyalty as well?
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Apr 21, 2015 01:22pm
His defiance from Pakistani interests also put question on wisdom and locality of those who made him ambassador.
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Apr 21, 2015 01:25pm
He overlooks the impact of zarb e azb and restores to beating the old drums of Pakistani obsession with India without considering the Indian behavior. Strangely he is a former ambassador of Pakistan. I wonder how he served Pakistani interests with such mindset.
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Apr 21, 2015 01:34pm
These statements can be expected from a person who fled from the country amid treason charges and never came back. What a superficial argument to say that pak can't achieve parity with India as India is bigger. He should know the sizes of Israel, UK, Germany and France.
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Apr 21, 2015 01:40pm
@harmony - Why are you disguised as me? Be yourself.
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Apr 21, 2015 01:40pm
It's the money my friend, that the US want from Pakistan and India by selling it's arms' to both. Why should they lose the highly potential market in south asia?
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Apr 21, 2015 01:42pm
It's very practical and highly appreciable thoughts and vision of Mr.Haqqani..after all its "AID" and is always obligatory unlike India's multi-billion dollar "DEALS".
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Apr 21, 2015 01:46pm
@Sunil - Pakistan did not harbour OBL. Former US ambassador admitted that.
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Apr 21, 2015 01:46pm
People might not agree with him but he is a sane voice. Pursuing parity with India in all the wrong fields like conventional military capabilities will cost Pakistan, instead go for higher per capita income or higher human development index or something of the sort.
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Apr 21, 2015 01:55pm
Hussain who? Who cares what some ex-anyone has to say about this specially when this ex-anyone cannot even travel to Pakistan for fear of being arrested.
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Apr 21, 2015 01:56pm
Interesting to see the comments. Indians mostly agreeing with this guy and Pakistanis don't.
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Apr 21, 2015 02:05pm
Who is he
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Apr 21, 2015 02:06pm
All this equipment the helicopters ,hell fire missiles are for specific used against Militants
Also conventional weapon deterence against India is essential. How on earth this person had represented Pakistan as Ambassador
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Apr 21, 2015 02:09pm
India&Kashmir is keeping us backward,India has got an effective strategic asset in the form of kashmiris ,they know Pakistan will never attack Kashmir with Nbomb as long as kashmiris are there as we love kashmiris more than anything in the world, hence the million soldiers are also safe in Kashmir,just like we will never give up our strategic assets likewise India will never give up Kashmir and kashmiris its strategic asset also as long as kashmir problem is not solved all our strategies , investments and mind share will be India hence putting all our money in defence thereby not developing education,human resources,industry,agriculture which are infact the back bone of any country which is militarily strong thus pakistan will always be backward , which india wants and thus keeping kashmir solves and india's problems vis a vis pakistan ,pakistan pleading with UN for plebiscite will never materialize as the world is against Pakistan and its growth as a well balanced regional power.
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Apr 21, 2015 02:13pm
And these type of people happen to have Prime slots like the Ambassador to the U.S.!!!
Great.
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Apr 21, 2015 02:39pm
@a_writer
I will call it a voice of American imperialism.
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Apr 21, 2015 02:42pm
@Lexman
I will be insane to compare Pakistan with the 400 million starving Indians, so what if Ambani lives in a 300 million home.
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Apr 21, 2015 02:43pm
@Paul But we feel proud when our military get stronger , martial spirit is in the blood of true pakistanis.
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Apr 21, 2015 02:45pm
@Zak I think a better statement would be to say 'India is not like Pakistan rather than Cuba'. Why bring Cuba for such a baseless comparison?
Honestly Hussain Haqqani is not saying don't compete with India. But rather understand your limitations and build capability against a conventional strike. Don't be obsessed and keep competing to be equal all the time as money spent for this can probably be used better than weapons as Pakistan is already nuclear capable.
Its time such a sane view was heard seriously. For your own good.
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Apr 21, 2015 03:04pm
It is not the first time that the Haqani has given proof of him being a loose cannon and a foreign agent.It is a tragedy that despoit knowing his reality various Pakistani govts had appointed him to various sensitive posts perhaps many of these govts included (and continue to) foreign agents.
