Terrorism in Pakistan Can End Soon If America Gives Up Double Standard

[unhappycamper]

http://watchingamerica.com/WA/2015/06/28/terrorism-in-pakistan-can-end-soon-if-america-gives-up-double-standard/

Terrorism in Pakistan Can End Soon If America Gives Up Double Standard
Published in Nawa-i-Waqt (Pakistan) on 22 June 2015 by Editorial [link to original]
Translated from Urdu by Fauzia Iqbal. Edited by Helaine Schweitzer.
Posted on June 28, 2015.

A recent report of the U.S. Department of Defense says that Pakistan initiated a national action plan in December 2014 with the objective of eliminating terrorists. This is a long- term plan that will need to overcome many obstacles. The report further says that following assumption of power by the Ashraf Ghani government in Afghanistan, improvement in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations has been of great significance for regional peace. The desire expressed by the two countries for bilateral communication across the border on security matters is welcome. Meanwhile, Pakistan's army chief, General Raheel Sharif, says that Pakistan's forces are not getting the cooperation it desires from Afghanistan in Pakistan’s anti-terrorism efforts.

Pakistan's biggest problem today is terrorism. More than 60,000 Pakistanis, including 5,000 sons of the military forces, are victims of terrorism. The loss of more than $100 billion from the destruction of infrastructure has caused a decline in the country's economy, from which it is still struggling to recover. The basic cause for the advent of terrorism in Pakistan is Pakistan's assistance to the U.S. in its war against terrorism after 9/11. Regardless of whether or not the U.S. accomplished its objectives for the war in Afghanistan, and if so to what extent, the reality on the ground is that the U.S. and its allies have wound up their operations in Afghanistan, leaving only 9,000 remaining troops deployed in that country.

~snip~

The Ashraf Ghani administration, like the Karzai administration, cannot formulate any internal or external policy that is not approved by the U.S. or goes against U.S. wishes. The idea of a peaceful Pakistan is intolerable to India. Pakistan's political and military leadership have repeatedly said that India is involved in terrorism in Pakistan. On one occasion, a military spokesman warned India to desist from conspiracies aimed at sabotaging Operation Zarb-e-Azb. Now that Ghani is accusing Pakistan of aggression toward Afghanistan for 14 years, undoubtedly, it is India speaking through him and undoubtedly India has U.S. patronage. Evidence for this also comes from the most recent report of the U.S. magazine Forbes, which says that the U.S. is increasing military and nuclear cooperation with India as a means of competing with China. This kind of cooperation may increase tension between India and Pakistan. The Pentagon has established a cooperation group that will assist India in construction of its next aircraft carrier, work on which will start next month. The magazine further writes that viewing the tension between India and Pakistan in perspective, one observes that the two countries have fought four wars since their inception. The source of the tension between the two countries is the Kashmir issue.

The U.S. is providing benefits to India to achieve its own objectives. The U.S. has forgotten that Pakistan has sacrificed life and materials in the war against terrorism. The U.S. is increasing military and nuclear cooperation with India merely for the sake of competing with China, whereas India's war hysteria is directed at Pakistan and only at Pakistan.