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Apr 21, 2015 03:19pm
This guy needs to get his head checked. The so called intellectual must understand this basic fact. America is not willing to supplying these Helis as a charity, America is in competition with Chinese Z-10 and Russian Mi-35 helis which Pakistan is evaluating at the moment. Its a simple business process. No need to get excited over it Mr Haqqani.
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Apr 21, 2015 03:21pm
He is a Pakistan-hater.
But also a supreme opportunist. When offered the post of ambassador to the US by Asif Zardari (who is no friend of Pakistan either) Haqqani had no scruples to reject it.
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Apr 21, 2015 03:21pm
A sane voice from Pakistan, which will go unheeded.
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Apr 21, 2015 03:23pm
@Sauron Sorry, "most countries in the world" do NOT try to acquire nuclear weapons. No, not even Japan, the so-far sole victim of nuclear war, which made the unequivocal and extremely dignified decision that guides its successive governments.
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Apr 21, 2015 03:33pm
@Sam more than 500 Pakistani Visas issued to agents like Raymond Davis on daily basis without informing the Interior Ministry. This is what Haqqani did during his tenure as Ambassador to US.
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Apr 21, 2015 03:42pm
@khanm Absolutely Correct!
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Apr 21, 2015 04:06pm
With the big difference that Belgium is not competing with France or Germany, but joining forces with them ... making Belgium even stronger on the economic level ... and that's what the world is all about today !
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Apr 21, 2015 04:26pm
@Dinesh. If Pakistan do not matter to you or india, what are you doing here?
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Apr 21, 2015 04:39pm
@Dinesh Agreed..
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Apr 21, 2015 09:16pm
@Amigo4444 Daily dose of humor...
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Apr 22, 2015 12:21am
@Zak
hilarious...why don't you try in bollywood?
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Apr 22, 2015 01:29am
@Faisal Bajwa Indian Army is almost 5 times more than Pakistan army. Can you even afford your current army? What to talk of removing the conventional gap.
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Apr 22, 2015 08:31am
Most of these weapons anyways end up in the hands of "strategic assets".
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Apr 22, 2015 08:46am
@Faisal Bajwa
Comparing Pakistan armyto Israeli Army must be the biggest joke.
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Apr 22, 2015 09:34am
@a_writer If you think that this is a sane voice amongst 200 million Pakistanis then I wonder about your sanity.
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Apr 22, 2015 11:14am
@Dinesh - On the contrary, India is highly obsessed with Pakistan. You guys many comments here being the case in point.
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Apr 22, 2015 12:01pm
Does Husain Haqqani is running after nomination for a US research program that needs Indo- Israel clearance?
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Apr 22, 2015 07:37pm
Truth can sometimes be bitter!
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Apr 23, 2015 12:02am
It is naive of Pakistan to expect the kind of US aid they got in last decade. Reason is obvious. US is out of Afghanistan. MiddleEast issues& other strategic issues are prioroty for US administration.
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Apr 23, 2015 12:09am
All the Pakistani comments are against Mr. Haqqani and he may very well be right. It is the fixation of Pakistan foreign policy to get equated with India at world stage. But why? Pakistan has a identity crisis that will never go. Haqqani has just rested his case while speaking truth that Pakistan establishment can never do while in Power.
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Apr 23, 2015 04:01am
Do you think US actually cares what the arms are used for? No. They ae just selling their products to keep their factories running and keep their people employed.
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Apr 23, 2015 07:43am
Mr Haqqani is wrong. Historically Belgium is also known as the "battlefield of Europe."
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Apr 23, 2015 07:51am
@Taimoor Khan agreed, but why does Dawn report this without any such analysis?
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Apr 23, 2015 08:26am
One man with a vision. A rarity in Pakistan, who speaks the facts - . If Pakistanis to up the game you need more people like him to run the country.
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Apr 23, 2015 08:29am
@El Cid. Why are you o afraid?
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Apr 23, 2015 09:19am
His views on India-Pakistan relationship resemble those of ex ambassador Ashraf Jehangir Qazi but differ from the views of another ex ambassador Munir Akram.The most unfortunate part of these similarities and otherwise is that Pakistan government does not follow either of them but carves out its own path in the matter depending upon which party wins and who is elected as the prime minister of the country.God only knows which path of policy towards India is the real policy,if any.
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Apr 23, 2015 09:38am
He spoke the truth. we dont need weapons. we need employement. we need better public services, better health care. 100 million pakistanis are living below the poverty line. those weapons are being used against us in K.P and Balochistan.
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Apr 23, 2015 09:45am
@Faisal Bajwa Please, do not compare Israel with Pakistan. How has Israel, a tiny state of 5 million souls in a turbid ocean of over 250 million hostile Arabs, been able to still exist despite constant threats? You may want to do some Googling. Also, India faces far more of a threat from an increasingly bellicose China, which seems ready to throw its weight around and assert it owns all those lands (with no legal standing or proof) in the South China sea, Xinjiang and Tibet and even parts of India. Single-minded focusing on development and weaning itself off real or imagined off foreign largesse is the real answer; not mindlessly hunkering down and "eating grass" (ZAB's promise) to achieve some elusive parity with a giant neighbor.
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Apr 23, 2015 09:46am
@Zak Good for pakistan to be a regional power.At the same time,how about fixing some of it's internal problems like energy,economy,education etc.For about 44 years we have lived with out any real war.With nuclear deterrence in place and hopefully with better sense prevailing on both sides,there may not be any war any time soon.In such a scenario,accumulating huge weaponry makes little sense.Of course,this applies to all developing countries including India.Just give it a thought.
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Apr 23, 2015 10:01am
@Jalaluddin S. Hussain Well, Mr. Hussain, you are in the minority of sane ones here. Wish what you say was true. But an entrenched national narrative, (you can judge by the venom being heaped on Dr. Haqqani, a scholar and an intellectual) which is constantly reinforced, cannot be easily uprooted now. Things will have to run their course.
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Apr 23, 2015 10:14am
@Riaz Military exports by the US are a small pittance compared to what just one company (Apple) does in sales abroad. You need better information about the size of the various world economies before you make such baseless assertions. From you remarks (and those of others) you are not in the least grateful for the $58 billion your nation has received from the US. As an American, I want the US to stop this utter waste of foreign aid. It will be better to spend them on deserving (and gracious) poor countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America.
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Apr 23, 2015 10:31am
@Sauron Assuming this doctrine makes sense, it does not guarantee automatic progress in other domains. You still have to educate, innovate, adjudicate, provide services, encourage business growth, clothe and house people, reduce the rampant population growth (which negates any economic progress). If the times under dictatorships (Ayub and Pervez) was the best time economically, then something is not being done right. Capitalism and democracy thrive on freedoms. When I see many op-ed, editorials, and blogs still discussing and gnashing their teeth over Pakistani Ideology, the Constitutions, Zia and Zab eras, the PPP/PML corruption, Kashmir, and other meaningless stuff, instead of how to bring Pakistan into the
21st century, outsiders like me see the problem. Y'all just spinning your wheels. You should ask why rational and educated people like Dr. Haqqani seek greener and fresher horizons?
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Apr 23, 2015 10:39am
@Harmony That's not a true measure of obsession. Only a handful of people from India (going by their names and their comments) visit and comment on DAWN or Express Tribune blogs. And many of the same names are repeated over and over again. (Out of 300+ million English language speakers, that's a drop in the ocean.) Obsession is when national policy, national ideology, official and unofficial statements, op-eds, blogs, editorials, war machine, nuclear weapons, history books for children, and a host of other things seem focused on and driven by one subject to the exclusion of others.
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Apr 23, 2015 10:55am
@nauman I maybe wrong, but he is a long-time US resident and may even be a naturalized citizen. He taught at Boston University, a major educational institution, for many years. He appears on national talk shows as his views are widely respected for his objective and incisive fact-based analysis and intellectual honesty. When a physician like Dr. Afridi can be summarily jailed without trial after he was found to be a source of OBL's whereabouts; when Punjab's governor can be massacred for speaking against the blasphemy law and his assassin openly celebrated; when the Nuclear proliferator AQ Khan enjoys national acclaim and "house arrest," and not prosecution; when Nawab Sharif has to live in exile in KSA and Benazir Bhutto (assassinated on return to her country) in Dubai, the US and UK . . . . When Dr. Haqqani is accused of treason, wouldn't you expect him to stay safe when there is no hope for a fair trial in a place where justice is almost never administered fairly or blindly?
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Apr 23, 2015 12:45pm
Oh,wow!:):)Seeking security against a much larger neighbor is a rational objective but seeking parity with it on a constant basis is not.
Nice?:):):)
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Apr 23, 2015 03:40pm
Such Pakistanis Pakistan can do without.. Speaks much for those who employed him as Ambassador, horrific...
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Apr 23, 2015 06:01pm
@Hakali It is rationale like the one expoused by you over the decades that has got Pakistan to where it is today. Good Luck!
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Apr 23, 2015 06:15pm
@Baba - Wishing to progress is a wrong "Rationality"?
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Apr 23, 2015 09:17pm
@Faisal Bajwa No, he has not lost it bro, you seem to have lost it. Please read the article slowly with full concentration and word by word and than see in what context he has said this.
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Apr 23, 2015 09:23pm
@Farash Bro Taiwan has vibrant economy, flourishing industries and solid economy. What do we have? Our exports are miniscule, and if you take off Clothes/clothing/apparels exports, its laughable. Not a single on ground new investments has taken place( forget about recent $46B Chinese, we shall come to it when it materialize on ground) and for $1b we have to look outside our country. Bitter (pill to swallow) but truth. And moreover Taiwan is not competing with China, its only protecting its land & identity from China.
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Apr 23, 2015 09:24pm
@Tariq K Sami
" Mr Haqqani is wrong. Historically Belgium is also known as the "battlefield of Europe.""
... and your point is?
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Apr 23, 2015 09:25pm
@Harmony So about OBL,that is acceptable to you and what Mr. Haqqani says in not acceptable to you. Being selective of the truth not mater how false?
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Apr 23, 2015 09:30pm
@Zak ZAK if you think that we can on par with India or say India with America/China, you are wrong. All countries have their limitations, what ever they may be.
What a country can do to progress is accept the limitations it has, set it goals/aims and work towards betterment of the country and the people living in it.
And the parity follows gradually.
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Apr 23, 2015 09:32pm
@Amigo4444 Amigo4444 coming here to learn, understand. enhance our knowledge, may be who knows this can become a bridge of peace between you and me. Ain't it? Period
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Apr 23, 2015 09:49pm
@Leo before you open your mouth and shut down everything else, please enlighten us with the nams of weapons that have found their way to strategic assets and please let us all know where have you seen strategic assets flying gunships?
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Apr 23, 2015 11:05pm
Pakistan don't need to compete against any country but internal enemy. That is corruption, extremism, illiteracy and poverty. We must comprehend true meaning of prudence and wisdom.
Obviously, We should thank China. Whereas, China is getting a port next to middle-east market along with a 1500 ++ miles highway with eventual connection to Europe for only $37 billion. Indeed, this is a win win situation for both Pakistan and China's future interest for a long time to come.
Diamer-Bhasha mega dam project in Pakistan that will need somewhere between $12 and $15 billion, will put Pakistan's economic position in far better shape. The project does have potential to bring in an additional 5-8 million acres of land under cultivation with professional water management and distribution comes along with this project.
Obviously, India's objection and propaganda to this project has been noted along with financial return on investment by China. Two most important issue for any investors.
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Apr 25, 2015 05:35pm
@Moody Yeller
%58 billion for what, Sir. All used for US interests including those spent on arm purchases from US. We are spending more than what we receive in return. The coalition has not even paid for use of air space so far. We have lost maximum lives in the war that was forced on the basis of a US created drama to secure its economic and strategic interests in the region. I do have enough knowledge for the comments. The amount received from US is not adequate to even compensate the families of our soldiers who sacrifice for US cause. For your kind information, your ammunition/ explosives factories will be closed if their are no conflicts in the world which the US will never let it happen.
So please leave us alone. We neither need your money nor interference !!!!!
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